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‘I will put you in a trunk’: Fugitive arrested in Azle death investigation wearing disturbing sweatshirt

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Published  January 16, 2026 10:23am CST
Azle
FOX 4
article

Kruz Dean Wanser (Azle Police Department)

The Brief

    • Azle police, with the help of the U.S. Marshals and Texas Rangers, arrested Kruz Dean Wanser following the suspicious death of 37-year-old Margaret Pennington, who was found dead in an Azle home on Jan. 11.
    • Wanser is facing several felony charges, including tampering with a human corpse, possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, and an outstanding parole violation warrant.
    • At the time of his arrest, Wanser was wearing a sweatshirt that read, "I will put you in a trunk and help people look for you… Stop playing with me," a detail police included in their official update on the case.

AZLE, Texas - A fugitive wanted in connection to the death of a 37-year-old woman found inside an Azle home earlier this month has been taken into custody, police announced Friday.

What we know:

Azle police, in coordination with the Texas Rangers and U.S. Marshals, arrested Kruz Dean Wanser following an investigation into the "suspicious death" of Margaret Pennington.

Pennington was found deceased inside a home on Jan. 11. While an official cause of death has not yet been released by the medical examiner, investigators previously identified Wanser as a person of interest in the case.

Wanser faces several charges, including:

  • Tampering with or fabricating physical evidence with intent to impair a human corpse
  • Possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance
  • Parole violation warrant

Dig deeper:

In a mugshot released following his arrest, Wanser is seen wearing a sweatshirt that reads: "I will put you in a trunk and help people look for you… Stop playing with me."

The arrest was a multi-agency effort involving the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Parker County Special Crimes Unit, and the United States Marshals Service.

What we don't know:

The specific relationship between Wanser and Pennington remains unclear, and authorities have not stated if Wanser is a suspect in the actual killing or if more charges are pending.

What you can do:

The investigation remains open. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Azle Police Department at 817-444-3221.

The Source: Information in this article comes from Azle police.

AzleCrime and Public Safety