A jury found Texas yoga trainer Kaitlin Armstrong guilty of murder in the deadly taking pictures of romantic rival Anna Moriah “Mo” Wilson.
The jury deliberated for only 3 hours on Thursday.
Wilson, 25, used to be found affected by more than one gunshot wounds at a pal’s house in Austin at the night time of May 11, 2022. The biking prodigy used to be as soon as romantically connected to Armstrong’s then-boyfriend, Colin Strickland, a fellow professional cyclist, and used to be found shot hours after assembly up with him, police mentioned.
Armstrong, 35, used to be arrested in June 2022 at a hostel in Costa Rica following a 43-day seek and has been detained since then on a $3.5 million bond. She had pleaded now not guilty to first-degree murder in Wilson’s demise.
Kaitlin Armstrong enters the court all the way through the primary day of her trial on the Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center, Nov. 1, 2023, in Austin, Texas.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman by way of AP
After calling just about 40 witnesses over the two-week trial, Travis County prosecutor Rick Jones informed the jurors all the way through remaining statements on Thursday that there’s “overwhelming” proof that issues to Armstrong pulling the cause.
Prosecutors offered proof that they are saying confirmed Armstrong’s 2012 Jeep Cherokee circling the place of dwelling’s block the night time of the murder, that her firearm used to be used in the murder and her DNA used to be most probably found on Wilson’s bicycle.
“Only Kaitlin Armstrong, the defendant, fits these facts that was presented to you through that witness chair,” Jones mentioned.
Prosecutors additionally replayed audio on Thursday of the moments Wilson used to be fatally shot — two times in the pinnacle and as soon as in the guts “for good measure,” Jones mentioned. They additionally confirmed the jurors pictures they mentioned confirmed Armstrong making an attempt to escape from deputies in the weeks main as much as the trial whilst being transported to an off-site scientific appointment.
“She’s not just running from the sheriff’s department,” Jones informed jurors. “She’s running from you and you and you and you and you and you and you.”
Jones implored the jurors not to pass down the protection’s “rabbit holes.”
Defense legal professional Geoffrey Puryear provides opening arguments all the way through the primary day of trial for State of Texas v. Kaitlin Armstrong on the Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center, Nov. 1, 2023.
Mikala Compton/American-Statesman/USA Today Network
In their remaining statements, the protection mentioned Armstrong is “trapped in a nightmare of circumstantial evidence.”
“There is a lot of sizzle, but there’s not much steak,” protection legal professional Rick Cofer mentioned. “This is a case based on assumptions, it’s based on confirmation bias and a lack of direct evidence.”
Cofer mentioned police narrowed in on Armstrong to suit a very easy narrative of a “spurned, jealous lover” and did not examine different possible suspects in the case.
“She had to be portrayed as a jealous psycho to create the motive,” Cofer mentioned whilst refuting the prosecutors’ characterization of her as being a jealous female friend.
Defense legal professional Geoffrey Puryear additionally refuted the state’s DNA and ballistics proof and informed jurors Armstrong used to be loose to depart when she flew to Costa Rica days after being interviewed via police about Wilson’s demise.
In wrapping up their remaining, prosecutors requested why Armstrong used a false title and passport to fly to Costa Rica and sought cosmetic surgery as soon as there.
“These are all indications of guilt, ladies and gentlemen,” state legal professional Guillermo Gonzalez informed the jurors. “This isn’t somebody on a frolic. This is somebody who’s a fugitive and desperately trying to get away.”
Armstrong declined to testify all the way through the trial.
Strickland took to the stand and testified about his and Armstrong’s on-again, off-again “tumultuous” dating.
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