AUSTIN, Texas (NewsNation) — New details are emerging in the case of a Texas love triangle turned deadly. Austin police filed a search warrant and discovered what’s believed to be the email address used by suspected murderer Kaitlin Armstrong.
The warrant follows the May 11 shooting death of 25-year-old professional cyclist Moriah Wilson. Police say Wilson had previously dated Armstrong’s boyfriend.
Days after being questioned by authorities, investigators say Armstrong left the country using the passport of someone close to her. She tried hiding by using fake names and changing her appearance, but was captured by U.S. marshals in Costa Rica on June 29 following a 43-day manhunt.
After investigators filed a digital search warrant, they discovered an email account Armstrong is believed to have used while she was fleeing Texas. The contents of the email have not been unveiled yet.
Former CIA officer Tracy Walder joined NewsNation’s “Rush Hour” on Wednesday to discuss the significance of the warrant and what authorities hope to find.
“I think the biggest thing that’s going to come out of this digital search warrant, which they got, is really premeditation. Is what she did reactionary to her killing Mariah Wilson, or did she have a plan in place in the days or weeks prior to killing her? I think that’s the biggest thing that they’re trying to establish with this,” Walder said.
One focus of the investigation has been whether Armstrong had help hiding from authorities. Walder believes Armstrong’s boyfriend, cyclist Colin Strickland, is in an interesting spot.
“I’m not certain that I think he played a direct role in the death of Mo Wilson. … However, I think what’s going to go into place is, what did he know? And did he try to cover it up, for example, when he found out the police had confiscated her phone and he provided her with a new one? What did he know? And when did he know what about when she was making purchases at Walmart to buy the burner phone or the prepaid debit cards? I think that’s what’s going to be important there,” Walder said. “I really do not think that he played a role in the murder itself. I think what it’s going to come down to is … what role, if any, did he play in in sort of covering it up and helping her escape?”
At this point, he is not facing charges and has been cooperating with police. He is not listed as a suspect.
As for Armstrong, along with the murder accusation she faces a federal charge of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution and a misdemeanor theft charge.