Federal agents searching for a woman suspected in the fatal love triangle shooting of professional cyclist Anna Moriah Wilson believe she is still in the Austin area.
Ms Wilson, 25, was found shot dead in an Austin apartment on 11 May, and police issued a murder warrant for Kaitlin Marie Armstrong, 34, last week.
Deputy US Marshall Brandon Filla told KXAN they had turned Austin “upside down” searching for Ms Armstrong, and believe she is most likely to have remained in the area.
“She built relationships amongst, you know, people here in the Austin community,” he told the news outlet.
“There a lot of ‘what ifs’ and we figured right now with her involvement here in the Austin community, that she would still likely be here.”
Ms Armstong may have changed her appearance by dying her hair or cutting it shorter, Mr Filla added.
Ms Wilson, a competitive gravel and mountain bike racer and Vermont native, had been in Austin for a cycling event.
According to an affidavit, Ms Wilson had previously dated Armstrong's boyfriend, cyclist Colin Strickland, who has cooperated with investigators and is not a suspect.
The affidavit says Ms Armstrong's SUV was seen on surveillance footage outside the home where Ms Wilson was shot to death.
Ms Armstrong last spoke with police on 13 May and has since deleted her social media accounts, the affidavit said.
Ms Armstrong's father, Michael Armstrong, told ABC’s Good Morning Americain an interview broadcast Tuesday that he doesn’t believe that his daughter could have killed Wilson. He said there are many “unanswered questions” about what happened.
“I know her. I know how she thinks and I know what she believes. And I know that she just would not do something like this,” Mr Armstrong said.
Ms Wilson's family said in a statement that she was not in a relationship with anyone at the time of her death.
“There are no words that can express the pain and suffering we are experiencing due to this senseless, tragic loss,” the family said.
“Moriah was a talented, kind and caring young woman. Her life was taken from her before she had the opportunity to achieve everything she dreamed of.”
Ms Armstrong was brought in for questioning by the Austin Police Department before being released and disappearing.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
