[Warning: Potentially Triggering Content]
A wanted Texas fugitive named Kruz Dean Wanser was arrested last Thursday in connection with what authorities are calling the suspicious death of a 37-year-old woman named Margaret Pennington.
According to the Azle Police Department in Texas, Pennington was found dead inside a residence in the city back on January 11. Details beyond that about her death remain very limited, per People — and that silence is part of what makes this case so disturbing.
Wanser was taken into custody following a coordinated effort between multiple agencies including the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division, the Texas Rangers, the United States Marshals, and the Parker County Special Crimes Unit. He is currently being held on several charges, including tampering with or fabricating physical evidence with intent to impair a human corpse, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance, and a parole violation.
Authorities have not confirmed his relationship to Pennington, nor have they officially named him a suspect in her death.
What has drawn widespread attention, though, is what Wanser was wearing when he posed for his booking photo. The blue hoodie on his back carried a message that feels almost impossible to process given the circumstances.
Written in bold white capital letters across the front was the phrase:
“I will put you in a trunk and help people look for you.”
Beneath that message were additional words, presented as part of the same design:
“Stop playing with me”
Look for yourself (below):
WTF…
The imagery alone is disturbing, but paired with an ongoing death investigation, it becomes something else entirely.
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And yet police have been very careful with their language as the investigation continues. In a statement to the media, the Azle Police Department said:
“At this time, [Pennington’s] cause of death is still pending. This is an open investigation and anyone with any information related to the death of Pennington is encouraged to contact the Azle Police Department at 817-444-3221.”
Previously, law enforcement described Wanser as:
“A person of interest in a suspicious death investigation.”
While the legal process unfolds, it’s easy to forget the person at the center of this tragedy. Per People, an online obituary said Pennington was full of warmth, creativity, and heart. She was described as deeply loved by her family and friends, someone with a sentimental spirit who found joy in baking, crocheting, music, genealogy, and collecting vintage items rich with history.
As the investigation remains open, all that’s left right now are questions, grief, and a community waiting for answers that cannot come fast enough.
[Image via WENN]
