Texas love triangle murder suspect Caitlin Armstrong was trying to make a new life in Costa Rica by dying and cutting her hair to disguise her identity, according to an arrest photo showing her dramatic transformation and in American Marshals. Armstrong, 34, was arrested Wednesday in a remote beach town after 43 days on the run for allegedly killing her romantic rival, Moriah “Moe” Wilson, who police say was having an affair with her boyfriend Colin Strickland. The booking photo released by the Ministerio de Seguridad Pública de Costa Rica shows Armstrong from behind wearing shorts and an orange T-shirt and sporting her recently dyed brown locks as she is escorted to a holding cell. Wilson, 25, who was one of the nation’s top female cyclists, was shot to death on May 11 in Austin after going to dinner with fellow cyclist Strickland – allegedly behind Armstrong’s back. CAITLYN ARMSTRONG Manhunt: Suspect arrested in Texas love triangle murder on Costa Rica beach, marshals announce Armstrong was questioned and released on May 12 — then fled to New York and eventually to Costa Rica, using a passport that wasn’t hers, where she checked into a guesthouse on Santa Teresa Beach in Provincia de Puntarenas, authorities said. A new booking photo, right, shows Kaitlin Armstrong from behind after she died and had her hair cut. The photo on the left shows her appearance before she left the country. (US Marshals/Ministerio de Seguridad Pública de Costa Rica) “We knew he was in Costa Rica, where he thought it was a safe haven, where he was already trying to establish some kind of lifestyle,” Deputy U.S. Marshal Brandon Filla told Good Morning America on Friday in an interview. “She cut her hair down a bit, about shoulder length. She dyed it dark brown. She had some kind of bandage on her nose with some kind of bruise fixed under her eyes.” TEXAS MURDER SUSPECT CAITLIN ARMSTRONG THROUGH THE YEARS: LOVE TRIANGLE FUGITIVE IN OLD PHOTOS He continued, “He was trying to create another way of life.” The type of yoga she studied had something to do with surfing, and it seemed like she wanted to start teaching, officials said. Armstrong was arrested after local police in Costa Rica ran a background check on a name he gave them during a stop in the city and found no record of him entering the country, according to the DailyMail. She then admitted her real name, which officials found in a database that revealed there was a high-priority arrest warrant for her, according to the news site. Moriah “Mo” Wilson, left, and Kaitlin Armstrong. (The Wilson Family/ US Marshals Service) U.S. Marshals said they knew Armstrong was in Costa Rica after receiving dozens of tips. He boarded a United Airlines flight May 18 from Newark Liberty International Airport to San Jose, the nation’s capital, authorities said. “The Marshals Service elevated the investigation of Kaitlin Armstrong to major case status early in this investigation, which likely played a key role in her arrest,” U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Texas Susan Pomerleau said in a statement announcing the arrest. “This is an example of combining the resources of local, state, federal and international authorities to capture a violent fugitive, to end this run and hopefully bring a sense of closure to the victim’s family.” Colin Strickland is seen outside his home in Austin, Texas on June 17, 2022. (MEGA) Wilson was visiting Texas before a bike race and met Strickland for a swim and dinner at Pool Burger before returning to her friend’s apartment where she was staying. Moments after Wilson dropped her off, Armstrong’s SUV appeared on surveillance video outside, police said. FUGITIVE CAITLYN ARMSTRONG: TIMELINE OF SUSPECTED MURDERER AUSTIN’S DISAPPEARANCE Armstrong allegedly used a handgun that Strickland bought her earlier this year to blow up Wilson, according to the arrest warrant. The next day, she sold her black Jeep Grand Cherokee at a CarMax dealership around the corner from her home for $12,200 and flew to New York, Marshals said. Wanted poster for alleged murder suspect Caitlin Armstrong (US Marshals Service) A tipster called the cops on May 14 to report that Armstrong “became furious and shaking with anger” after finding out that Strickland was allegedly having an affair with Wilson. CLICK HERE TO RECEIVE THE FOX NEWS APPLICATION Strickland claimed in an interview with The Sun that he had fallen out with Wilson in October 2021 during a break in his relationship with Armstrong – his live-in girlfriend. But they had since reconciled and his relationship with Wilson was purely platonic, he said. Haley Chi-Sing contributed to this report. Rebecca Rosenberg is a veteran journalist and author focusing on crime and criminal justice. Email tips to [email protected] and @ReRosenberg.
