The trial for the murder of Mo Wilson begins today — 2 weeks after accused killer Kaitlin Armstrong attempted to flee custody.
Since Wilson was found shot to death in an Austin home in May 2022, the case has drawn national and international attention. The investigation led authorities to Armstrong, a 36-year-old real estate agent suspected of killing Wilson over a possible love triangle.
Armstrong has twice attempted to escape authorities. It took a 43-day international hunt to bring her back to the U.S. after Armstrong fled to Costa Rica last June. Earlier this month, she broke free from corrections officers in a chase that lasted about a mile before she was recaptured, according to CNN.
Now, Armstrong will finally come to trial, where she faces up to 99 years in prison if convicted on the first-degree murder charge. Armstrong has pled not guilty.
Stay tuned for GearJunkie trial updates throughout the week.
Cycling’s ‘Carnival-Like Media Storm’
When Wilson was found dead from three gunshots on May 11 of last year, it shocked the international cycling community. The 25-year-old cyclist was seen as a rising star in the sport and a potential contender for the Olympics.
Information released by investigators has resulted in a “carnival-like media storm,” said a motion filed by Armstrong’s attorneys, according to the Austin American-Statesman.
Court documents suggest it only took a few days after Wilson’s murder for police to identify Armstrong as the chief suspect. The yoga instructor and real estate agent had been dating pro cyclist Colin Strickland, 36, who had briefly dated Wilson in the past. But Wilson and Strickland also spent the evening together before her death, and investigators suspect that Armstrong killed Wilson out of jealousy.
Investigators collected several vital pieces of evidence, according to the arrest affidavit. Security cam footage from the night of the murder shows a car matching the description of Armstrong’s Jeep Cherokee driving past the house where Wilson’s body was found. An anonymous caller told police that Armstrong said she wanted to kill Wilson, and Strickland told authorities that he had bought a gun for Armstrong in January 2022.
Ballistics tests performed on Armstrong’s Sig Sauer P365 9mm showed “the potential that the same firearm was involved is significant,” court documents said.
Monday’s trial will begin with jury selection, as well as opening and closing statements from defense attorneys and prosecutors.
GearJunkie will update this article as the high-profile trial in Austin progresses.
The post Murder Trial of Pro Cyclist Mo Wilson Starts Today: What You Need to Know appeared first on GearJunkie.
