FBI joins the search for Frederick Russell

Frederick Russell reportedly hinted to his mother he might flee to Costa Rica following his June 4 arrest for his alleged involvement in a fatal crash, according to the Washington State Patrol.

But according to a WSP investigation, Russell purchased a heavy winter coat and other cold-weather clothing in Moscow last month.

According to the WSP report, Russell told a clerk at a Moscow store on Oct. 18 that he needed warm and waterproof gloves "because his hands would be wet a lot."

Russell's trial on charges of vehicular homicide and vehicular assault had been scheduled to begin Monday in Whitman County Superior Court in Colfax. He was reported missing from the Pullman area Oct. 26.

Whitman County Deputy Prosecutor Ann Shannon was scheduled to meet with FBI Special Agent Craig Nevitt today at Spokane to compare notes and coordinate the search for Russell.

Russell, 22, is now wanted on a federal charge of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution as well as an additional state charge of bail jumping.

His photograph and warrant information have been distributed to airports, bus and train stations as well as to the FBI, U.S. Customs and the Border Patrol.

Russell was released to his father the day after the crash, which left three Washington State University students dead and three more injured, on a $5,000 bond with the stipulation he be at his father's home between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. every day.

Russell's father and mother, Gregory and Linda Russell, who are divorced, received similar letters from their son after he disappeared late last month.

According to an investigation report from the Washington State Patrol, a letter from Russell to his father postmarked Oct. 25 at Spokane, stated Frederick Russell was "going somewhere where he could not be hunted" and that he did not want his family "to suffer for his murders."

On Nov. 1, three area newspapers, including the Moscow-Pullman Daily News, received letters that the FBI has now confirmed were written by Russell.

In the letters, postmarked Oct. 29 at Reno, Nev., Russell said media coverage of the case would prevent him from receiving a fair trial and that he left the area because he was not willing to put himself or his family "at risk of further harm."

Russell's attorney, Mark Moorer of Moscow, said Russell had received several threatening telephone calls in the months since the accident.