Authorities in Texas had been looking Friday for a woman accused of fatally shooting an elite cyclist after discovering the athlete had been romantically concerned along with her cyclist associate.
The U.S. Marshals Service mentioned it was trying for Kaitlin Marie Armstrong, 35, in the May 11 killing of Anna Moriah Wilson, 25.
Austin police issued a murder warrant for Armstrong on Tuesday, the service mentioned.
The cyclist, often known as “Mo,” had traveled to Texas for a race in Hico, southwest of Fort Worth, in accordance with the biking outlet Velo News.
A pal of Wilson’s discovered her physique at an Austin residence on the evening of May 11, Austin police mentioned in a press release. Wilson was pronounced useless shortly after 10 p.m.
Police initially mentioned she had been shot a number of instances inside the home in a killing that “does not appear to be a random act.”
According to an arrest affidavit obtained by NBC affiliate KXAN of Austin, Armstrong had been in a relationship with skilled cyclist Colin Strickland for roughly three years.
But throughout a break in their relationship, Strickland had begun seeing Wilson, the affidavit says, KXAN reported.
An unnamed pal who reported being with Armstrong in January when she discovered of the connection mentioned Armstrong “became furious and was shaking in anger,” in accordance with the affidavit.
Based on a search of Wilson’s telephone, investigators mentioned messages indicated Wilson believed she was “still in a romantic relationship with Strickland even though he was currently dating Armstrong,” the affidavit says, in accordance with KXAN.
Armstrong deleted her social media accounts and was final heard from on May 13, the affidavit says, in accordance with the station.
Strickland has not been accused of any wrongdoing in the case.
He didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark, however in a assertion earlier Friday to an Austin American-Statesman reporter, he mentioned he was “reeling from grieving Mo Wilson’s death and from the facts that have emerged during the investigation.”
“There is no way to adequately express the regret and torture I feel about my proximity to this horrible crime,” he mentioned in the assertion to the Statesman.”I am sorry, and I simply cannot make sense of this unfathomable tragedy.”
Strickland added that he and Wilson had a “brief romantic relationship” from late October to early November final yr whereas Wilson was visiting Austin. They had each lately ended earlier relationships, Strickland mentioned. He and Armstrong reconciled one month later.
“After our brief relationship in October of 2021, we were not in a romantic relationship, only a platonic and professional one,” he mentioned, including: “Moriah and I were both leaders in this lonely, niche sport of cycling, and I admired her greatly and considered her a close friend.”
Velo News described Wilson as a “dominant” mountain biking and gravel racer, profitable a number of races this yr and resigning her place at a motorcycle firm to pursue full-time racing.
She was anticipated to win the Gravel Locos race in Hico, the positioning reported.