AUSTIN, Texas (Court TV) — A woman awaiting trial on murder charges now faces additional charges after allegedly trying to escape from guards during a doctor’s appointment last week.
Kaitlin Armstrong is now charged with escape causing bodily injury after briefly getting away from corrections officers on Oct. 11. Armstrong was previously charged with murder in the death of Anna Moriah Wilson. After allegedly killing Wilson, Armstrong fled the country until she was found in Costa Rica following a 43-day manhunt.
Kaitlin Armstrong (photo courtesy U.S. Marshals)
In an affidavit for the new charges obtained by Court TV, investigators said Armstrong was leaving an appointment at Ascension Orthopedics through the rear doors when she took off running. The two officers with her ordered her to stop, which she ignored. The corrections officers said that Armstrong attempted to scale a six-foot fence, but one officer was able to grab her and pull her down.
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Armstrong then allegedly got up and began running once again, going approximately one mile before officers stopped her.
“During the foot pursuit, officers advised inmate Armstrong to remove her county issued black and white striped uniform pants, which revealed she was wearing thermal pants underneath in an effort to disguise her appearance as an inmate. Inmate Armstrong was also able to manipulate her left hand from the hand restraints to assist in her attempted escape.”
As part of their investigation, detectives reviewed surveillance video of the jail where Armstrong is being held, and found that she had spent the last several months “running, doing squats, and yoga throughout her dayroom and recreation time.” Inside her cell, officers found a metal pen and dental floss. A pin had been broken off the pen, which officers theorized may have been used to remove her handcuffs.
Investigators also determined Armstrong had complained about a leg injury in order to get an outside medical appointment, “as well as a medical request restricting the use of leg restraints.” Detectives point to the exercise and purported leg injury as evidence that Armstrong planned the escape attempt.
Armstrong’s murder trial is scheduled to begin on Oct. 30. The first hearing on the new escape charges is scheduled for November.
