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Details emerging in arrest of Lois Riess in Texas

Details emerging on arrest of Lois Riess in TX
Posted at 12:33 PM, Apr 20, 2018
and last updated 2018-04-20 18:33:27-04

LEE COUNTY, Fla. -- We're learning more about the arrest of a Minnesota grandmother who is accused of killing her husband in Minnesota and a woman in Fort Myers Beach.

Deputies from the U.S. Marshals Service arrested Riess in South Padre Island, Texas on Thursday.

Friday, we heard from representatives of the U.S. Marshal's and Lee County Sheriff's Office, who report that Riess was arrested around 8:25 local time in Texas after a tipster recognized Riess and contacted authorities.

U.S. Marshalls and the South Padre Island Police Department responded and took Riess into custody without resistance.

Lee County Undersheriff Carmine Marceno says they want to bring Riess back to Florida to face murder charges.

"There's a sense of relief today, because a killer is off the streets," said Undersheriff Marceno. "No matter where she went, no matter where she hid, we were going to get her."

Riess is accused of murdering 59-year-old Pamela Hutchinson in a Fort Myers Beach condo on April 9th and using her identity to withdraw cash before leaving the area in her car.

Riess was previously wanted in Dodge County, Minnesota for killing her husband, 56-year-old David Riess.

MORE: Timeline in the search for accused murderer Lois Riess

At another press conference Friday, South Padre Island Police Chief Randy Smith says Riess was found at Daddy's Seafood & Cajun Kitchen, where she was found socializing with others and had no weapons on her at the time.

He says authorities had not yet begun officially questioning her.

The U.S. Marshals give thanks for the investigative work of the Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force, comprised of members of Lee County Sheriff's Office, Fort Myers Police Department, Cape Coral Police, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Local criminal defense attorney Scot Goldberg tells 4 In Your Corner Riess will be tried for murder in both states. In Florida, she could face the death penalty depending on what officials decide. "Law enforcement agencies and district attorneys in eah district or each state will get together and see how they want to do this," Goldberg said. 

Minnesota has not had the death penalty in the state since 1911.