TX - Moriah Wilson, 25, prized cyclist, fatally shot before race, Austin, May 2022 #2

[di anna]

I am glad they found the jeep, she may be confident but they are getting closer to finding her. I imagine law enforcement is getting pressure to find her ie: private donor of 15k, there are many families effected by this and the longer it goes on unchecked the worse it is for reputations, finances, and more that is revealed.

 

[cspotrun]

I finally registered for an account here (been passively reading everything) so I can comment. At first, it seemed strange that she'd go through the trouble to sell the car before fleeing rather than just leaving it somewhere and heading out. Looking at Carmax's website, it says they'll cut you a bank draft the same day of sale. A quick glance at bank policies note that even bank drafts can take a few days to clear. BUT, another bank site said they could clear as early as the next day if it's all a local transaction. This tells me she likely waited until the day after, when that check was made liquid, to fly out. In turn, this leads me to believe she has fewer liquid assets than we may think. Otherwise, she would have simply withdrew a bunch of cash and flew out ASAP. Just a few thoughts.

 

[Cryptic]

the most likely option she had for cashing that check from Carmax was one of the banks she had accounts with, and I think that info would have been uncovered before now. Yet another reason I doubt that LE have only now found her Jeep.

Good point, then factor in that Carmax as a buyer would also promptly complete all sales paperwork to transfer the title to themselves. That paper work would include license plate and VIN number.

Now, say: "The friend of a friend from the gym" might pay for a car in cash (though probably not 12K) and might not be inclined to promptly make an appointment at the DMV to register the transfer.

 

[SMK777]

I finally registered for an account here (been passively reading everything) so I can comment. At first, it seemed strange that she'd go through the trouble to sell the car before fleeing rather than just leaving it somewhere and heading out. Looking at Carmax's website, it says they'll cut you a bank draft the same day of sale. A quick glance at bank policies note that even bank drafts can take a few days to clear. BUT, another bank site said they could clear as early as the next day if it's all a local transaction. This tells me she likely waited until the day after, when that check was made liquid, to fly out. In turn, this leads me to believe she has fewer liquid assets than we may think. Otherwise, she would have simply withdrew a bunch of cash and flew out ASAP. Just a few thoughts.

Welcome.
Excellent observation !

It makes a lot of sense. And if she has less liquid assets than we thought, it will be more difficult for her to continue to evade capture.

 

[SteveP]

Rival Accused of Killing Cyclist Sold Car Before Fleeing

The U.S. Marshals said Thursday that Kaitlin Armstrong cashed in at a Texas dealership for $12,000 a day after cops questioned her.

www.thedailybeast.com

For [DC], who used to be married to [MW]’s grandfather, the idea that [KA] has been able to evade authorities for more than a month is “really upsetting.”

Noting that [MW] was a part of her life for 15 years, [DC] told The Daily Beast that she could barely wrap her mind around the idea that “Moriah was brutally murdered by a yoga teacher—which is not very zen—but that the teacher is getting away with it!”

“It’s unbelievable that someone can get away with murder now,” [DC] told The Daily Beast. “Police had her in their custody and they let her go! It sucks. Moriah deserves justice and nothing is adding up.”
...
“It’s like she just vanished into thin air,” [DC] said.

I certainly understand the grief and frustration felt by any members of MW's family. It is natural, and to be expected, but the fact that KA has not yet been caught does not mean that "the teacher is getting away with it". She will have gotten away with it if it reaches the point that no one is investigating MW's murder, and the case file gets tossed into the cold case drawer. Right now, in addition to various local and state authorities, the US Marshals are doing everything in their power to find her and bring her back to Austin to face charges, and by elevating the case to major case status a few weeks ago, they are now throwing even more manpower and resources into the search for KA. They are taking this case very seriously. I doubt that KA is convinced that she is getting away with it. JMO

 

[SpanishInquisition]

I've done a lot of backpacking, and it sounds like she is well travelled.

I could make 12,000 easily last a year camping.

She could be out on the Appalachian Trail getting on it from NJ while wearing a balaclava-type face covering for 'sun/weather protection' where she'd be unrecognizable and around very few people while not looking suspicious. Also she could go into stores intermittently along the trail with her full face covered with her being a hiker making a re-supply stop where it wouldn't even raise an eyebrow with it just being another hiker.

 

[Sundog]

I am glad they found the jeep, she may be confident but they are getting closer to finding her. I imagine law enforcement is getting pressure to find her ie: private donor of 15k, there are many families effected by this and the longer it goes on unchecked the worse it is for reputations, finances, and more that is revealed.

I wonder if the anonymous donor who put up the additional $15,000 reward money was the family of MW. They may not have wanted to be drawn into the media drama of this case so chose to stay anonymous.

 

[SMK777]

I certainly understand the grief and frustration felt by any members of MW's family. It is natural, and to be expected, but the fact that KA has not yet been caught does not mean that "the teacher is getting away with it". She will have gotten away with it if it reaches the point that no one is investigating MW's murder, and the case file gets tossed into the cold case drawer. Right now, in addition to various local and state authorities, the US Marshals are doing everything in their power to find her and bring her back to Austin to face charges, and by elevating the case to major case status a few weeks ago, they are now throwing even more manpower and resources into the search for KA. They are taking this case very seriously. I doubt that KA is convinced that she is getting away with it. JMO

God forbid this case ever grows cold.

I think speedy justice is important.

I just think KA’s capture will only be believed in after it has taken place.

I’m worried by people who say she could last a very long time on camping trails with gear. Maybe even meet a man who would help and hide her.

If in your opinion KA doesn’t believe she’s gotten away with it, what do you think worries her most?

Also, do you think she checks the Internet by burner phone? Because in libraries now they often ask for ID to use computer (so they can track anyone looking up terrorist or other dangerous info). Of course if she hooks up with someone she could use their phone.

 

[SMK777]

I wonder if the anonymous donor who put up the additiona $15,000 reward money was the family of MW. They may not have wanted to be drawn into the media drama of this case so chose to stay anonymous.

I was thinking the same.

 

[Cryptic]

She could be out on the Appalachian Trail getting on it from NJ while wearing a balaclava-type face covering for 'sun/weather protection' where she'd be unrecognizable and around very few people while not looking suspicious. Also she could go into stores intermittently along the trail with her full face covered with her being a hiker making a re-supply stop where it wouldn't even raise an eyebrow with it just being another hiker.

Wow, good point about the possibility to hide out on a what, a 2100 mile trail. The totality, as you pointed out, could make it an excellent choice:

- Physically fit fugitive whose fitness activity is an endurance sport. She is accustomed to discomfort and can keep moving day after day.

- As you said, few people and lots of privacy. Cut and dye her hair and KA probably looks alot like many physically fit, 30 something women on the trail from a moderate distance. Or, just wear a bandanna as a scarf.

- A good number of fit, crunchy, and socially 'n environmentally aware types on the trail. Thus, as you stated, youngish hikers still covid masking in stores is probably not unheard of and would not raise eyebrows.

- Store employees in small towns may not be prone to religously watch out of area news for reports of a murder suspect on the run.

 

[JerseyWasHome2]

Do we really think she's carrying $12,200 (or more) in cash on her? In what form? Visa gift cards? Good ol' cash in hundred dollar bills? Such a huge risk of getting mugged and losing it all. Would she have been able to fly with that large amount of cash? Maybe they wouldn't even have noticed it if she checked some luggage and they didn't manually search it, but then she'd really risk losing it to theft if it wasn't on her body at all times. (I honestly don't know if there are rules for flying with large amounts of cash.) If she transferred some cash to Visa gift cards, she probably would not have been able to get, say, more than one card for $500 at one store without raising suspicion, so that would have taken quite some time in a very limited amount of time to run around from place to place buying a $500 card here and there.

 

[SMK777]

Do we really think she's carrying $12,200 (or more) in cash on her? In what form? Visa gift cards? Good ol' cash in hundred dollar bills? Such a huge risk of getting mugged and losing it all. Would she have been able to fly with that large amount of cash? Maybe they wouldn't even have noticed it if she checked some luggage and they didn't manually search it, but then she'd really risk losing it to theft if it wasn't on her body at all times. (I honestly don't know if there are rules for flying with large amounts of cash.) If she transferred some cash to Visa gift cards, she probably would not have been able to get, say, more than one card for $500 at one store without raising suspicion, so that would have taken quite some time in a very limited amount of time to run around from place to place buying a $500 card here and there.

This is what I’ve been wondering about from the beginning. There are people who say she could have access to near 1 million—but as you note even 12 thousand would be too much in cash.

Her properties cannot be liquidated and cash wired to her because she can’t access bank accounts or anything else without being traced. The only way she could have access to large amounts of money would be with an alias bank account and card — but how could that have materialized? Could a loved one have set up a bank account and given her use of their card?

In actuality, she may run out of money, and if family or friends were to send her any digitally, I’m assuming it could all be traced and penalties for aiding and abetting would abound.

Unless she’s using her sister’s bank card?

Are there any ways to send and receive money without it being traced, like on WorldRemit? How would that work?

 

[Sundog]

Do we really think she's carrying $12,200 (or more) in cash on her? In what form? Visa gift cards? Good ol' cash in hundred dollar bills? Such a huge risk of getting mugged and losing it all. Would she have been able to fly with that large amount of cash? Maybe they wouldn't even have noticed it if she checked some luggage and they didn't manually search it, but then she'd really risk losing it to theft if it wasn't on her body at all times. (I honestly don't know if there are rules for flying with large amounts of cash.) If she transferred some cash to Visa gift cards, she probably would not have been able to get, say, more than one card for $500 at one store without raising suspicion, so that would have taken quite some time in a very limited amount of time to run around from place to place buying a $500 card here and there.

She also would not likely have been able to cash a $12,000 check the same day, I know my bank has to have at least a day's notice to make large transfers or withdrawals, although maybe they would do $12,000 the same day, but I doubt it. Maybe she deposited it into her account in Austin and cashed out in New York City a few days later. This would have been before the arrest warrant was issued.

International airport travel is limited to $10,000, if I remember correctly, and anything over that amount has to be declared or it can be confiscated by U.S. custom agents if you are trying to take it out of the country or enter the country with over that amount of undeclared money/cash. I don't think there is any such regulation regarding domestic travel, but don't know for sure.

 

[JerseyWasHome2]

She also would not likely have been able to cash a $12,000 check the same day, I know my bank has to have at least a day's notice to make large transfers or withdrawals, although maybe they would do $12,000 the same day, but I doubt it. Maybe she deposited it into her account in Austin and cashed out in New York City a few days later. This would have been before the arrest warrant was issued.

International airport travel is limited to $10,000, if I remember correctly, and anything over that amount has to be declared or it can be confiscated by U.S. custom agents if you are trying to take it out of the country or enter the country with over that amount of undeclared money/cash. I don't think there is any such regulation regarding domestic travel, but don't know for sure.

Good point about being able to cash it out the next day in NYC if she was banking with a national bank, like, say, Bank of America, who are all over.

 

[Sundog]

Do we really think she's carrying $12,200 (or more) in cash on her? In what form? Visa gift cards? Good ol' cash in hundred dollar bills? Such a huge risk of getting mugged and losing it all. Would she have been able to fly with that large amount of cash? Maybe they wouldn't even have noticed it if she checked some luggage and they didn't manually search it, but then she'd really risk losing it to theft if it wasn't on her body at all times. (I honestly don't know if there are rules for flying with large amounts of cash.) If she transferred some cash to Visa gift cards, she probably would not have been able to get, say, more than one card for $500 at one store without raising suspicion, so that would have taken quite some time in a very limited amount of time to run around from place to place buying a $500 card here and there.

Cash in that amount sure would be risky in terms of a theft possibility, so the gift cards do make sense.

I do, however, think she managed to do turn the $12,000 into some form of cash, available within a day or two probably from her bank account but accessed in New York City.

I think she is very knowledgeable about these kinds of things which have helped her up until now. I do think she has that much cash on her now, or it is accessible to her. How, I don't know, but I do think that is the case, JMO.

 

[di anna]

She has help, really now, carrying around that much money? She has help and that's probably how she will be caught. Somebody is probably coaching her and is benefiting greatly. I have never believed that she orchestrated all of this on her own. That's just my opinion, I could be wrong.

 

[SteveP]

Cash in that amount sure would be risky in terms of a theft possibility, so the gift cards do make sense.

I do, however, think she managed to do turn the $12,000 into some form of cash, available within a day or two probably from her bank account but accessed in New York City.

I think she is very knowledgeable about these kinds of things which have helped her up until now. I do think she has that much cash on her now, or it is accessible to her. How, I don't know, but I do think that is the case, JMO.

US Marshals say they consider her armed and dangerous. If she is carrying that kind of cash on her person, it really would behoove her to be armed, because if it became known that she had a large sum of money in cash or prepaid cards, she could very possibly become a victim of robbery, or worse. Even gift cards stolen can be used without a PIN, by running them as 'credit' rather than 'debit'. JMO

 

[Cryptic]

Are there any ways to send and receive money without it being traced....

There are probably Western Union type networks where the IDs of the sender and recepient may not be scrutinized. Thus, while it could be traced, the names would be false.

These services, however, may have two rules. One for "ethnics" and one for everybody else.

For example, the clerk at the Romanian deli in Queens may accept the Costco "ID" from a Romanian speaking customer and enter a transaction via Bank of Romania to Montreal, where the receiving clerk in an equally small and cozy Romanian deli is also not prone to scrutinize the ID offered by the almost always Romanian receiver.

Alot of Romanians could work illegally in both cities and vague IDs may not be unusual.

But.... if I walked in to the same deli with a costco id under the name of "Billy Sender" and no knowledge of Romanian, the result could be: US Regulations require driver licenses, passports or other real ID for cash remittances. No sir- there are no exceptions. Shocked that you would even ask. Have a good day- bye!

 

[SteveP]

I do not know when the gravity of what she had done fully hit KA, but I think the sale of her Jeep for cash and then hopping a flight for New York shortly after seems to indicate that she knew, by then anyway, that her life, as she had known it, would never be again. JMO

 

[SMK777]

I do not know when the gravity of what she had done fully hit KA, but I think the sale of her Jeep for cash and then hopping a flight for New York shortly after seems to indicate that she knew, by then anyway, that her life, as she had known it, would never be again. JMO

Do you think she was surprised at being caught on ringcam and the bicycle theft scenario not working ? In other words, was she planning on getting away with it, and was caught completely by surprise?