LOS ANGELES (WCAX) – Kaitlin Armstrong is serving 90 years in prison for murdering professional up-and-coming gravel cyclist and Vermont native Anna Moriah “Mo” Wilson. It’s a story that drew international headlines because after killing Wilson in Texas, Armstrong fled to Costa Rica to evade authorities. 48 Hours correspondent Jonathan Vigliotti has the first interview with the U.S. Marshals who went undercover to track her down. Here’s a preview.
In June 2022, one month after Kaitlin Armstrong– suspected of murdering Moriah Wilson– disappeared, deputy U.S. Marshals Damien Fernandez and Emir Perez traveled to Costa Rica. They knew finding Armstrong was going to be a challenge.
“We had intelligence indicating that she was staying at hostels in Costa Rica. And I don’t know if you know anything about cost Rica, but Costa Rica has a lot of hostels, an unbelievable amount of hostels,” Perez said.
A source told them Armstrong could be hiding out in the small village of Santa Teresa, but it was challenging because the town was full of tourists, many who looked similar to Armstrong. The marshals would later learn that Armstrong had also used different names and had changed her appearance. She had cut and colored her hair and even had gotten plastic surgery. They hit dead end after dead end.
CBS News Reporter Jonathan Vigliotti: So you’re this close to giving up.
Damien Fernandez: Yes.
So after many intense days of searching for Armstrong with no luck, the marshals decided to try one last tactic, hoping that Armstrong’s love of teaching yoga would pay off for them. They turned to a local Facebook page.
“We decided we were gonna put an ad out,” Perez said. “Or multiple ads for a yoga instructor and see what– what would happen.”
You can watch the full investigation this Saturday, Jan. 27, at 10 p.m. on WCAX.
Related Stories:
Texas woman convicted of killing pro cyclist Anna ‘Mo’ Wilson sentenced to 90 years
Jury convicts woman of fatally shooting Vt. cyclist Anna ‘Mo’ Wilson in jealous rage
Murder trial in killing of rising pro cyclist Anna ‘Mo’ Wilson nears end. What has happened so far?
Trial underway for woman charged in murder of Vt. pro-cyclist Mo Wilson
Cycling event Saturday to honor Moriah Wilson
Texas woman accused in Vermont cyclist’s death appears in court
Texas woman accused in cyclist death arrested in Costa Rica
Woman pleads not guilty to killing of Vermont pro cyclist
Woman pleads not guilty in Texas killing of pro cyclist
Suspect in murder of Vt. cyclist captured in Costa Rica
Slain cyclist Moriah Wilson, 25, ‘exceptional in every way’
Search continues for Texas woman accused in Vt. cyclist’s death
