Updated 08/23/2005 08:22 PM
Pitonyak headed to Austin for booking
A University of Texas student charged with killing an acquaintance and mutilating her body was arrested Tuesday in Eagle Pass.
U.S. marshals arrested Colton Pitonyak, 22, after he was turned over by Mexican authorities.
Pitonyak is on his way to Austin with authorities to face a murder charge for the death of Jennifer Cave, 21. Her mutilated body was found in Pitonyak's apartment last Thursday.
"In my seven, almost eight years in Austin, this is probably one of the more brutal homicides, although all homicides are terrible incidents. I'm glad this individual is off the streets of Austin," Austin Police Chief Stan Knee said.
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An arrest warrant for Pitonyak shows Cave had just met him, and they had dinner on Tuesday evening.
Pitonyak fled Austin with Laura Hall, 22, who was with him when he was arrested. She has not been charged.
Investigators believe the pair drove Hall’s car to Piedras Negras, Mexico, on Friday. Overnight, Mexican agents found her Cadillac at a Piedras Negras hotel.
Pitonyak was on the run for nearly a week. Police say it took a lot of work to track him down.
“I can tell you that this suspect was identified, located and arrested based upon people providing us with information, based upon good detective work and a great deal of energy from the United States Marshal’s Office,” Knee said.
Funeral services for Cave were Tuesday in her hometown of Corpus Christi.
With his run complete, Pitonyak now returns to Austin to face murder charges.
Pitonyak will be tried in Travis County. There’s no word yet on a possible motive.
He has a previous arrest in 2004 for Possession of Controlled Substance.
Technology helped track Pitonyak
Law officers say the days of criminals disappearing across the Mexican border are over.
Investigators tracked Pitonyak through his cell phone. They got the information from his cell phone company.
"Their equipment knows at all times, at least when your cell phone is on, about where you're located," attorney Ray Bass said.
Ten years ago, the U.S. Congress passed the Assistance for Law Enforcement Act that says cell phone companies must supply the location of a cellular caller with a court order.
Some cell phones have a GPS-type locator inside the phone. Other cell phone companies use technology called triangulation to find a missing person or a criminal.
It's the same technology emergency and law enforcement uses to help people who are victims of crime. The enhanced 911 program makes sure police and ambulances can reach you, even if you're not sure where you are.
"It's probably a good thing for law enforcement, that the capability is there to find somebody's who's committed a terrible crime and bring them to justice, but like anything else it can probably be abused,” Bass said.
In today's wireless world, no one is untouchable.