Fugitive double-murder suspect Lois Riess [photo], was arrested in Texas on Thursday night. Riess is facing second-degree murder, in MN. She is also  wanted in Florida for murder, grand theft auto, grand theft and criminal use of personal ID

A fugitive suspected of fatally shooting her husband before killing and stealing the identity of another woman was captured on Thursday night after a weeks-long manhunt across several states.
Lois Riess was arrested at a resort restaurant in South Padre Island, Tex., nearly a month after her husband David Riess was found dead from multiple gunshot wounds at their Blooming Prairie, Minn., home.
The grandmother and gambling addict also killed a woman she met at a bar in Florida before she assumed her victim’s identity, withdrew $5,000 and went on the run across several states, according to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
Related:
Fugitive husband-killer on the run from Minnesota murders lookalike, stealing her identity – Manhunt for Lois Ann Riess who shot Pamela Hutchinson in Florida

On Thursday night, Undersheriff Carmine Marceno said, “I promised all along that Lois Riess would end up in a pair of handcuffs. Tonight, she sits in a jail cell in Texas. We are working as expeditiously as possible to bring her back to Lee County to face murder charges.”

Lois Riess [left], is a suspect in the death of her husband David Riess, [right], who was found dead from multiple gunshot wounds on Mar 23, 2018.

Authorities in Texas, New Mexico, California and Arizona erected billboards of Riess, a gambling addict dubbed “Losing Streak Lois” in the weeks following her husband’s death.
David Riess’ business partner at the Prairie Wax Worm Farm called the police after he failed to show up to work for two weeks, and his remains were found at his home on March 23
Lois Riess, who drove off in husband’s Cadillac Escalade, forged her his signature and cashed nearly $10,000 in checks she wrote to herself, according to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.

Lois Riess is seen [right], chatting up another patron Pamela Hutchinson at a bar in Florida. Hours later Riess murdered Hutchinson, stole her identity, valuables and car before fleeing down the South West coast to Texas

While on the run Riess was later spotted wearing hat belonging to Hutchinson

She then hit up Diamond Joe’s Casino just across the border in Iowa before she stopped at a gas station and asked for directions.
Lois Riess drove to Fort Myers, Fla., where she befriended 59-year-old Paula Hutchinson at a bar. Their first encounter was captured on surveillance cameras, and Marceno told NBC, “This stone-cold killer was smiling like anyone’s mother or grandmother when she approached our victim.”
In a matter of hours Hutchinson was dead, allegedly, shot by her new pal who assumed her identity, abandoned her SUV and fled in the victim’s car.

Casino  surveillance capture Lois Riess who went gambling shortly after killed her husband and cashed $10,000 in fraudulent checks from his account

The two became friends, and authorities believe the suspect used the same gun to kill Hutchinson before making off with her credit cards, driver’s license, and car.
“This is the first time in my career that I’ve seen someone steal someone’s identity and target them for the way they look, in order to murder them,” Marceno said.
By the time authorities found Hutchinson on April 9, Lois Riess had already withdrawn $5,000 from her account and used her credit card to pay for a Hilton hotel room.

Second victim Pamela Hutchinson was allegedly murdered by Lois Ann Riess in Fort Meyers Beach, Fla. on Apr 9, 2018.

The fugitive killer who was spotted in Louisiana casinos before she crossed the border to Texas, sparked fears that she might try to flee to Mexico.
Surveillance footage showed the suspect talking with victim Pamela Hutchison at a bar, the Smokin’ Oyster Brewery, in Florida.
Hutchinson was found dead April 9 at a timeshare in Fort Meyers, four days after the two women were seen together at the bar.
Police believe Riess targeted Hutchison so she could steal the woman’s identity.
Following the murder, Riess was spotted wearing one of Hutchison’s favorite hats.
“For me to see this vile woman wearing my cousin’s hat after she murdered her was heartbreaking,” Hutchison’s cousin Lohr Stoops said at viewing the footage.
Police also warned that Lois Riess might strike again and target another victim.
On Thursday night, after nearly a month on the run, Riess was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service on according to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
Riess has been charged with murder, grand theft and criminal use of personal identification in Florida. Additional charges in Minnesota are still pending.
Court records in Minnesota show that in 2016, Lois Riess was replaced as the legal guardian to her disabled sister and ordered to return the $100,000 she stole from her.