Kaitlin Armstrong trial: Jurors hear opening statements in cyclist murder case

Prosecutors instructed jurors they plan to current audio of the moments skilled bicycle owner Anna Moriah “Mo” Wilson was fatally shot throughout opening statements within the homicide trial of Texas yoga instructor Kaitlin Armstrong.

Armstrong, 35, was charged with first-degree homicide within the deadly capturing of Wilson, 25, who was discovered affected by a number of gunshot wounds at a pal’s dwelling in Austin on the night time of Could 11, 2022.

“The very last thing Mo did on this earth was scream in terror,” Travis County prosecutor Rick Jones instructed jurors, saying they plan to play the audio from a close-by surveillance digicam that captured the capturing throughout the trial. “You may hear these screams.”

“These screams are adopted by, ‘Pop! Pop!'” Jones continued, including that Wilson was shot twice within the head, adopted by silence, then a 3rd time within the coronary heart.

Jones instructed jurors prosecutors plan to current video, cellphone, ballistic and DNA proof that proves Armstrong killed Wilson — together with testimony from a DNA knowledgeable who will testify that there is a “very robust chance” that Armstrong’s DNA was retrieved from Wilson’s bicycle, which was discovered outdoors the pal’s residence.

Protection legal professional Geoffrey Puryear mentioned in a quick opening assertion that there isn’t a digicam footage of Armstrong on the scene and referred to as the state’s forensic science “unreliable.”

He mentioned the state and investigators have been “so determined to maintain Kaitlin Armstrong of their crosshairs that they’d tunnel imaginative and prescient and jumped to conclusions.”

Armstrong pleaded not responsible to first-degree homicide. The trial is anticipated to final two weeks.

Wilson was as soon as romantically linked to Armstrong’s boyfriend, Colin Strickland, a fellow skilled bicycle owner, and was discovered shot hours after assembly up with him, police mentioned. Armstrong’s 2012 Jeep Cherokee was captured on surveillance footage from a neighboring dwelling stopping outdoors the residence the night time of the murder, in line with the arrest warrant affidavit.

Jones mentioned prosecutors plan to current proof that reveals Armstrong had entry to her boyfriend’s emails and textual content messages with Wilson, and that she was in a position to observe Wilson’s location via a health app.

A day after being interviewed by police about Wilson’s homicide, prosecutors say Armstrong offered her Jeep and fled to Costa Rica. She was arrested in June 2022 following a 43-day search at a hostel on Santa Teresa Seaside in Provincia de Puntarenas.

Jones mentioned that days earlier than her arrest, Armstrong spent $6,425 on cosmetic surgery “to vary her look.”

Puryear mentioned that Armstrong is “obsessed with touring” and that within the days following the capturing “bizarre issues” have been occurring at her dwelling that “would trigger an affordable particular person to concern for his or her security.”

“That finally led to her choice to go away Austin,” he mentioned.

Armstrong can be accused of making an attempt to flee from custody previous to the beginning of the trial. She was charged with escape inflicting bodily harm — a felony — after the Travis County Sheriff’s Workplace mentioned she briefly evaded two corrections officers whereas being transported to an off-site medical appointment on Oct. 11.

Armstong has pleaded not responsible to the escape cost, which the decide on Monday agreed to permit the state to make use of of their case on Wilson’s homicide.

ABC Information’ Keturah Grey, Teri Mariani, Olivia Osteen, Megan Streete and Gina Sunseri contributed to this report.