Kaitlyn Armstrong stands trial for the homicide of bicycle owner Anna Moriah Wilson

Prosecutors on Wednesday unveiled new particulars of the homicide case towards Kaitlyn Armstrong, together with the allegation that the yoga instructor stood over elite bicycle owner Anna Moriah Wilson and fired a 3rd and remaining shot into her coronary heart, and the revelation that it was recorded on audio.

“The very last thing Mo Wilson did on this earth was scream in terror,” Travis County Assistant Prosecutor Ricky Jones informed the jury in his opening statements.

“You will hear these screams.”

Because the prosecutor spoke, Armstrong sat silently on the protection desk, with Wilson’s household and Armstrong’s father behind her within the crowded gallery of the Texas courtroom.

Prosecutors portrayed Armstrong as a lady consumed with jealousy as a result of her boyfriend, bicycle owner Colin Strickland, secretly maintained his friendship with Wilson after a short affair. They informed jurors that Armstrong ambushed Wilson simply 9 days after she spied on Strickland’s letters. In later messages, Wilson realized they have been on a date earlier than the gravel race in Austin.

Armstrong went to the Austin dwelling the place Wilson was staying with a buddy, shot her twice within the head, then stood over her and fired the ultimate bullet into her coronary heart, Jones stated.

After the homicide on Might 11, 2022, Armstrong allegedly took drastic steps to vanish, promoting her automobile and fleeing to Costa Rica, spending 1000’s on cosmetic surgery. Her disappearance sparked a 43-day worldwide manhunt till she was captured in June 2022. If convicted, she faces a most sentence of 99 years in jail.

Her legal professional, Jeffrey Puryear, urged jurors Monday to make use of frequent sense in the course of the anticipated two-week trial. In an try and poke holes within the prosecution’s proof, he claimed that jurors can be introduced with “unscientific” knowledge that didn’t assist the prosecutor’s case.

“I need to speak about what you have not heard about. No witness noticed Kaitlyn Armstrong commit this homicide,” Puryear added in his transient open statements. “Not one. As a result of there is not one.”

Nonetheless, Jones confirmed jurors an in depth timeline that he stated would show that Armstrong killed the recognized Wilson In the world of bicycles As “the winningest girl within the American off-road scene” in a jealous rage.

The prosecutor defined to the jury that Armstrong and Strickland started relationship in 2019 and shortly grew to become enterprise companions. Whereas the 2 broke up a number of instances and dated different folks, they continued to reside collectively and maintained entry to one another’s letters and emails.

Throughout a kind of breaks, Strickland briefly dated Wilson in October 2021 after assembly her at a biking occasion. The transient slur enraged Armstrong and prompted her to name Wilson and confront him, Jones stated. Her anger prompted Strickland to alter Wilson’s identify on his telephone to guard his friendship with Armstrong.

Whereas Strickland was on a visit to California on Might 2, 2022, Armstrong seen his messages and looked for images of Wilson on her telephone, prosecutors stated. It was a number of days earlier than Wilson arrived in Austin to stick with her buddy, Caitlin Money, earlier than a scheduled gravel race.

On the night time of the homicide, Strickland invited Wilson to swim in Deep Eddy’s pool, however informed Armstrong he was simply operating errands.

Strickland dropped Wilson off at Money’s dwelling about 8:30 p.m., Jones stated. One minute later, surveillance footage confirmed a 2012 Jeep Cherokee pushed by Armstrong in an alley subsequent to the condominium in downtown Austin, Jones stated. The homicide occurred round 9:13 p.m., in response to a Ring doorbell digicam and the condominium’s alarm system.

Jones informed jurors that Armstrong’s DNA proof was additionally discovered on Wilson’s bike, which had been discarded in bushes about 20 yards from the condominium.

The following day, investigators went to Strickland’s dwelling to query him about Wilson’s remaining moments. He admitted to spending the night with Wilson and confirmed that the automobile seen within the Ring footage was his girlfriend’s Jeep. Investigators additionally discovered a 9 mm handgun within the dwelling, which Strickland stated he bought from Armstrong earlier than the homicide.

Throughout her interview with police, Armstrong was unable to elucidate why her automobile was close to the homicide scene and denied any information of her boyfriend’s friendship with Wilson.

“I had no concept he noticed this woman or went out along with her… till not too long ago,” Armstrong stated, in response to her arrest affidavit.

Police deemed her an individual of curiosity however she was launched as a result of an open misdemeanor warrant for allegedly skipping a Botox invoice was not legitimate. Prosecutors allege that moments after she left police, Armstrong took motion to hold out her escape. She bought her Jeep for $12,200 and traveled to New York. Utilizing the bank card, her sister’s identify and her passport, Armstrong then boarded a flight to Costa Rica.

There she used a number of totally different names and underwent $6,425 price of cosmetic surgery, Jones stated. For greater than a month, Armstrong stayed underneath the radar in Costa Rica by staying in lodges and educating at numerous yoga establishments. Whereas he was on the run, Armstrong was additionally following the investigation, Jones stated.

Investigators realized of Armstrong’s location after she took a bus from San Jose to Jaco Seaside, the place she left a paper path with one in all her aliases. She was arrested at Don John’s Lodge in St. Teresa on June 30, 2022. Police discovered two passports and a cosmetic surgery receipt in her lodge lock field.

Armstrong additionally faces separate prices after making an attempt to flee custody simply earlier than her trial. Travis County Sheriff’s Office She stated Armstrong was on the run for about 10 minutes on Oct. 11 when she ran from two deputies who accompanied her to a medical appointment. She was taken to Dell Seton Medical Heart for therapy after the accident.