← Crime House 24/7
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- [00:01]
Crime House Podcast Host
On the Crime House Original podcast Serial Killers and Murderous Minds, we're diving into the psychology of the world's most complex murder cases.
- [00:09]
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From serial killers to cult leaders, deadly exes and spree killers, we're examining not just how they killed, but why.
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Crime House Podcast Host
Is it uncontrollable rage? Overwhelming fear? Or is it something deeper? Serial Killers and Murderous Minds is a Crime House Studios Original new episodes drop every Monday and Thursday Friday. Follow wherever you get your podcasts.
- [00:42]
Mike Ferguson
This is Crime House.
- [00:45]
Katie Ring
When Caitlin Armstrong's jealousy became too much for her to bear, she took violent measures to hold on to the man she loved. But when police started suspecting her, she did something no one ever expected. She ran. Welcome to Night watch on Crime House 24 7. I'm your host Katie Ring and together we'll be following the cases making headlines now, where justice is still unfolding. Follow us wherever you are listening and if you want ad free episodes, subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts plus subscribe to our YouTube channelightwatchpod. This episode discusses an active criminal case. The information we share is based on what's publicly available at the time of recording and may change as new evidence comes to light. We aim to inform, not to decide guilt or innocence, so everyone mentioned is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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- [03:07]
Katie Ring
Tonight we're getting into part two of our three part deep dive on Caitlin Armstrong, the Austin based yoga instructor whose on Again, off again. Relationship spiraled into something deadly in our last episode. Caitlin Armstrong's jealousy had been building for months, spilling into surveillance, threats and obsession until the night of May 11, 2022, when cyclist Anna Maria or Mo Wilson was found shot to death in an Austin apartment. As police began piecing together the timeline, one moment stood out immediately. Colin Strickland's friend Lance had gone to Colin's place to borrow a bike. Colin was at the police station already, but Kaitlin let him in and started talking to him about what happened in the moment. Lance didn't think much of it, but after he left, he realized it was odd how much Kaitlin knew about the murder she where Mo died and how she died. Despite police not releasing those details yet, Caitlyn's comments were extremely suspicious. And by now, Lance wasn't the only one wary of her. At Austin police headquarters, detectives Spitler and Ayers were starting to learn more about the past drama between Colin Strickland, Mo and Kaitlyn. Colin also explained everything he and Mo had done before he dropped her off at home the night before. He said he had picked up Mo on his motorcycle around 6pm and that they went for a swim at a popular pool in Austin. Then they grabbed dinner, and then he dropped her back off at Caitlin Cash's apartment around 8:30pm after that, he went straight home. The detectives asked if anyone could confirm his timeline, and Colin said no. His girlfriend Kaitlin didn't get home until about 9:20 that night. With how cooperative and forthcoming Colin was with investigators, their gut feeling was that Colin was not involved, and their suspicions turned to his jealous girlfriend, Caitlin. Detectives had surveillance footage of a black Jeep with a bike rack on it driving near Mo's friend's apartment, where she was staying the night Mo was killed, a car that was identical to the one parked in Colin's driveway. But they also had footage of him riding his motorcycle down the highway away from the apartment where he dropped off mo@ 8:48pm making it almost impossible for him to be the killer. On the one hand, Colin was relieved to hear authorities said that they had evidence that exonerated him. But it left him with an uneasy question. Was his girlfriend really capable of murder? In the murder investigation of Mariah Mo Wilson, Colin Strickland told detectives that he couldn't fathom his girlfriend, Kaitlin Armstrong, being responsible for Mo's death. She wasn't a violent person. When they pressed him harder, he said that if he thought Kaitlin was truly capable of murder, he wouldn't be with her. The detectives seemed convinced that Colin really meant what he said. So as they continued speaking with him, other investigators began digging into Kaitlin's background. While they didn't have enough evidence to arrest her for Mo's murder, they did have something else. An outstanding misdemeanor charge from 2018. Apparently, Kaitlin had not paid for a Botox treatment. She was later charged with theft of service, but she was never arrested. However, this was enough to bring her into the station and at the same time, officers obtained search warrants for Colin and Kaitlin's house and their phones. With warrants in hand, investigators went back to the house and Kaitlin was still there. She appeared emotionless when they discovered her gun and asked her to hand over her phone. Then they told Caitlin she was under arrest for her 2018 theft charge charge. She cooperated as they handcuffed her and brought her in. But in the interrogation room, she claimed she never knew that she'd been charged. Then she requested an attorney. At that point, a knock on the door interrupted the interview. Apparently, the date of birth on Kaitlin's arrest warrant didn't match the one in their system, which meant the warrant wasn't valid and they had nothing to hold her on. The detectives told her about the footage of the Jeep and made a last ditch effort to get Kaitlin to talk about Colin and Mo. But she refused to say anything and eventually they had to let her go. Kaitlin Armstrong went home and waited for Colin Strickland to return. He came back that night and Caitlin immediately broke down crying and telling him how scared she was. He tried to make her feel better, and by now they had both hired lawyers. So Colin said all they could do was stay calm and cooperate. But then Caitlin became more frantic and even asked Colin if he thought their house was bugged. At that point, Colin said they should get some sleep and talk things through in the morning. And Kaitlin finally agreed. The next morning, Kaitlin was still afraid that their conversations were being recorded, so they went to a nearby coffee shop to talk. Caitlin told Colin that during the time of Mo's murder, she had gone to a yoga class and then had a waxing appointment. Colin listened carefully and we don't know whether or not he really believed her, but Katelyn at least thought he did. Then after they left the cafe, they heard from their lawyers who advised them to separate while the investigation was underway, and they both agreed. But then Kaitlin began to fret over how they'd stay in touch. Since the police had their phones, Collins suggested they buy temporary ones, which Kaitlin said she didn't even know how to do. So he took her with him to buy one at Walmart. Then, around 10:30am on May 13, 2022, two days after Mo Wilson's murder, Kaylie Kaitlin climbed into her Jeep, backed out of the driveway and drove away. As the house she shared with Colin grew smaller in her rearview mirror, Kaitlin likely knew she wouldn't see him again for a very long time. Meanwhile, police confirmed Colin's alibi and ruled him out as a suspect, which meant investigators were solely focused on Kaitlin. The evidence against her was still largely circumstantial, especially since the footage of the Jeep was grainy and they couldn't confirm Kaitlin was actually the driver. However, word was beginning to spread around the cycling community about what had happened to Mo, including the fact that police had questioned Colin and Kaitlin. And that's when investigators received a tip from one of Kaitlin's own friends saying that Kaitlin had once said she wanted to kill Mo. As police continued speaking with people, they learned just how much jealousy and rage Kaitlin had exhibited towards Mo. From there, they also learned that Kaitlin had gone to the shooting range with her sister after buying her gun. But while this all painted a damning picture, it still wasn't concrete evidence. However, now that they had gotten some help from the public, authorities decided they should continue to tap that well, so they made an announcement regarding Mo's murder. They said the crime did not appear to be random and that a person of interest had been identified, but they didn't say who. Finally, they asked for people to share any information that could help with the investigation. Police didn't have to say Kaitlyn's name publicly for her to understand that she was now their main suspect. Shortly after leaving her house on the morning of May 13, Kaitlin drove to a carmax about a mile away from her and Collins house, and she sold her Jeep for $12,200. Her whereabouts for the rest of the day are unknown, but a day later, on May 14, Kaitlin headed to the Austin Bergstrom International Airport and boarded a plane to New York to stay with her sister. Around the same time, Caitlyn made her escape. Forensic tests prove that her gun was a murder weapon, proving how cold and calculated she actually was. As soon as they made this discovery, the Austin Municipal Court issued a warrant for Caitlin's arrest on a charge of first degree murder. But when they tried to take her into custody, Caitlyn was nowhere to be found. Foreign.
- [10:52]
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Katie Ring
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- [11:59]
Katie Ring
Time 50 off regular price for new customers. Upfront payment required 45 for 3 months, $90 for 6 months or 180 for 12 month plan taxes and fees. Extra speeds may slow after 50 gigabytes per month when network is busy. See terms On May 14, 2022, three days after Mo Wilson's murder, Caitlin Armstrong sold her Jeep and hopped on a plane to New York. That evening, Caitlyn arrived at LaGuardia Airport with a backpack of her belongings and a yoga mat. Caitlin smiled when she spotted her younger sister, Christy, who was there to pick her up and drive her to her house in a remote area in the woods about 100 miles outside of New York City. Once they arrived at Kristy's cabin, Caitlin could finally relax and plan her next move, completely unaware of what was going on with her sister. The two sisters spent a lot of time together, catching up whenever Kristi wasn't around. Kaitlyn scrolled through news articles to see if there were any updates. The cycling community was reeling from Mo Wilson's murder. Most of the reports mentioned Colin, but they said that he had been cleared as a suspect. But police hadn't publicly named Kaitlin as their current person of interest. Kaitlin knew that she couldn't stay hidden with her Sister forever. But she was unsure where to go or what to do next. Then, on May 17, 2022, just three days after arriving in New York, everything changed. While Kristi was out running errands, Kaitlin saw a breaking news headline. The Austin Police Department had issued a warrant for her arrest. Kaitlin knew it was only a matter of time before the police came knocking at Kristi's door. And if she wanted to remain a free woman, Kaitlin had to leave not just the cabin, but the country. She did some quick research, trying to figure out where she could start a new life, and decided her best option was Costa Rica. It seemed like the perfect location, especially because many towns were full of American tourists who went there for yoga retreats. Caitlyn started to book a flight, but stopped herself when she realized she couldn't use her own passport. Her name would now be on the watch list and Border patrol would catch her immediately. So Caitlin rifled through the cabin until she found Christy's passport. She booked a flight under her sister's name and prepared to embark on her new life. When Kristi got home, Caitlin told her that she was going to fly back to Austin. And the next morning, Kristi drove her to Newark Airport. Caitlyn hugged her, promised to stay in touch. But then Caitlin called her and said she had changed her mind and was actually going to drive back to Austin instead. This change of story sounded alarm bells for the US Marshals, but there were no flight records for Caitlin. But when Kristi told them that she didn't know where her passport was, they dug deeper and within minutes confirmed Kaitlin had actually flown out of Newark on a one way flight to Costa Rica. Using Kristi's passport with her sister's passport, Caitlyn was able to pass through airport security undetected. Caitlin landed in San Jose, but she didn't stay there long. And as quickly as she arrived, she vanished again. But before leaving, she picked up hair dye, cut her long strawberry blonde hair short, and dyed it dark brown. When she looked in the mirror, she barely recognized herself. By the time the U.S. marshals made it to Costa Rica nearly a month later, the clock was ticking, the pressure was on, and they didn't really have any leads. One of their only pieces of intelligence was that she was staying at hostels. But that wasn't super helpful because Costa Rica is packed with hostels, especially in areas popular with tourists, surfers, and digital nomads. The marshals didn't share every detail of their investigation or how they got this one Tip. But back in the U.S. investigators managed to track down a number belonging to an American businessman they believed had crossed paths with Kaitlyn while she was on the run. They didn't know what city he was in, so they decided to cold call him. When they called, he hung up immediately, assuming it was just a scam. But after multiple attempts, he finally stayed on the line. Once he finally answered the phone, the marshals explained the situation and sent him a photo of Kaitlyn. He. The businessman said he recognized her, but she hadn't been using that name, and she looked different from the picture. She had cut her long hair and dyed it brown. He told them that he had met her at a yoga studio in Hakka, which is a popular tourist town known for its nightlife, beaches, and expats, and that she was now going by the alias Beth. This was the first real lead they had, but he didn't know where Kaitlin had gone. Once they went their separate ways, the marshals canvassed Hako, combed through hours of surveillance footage, and talked to locals. But Caitlin was already gone. But they did get another tip that led them to Santa Teresa, a small beach town on Costa Rica's Pacific coast. It was the perfect place for someone like Caitlin to hide and blend in with other tourists. About a month after Caitlin had disappeared, the Marshalls started closing in. But when they finally arrived in Santa Teresa, they ran into an unexpected problem. The agents arrived after dark and started walking along the road. They walked by a woman who looked like Caitlin. But as they continued walking, they saw one after another. Women who looked incredibly similar to their suspect. But somewhere among them, she was hiding. Caitlin had chosen Santa Teresa carefully. She'd read it was a haven for American yogis and digital nomads. Quiet, relaxed, and full of surf shops, juice bars, and funky hostels. Now going by the alias Ari, she started to settle into Santa Teresa and set up a VPN to encrypt her laptop and hide her online activity. She was also keeping close tabs on her own case. Within weeks, she learned that the case had gone international and that the US Marshal's Lone Star Fugitive Task Force had joined the Austin PD in their search for her. This meant the authorities knew she had left the country. But she still thought that if she kept a low profile, she could avoid detection. Her name would fade from the headlines, and that she might just get away with it. Katelyn felt completely comfortable in her little corner of the world. At night, she sometimes went to Kook Smokehouse, the only bar in town, and started settling in. To her new identity as Ari. People offered to buy her drinks and tried to get to know her, and Kaitlyn engaged just enough to seem normal but never revealed too much about herself. During this time, Kaitlin found another way to regain some more normalcy in her life and resumed her yoga practice. She contacted studios and asked if they needed a substitute teacher and taught a few classes on the beach, where she felt renewed by the salty air. Her life soon became a cycle of yoga in the morning, surfing in the afternoon, and a drink or two at Kook Smokehouse a few times a week. However, as more time passed, Caitlin started feeling more on edge. As she moved around the small town, she always was aware of who might be watching her. If a stranger struck up a conversation, she'd make up a fake name. When they asked her about her past, she'd invent something. Caitlin was hiding in plain sight, and it was exhausting. This was partly because, despite her desire to keep to herself, she found herself drawn to other people and longed for companionship, especially from men. One afternoon she met a man named Teal outside a tattoo shop. She told him her name was Ari. They started hanging out more frequently, but one evening while they were out, Teal leaned in for a kiss, but Caitlyn pulled back. She told him she'd just gone through a bad breakup and wasn't ready to spark a new romance. After her close call with Teal, Caitlyn decided that she needed to be more careful around people and keep her distance. Then, one day in the middle of June 2022, Kaitlin checked the news online and saw her face on the US Marshals Wanted posters under the words Armed and dangerous. The U.S. marshals were now offering a reward of $5,000 for her arrest. She realized that her new hair wasn't enough and that it was only a matter of time before someone recognized her. So Kaitlin decided to do something drastic.
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Crime House Podcast Host
Parle tu francais Hablage espanol?
- [20:04]
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- [20:31]
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- [21:02]
Mike Ferguson
Hi, this is Mike Ferguson and I'm.
- [21:05]
Mike Morford
Mike Morford and we're the host of the true crime podcast criminology.
- [21:08]
Mike Ferguson
Launched in 2017. We've covered a variety of cases, both solved and unsolved, from missing persons to mysterious murders.
- [21:17]
Mike Morford
Some of the cases we cover are well known and historic ones that you may be aware of, while other ones may be intriguing ones from small towns that you've never heard of. A lot of the cases we explore are currently breaking in the news.
- [21:28]
Mike Ferguson
We have about 400 episodes for you to binge on right now, including full seasons on the Zodiac Killer, the Golden State Killer, and Ted Bundy.
- [21:38]
Mike Morford
You can find Criminology on every major podcast platform and new episodes drop every Saturday night. Subscribe today so you don't miss an episode.
- [21:47]
Katie Ring
In June of 2022, 34 year old Caitlin Armstrong was hiding from the US Marshals in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica. She'd been on the run for a month and was feeling the stress of living as a fugitive. She had dyed her hair and was using a fake name, but she knew she was still recognizable and had to make a bigger change if she wanted to avoid getting caught. So Caitlyn made a risky move. She left the beach town and headed back to San Jose. The long trip was nerve wracking because the closer she got to the city, the closer she was to both the airport and the authorities. She kept her hoodie pulled low, a mask over her face, and her eyes glued to the window. Once in San Jose, she moved quickly. She stepped off the bus and walked into a small medical office with tinted windows and a sign that read Ava Surgical Center. Caitlin had an appointment there, and when she went inside, she checked in under the alias Allison Page. Then she pulled out a thick envelope containing over $6,000 in cash. It was about half of what she'd made from selling her Jeep back in Austin. She'd been careful with her money since leaving the US As Katelyn settled into the exam room, she reviewed her plan. She would have lip fillers, a brow lift, and a nose job. Just enough surgery to look different from the women posted all over the wanted posters when the surgeon finally entered the room, he examined her closely and marked her skin with a blue pen. Everything seemed routine until he reached for a camera. That simple gesture stopped Caitlyn cold. The last thing she wanted was a photograph of her old face that would be a traceable image that could connect her to the life she was trying to erase. For a tense moment, she refused, but the doctor insisted that photographs were required before surgery. Without photographs as a record, he couldn't proceed. Caitlyn hesitated, but then offered a compromise. The photos could be taken, but only on her own phone. The doctor agreed, and after taking the photos, they proceeded with the operation. When the surgery was complete, Katelyn looked completely different. But when she woke up, she still didn't feel as safe as she wanted to. She left the clinic once again wearing her hoodie and her mask. But now she also had two black eyes and a bandage on her nose from the operation. She checked into a hotel nearby to recover for a few days before making the long journey back to Santa teresa. After the operation, Caitlyn deleted the surgeon's photos from her phone and now had a new face. She was another step closer to becoming a new person. When she got back, she told the owner of kook, smokehouse and other people that she had a bandage on her nose because she had taken a surfboard to the face. He didn't question the story because at some point or another, pretty much everyone in the town had taken a surfboard to the face. Caitlin thought everything was working out. But what she didn't know was when she had traveled back to San Jose to get plastic surgery, the u. S. Marshals had arrived in Santa Teresa to track her down. While the u. S. Marshals worked with local authorities in Costa rica and interviewed people to try and find Caitlin, investigators back home were putting together their case. They had made a lot of progress already. They built a timeline starting from the moment Caitlyn walked out of the austin police station on May 12. Through her registration records, they found her jeep cherokee at a carmax dealership, discovered the sale, and then traced her online purchases, including her trip to new york. They interviewed her sister. Christy, found out caitlin stole her passport and booked a one way flight to San Jose, Costa rica. Using her sister's identity, they contacted caitlyn's Internet service provider to review her online searches further and discovered she had been researching yoga retreats, surf lodges and beach towns. They got the tip that she was staying in hostels and that she had met an american businessman in jaco. Then she had headed to santa Teresa. Despite pulling out all of the stops in Santa Teresa, the team still couldn't find her. And to make matters worse, Caitlin's Internet activity suddenly stopped and they realized she'd likely installed a vpn. So they adjusted their strategy and sent a female operative to local yoga classes, hoping she might recognize Caitlyn. She attended three different classes at three different yoga studios but had no luck. So they pivoted again and made one last ditch effort. They posted an ad on Facebook seeking a yoga instructor. They were hoping to lure Caitlin out of hiding, but pretty soon they realized the ad wasn't getting responses. Agents Perez and Fernandez were discouraged and decided Santa Teresa was probably a dead end. So they left Caitlin's photo with the local police and asked them to keep an eye out for her before flying home. But almost as soon as they left Santa Teresa, Caitlin returned. She was still recovering from her plastic surgery. Her black eyes were healing, but her lips were still swollen and her nose was still bandaged. Since she had spent so much money on the surgery, her main focus now was managing her money, looking for cheaper places to stay, and finding new job opportunities. And soon Kaitlin stumbled across the perfect opportunity a Facebook ad for a yoga instructor in Santa Teresa. What did you think of Part two on our three part series on Caitlin Armstrong? Drop your thoughts and theories in the comments. See you next time for Part three if you haven't already. Make sure to follow us wherever you get your podcasts and subscribe to our YouTube channel, iTwatchPod. Your support means everything.
- [27:20]
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- [27:31]
Crime House Podcast Host
What drives a person to murder? Find out from a licensed forensic psychologist on serial killers and murderous minds. A Crime House Original Podcast New episodes drop every Monday and Thursday. Follow wherever you get your podcasts.
- [27:47]
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