How Pizza Led Cops To Ethan Couch

As if his saga weren't bizarre enough already, the notorious "affluenza" teen might have met his downfall due to the humble pizza. After fleeing the U.S. with his mother, Ethan Couch was caught on Monday in the resort city of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The pair might have evaded authorities longer if they hadn't made one grave mistake. According to an Associated Press report, Couch and his mom ordered pizza for their condo. Law enforcement tracked that phone call and used it to pinpoint their location. It would be painfully ironic, but perhaps appropriate, for the wealthy teen to end up in prison because of pizza.

Update: Couch has won a temporary stay against his planned deportation from Mexico.

According to the Jalisco state prosecutors' office, Couch and his mother Tonya used one of their phones to call Domino's Pizza for a delivery order to their condo in Puerto Vallarta. A U.S. Marshal was then able to track the call and notify authorities in Mexico of the Couches' location on Monday. Though the pair were not at the residence when law enforcement arrived, officers were able to find them later that evening around 6 p.m., when they arrested them after a five-day manhunt.

Authorities were first alerted when Couch failed to report to his probation officer earlier this month, prompting a search that led to Mexico. Couch and his mother initially fled to the beachside resort of Los Tules before moving to a condo in Puerto Vallarta, a popular resort town known for its luxury hotels.

The teen's decision to run isn't all that surprising, considering how he shot to notoriety for using the defense that he was too wealthy to understand right from wrong, thus earning him his nickname. In 2013, Couch was convicted of intoxication manslaughter after he killed four pedestrians while driving under the influence. However, he successfully avoided jail time after his legal team used the "affluenza" defense. Instead, he was sentenced to 10 years' probation.

During his trial, a psychologist testified that Couch's parents should share in the blame because they never set boundaries for the teen, which prevented him from fully comprehending the consequences of his actions. It looks like that may still be the case, as Couch's mother appears to have been aiding him in fleeing the U.S. and hiding out in Mexico. According to Tarrant County Sheriff Dee Anderson, Couch and his mother allegedly even threw a going-away party before skipping town.

After being arrested Monday, the pair are now being held in Guadalajara, and will be returned to the U.S. shortly.