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1 year ago
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Killer yoga teacher Kaitlin Armstrong has been found guilty of gunning down her love rival Moriah Wilson as she screamed in terror.
The jury deliberated for less than two hours before delivering their guilty verdict in an Austin court room on Thursday afternoon. Armstrong, 35, now faces up to 99 years in prison.
Jurors believed a trove of evidence showing that Armstrong had stalked her own boyfriend, Colin Strickland and Wilson while they were out to dinner on May 11, 2022.
After dinner, Strickland dropped Wilson off at a friend's house, and minutes later, Armstrong's jeep appeared outside the apartment.
Multiple neighbor's security cameras captured the Jeep arriving, gun shots and the SUV leaving.
Kaitlin Armstrong looks over at the jury as a guilty verdict is announced against her
Moriah Wilson (left) who went by 'Mo', was an up and coming cyclist, and was described as a prodigy. She met Colin Strickland (who was a celebrated cyclist in his own right. Although Strickland dated and lived with Kaitlin Armstrong, Wilson and Strickland had a sexual relationship in fall of 2021 when Armstrong and Strickland were broken up
Jurors were shown bombshell video showing what appeared to be Wilson's last moments-- where a woman (Wilson) can be heard screaming, followed by gun shots.
'The last thing that Mo Wilson did on this Earth on May 11, 2022 at 9:15 p.m. was scream in terror,' state prosecutor Rickey Jones declared during closing arguments.
In her final hours alive, Wilson met up with Colin Strickland, Armstrong's live-in boyfriend.
After Strickland dropped Wilson off at a friend's apartment, a black Jeep belonging to Armstrong was caught by multiple surveillance cameras in the neighborhood. Her car's GPS and phone GPS also put Armstrong at the scene of the crime.
'Never seen so much evidence in my life against one person,' Jones stated.
Wilson was shot twice in the head, once in the heart, and once in the finger, the medical examiner testified earlier this week, explaining that the bullet wound on her finger was a defensive wound, meaning Wilson likely tried to shield herself from getting shot.
'Then she (Armstrong) runs to Costa Rica, gets plastic surgery, teaching yoga on the beach, while the Wilsons are left trying to pick up the pieces," Jones said referring to the victim's grieving family who have been in court every day for the last three weeks, taking up the first three rows of the gallery.
Armstrong is seen here arriving at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston as she was brought back from Costa Rica
Armstrong fled Austin, Texas, days after Wilson's slaying to Costa Rica to avoid being charged.
She left the country using a passport that belong to her sister, Christine.
US Marshals eventually tracked down her down to a remote beach town where she was living under several aliases and had a nose job and a brow lift.
The former yoga teacher tried to escape from police custody a second time 19 days before her trial began.
'She's running from you and you and you and you...because you are a jury of her peers. Everybody deserves their day in court, and she got hers,' Jones said while pointing to members of the jury.
Armstrong quietly listened to closing arguments, wearing a black pantsuit and dark teal blouse.
Cameras haven't been allowed in the courtroom for the trial that began Oct. 30, except for opening and closing statements.
Defense Attorney Rick Cofer spoke to jurors second, labeling Strickland a 'poster boy for Peter Pan syndrome,' while describing him as a liar and womanizer.
Kaitlin Armstrong, 35, looked somber Thursday as she watched jurors leave the courtroom to begin deliberations in her murder case
Armstrong's attorney Rick Cofer during closing arguments Thursday in Austin, Texas
'Mo Wilson was not the first woman in Colin's life,' Cofer quipped.
'She had to be portrayed as a jealous psycho to explain motive.'
But jealousy, Coffey added, does not equal murder, calling Armstrong's insecurity normal human emotions of not trusting a cheating boyfriend.
Armstrong's lawyer reminded the jury DNA taken from Wilson's body to see if she had been raped the night of her murder was never tested.
Neither was unknown DNA on Wilson's bike.
'The truth of the matter is that APD didn't want a single piece of evidence in front of you that points away from Kaitlin Armstrong. They don't want a single piece of evidence that is inconsistent with their case,' her lawyer went on.
Cofer also addressed Armstrong's two attempts to escape, portraying her as 'terrified,' and adding she could have been afraid she would be murdered next.
While saying Armstrong did not kill Wilson, Cofer admitted he doesn't know who the real killer is.
'Anyone could have entered that unlocked apartment,' the defense attorney said.
Jurors in the case did not hear from Armstrong herself as she declined to testify in her own defense Wednesday.
'"Not guilty" doesn't mean "innocent;" it can mean something else,' pleaded Armstrong's lawyer.
English (US)