AUSTIN, Texas — The investigation into an Austin woman accused of killing a cyclist in May continues.
Kaitlin Marie Armstrong is suspected of killing professional cyclist Anna Moriah "Mo" Wilson in East Austin on May 11, before evading authorities for more than a month. She was arrested in Costa Rica on June 29 and extradited to the U.S. a few days later. She is currently booked in the Travis County Jail on charges in connection with Wilson's murder.
On Thursday, July 7, the U.S. Marshals Lone Star Fugitive Task Force and other law enforcement representatives hosted a press conference about Armstrong's capture and her return to the U.S. The U.S. Marshals told KVUE ahead of the press conference that it would mostly be about crediting the agencies involved in the ongoing investigation.
However, a few new details were shared during the course of the conference. Brandon Filla with the U.S. Marshals Service said there is an active investigation into the fraudulent use of a passport Armstrong used while on the run and the person it actually belongs to. Filla did not identify who the passport belongs to or what, if any, charges that person could face. But he did say it belonged to someone "closely associated with her."
According to a release from U.S. Attorney's Office - District of New Jersey, Armstrong faces a charge of one count of misuse of a passport in New Jersey, in addition to the charges she already faced in connection with Wilson's murder.
Filla also said Thursday that Armstrong used three different aliases while on the run: Beth Martin, Ari Martin and Liz. She reportedly used those names at different lodging establishments and yoga studios.
The U.S. Marshals also said she had changed her appearance by cutting her hair and dying it brown. She was also found with a bandage on her nose and told officials it was from a surfing accident, although it has raised questions about whether she had some kind of surgery to alter her appearance. Filla could not confirm if that was the case, saying officials would leave it at a surfing accident.
What started as a case for the Austin Police Department turned into a federal investigation involving the U.S. Marshals, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Costa Rican authorities.
One of the questions many still have is how Armstrong was able to stay under the radar for so long before being apprehended.
On May 14, she flew from Austin to New York. Four days later, she was seen arriving at the Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey – but there was no record of her leaving, on a flight or otherwise.
That's when the Department of Homeland Security was able to track down that Armstrong had used someone else's passport to board a flight to Costa Rica. It was only then that a warrant was issued for her arrest.
She was found at a hostel in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica, 43 days later. At that point, she was arrested for the fraudulent use of a passport and soon after confessed her true identity, Filla said.
Armstrong was deported to the U.S., where she landed in Houston on July 2 and was taken to Travis County on July 5.
Filla said authorities received more than 80 tips over the course of the investigation from around the U.S. in connection to Armstrong.
"But that information assisted us in developing over 80 tips nationwide," he said Thursday. "Some of those tips were more credible than others but it did give us some type of traveling path on Kaitlin Armstrong."
Filla credited "old-fashioned police work" for Armstrong's capture as officials in Costa Rica conducted door-to-door stops and interviews, ultimately leading them to the suspect.
"We also want to remember the victim in this case and hope this is the beginning stage of closure for the Wilson family," he said.
Armstrong's first court appearance is scheduled for July 20.
Watch the press conference here:
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