CYCLE OF JEALOUSY: Kaitlin Armstrong Pt. 2

Summary

Killer Minds: Serial Killers & True Crime Murders

Episode: CYCLE OF JEALOUSY: Kaitlin Armstrong Pt. 2

Date: December 4, 2025
Hosts: Vanessa Richardson & Dr. Tristin Engels

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Episode Overview

This episode concludes the in-depth analysis of Caitlin Armstrong’s case, delving into the chilling cycle of jealousy, identity transformation, psychological evasion, and eventual capture that defined her journey after the murder of rising cycling star Mo Wilson. Hosts Vanessa Richardson and Dr. Tristin Engels provide a gripping retelling of the crime, Armstrong’s subsequent flight, and psychological breakdown of her motives, patterns, and courtroom behavior. The discussion also sheds light on the broader psychological and sociological questions surrounding killer behavior, attachment, and the intersection of true crime with digital privacy.

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Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Aftermath of the Crime & Initial Escape

• Timeline Recap: After murdering Mo Wilson (05/11/2022), Caitlin Armstrong quickly became the prime suspect and fled Austin, Texas, selling her Jeep for $12,200 and traveling to New York to seek refuge with her sister, Kristi. (04:27)
• Escape to Costa Rica: Armstrong realized her passport was compromised, so she stole her sister’s to fly to Costa Rica under a false identity. Vanessa recounts how she lied to Kristi about returning to Austin, then vanished using Kristi’s passport. (06:34–07:32)
• Psychological Analysis: Dr. Engels observes, “Kaitlin's betrayal of her own sister is sadly not uncommon. When someone is in self-preservation mode like this...it reads a bit like entitlement. Throughout her story, we've seen her pattern of using people as emotional or practical resources…This is consistent with her history of instrumental thinking where others exist to serve her immediate needs.” (07:32)

2. Life as a Fugitive: Transformation & Avoidance

• Building a New Identity: Armstrong, now “Ari,” dyed her hair, cut it short, changed her appearance, and slipped into the expat yoga/surf scene in Santa Teresa. Dr. Engels calls this, “a psychological reenactment of the same patterns she's done before. Each transformation offers the illusion of control and reinvention, but it's rooted in avoidance behavior.” (10:13)
• Yearning for Connection: Despite her efforts to stay hidden, Armstrong regularly visited local bars and connected with expats, striving for normalcy (“She needed others to mirror [her new identity] back to her for it to feel real,” Dr. Engels, 12:25). She even sought out romance but was wary of too much intimacy.
• Notable Moment: When a local, Teal, attempted a romantic advance, Armstrong pulled away, citing a recent breakup—reflecting her ambivalence about connection and exposure. (13:42–15:02)
• Dr. Engels on Attachment: “She craved connection to feel safe, but the intimacy that this connection required risked destabilizing the control she was trying to maintain…this is consistent with approach avoidance behavior, which we often see in people who have insecure or disorganized attachment styles.” (15:02)

3. Escalating Desperation: Plastic Surgery & Capture

• Surgical Reinvention: Growing paranoid, Armstrong traveled to San Jose for plastic surgery—lip fillers, brow lift, nose job—paying in cash to further change her appearance. (18:07–20:24)
  • Memorable Quote: “Changing your face doesn't change the internal structure of your identity. And when you look in the mirror and you see a literal stranger looking back…that just reinforces the disconnection you've been running from all along.” – Dr. Engels (20:24)
• Manhunt Intensifies: US Marshals tracked flight records and digital activity, following the trail to Santa Teresa. Eventually, Armstrong unknowingly responded to a job ad posted by the Marshals and was apprehended in her hostel. (23:28–26:09)
• Capture Scene: Agent Fernandez recognized Armstrong despite her altered appearance, noticing her healing surgical wounds. She was arrested with Kristi’s passport and surgery receipts in her possession. (26:09)

4. The United States Trial: Motives, Defense, and Escape Attempt

• Courtroom Drama: Armstrong showed little to no emotion, maintaining a blank expression throughout court proceedings. Prosecution presented overwhelming evidence of premeditation: location tracking, vehicle at the scene, and firearms evidence. Colin Strickland, Armstrong’s ex-boyfriend, provided damning testimony regarding her jealousy and their turbulent relationship. (37:38–40:35)
  • Notable Quote: “When Colin entered the courtroom, he didn't look at Caitlin…his discomfort filled the room. Caitlin sat straight at the defense table, hands folded, eyes trained forward…Colin testified for eight hours over two days.” – Vanessa Richardson (39:30)
  • Dr. Engels notes, “Right now in the courtroom, [Colin is] a literal mirror…that would cause someone like Caitlyn, who goes to great lengths to avoid internal accountability, to dissociate or detach in the moment.” (40:35)
• Escape Attempt: While in custody, Armstrong worked out intensely, faked a leg injury to be taken to the doctor, and attempted a bold escape. She briefly got away but was quickly caught after a chase and struggle. (30:29–33:36)
  • Dr. Engels: “Her entire life had been about movement…When she found herself literally immobilized and contained…the distress became physical…But her strategy was in no way rational. Much in the same way, most of her behaviors until this point were not rational.” (33:36)

5. Psychological Analysis: Shortsightedness and Narcissism

• Chronic Short-Term Thinking: Armstrong’s choices are characterized by emotional impulsivity—prioritizing relief from distress over long-term consequence. Dr. Engels explains, “That’s emotional impulsivity…a defining feature of someone who struggles with self-regulation. …Shortsightedness is also tied to possible narcissistic and avoidant traits.” (35:06)
• Rescuer/Victim Logic: Armstrong’s life pattern revolves around crisis, chaos, and expecting rescue—whether emotional or practical—from others. This dynamic plays into her inability to fully take responsibility. (35:59)
  • Memorable Moment: Even in her escape attempt, Armstrong engineered the situation so someone (medical staff, guards) would “rescue” her from crisis, just as she previously leaned on Colin or her sister for rescue. (35:59)

6. Conviction, Civil Suits, and Refusal to Accept Responsibility

• Verdict & Sentencing: Found guilty of first-degree murder after a brief jury deliberation, Armstrong was sentenced to 90 years; she immediately began attempts to appeal, claiming wrongful prosecution and even referencing an alleged pregnancy (never substantiated). (41:29–43:29)
• Refusal to Empathize or Change: Armstrong continues to fight in court, facing both criminal and civil cases, including a $15 million wrongful death judgment to the Wilson family. Dr. Engels describes, “For someone like Caitlyn, conceding guilt or responsibility would mean dismantling an identity she spent years protecting…She continues to fight not for freedom but to maintain the fiction that she is not the villain.” (43:29)
  • Dr. Engels on Empathy: “She can likely recognize someone's pain on an intellectual level, but I doubt that she can feel it in a way that moves her toward change…accountability or compassion would require dismantling her own denial, which she relies on for ego preservation.” (44:23)

7. The Enduring Impact

• Mo Wilson’s Family: The ongoing civil litigation and Armstrong’s remorselessness continue to take a heavy toll on Mo Wilson’s family, who have created a charitable foundation in her memory. (45:16)
• Societal Questions: The case raises broader issues about digital privacy, obsession, the role of social media, and how relationships can turn lethal when manipulated by the fragile egos and psychological needs of individuals like Armstrong.

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Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• Dr. Tristin Engels (on Armstrong’s instrumental thinking):

  • “This is consistent with her history of instrumental thinking where others exist to serve her immediate needs.” (07:32)

• Dr. Engels (on identity transformation):

  • “Each transformation offers the illusion of control and reinvention, but it's rooted in avoidance behavior.” (10:13)

• Vanessa Richardson (on capture):

  • “Agent Fernandez…noticed the woman had bloody nostrils and a bandage on her nose. Then he saw her eyes and he became certain he was staring at Kaitlyn Armstrong.” (26:09)

• Dr. Engels (on courtroom dissociation):

  • “Right now in the courtroom, he's a literal mirror…that would cause someone like Caitlyn, who goes to great lengths to avoid internal accountability, to dissociate or detach in the moment.” (40:35)

• Dr. Engels (on empathy):

  • “For empathy to be genuine, it has to lead us toward accountability or compassion…doing that would mean dismantling her own denial, which she relies on for ego preservation.” (44:23)

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Key Moments & Timestamps

• Armstrong’s escape plan begins (departure from New York, theft of passport): 06:34–07:32
• Transformation in Costa Rica (disguise, fake identity): 08:47–11:09
• Surveillance, tracking, and manhunt by US Marshals: 23:28–26:09
• Face-altering surgery: 18:07–21:26
• Arrest in Costa Rica: 26:09–28:12
• Attempted escape from custody: 30:29–33:36
• Courtroom testimony, especially Colin Strickland’s: 37:38–40:35
• Sentencing and aftermath: 41:29–46:37

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Conclusion

This episode presents a haunting portrait of Caitlin Armstrong—her psychology, relationships, cycles of escape, and refusal to own her actions. Through meticulous storytelling and expert analysis, Vanessa Richardson and Dr. Tristin Engels pull the listener deep into Armstrong’s unraveling—revealing not a criminal mastermind, but a woman driven by shortsightedness, entitlement, narcissistic avoidance, and a desperate need for external validation. The tragedy of Mo Wilson and the continued pain of her loved ones serve as reminders of the devastating ripple effects of obsession and denial, and the need for both societal vigilance and psychological insight.

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For more deep dives into the minds of true crime’s most chilling figures, subscribe to “Killer Minds.”

Transcript

[Vanessa Richardson]

Hi Crime House community. It's Vanessa Richardson looking for another Crime House original podcast to add to your rotation. You will love Clues with Morgan Absher and Kaylin Moore. Every Wednesday, Morgan and Kaelyn dig into the world's most notorious crimes, clue by clue. From serial killers to shocking murders. They follow the trail of clues, break down the evidence and debate the theories. It's like hanging out with your smart and true crime obsessed friends. Listen to clues on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music or wherever you listen to podcasts.

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This is Crime House.

[Vanessa Richardson]

It's good to have confidence, to feel good about our ability to succeed and navigate our own lives. But for some, confidence can be blinding. It leads them to believe they can do anything and outsmart anyone, even the law. In 2022, Caitlin Armstrong thought she had what it took to achieve the biggest challenge life had thrown at her yet. Getting away with murder. But Kaitlin's outsized confidence prevented her from realizing the fatal errors she made along the way. And eventually she walked into a trap she should have spotted from a mile away.

The human mind is powerful. It shapes how we think, feel, love and hate. But sometimes it drives people to commit the unthinkable. This is Killer a Crime House Original. I'm Vanessa Richardson.

[Dr. Tristan Engels]

And I'm Dr. Tristan Engels. Every Monday and Thursday, we uncover the darkest minds in history. Analyzing what makes a killer Crime House.

[Vanessa Richardson]

Is made possible by you. Follow Killer Minds and subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts for ad free early access to each two part series. And if you can't get enough true crime, go search and follow Crime House House daily. Our team's twice a day show bringing you breaking cases, updates and unbelievable stories from the world of crime that are happening right now. Today we conclude our deep dive on Caitlyn Armstrong, the Austin based yoga instructor whose on again, off again relationship spiraled into something deadly in 2022. When Caitlyn's jealousy became too much for her to bear, she took violent measures to hold on to the man she loved. And in the aftermath, she she went to extreme lengths to avoid getting caught.

[Dr. Tristan Engels]

And as Vanessa takes you through the story, I'll be talking about things like why some criminals betray their own loved ones in an attempt to evade justice, the outrageous lengths some might go to to cover their tracks, and what might be going on in a killer's mind when they're finally caught. But they refuse to speak or show any emotion.

[Vanessa Richardson]

And as always, we'll be asking the question, what makes a killer.

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[Vanessa Richardson]

On May 11, 2022, 34 year old Caitlin Armstrong shot and killed 25 year old cycling star Anna Mariah Mo Wilson. For months, Caitlin had been jealous of Mo's brief romance with Caitlin's on again, off again boyfriend, 35 year old Colin Strickland. After Mo's body was discovered on the night of the 11th, Kaitlin quickly became the main suspect in her murder. But by the time police in Austin, Texas went to arrest her, Kaitlin was gone. On May 14, about three days after killing Mo, Kaitlin sold her Jeep for $12,200 and hopped on a plane to New York. That evening Caitlin arrived at LaGuardia Airport. All she had with her was a backpack of belongings and her yoga mat. Caitlin smiled when she spotted her younger sister Christy, who was there to pick her up. Caitlin planned to stay with Kristi at her remote cabin in the woods about 100 miles outside New York City. Once they arrived at Christy's cabin, Caitlin could finally relax and plan her next move. For the next few days, she and Kristi spend a lot of time together, catching up whenever Kristi wasn't around. Caitlin scrolled through the news. The cycling community was reeling from Mo Wilson's murder. Reports mentioned Colin, but they said he'd been cleared as a suspect and police hadn't publicly named Caitlin as their current person of interest. Caitlyn knew 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, just three days after arriving in New York, Caitlin. Everything changed. While Kristi was out running errands, Caitlyn saw a breaking news headline. The Austin police Department had issued a warrant for her arrest. Caitlyn knew it was only a matter of time before the police came knocking at Kristi's door. If she wanted to remain a free woman, Caitlyn 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. She landed on Costa Rica. It seemed like a perfect location full of American tourists and expats 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 a watch list. Border patrol would catch her immediately. So Caitlyn rifled through the cabin until she found Christie's passport. She booked a flight under her sister's name and prepared to embark on her new life. When Kristi got home, Kaitlin told her she was going back to Austin. The next morning, Kristi drove her to Newark airport. Kaitlin hugged her, promised to stay in touch, then disappeared into the terminal. Using Kristi's passport, Caitlin passed through airport security without raising any alarms. She and Kristi looked enough alike that the agent didn't notice anything unusual.

[Dr. Tristan Engels]

Kaitlin's betrayal of her own sister is sadly not uncommon. When someone is in self preservation mode like this with Caitlin, it also reads a bit like entitlement. Throughout her story, we've seen her pattern of using people as emotional or practical resources, starting with her peers at her yoga retreat. They were her emotional regulators and validators. Then it was Colin for safety and security, Mo as the target of her projection, and now Christy as a means of escape. This isn't a sudden behavioral shift. It's consistent with her history of instrumental thinking where others exist to serve her immediate needs. Psychologically, what she did to her sister may not have even registered to her as betraya. Under stress, someone like Caitlin is operating in survival mode, rationalizing her choices through cognitive distortion. Like, I need this more than she does or she'll be fine. She'd want to protect me. And that kind of self justification protects Caitlin from guilt and keeps her focused on her goal, which is staying in control. But choosing to use her sister's identity shows the degree of her moral disengagement. She truly does not seem to be concerned or experiencing any guilt, hesitation, or remorse for what this could do to her sister. Even.

[Vanessa Richardson]

Well, it seems like Caitlin knew how to flip the switch, depending on what benefited her in the moment. And less than six hours after leaving Newark, she landed in San Jose, Costa Rica. From San Jose, she boarded a bus toward the coast to the town of Santa Teresa. Caitlin had read that Santa Teresa was a popular destination for digital nomads and yogis from the U.S. it was small, quiet, and filled with surf shops, juice bars and funky hostels. After two long bus rides, Caitlyn finally arrived. Since there were so many Americans there, Kaitlin figured she wouldn't draw attention and she could easily disappear into the crowd. The only problem was her long red hair. She needed to disguise herself. So she picked up a hair dyeing kit on her way to her hostel. Once there, she checked in under the name Ari and paid in cash in her room. Caitlyn cut her hair short and colored it dark brown. When she looked in the mirror, she barely recognized herself. Caitlyn thought back to four years earlier, when she'd embarked on another long international trip to Bali for a yoga retreat. During that trip, she'd told the other attendees she was running away from her life. This time, Caitlyn was doing more than that. She was erasing her life. In Santa Teresa, she could become a brand new person.

[Dr. Tristan Engels]

And on the surface, it seems like a tactical move to want to change her appearance and her identity to evade capture. But by the sounds of this and how you've described it and her history, it's likely more than that. When we look back, we see this tendency in different forms. Like you mentioned, the yoga retreat, for instance, wasn't simply a trip to find peace. It was a symbolic escape, a way to start over without resolving what she was running from internally. And her relationship with Colin worked the same way. She fused her identity with his, borrowing his world, his cycling passion, and even his social circle. This is a psychological reenactment of the same patterns she's done before. Each transformation offers the illusion of control and reinvention, but it's rooted in avoidance behavior. It's almost like her coping mechanism. When some things become unbearable, she seeks other people to contain it or becomes someone else. Escaping is existential for her.

[Vanessa Richardson]

Caitlyn was convinced that she could slip into a new life. Now, going by Ari, she slipped into the rhythm of life. In Santa Teresa, she set up a virtual private network, otherwise known as a vpn, to encrypt her laptop and cover up her Internet activity. Soon she moved to a new hostel where no one had seen her red hair. There, Caitlyn kept to herself, quietly typing on her laptop in the corner of the common area. She was keeping tabs on the murder investigation back in Austin. Within a few weeks, she learned that the case had gone national 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'd left the country. But she still thought that by keeping a low profile, she could avoid detection and eventually, maybe the world would forget about her. Caitlin felt completely comfortable in her little corner of the world. At night, she sometimes went to Kook's Smokehouse, the only bar in town. People offered to buy her drinks and tried to get to know her. Caitlin engaged just enough to seem normal, but never revealed too much about herself. Once she felt more comfortable there, she started going multiple times a week.

[Dr. Tristan Engels]

It's not really a wise choice to establish a public routine, one that's witnessed by others when you're on the run like that. But her decision to do that actually fits with her psychology. Caitlin was embracing a new identity, and part of her likely wanted that identity to be seen. She needed others to mirror it back to her for it to feel real. Also, the routine gave her a sense of normalcy and control. It was a way to convince herself she was building a new, grounded life rather than running from her old one, similarly to how she was establishing herself in Bali. And that's consistent with the pattern we've seen all along. She performs stability in order to feel stable. From an attachment perspective, this also makes sense. People with anxious or disorganized attachment styles often need connection to regulate their sense of self. So even when she was supposed to be invisible, she couldn't tolerate isolation. Making friends, chatting with locals, all those small interactions anchored her emotionally, even temporarily, but at the same time, they made her visible. So in a way, she's trading safety for connection, because to her, being unseen might have felt more threatening than actually being caught. She has a need for validation and visibility that seems to override her judgment.

[Vanessa Richardson]

During this time, Caitlyn found another way to regain some more normalcy in her life. Resuming her yoga practice, she contacted studios and asked if they needed a substitute teacher. She 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's 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 was always aware of who might be watching her. If a stranger struck up a conversation, she'd make up a fake name. When they asked 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. She longed for companionship, like you, said, Dr. Engels, 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. Then one evening while they were hanging out, Teal leaned in for a kiss, but Caitlyn pulled back. She told him she'd just gone through a bad breakup and she wasn't ready to spark a new romance.

[Dr. Tristan Engels]

Yeah, it's human nature to want connection with others. Anyone who moves somewhere new, especially alone and especially another country, would seek out that connection. But for Caitlin, in this particular circumstance, connection served a much deeper purpose. Her identity depended on it. And based on what we know, intimacy for Caitlin often functioned as a form of regulation. Relationships, whether romance, romantic or social, or even professional, provided stability because they grounded her, validated her, and gave her a sense of direction. So in this new environment, being isolated, vulnerable, and living under a false identity, seeking romantic connection likely felt like emotional survival. But her decision to ultimately reject Teal is just as telling, because that closeness may have felt or began to feel threatening because it was too exposing. That's consistent with approach avoidance behavior, which we often see in people who have insecure or disorganized attachment styles. She craved connection to feel safe, but the intimacy that this connection required risked destabilizing the control she was trying to maintain. So even if her version of authenticity had always been somewhat performative, maintaining a relationship now would have required vulnerability. And vulnerability meant risk. So I think that's likely why she withdrew.

[Vanessa Richardson]

After her close call with Teal, Caitlyn resolved to be more careful around people. She needed to keep her distance. Then, one day in the middle of June 2022, Caitlyn checked the news online and saw her face on the US Marshals wanted posters under the words Armed and dangerous. The marshals were offering a reward of $5,000 for her arrest. She realized that it was only a matter of time before someone recognized her. Her new hair wasn't enough to disguise her, so Kaitlin decided to do something drastic.

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In June 2022, 34 year old Caitlin Armstrong was hiding from US Marshals in Santa Teresa, Costa Ric? Rica. She'd been on the run for a month. Caitlyn was feeling the stress of living as a fugitive. She dyed her hair and was using a fake name, but she knew she was still recognizable. She had to make a bigger change if she wanted to avoid getting caught. Caitlyn made a risky move. She left the beach town and headed back to the capital, San Jose. The long trip was nerve wracking. 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 to a small medical office with tinted windows and a sign that read Ava Surgical Center. Caitlyn had an appointment there when she went inside and the receptionist asked for her name. Caitlin. Caitlyn called herself Alison Page. Then Caitlyn 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 Caitlyn settled into an exam room, she reviewed her plan. She would have lip fillers, a brow lift, a nose job. Just enough surgery to look different from the woman staring back from wanted posters.

When the surgeon finally entered the room, he examined her closely, marking 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 life 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. Caitlin hesitated. Then she 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.

[Dr. Tristan Engels]

Our research and writing team sent me the before and after pics of Caitlin. I don't know if you saw them, Vanessa, but they're pretty drastic. She looks completely different. And considering that she's living off the money she made from selling her car, she does not have much left over. And all of this is very psychologically significant, and it goes beyond evasion. She is attempting to sever herself from her identity entirely. She wants to make herself unrecognizable to everyone, including herself. And that's a possible sign of intense identity fragmentation. Changing your face doesn't change the internal structure of your identity. And when you look in the mirror and you see a literal stranger looking back at you, that just reinforces the disconnection you've been running from all along. At the root of this is her desperation to control perception, avoid accountability, and manage shame and intolerable emotions. But once again, she's going about it the same way she always has. Through avoidance, reinvention, and fear.

[Vanessa Richardson]

Yeah, Caitlyn looked a lot different after that surgery. But when she woke up after the surgery, she still didn't feel as safe as she wanted to. When she left the clinic, Caitlyn was again wearing her hoodie and her mask. Now, she also had two black eyes and a bandage on her nose from the operation. She was headed to 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. She now had a new new face, another step to becoming a new person. While Caitlyn was busy building a new life, U.S. marshals were reconstructing her old one. Piece by piece, investigators built a timeline, starting from the moment Caitlin walked out of the Austin police station on May 12. Using 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. From there, security cameras captured a thin woman with long red hair walking through Austin Bergstrom International Airport. Just like Caitlin had anticipated, investigators tracked down and Interviewed her sister Christy. That's when they learned that Kaitlin had stolen her passport. Working with Interpol, investigators found that someone using Christie's passport had flown out of the country from Newark Airport on May 18. Flight records showed her final destination, Costa Rica. They contacted Caitlyn's Internet service provider to review her online searches further and discovered she'd been researching yoga retreats, surf lodges, and beach towns. The Marshalls focused on one spot known for all these things. Santa Teresa. However, when Caitlin's Internet activity suddenly stopped, they realized she'd likely installed a vpn, which meant they would have to go to Costa Rica themselves if they wanted to find her.

Deputy Marshals Emir Perez and Damian Fernandez flew to Costa Rica on June 20, 2022. Two days later, they reached Santa Teresa carrying photos of Caitlin and the hope that a fit, red haired yoga teacher might stand out in a small Central American town. But they quickly realized their mistake. Santa Teresa was full of athletic American women in their 30s. If Caitlin was there, she would be hard to pick out. The Marshalls adjusted their strategy. They sent a female operative to local yoga classes, hoping she might recognize Caitlin. She attended three classes at three different yoga classes studios but had no luck. So they tried another tactic. They posted an ad on Facebook seeking a yoga instructor. They were hoping to lure Caitlyn out of hiding. But pretty soon they realized the ad wasn't getting any responses. Agents Perez and Fernandez were discouraged and decided Santa Teresa was probably a dead end. They left Caitlyn's photo with the local police and asked asked them to keep an eye out for her before flying home. 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. At the same time, the surgery was a big expense, so her main focus now was managing her money. She started looking for cheaper places, places to stay, as well as job opportunities. Soon, Caitlin found the perfect thing. A Facebook ad for a yoga instructor in Santa Teresa. She reached out to set up a meeting.

[Dr. Tristan Engels]

Caitlin just went through an invasive and expensive surgery to essentially dismantle her old identity and reinvent herself again, Only to emerge and reconnect with something from her old identity, which was yoga. Yoga wasn't just an interest. It was an image that she relied on to build a calm and controlled Persona. And given her life as anything but calm or controlled. Right now, it makes sense that she would be drawn back into a role that gave her an illusion of what she is seeking. This is also where we see how her need for control and her need for recognition overrides logic, that compulsion to perform and return to yoga and her need to sustain her fugitive lifestyle. At the same time, seeing she spent so much of her money created a psychological blind spot for her. And this is common in individuals who rely on external identities to regulate their self worth.

[Vanessa Richardson]

Whatever the reason for Caitlin's mistake, she hit send just in time. In the city of San Jose, agents Perez and Fernandez were preparing to leave the country when they saw that someone had responded to their ad. The person suggested they meet at a hostel in Santa Teresa. The agents rushed back to the town on the afternoon of June 29th. They entered the hostel lobby and saw a woman in the corner scrolling on her laptop and chatting with another guest. The woman looked a little like Caitlin, but they couldn't tell for sure if it was her. Agent Fernandez approached her and asked her a question in Spanish. Caitlin fumbled with her phone, then held it up and asked him to speak into a translation app when Fernandez leaned in. Then he noticed the woman had bloody nostrils and a bandage on her nose. Then he saw her eyes and he became certain he was staring at Kaitlyn Armstrong. Fernandez excused himself, then stepped outside and called in the local police. When they got there, they took Caitlin into custody and searched her room at the hostel. In a lockbox they found a receipt for plastic surgery totaling $6,350 under the name Alison Paige for along with Kristi's passport. There was nowhere left for Caitlin to run, but she refused to face reality. At the station, she gave a fake name before refusing to speak altogether. But this was no problem for the marshals who flew Caitlin back to Texas. When her plane touched down, reporters were waiting on the tarmac. They shouted questions, but Caitlin's expression didn't change. For all the running she'd done, she was now right back where she started. But soon Katelyn would prove that she would never stop trying to get away.

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[Vanessa Richardson]

On June 29, 2022, 34 year old Caitlin Armstrong was arrested in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica for the murder of 25 year old Mo Wilson. Just over a month earlier, Caitlyn's face, now altered by plastic surgery, filled the news cycle. Mo's family released a statement that they were relieved that the hunt was over. At the same time, Caitlyn was booked into Travis county jail on July 5, but she never confessed to the crime. A couple of weeks later, on July 21, 2022, Caitlyn appeared in court for her formal arraignment. In the courtroom, she sat near motionless and appeared detached. The prosecution described how they believed Caitlyn had waited outside the apartment where Mo was staying before following her inside and shooting her multiple times. All the while, Caitlyn's face remained unreadable. She only spoke to enter her plea not guilty. The court set her bond at $3.3.5 million. While Caitlyn remained in custody over the next few months, prosecutors continued to build their case against her. But Kaitlin refused to own up to her actions. Instead, she spent her time in jail, preparing for her next scheme. While in jail, Caitlin worked out incessantly. She ran in place, lifted weights and of course, practiced yoga. She built a regimental strength building program for herself, all so that she could escape. Almost a year later, in October 2023, with about a month until her trial was set to begin, Caitlyn put her plan into action. She told officials that her leg was injured. She made it sound serious enough that the jail arranged for her to receive medical attention. On October 12, 2023, 35 year old Caitlyn was driven from the jail to a doctor's office. She wore the standard striped prison uniform and handcuffs. But because of her injured leg, her lower body was unshackled, giving her some freedom of movement. As she walked out of the medical office after her appointment, she saw her chance. Caitlyn bolted across the parking lot. The two corrections officers flanking her shouted, but she just kept running. As she got further away, Caitlyn wriggled one hand from the restraints around her wrists. She then ran up a small hill beside the fenced in parking lot While an officer closed in behind her. But the officer tripped and fell, allowing Caitlin to scale the fence and keep running. The officers radioed for backup. A chase ensued and after running for a while, authorities saw finally caught up to Caitlyn. However, she didn't surrender without a fight. She struggled with the officers as she tried to break free, but they overpowered her. By the time she was returned to custody, Caitlyn required actual medical attention for minor injuries incurred during the struggle. And so did the two officers who apprehended her.

[Dr. Tristan Engels]

I'm always surprised when an incarcerated individual attempt attempts to escape custody because they're always caught and the consequences are never worth the risk. But I am not surprised why she did it, given what we do know about Caitlin so far. Her entire life had been about movement. She was active, yes, but she was also active by running from feelings, accountability and identity. So when she found herself literally immobilized and contained in detention and her image and identity was now that of criminal offender alleged at this point, the distress from that became physical. Much like it was when she was in Bali. Her distress manifested physically. She definitely planned for this moment. As you can see, she planned very methodically. The degree of exercise she did in preparation for this likely served two functions. It built endurance for this moment. And it came with a plausible explanation for an injury requiring medical attention, which was her way of of attempting to escape. It gave her the option or outlet to attempt this. But her strategy was in no way rational. Much in the same way, most of her behaviors until this point were not rational. She was not going to be successful. And this behavior was highly manipulative.

[Vanessa Richardson]

So why does Caitlyn never fully Think through her plans. It seems like, you know, it's so shortsighted. How does that shortsightedness relate to other traits of hers that we've discussed so far?

[Dr. Tristan Engels]

Caitlin lacks emotional intelligence and foresight. She tends to act on the immediate need to release distress rather than on the long term consequences of her actions. And that's emotional impulsivity. And that's a defining feature of someone who struggles with self regulation. Alleviating distressing emotions is so important and such a priority for her that judgment and reasoning take a backseat. And this shortsightedness is also tied to possible narcissistic and avoidant traits. Narcissistic thinking can make a overconfident in their ability to manipulate outcomes. The person assumes that they can handle whatever comes next because they've handled it before. And avoidant tendencies mean that they don't want to think too far ahead because doing so would force them to confront the fear, guilt, or shame that they've been trying to outrun.

[Vanessa Richardson]

And how does she not see that she's only making things worse for herself?

[Dr. Tristan Engels]

So, aside from, you know, her poor emotional regulation skills, impaired judgment, and likely deficits in reasoning and impulse control, I think this really comes back to that rest rescuer victim pattern that we talked about earlier, and Caitlin's internal logic. Every crisis eventually resolves because someone steps in to fix it. So that's the pattern she's used to. And I know I've outlined this a few times in both episodes, but I'll do it again for clarity. In her relationship with Colin, when she created chaos or distress, he soothed her, protected her, and reconnected with her, or even rekindled things with her. And even when she crossed boundaries or escalated conflict, someone would ultimately save her from the fall. So when she fled after Mo's murder, her sister became the rescuer. She opened her home, she let support, and unknowingly facilitated her escape. So in Caitlin's mind, rescue is rescue, whether it's given willingly or not. So when we look at this latest escape attempt, the same dynamic is there. She runs, she gets injured, and she ends up getting saved again, this time by medical staff. This attempt was not gonna be successful. She's trying to run up a hill in an enclosed area with correctional officers. She's. There's no way she was going to be successful. But escape for Caitlin isn't just about getting out of jail. It's about being seen. It's about being tended to and emotionally coddled. And in this sense, she succeeded, at least temporarily. All of this only provides temporary emotional containment, though, so she'll probably try something else, you know? The more and more she remains behind.

[Vanessa Richardson]

Bars, Caitlin's escape attempt was not only a failure, it also led to more charges against her. Felony escape leading to bodily injury. And despite her attempted flight, her trial for the murder of Mo Wilson began on schedule on November 1, 2023. In the courtroom, Caitlin maintained a blank expression as Mo's friends and family tried to catch her gaze. But she ignored the them, letting their presence wash over her. She was the center of attention, yet completely detached. In their opening statement, prosecutors said the evidence would show that on May 11, 2022, Caitlyn Armstrong tracked Anna Mariah Mo Wilson's location and drove to the apartment where Mo was staying. Caitlyn's phone had been turned off before the shooting, but surveillance video showed Caitlyn's black Jeep near the scene. Screams followed by the sound of gunfire were captured on neighborhood cameras. Shell casings found beside Mo's body matched a gun recovered from Caitlin's home. And Caitlin's fingerprints were found at the scene. Prosecutors said this evidence proved that Caitlin had followed Mo into the apartment, shot her twice, and then stood over her body and shot her one more time through the heart. Finally, they explained that Caitlyn did all of this out of pure jealousy. Caitlin Cash and some of Mo's other friends testified against her, and they all described Caitlin's obsession with Mo. Then, on the fourth day of the trial, Caitlyn's now ex boyfriend, Colin, was called to the stand. It was the first time that Kaitlin had seen him since their lawyers had told them to separate during the investigation over a month ago. When Colin entered the courtroom, he didn't look at Caitlin. He walked to the witness stand with his shoulders slumped forward, his eyes fixed on the floor. Even before he spoke, his discomfort filled the room. Caitlin sat straight at the defense table, hands folded, eyes trained forward, as Colin recounted the years they'd spent together, the turbulence of their relationship, and Caitlyn's intense jealousy. As he spoke, prosecutors projected photos and messages onto a screen, the two of them smiling at races. The text they'd exchanged, a video of Caitlyn firing the gun Colin had bought her. Caitlyn watched as fragments of her old life flashed before her. Colin testified for eight hours over 22 days. As his testimony wound to a close, the prosecutor asked him if he had loved Caitlyn. He said he thought he had. But then Colin said that he wasn't sure he actually knew her. By the time he stepped down. Colin seemed completely drained, and Caitlyn still showed no sign of emotion.

[Dr. Tristan Engels]

Caitlyn had an intense fixation on Colin in the past when he was her rescuer, her source of validation, her security and safety, and her emotional anchor. But right now in the courtroom, he's a literal mirror, reflecting to her and an audience the truth of who she really is and who she really was and what their relationship was really like. And that would cause someone like Caitlyn, who goes to great lengths to avoid internal accountability, to dissociate or detach in the moment. It's also consistent with her history of control through performance. So throughout her story, Caitlyn has tried to manage how she's perceived by acting composed, spiritual, victimized, or in control. And remember, the courtroom is just another stage for most offenders like this. If she can appear unaffected, she can avoid appearing powerless and maintain that illusion of control.

[Vanessa Richardson]

When it was time to present her defense, Caitlyn's attorneys argued that she was not a jealous girlfriend, but rather a a frustrated partner who had been repeatedly lied to. Not only that, they claimed that Kaitlin was not the killer and in fact, that she had fled the country out of fear that the real killer would target her next. Before the defense rested, Caitlyn was offered a chance to testify. But she declined. After deliberating for just two hours on Thursday, November 16, the jury returned its verdict. Guilty of first degree murder. Mo's family and friends wept openly in the courtroom. Caitlin sat completely still, staring straight ahead. She was sentenced to 90 years in prison. Ten days after her sentencing, Caitlyn filed an appeal. Her petition claimed inadequate representation and cited an alleged pregnancy at the time of arrest. However, no other information was provided about the pregnancy, and her appeal was ultimately denied. In September 2024, Caitlyn's lawyers tried again. They claimed there was new evidence in the case. They also raised issues with the DNA evidence found at the scene and again pointed to Caitlyn's alleged pregnancy. So far, the courts have upheld the conviction, leaving Caitlyn's fate uncertain as the appeals process drags on. In addition to the criminal case, Caitlyn faces ongoing civil consequences. And in June 2024, a Texas court ordered her to pay $15 million to Mo's family in a wrongful death lawsuit. Her parents had originally sought just over a million dollars, but the court issued a default judgment after Caitlin failed to appear at the hearing. Then, in July 2024, the Wilsons filed a second lawsuit accusing Caitlyn of transferring assets out of the country to avoid Paying what she owed.

[Dr. Tristan Engels]

For someone like Caitlyn, conceding guilt or responsibility would mean dismantling an identity she spent years protecting. She can't psychologically tolerate being the villain in her own story. And that's why she continues to fight her case and fight most family in court like this. In her mind, as long as she's still arguing, still filing motions, still fighting, she hasn't fully lost. There's also likely a degree of narcissistic entitlement here. The belief that she shouldn't be punished because she's special, misunderstood, or even wronged. And fighting Mo's family lets her preserve that distorted sense of moral superiority. Obviously, this is not a fight for her freedom anymore. She's fighting to maintain a fictional story so that she can remain the victim.

[Vanessa Richardson]

Is Caitlyn really incapable of just empathizing with Mo's family's suffering? Can she actually truly empathize with anyone?

[Dr. Tristan Engels]

So I think she can likely recognize someone's pain on an intellectual level, but I doubt that she can feel it in a way that moves her toward change. So for empathy to be genuine, it has to lead us toward accountability or compassion. And when it comes to most family, authentic empathy would require Caitlyn to confront the devastation she caused. And doing that would mean dismantling her own denial, which she relies on for ego preservation, defense and image control. Psychologically, she can't tolerate that kind of exposure. If she hasn't been willing or able to acknowledge her internal causes, the emotions and insecurities that drive her external behaviors, then she's certainly not ready to acknowledge how those behaviors have caused pain for someone else. And that's the difference between knowing about suffering on an intellectual level and then truly empathizing with it.

[Vanessa Richardson]

The ongoing lawsuits continue to take an emotional toll on Mo Wilson's family and friends. But Caitlyn now has plenty of time to reflect on her actions. She's currently in incarcerated at the Dr. Lane Murray Unit in Gatesville, Texas. Her earliest chance at Parole is in 2052, when she's 64 years old. The story of Mo Wilson's murder has drawn sustained media attention, in part because of the high profile love triangle and Caitlyn's obsessive jealousy. The case has also raised important questions about digital privacy and the ways social media can interact with intersect with real world crimes. Mo Wilson's parents, Karen and Eric, have spoken publicly about their loss, describing Mo as a vibrant talent taken far too soon. They've established a foundation in her honor to promote organizations dedicated to recreation, sports, and educational programs. They say their legal actions aim to hold Caitlin accountable beyond her prison sentence and to secure some measure of justice for their daughter's memory.

Thanks so much for listening. Join us next time for a deep dive into the mind of another killer.

[Dr. Tristan Engels]

Killer Minds is a Crime House original powered by Paper Cave Studios Here at Crime House, we want to thank each and every one of you for your support. If you like what you heard today, reach out on all social media rimehouse and don't forget to rate, review and follow Killer Minds wherever you get your podcasts. Your feedback truly makes a difference and.

[Vanessa Richardson]

To enhance your listening experience, subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts. You'll get every episode of Killer Minds at ad free, along with early access to each thrilling two part series and exciting bonus content.

Killer Minds is hosted by me, Vanessa Richardson and Dr. Tristan Engels and is a Crime House original powered by Pave Studios. This episode was brought to life by the Killer Minds team. Max Cutler, Ron Shapiro, Alex Benedon, Lori Marinelli, Natalie Pertzofsky, Sarah Camp, Sarah Batchelor, Heather Dundas, Sarah Tardif and Carrie Murphy. Thank you for listening.

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