Crucial clues reveal Kaitlin Armstrong’s escape plan after ‘love triangle murder’ and what she’d look like in disguise
FUGITIVE yoga teacher Kaitlin Armstrong hastily sold her car below market value before going on the run after allegedly gunning down her cyclist love rival in a jealous rage, new documents show.
Armstrong, 34, has been missing since May 14 having last been seen in New York City days after being quizzed by cops over the shooting death of 25-year-old Moriah "Mo" Wilson in Austin, Texas.
A warrant was issued for Armstrong's arrest on May 17, and police say she should be considered armed and dangerous.
Four days earlier, Armstrong sold her car - a black 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee - to a CarMax dealership in south Austin for $12,200, the US Marshals confirmed, before fleeing from Texas to New York,
A vehicle matching the same description was seen pulling up outside Wilson's home moments before she was shot dead on May 11.
Documents provided to The US Sun by suggest that Armstrong sold the car for between $2,000-$3,000 below market value, with the same models of Jeep in the condition of Armstrong's typically selling for between $14,500-$15,320, CarFax data shows.
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Jensen believes the apparent cut-price and hasty sale of her car indicates Armstrong's "intent to run."
"She was ditching her car, likely knowing officials could trace her whereabouts through her plates," Jensen claimed.
"The quick cash was more useful to her than the vehicle at that point.
"She may also have had fears that some forensic evidence could be discovered in the vehicle - such as gunpowder residue, trace blood, and other DNA - but a dealership will detail the vehicle for resale."
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POTENTIAL DISGUISE
As the hunt for the accused killer continues six weeks on, Jensen and forensic facial imaging expert Michael Streed have generated a series of digitally altered portraits to show how Armstrong may have changed her appearance in an effort to evade capture.
In a previous interview with The US Sun, Jensen said there was "nothing really defining" about Armstrong's appearance, meaning she would "easily be able to alter her hairstyle" or dye her hair and drastically change her look.
Putting his theory into practice, Jensen and Streed created four images of Armstrong showing the fugitive with a variation of hairstyles to show what she might look like now.
"It's not uncommon for fugitives to change their appearances to avoid apprehension as long as that can," Jensen said.
"They will often change their hairstyle and/or color; if they are known to have short hair they tend to wear a long wig, if they are known to have long hair they tend to cut off their long locks.
"If they are known to have light-colored hair, they go dark or if they have dark hair they lighten it."
The veteran PI continued: "Since fugitive Kaitlin Armstrong is known for her long golden hair without bangs, I predict she has gone darker, either a dark brown or black color, and she has given herself bangs or a bob hairstyle."
SIX WEEKS ON THE LAM
Tuesday marked exactly six weeks since Armstrong became a wanted person in connection with the death of Wilson.
Wilson, a 25-year-old rising cycling star, was found shot to death inside the bathroom of a home she was temporarily staying at.
Armstrong was questioned by police in connection with Wilson's death on May 12 and left town shortly afterward.
The last known image of Armstrong was captured on surveillance inside New York City's LaGuardia airport on May 14.
In a press release last week, US Marshalls said new information suggests Armstrong headed to Newark Liberty International Airport on May 18, though no flight reservations had been made in her name.
Precisely where she went during her four days in New York also remains a mystery.
A camper at a remote wellness retreat in Livingston Manor, upstate New York, claimed to have seen Armstrong in the area just over a month ago in an interview with Fox News.
As previously reported by The US Sun, Armstrong's younger sister Christine works and lives at the camp full-time, having recently relocated to New York from Austin.
There is no suggestion from police that Armstrong's sister is involved in her disappearance.
However, records obtained by Jensen apparently show that on May 13 someone identifying themselves as Christine Armstrong applied for a driver's license in New York State that he believes Kaitlin Armstrong could be using to travel around undetected.
"The last place Kaitlin was cited was at New York LaGuardia Airport on May 14th and just three days after that, an address pops up in New York state in Christine's name," Jensen said in an earlier interview.
"What are the odds that you see Kaitlyn in New York, and three days later, Kaitlin's sister has a new license and address listed in New York?
"It makes you wonder if Kaitlin borrowed or stole a passport or some form of ID from Christine before she left Austin and has now used it to get a New York state license with her photo on it."
'SHE'S STILL OUT THERE'
While no signs of Armstrong have emerged in the weeks since, a spokesperson for the US Marshals Service (USMS) has this week said investigators believe the fugitive "is still alive."
Analyzing the statement for , retired commander of the USMS Lenny DePaul said: "To make a statement like [that] … Well, obviously, they know some things.
"Maybe they picked up on something, maybe intercepted something. And, you know, whether it's communication or a conversation or somebody did see her, you know, maybe her sister in upstate New York is cooperating.
"They’re connecting those dots," he said. "They're looking at a variety of things – that digital footprint's important, is she using a different name? Did she get out of the country somehow? Is she bedded down?"
A LinkedIn account appearing to belong to Armstrong shows she has been a "partner" of a yoga studio in Bali, Idonesia, since February 2017, however it's unclear when the page was last updated.
DePaul told that even if Armstrong had managed to flee the country, she'd likely unknowingly be leaving a breadcrumb trail behind her.
"If she was able to get out of the country – and that's a big if, usually, you drop breadcrumbs as soon as you get to the airport.
"And the relationships that the U.S. Marshals Service has, not only with our international branch, but, with all other countries that we have extradition treaties with, and folks that are on the ground, from the U.S. Marshals and other agencies around the globe … I know the appropriate lookouts are in place."
LOVE TRIANGLE MURDER
Police believe Armstrong murdered Wilson in a jealous rage after becoming convinced she and Strickland were having an affair.
Wilson and Strickland had dated briefly last fall while he and Armstrong were on a break.
The night she was killed, Strickland told police he had gone swimming with Wilson, and then the pair had dinner together.
He says he then dropped her off at home, where she was later found dead on the bathroom floor with multiple gunshot wounds.
Investigators say just one minute after Wilson arrived home, security footage shows an SUV similar to Armstrong's appearing to pull up outside the property.
Detectives analyzed shell casings found at the scene of the murder against a gun belonging to Armstrong, writing in an affidavit, "The potential that the same firearm was involved is significant."
During an interrogation on May 12, officers confronted Armstrong with the video evidence, but the fitness enthusiast reportedly offered no reaction and remained "still and guarded," police documents show.
Investigators used an outstanding but unrelated class-B warrant for her arrest to bring her in for question about the death of Wilson.
Armstrong's date of birth was incorrectly listed on the document, and police could not arrest her for the class-B offense and forced them to let her go.
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A reward of $21,000 has been put up for information leading to Armstrong's arrest.
Anyone with information on Armstrong’s whereabouts is urged to contact the U.S. Marshals Service Communications Center at 1-800-336-0102 or submit a tip using the USMS Tips app.
