Isabelle Johnson was arrested Thursday at a home in Cottondale after a 45-day manhunt across Florida, Georgia and Alabama. The U.S. Marshals task force took her into custody without incident and booked her into the Jackson County Jail.
Walton County Sheriff's Office said, "We got her." The agency also said, "Isabelle Johnson is in custody."
Jackson County Jail booking
Jackson County Sheriff Donald Edenfield said deputies and members of the task force responded to an address off Peanut Road just outside Cottondale. Johnson is expected to be extradited to Walton County after her booking.
The Walton County Sheriff's Office said the arrest grew out of information developed by its Cyber Crimes Unit about Johnson's whereabouts. That search drew on more than 40 subpoenas and over 20 search warrants across three states.
Dustin Cosson on the search
Walton County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Dustin Cosson said investigators spent "tons and tons of man hours" during the roughly 45-day search. He called the arrest "absolutely a good day," and added, "It's really important, again, just want to stress to the public. She's here, she's in custody."
Cosson also said, "We can't express the amount of appreciation for the work that's been done," as investigators closed in on Johnson after weeks of tracking her movements. Johnson was wanted on a murder charge in the death of Jason Coulthart.
Jason Coulthart case
Coulthart was reported missing May 24 after he was last seen leaving the College Condominiums on East College Boulevard in Niceville. His body was later found buried in a shallow grave in Florida on June 25.
Johnson's arrest ends the active search, but the next step is the transfer to Walton County and any additional charges that prosecutors choose to file. The immediate question now is what evidence tied her to Coulthart's death.
