UPDATE: 03/08/23

The United States Marshals confirm a fugitive who was on the run for 8 long years is now behind bars. Isaac Estrada was wanted for an alleged brutal murder of single mother Courtney Phillips on Easter weekend in 2015, he’s now awaiting trial at the Bexar County Adult Detention Center.

Estrada was previously featured on Season 3 of In Pursuit with John Walsh on Investigation Discovery in 2021.

ORIGINAL POST: 09/15/21

Fugitive On The Run For Alleged Brutal Murder Of San Antonio Mom On Easter Weekend

It was Easter weekend in 2015 when 23-year-old Courtney Phillips was on a road trip through Texas. Courtney, originally from Dallas, made her way a few hundred miles away to San Antonio with a friend.

For Courtney, who is described as spontaneous, fun and very outgoing, jumping in the car for a road trip was not out of the ordinary. Also, meeting new people online was not out of character either. Courtney connected with a single guy in San Antonio. The pair agreed to meet up for a date, but at some point, things took a horrific turn.

When Courtney didn't respond to the friend she was traveling with, the friend went looking for Courtney and found her at a residence. When the friend looked through the window, Courtney was unresponsive. According to Detective Mark Duke from the San Antonio Police, it was at this point that a call was placed to 911.

When police and first responders arrived, they discovered that Courtney suffered from multiple stab wounds and lost a tremendous amount of blood. Investigators said the blood trail was long and Courtney's cell phone and purse were both located at the scene.

Detective Lawrence Sazil, who also worked the case with the San Antonio Police, said the attack was aggressive and brutal - it was "overkill."

Examining Courtney's cell phone ultimately led detectives to the last person she had contact with: 19-year-old Isaac Estrada. Authorities say prior to Courtney's murder they learned about another victim Estrada allegedly attacked, but that the victim was able to escape.

San Antonio Crime Reporter Yami Virgin told In Pursuit with John Walsh, "It was a gruesome crime scene, if he didn't know her personally, if he didn't have a beef with her already, why would it be brutal? Why would he take that amount of anger out on a person he had never met?"

After the murder it was possible Estrada went to California and the US Marshals said his cell phone records confirmed he traveled to the West Coast. Estrada's brother lived in Perris, California. Although Marshals went into a home in Perris where they believed he was staying, Estrada was gone. The US Marshals said they missed him by only a week.

After California, investigators believe Estrada hopped across the border into Mexico. Investigators say that in February 2016 Estrada popped up in Guadalajara, Mexico and was living a new life. It seemed, according to their investigation, Estrada had a new girlfriend and was connected to his family. In 2019, investigators tracked him down to a home in the area, but they missed him again by only a short window.

Estrada is small. He only stands 5 feet 1 inches tall and weighs 105 pounds. He has a tattoo on his left forearm with the name "Keeper" and on the other arm it says "Brother." Investigators working this case believe it's possible Estrada targeted Courtney because of her smaller size. Investigators said Estrada is known to smoke marijuana and may possibly abuse prescription medication.

If you know anything about where Isaac Estrada is hiding out, please call or text our hotline with your tips. Host John Walsh guarantees you can remain anonymous: 833-378-7783 (3-PURSUE).

HEIGHT: 5 feet 1 inches tall

WEIGHT: 105 pounds

HAIR: Black / brown

EYES: Brown

DOB: September 9, 1996

CHARGES: Murder

CONNECTED TO: San Antonio, TX, Perris, CA, Mexico

CHARACTERISTICS: Known to smoke marijuana and possibly abuses prescription medication like Xanax.