Murder Suspect Isabelle Johnson Extradited to Walton County After Capture by U.S. Marshals
Isabelle Johnson, the 38-year-old fugitive wanted for the murder of Jason Christopher Coulthart, has been extradited to Walton County and booked into the county jail following her capture by the U.S. Marshals Task Force in Jackson County.
Johnson was apprehended Thursday afternoon, August 13, at a home off Peanut Road just outside Cottondale. Members of the U.S. Marshals Task Force converged on the residence around 2:30 p.m. and took Johnson into custody without incident. She was extradited to Walton County and booked into the jail Friday morning.
The arrest came after the Walton County Sheriff’s Office Cyber Crime Unit tracked Johnson’s communications, leading investigators to her location in Jackson County. Chief Deputy Dustin Cosson said the breakthrough came from investigative work, not tips or media coverage.
“After an exhaustive 45 days, Johnson was located not from media coverage or tips, although we are very grateful for them, but through the hard work of our investigators,” Cosson said. “To every agency that assisted us along the way, we are extremely thankful. Thank you is truly not enough to express our appreciation.”
Johnson had been the subject of a manhunt spanning Florida, Georgia, and Alabama since June 25, when investigators discovered Coulthart’s remains buried in a shallow grave on a property off Sunset Lane in Freeport. Coulthart, 43, was reported missing to the Niceville Police Department on May 24 after he was last seen leaving the College Condominiums on East College Boulevard in Niceville. Niceville investigators received information from an incarcerated individual about the location of Coulthart’s body, leading to a search warrant executed the night of June 25 at the Freeport property.
Over the course of the manhunt, five people were arrested for helping Johnson evade capture, with more than two dozen arrests made in connection with the case overall. Those charged included Bobbi Wagstaff, 31, charged with accessory to capital murder after the fact and possession of methamphetamine; Martin and Sandra Leaverton, both 63, charged with accessory after the fact for retrieving Johnson’s belongings and helping her find refuge outside Florida; and Michael Ray White, 74, and Kathleen Morris, 59, charged with accessory and obstruction for providing shelter, transportation, and supplies while misleading deputies.
Johnson was wearing a shirt reading “Force to be Reckoned With” at the time of her arrest, according to the Walton County Sheriff’s Office.
The investigation into the circumstances that led Johnson to Cottondale is still ongoing. Additional charges are expected.
Originally reported by the Walton County Sheriff’s Office.
