A Texas jury on Thursday found Kaitlin Armstrong guilty of first-degree murder for the fatal shooting of elite cyclist Moriah Wilson last year.
It took the Travis County panel roughly two and a half hours of deliberation to find the 35-year-old defendant guilty of murder in the first degree. The conviction could have Armstrong spending up to 99 years in prison.
Kaitlin Armstrong's Guilty Verdict
Prosecutors in the case also opted against seeking the death penalty for the fatal shooting that occurred on May 11, 2022. The victim's loved ones were seen hugging after the verdict against Armstrong was read and the latter's younger sister, Christie Armstrong, openly wept.
A few minutes after the reading of the guilty plea, the court went straight to the penalty phase as the ones closest to Wilson spoke about the victim and how her murder affected them. As per NBC News, the mother, Karen Wilson, said that her daughter lived as if every day was her last day.
She added that her daughter never wasted any time in her life, as if she knew it would only be short. The verdict comes after Armstrong was accused of shooting 25-year-old Wilson three times shortly after the latter had dinner with the former's boyfriend, pro cyclist Colin Strickland.
Authorities said that there were no witnesses who saw the murder and prosecutors built their case with the help of modern, everyday gadgetry that routinely follows human movements. It was later discovered that Wilson was in Austin, Texas, in May 2022 to compete in a race in Hico.
While visiting the town, Strickland, who had a brief relationship with the victim in fall 2021, texted her to meet up. On the day of the victim's death, the two cyclists swam at a local pool and had dinner afterward. Strickland allegedly lied to Armstrong about his whereabouts at the time.
Fatal Shooting of Moriah Wilson
Investigators argued that Armstrong tracked Wilson to the apartment where she was staying and shot her three times. The defendant briefly met with law enforcement before she sold her car and used her sister's name and passport to flee to Costa Rica, according to the Associated Press.
They noted that she had spent more than $6,000 on a nose job in the region and even changed her hairstyle in an attempt to avoid authorities before her arrest at a beachside hostel. The suspect's defense attorneys called the investigation inadequate and sloppy. They also accused prosecutors of having "tunnel vision" in immediately saying Armstrong was the prime suspect.
A lawyer for Armstrong, Rick Cofer, said that the case against the defendant was based on "assumptions, confirmation bias, and a lack of direct evidence." He added that the suggestion that Armstrong is the killer due to her jealousy was an easy narrative for prosecutors.
Kristen Dark, a spokeswoman for the Travis County Sheriff's Office, said that Armstrong ran from two corrections officers while leaving a medical appointment. She added that the suspect made it about a block and a half before she was recaptured. The incident occurred as the trial approached, according to the New York Times.
