Kaitlin Armstrong discovered responsible of affection rival Moriah Wilson’s homicide

Austin yoga instructor Kaitlin Armstrong has been discovered responsible of murdering skilled bicycle owner Anna Moriah Wilson.

The decision over the Might 11 2022 homicide of 25-year-old Wilson got here after simply two hours of deliberations on Thursday.

Wilson’s members of the family within the courtroom cried and embraced one another whereas Armstrong remained impassive as the decision was learn.

The 2 girls had turn out to be concerned in a love triangle with Armstrong’s then on-and-off boyfriend and Wilson’s fellow bicycle owner Colin Strickland.

Following the homicide, Armstrong had fled the nation, remaining at giant for 43 days earlier than being apprehended by authorities.

After the responsible verdict was returned, the court docket moved to sentencing instantly. Sufferer affect statements got by Wilson’s family and friends.

Caitlin Money, with whom Wilson had been staying in Austin, mentioned she “held a whole lot of guilt” for not defending her good friend, and recalled giving her over 100 chest compressions in an try to revive her.

Ms Money mentioned she had texted an image of Wilson to the bicycle owner’s mom on 11 Might 2022, writing “…your lady is in secure palms right here in Austin.” The recollection prompted an audible sob from Wilson’s mom within the courtroom.

Wilson’s brother, Matthew Wilson, broke down when describing how he had realized of his sister’s demise, telling the court docket he felt his ache had been totally different to that of his dad and mom.

“My sister was my closest confidant. My solely sibling. Solely particular person on the planet that I might discuss to about sure experiences that solely she might perceive. She was a extremely, actually good listener,” he mentioned.

“My sister had her life taken from her. For no motive in any respect. She’ll by no means journey a motorcycle once more. She’ll by no means take a 20-minute break from work to bake banana bread in her kitchen.

“She’ll by no means get married. She’ll by no means purchase a house or have youngsters. She’ll by no means meet somebody she loves. I’ll by no means have the ability to see that each one occur and see her get pleasure from her life and construct her life.”

Over the course of two and half weeks jurors heard testimony from Mr Strickland, mates of Armstrong, and regulation enforcement personnel. The defence known as consultants who sought to discredit the state’s DNA and ballistics proof.

Throughout closing arguments, prosecutors identified what they instructed was overwhelming proof linking Armstrong to the crime, and requested jurors to disregard the “rabbit holes” the defence had requested them to go down.

Assistant District Lawyer Rick Jones instructed the jury: “I’ve by no means seen a lot proof in my life towards one particular person.”

“The very last thing Mo Wilson did was scream in terror,” Mr Jones mentioned. “She stood over her after she shot her within the head twice and put one other bullet in her coronary heart … you heard the health worker. That third bullet was in her coronary heart.”

Mr Jones mentioned the proof towards Armstrong was among the many most damning he had seen in his profession, noting that two of Ms Armstrong’s mates testified she instructed them she needed to, or might, kill Wilson.

Car satellite tv for pc information, phone-tracking knowledge and surveillance video from a close-by residence confirmed Armstrong’s Jeep driving across the residence and parking in an alley shortly earlier than Wilson was killed.

Protection Lawyer Rick Cofer instructed the jury that Armstrong had been “caught in a nightmare of circumstantial proof.”

The 35-year-old was questioned by police simply three days after the killing however as soon as freed, she fled to Costa Rica main the authorities on an intensive manhunt.

Through the trial the court docket heard that she had made efforts to disguise her identification with dyed hair and cosmetic surgery.

Armstrong was introduced again to the US and charged with first-degree homicide. She pleaded not responsible in July 2022 and has been held on the Travis County Correctional Advanced in Texas on a $3.5m bond.

On 11 October 2023, Armstrong tried to flee for a second time throughout a scheduled to attend a medical appointment which required transport to a doctor. As she left the ability with a corrections workplace she took off operating.

In a video that captured the incident, and proven at court docket, she may very well be seen operating throughout a yard towards a brown picket fence. The corrections officer pursues, however slips and falls within the grass.

The court docket heard how Wilson, a aggressive gravel and mountain bike racer from Vermont, had been discovered useless her good friend’s Austin, Texas residence.

On the day of her homicide she had organized to fulfill fellow pro-cyclist Mr Strickland, with whom she had an on-again, off-again relationship with when he and his then-girlfriend Armstrong had been on a hiatus.

In proof proven at court docket, three gunshots and a lady’s scream may very well be heard.