Week 2 of Kaitlin Armstrong’s Trial is Over: Here’s What You May Have Missed
The jury trial of Kaitlin Armstrong, who is accused of shooting and killing professional gravel racer Moriah ‘Mo’ Wilson, is now in its second week, and should be coming to a close next week. If you haven’t been following the trial closely, here’s the key moments from the last two weeks of testimonies from Colin Strickland, Armstrong’s boyfriend, as well as the detective who led the initial investigation and friends of Armstrong’s, plus the forensic evidence—both digital and DNA—that were introduced.
The Legal Teams
The prosecution team includes Guillermo Gonzalez, Ricky Jones, and Jean Sullivan, according to CBS Austin. Armstrong is represented by Geoffrey Puryear, Rick Cofer, and Elizabeth Duggan. Judge Brenda Kennedy is presiding over the case, and the jury consists of 8 women and 6 men.
The Key Witnesses
Colin Strickland: Strickland took to the stand on Friday and Monday, testifying that at the advice of a defense attorney, he cut ties with Armstrong on May 13, 2022, the day before she fled to Costa Rica, according to The Independent.
On the stand, he explained that he and Armstrong had a very “on/off” relationship. He added that while she rode bikes, she wasn’t ‘skilled enough’ to keep up with him on rides. He said, “She was perturbed that I went on that ride with other female cyclists.”
Detective Richard Spitler: According to The Independent, Austin Police Department Detective Richard Spitler testified about the early stages of the investigation into Wilson's murder.
Armstrong's friends: KXAN shared that two of Armstrong’s friends and testified on Wednesday that she told them she ‘wanted to kill Mo’ when she learned of Wilson and Strickland’s brief relationship.
The Physical Evidence
The prosecution introduced physical evidence including:
DNA: The Independent reported that the DNA linked to Armstrong was found on Wilson's bike, abandoned near the apartment in bamboo bushes.
Ballistics: The prosecution hasn't brought this part into the trial yet but mentioned it during the opening statements.
Proof that Armstrong did in fact use her sister’s passport when she flew to Costa Rica days after the murder under the name ‘Christie.’
A video from nearby surveillance cameras that captured Wilson’s screams and the gunshots being fired. It was revealed that Wilson was shot three times: Twice in the head, and once in the chest.
Three separate security cameras recorded a black Jeep leaving the area at the time of the murder, and those homeowners were also called to testify. (See below for the digital evidence potentially linking the Jeep to Armstrong’s black Jeep.)
The Digital Evidence
Digital evidence was introduced by Detective Spitler and included:
Data from the GPS in Armstrong’s Jeep (that she sold days after the murder) showing that the Jeep was in the area where Wilson was staying the night she was murdered.
Evidence from Armstrong’s iCloud account of a deleted Google map of where Wilson was staying in East Austin on Maple Avenue.
Evidence that Armstrong tracked Wilson in the days prior to her murder both by checking boyfriend Colin Strickland’s phone and by following Wilson via Strava—refreshing the profile six times the day of the murder.
Armstrong’s internet searches in Costa Rica, which included her own name, if pineapple could burn off fingerprints, and rhinoplasty (she reportedly had plastic surgery in Costa Rica to alter her appearance).
Much of Monday’s examinations by the defense and prosecution centered around texts sent between Wilson and Strickland, and how many he actually received—Armstrong reportedly blocked Wilson's number on Strickland’s phone at one point, according to KXAN’s trial coverage.
Strickland added that in 2021, Armstrong had contacted Wilson when she learned of Strickland and her brief relationship and Wilson told Strickland about the contact, saying it was “strange and unnerving.”
The Legal Proceedings
Escape attempt is admissible: Fox 7 reported that the judge will allow Armstrong’s escape attempt to be brought up during trial. More details emerged regarding her escape attempt, and it’s become more clear that the escape was pre-planned rather than a spur-of-the-moment attempt.
Call for a mistrial: On Wednesday, November 8, the defense called for a mistrial based on the fact that, according to the Austin American Statesman, the defense had never been given a police report regarding apparent ‘vandalism’ of Strickland’s motorcycle being pushed over into Armstrong’s Jeep and some pavers being moved that had occurred at Strickland and Armstrong’s home the day after the murder. It was immediately overruled by Judge Brenda Kennedy.
Strickland’s dramatic moment: Earlier in week 2 of testimonies, Strickland raised eyebrows when he was seen nearly knocking a camera off of a reporter’s shoulder, and then later, allegedly ‘stomping on a photographer's foot.’ According to NewsNation reporter Alex Capriello, the photographer is pressing charges.
The Defense: According to KXAN, the defense’s primary argument has remained the lack of footage of Armstrong, only her vehicle and the sound of gunshots. “I want to talk to you about what you didn’t hear about,” defense attorney Geoffrey Puryear said according to KXAN after the video that captured Wilson’s screams and the gunshots was played. “Not one witness saw Kaitlin Armstrong allegedly commit this murder because there isn’t one.”
What’s Next?
Court is out of session for the long weekend and will resume next week. At this point, the defense has yet to call any witnesses. Earlier in the trial, the judge told jurors that the trial would likely be finished by the 15th, which is next Wednesday. At that point, they will begin deliberations.
Armstrong faces 99 years in prison if convicted, plus another 20 years for her escape attempt last month.
There is a gag order on the case, which means that our information is based solely on court reports from outlets who are at the trial.
Get Caught Up
Last October during Armstrong’s first pre-trial hearing, the defense team worked to discredit evidence gathered when she was questioned immediately after Wilson’s death in May. The trial was originally set for October 2022, then pushed to June 2023, and finally, to October 2023. Since her arrest, Armstrong has remained in police custody with a bail bond set at $3.5 million.
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