Watch this reporter’s mid-broadcast reaction to Kaitlin Armstrong’s escape

During an interview with investigative journalist Tony Plohetski of the Austin American-Statesman, news broke that Kaitlin Armstrong had escaped police custody. The moment was captured by ABC 20/20 cameras and recently featured in a special about the convicted murderer.

After professional cyclist Moriah Wilson’s death, Armstrong fled the country and lived as a fugitive in Costa Rica for 43 days before federal authorities ultimately tracked her down and extradited her back to the U.S. Armstrong was found guilty in court and sentenced to 90 years in prison.

In early October 2023, Armstrong attempted to escape from the custody of corrections officers while awaiting trial. Successfully evading officers upon leaving a medical office building, she was apprehended after a 10-minute pursuit. A spokesperson from the sheriff’s office noted that officers never lost sight of her during the escape attempt.

It was discovered that the yoga instructor had meticulously prepared for the escape, even faking an injury to leave the prison and head to a medical facility. She even had thermal tights underneath her prison uniform.

Colin Strickland said he didn’t really know Kaitlin Armstrong

Plohetski, a seasoned journalist with 24 years of experience at the Austin-American Statesman, was deep into the initial half-day interview for “20/20.” Fully engaged in the conversation, he had activated his phone’s “Do Not Disturb” mode to provide undivided attention to the producers.

Inadvertently, he missed alerts and messages about unfolding news in his own city. Only when a colleague discreetly approached off-camera was Plohetski informed of the breaking news: Armstrong had managed to escape police custody.

Watch his reaction below.