AZLE, Texas - A multi-agency manhunt ended Thursday with the arrest of a fugitive sought in connection with the suspicious death of a 37-year-old woman found inside an Azle home earlier this week, authorities said.
On January 15, 2026, the Azle Police Department, working with the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division, the Texas Rangers, the United States Marshals Service, and the Parker County Special Crimes Unit, located and arrested Kruz Dean Wanser, a wanted fugitive identified early in the investigation.
Wanser was sought following the discovery of Margaret Pennington, 37, who was found deceased inside an Azle residence on Sunday, January 11, 2026. Authorities said the cause of death remains pending as the investigation continues.
According to police, Wanser had been named a person of interest shortly after Pennington was found, prompting investigators to issue a public request for assistance in locating him. He was taken into custody without incident and is currently being held on multiple 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 in Penalty Group 1, and a parole violation warrant.
According to her obituary, Pennington was originally from Gainesville, Florida. Officials emphasized that the case remains open and active as detectives continue to gather evidence and await autopsy results.
Anyone with information related to the death of Margaret Pennington is urged to contact the Azle Police Department at 817-444-3221.
