Minnesota Woman Suspected of Killing Her Husband and Another Woman Has Been Captured in Texas

(SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas) — A Minnesota woman suspected of killing her husband and then a woman in southwest Florida was captured Thursday night at a South Texas resort.

A U.S. Marshals Service statement said two federal deputy marshals arrested Lois Riess, 56, about 8:30 p.m. at a South Padre Island, Texas, restaurant. South Padre Island is a beach resort community 27 miles (43 kilometers) from the crossing into Mexico.

Riess had been on the run since at least late March when her husband, 54-year-old David Riess, was found fatally shot at their home in Blooming Prairie, Minnesota. She became the subject of a nationwide hunt for her.

She was reported as being seen at a northern Iowa convenience store and casino on March 23. Authorities released video showing Riess approaching the cashier at the store, buying a sandwich and asking for directions south of the state. The store is next to a casino where authorities say Riess spent the day gambling before stopping at the gas station.

It was also on March 23 that David Riess’s business partner called authorities to ask them to check on him. The partner said no one at work had seen David Riess in more than two weeks. Authorities found David Riess’s body inside his home with multiple gunshots.

They were not able to determine how long he had been dead and could not find his wife.

Authorities learned Lois Riess may have been at the casino in Iowa, but she had already left by the time they arrived. They then found out she was in Florida.

Investigators believe she used the same gun that killed her husband to fatally shoot 59-year-old Pamela Hutchinson. They believe she killed Hutchinson to assume her identity and took Hutchinson’s car, which was seen later in Louisiana and Corpus Christi, Texas.

Riess’ SUV was found abandoned in a Florida park.