Authorities have expanded their search for Isabelle Johnson as five other people face allegations that they helped her avoid investigators.

FREEPORT, Fla. — A Florida woman accused of killing a missing man whose remains were recovered from a shallow grave remained at large Wednesday as authorities circulated photographs, aliases and identifying details in a widening effort to find her.

Isabelle Rose Johnson, 38, is wanted on an active warrant for an open count of murder in the death of 43-year-old Jason Christopher Coulthart, according to the Walton County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators say Johnson has used different names, altered her appearance and relied on other people while avoiding arrest. Five people have been arrested on allegations that they assisted her or interfered with the investigation. The case has grown from a missing-person inquiry into a multistate search involving local authorities and a U.S. Marshals task force.

The latest phase of the investigation is focused less on a single photograph than on the possibility that Johnson may present herself under an unfamiliar name or appearance. Authorities have identified aliases that include Harley, Jessica Elaine Bowman, Jessica Elaine Thrush or Thrash and Jessica Dowdy. Investigators have also said she may use other names. Officials released several photographs taken at different times to show how her appearance can change, along with images of tattoos that may be harder to conceal or alter.

Johnson is described by authorities as about 5 feet 3 inches tall and 120 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes, though investigators believe she may have cut or dyed her hair. The sheriff’s office said she appears to have a flower or rose tattoo on her left hand near the thumb and index finger, a tattoo of an unclear design on her right ankle and a large scorpion tattoo extending along her left thigh. Officials have also released an image of a large tattoo across her back. Those markings have become a central part of the public identification effort because ordinary descriptions such as hair color may no longer be reliable. Law enforcement officials have warned that Johnson should be considered dangerous and should not be approached. They say she has connections in Florida, Georgia and Alabama, with particular attention directed toward Habersham County in northeast Georgia. Authorities have not publicly confirmed her present location, and no verified sighting has established that she remains in any one of those states. The geographic range reflects known associations and places she has visited rather than proof of where she is now.

The search began with Coulthart’s disappearance. He was last seen May 24 leaving the College Condominiums complex on East College Boulevard in Niceville, according to investigators. Friends or relatives later reported him missing after losing contact with him. Niceville is in Okaloosa County, but information developed during the inquiry led detectives west into neighboring Walton County and to a property off Sunset Lane in Freeport.

Investigators obtained and executed a search warrant at that property June 25. Human remains were recovered from a shallow grave, and DNA testing later identified them as Coulthart’s. Authorities have alleged that the burial site had been covered with concrete and concealed beneath a parked vehicle. Reports based on arrest affidavits have also described a large plastic tie around Coulthart’s neck, but the medical examiner’s final findings and the official cause and manner of death have not been publicly detailed by investigators.

A murder warrant for Johnson was issued after the discovery, the sheriff’s office said. The existence of the warrant means investigators believe they developed probable cause to accuse her, but it does not establish guilt. Johnson has not been arrested or brought before a court on the murder allegation, and no defense attorney was identified in available public information. Prosecutors would still have to prove any criminal charge beyond a reasonable doubt if the case proceeds to trial.

The sheriff’s office has described Johnson as highly persuasive and capable of gaining assistance by telling people stories designed to draw sympathy. Authorities allege that such relationships helped her obtain transportation, shelter or other support after Coulthart disappeared and after investigators began searching for her. That description has become part of the public warning because detectives believe people who encounter Johnson may not know that she is wanted or may initially accept a false account of why she needs help.

Five other people have been arrested in connection with the investigation. Public reports and arrest records identify them as Bobbie Gean Wagstaff, Martin Leaverton, Sandra Leaverton, Michael White and Kathleen Morris. The allegations against them differ, but investigators contend that members of the group helped with the burial, withheld information, transported Johnson or assisted her while she was avoiding law enforcement. Each defendant is presumed innocent unless proved guilty, and the filing of an accessory charge does not establish that a person participated in the killing itself.

Wagstaff, who was described in reports as Johnson’s roommate, is accused of helping dig the grave and conceal Coulthart’s remains. Martin and Sandra Leaverton are accused of helping Johnson travel or hide after she became a suspect. Authorities have also alleged that White and Morris played roles in concealing her location or arranging assistance. The precise evidence against each person will be tested in court, and investigators have not publicly released every report, interview or communication collected in the case.

The arrests illustrate why the fugitive search has continued despite the pressure generated by national publicity. A person moving alone must find transportation, food and shelter without drawing attention. Investigators allege Johnson instead received help from a changing group of associates, allowing her to move between locations and remain outside the normal systems through which police often find wanted people. Authorities have said additional arrests remain possible if evidence shows that others knowingly helped her after learning of the murder warrant.

Rewards totaling as much as $16,000 have been publicized for information leading to Johnson’s arrest. Officials have said part of that amount is being offered through Emerald Coast Crime Stoppers and the Florida Sheriffs Association, with an additional reward through the U.S. Marshals task force. Individual reward programs may carry different eligibility and anonymity requirements. Investigators continue to ask that sightings be reported directly to law enforcement rather than posted or pursued by members of the public.

Several major questions remain unresolved. Authorities have not fully explained the relationship between Johnson and Coulthart, the events that brought him to the Freeport property or a confirmed motive for the alleged killing. Witness claims described in arrest reports may offer investigators a theory, but those allegations have not been tested in court. Officials also have not disclosed whether they believe Johnson planned the killing in advance, whether other people were present when Coulthart died or when Johnson was last independently seen.

The sheriff’s office has increasingly directed public messages toward Johnson as well as toward anyone who may be assisting her. Officials have urged her to surrender and warned others that knowingly helping a wanted person can lead to criminal charges. That pressure campaign serves two purposes: It seeks information from the public while attempting to disrupt the support system that investigators believe has allowed her to remain free.

For now, Johnson is still listed as wanted, and the Walton County Sheriff’s Office had not announced an arrest. The investigation remains active, with authorities continuing to review tips, known associates, travel connections and possible changes in her appearance. Coulthart’s death remains an allegation against Johnson unless and until the charge is resolved in court.

Author note: Last updated Aug. 5, 2026.