Left: Anna Moriah “Mo” Wilson is interviewed after winning the Sea Otter Classic Fuego 80K XC Women’s Race on April 9, 2022 (via YouTube screengrab/FloBikes). Right: Kaitlin Armstrong booking photo (via Austin (Tex.) Police Department).
The parents of Anna Moriah “Mo” Wilson, a 25-year-old professional cyclist shot to death in May 2022, are now suing the yoga instructor in Texas who was convicted of murder and sentenced to 90 years for the slaying last year.
Karen Wilson and Eric Wilson, suing on their own behalf and on behalf of their daughter’s estate, filed the case on Monday in Travis County, bringing claims of negligence and gross negligence, assault, and wrongful death against Armstrong.
“As a result of the acts and omissions of Defendant that caused the death of their daughter, Plaintiffs have sustained and suffered severe and significant damages. Plaintiffs hereby make claims for all past and future damages recoverable under Texas law and pursuant to the Wrongful Death Act in an amount within the jurisdictional limits of the Court and which the jury deems just and fair,” the lawsuit said, seeking to hold Armstrong liable for funeral and burial costs, and the “mental anguish, including emotional pain, torment and suffering” that she has inflicted on Mo Wilson’s family.
Wilson’s parents, calling the day their only daughter was murdered “the worst day” in their lives and in the life of Mo’s brother Matt Wilson, now seek a jury trial and compensation in excess of $1 million.
Last November, an Austin, Texas, jury found Armstrong guilty of murdering Wilson, persuaded that the yoga instructor defendant perceived Wilson as a rival for her boyfriend’s affections. That resulted in nearly a century of prison time for Armstrong.
The Armstrong case garnered both national and international attention after it was revealed that she shot Wilson, sold her own car, and then managed to flee the U.S. to Costa Rica with the help of a fake ID days after she was questioned by police.
Authorities found Armstrong at a hostel on a beach in Costa Rica, having dyed her hair and undergone cosmetic surgery under a different name.
Even after her arrest, Armstrong again tried and failed to escape.
Wilson, originally from Vermont, was a professional cyclist in Texas for the Gravel Locos race, where she was considered a favorite. Case testimony established that Wilson previously had a romantic relationship with Colin Strickland, a fellow cyclist who was Armstrong’s on-again, off-again boyfriend.
At the time of the murder, Wilson was staying at her friend Caitlin Cash’s East Austin house and spent the afternoon swimming with Strickland. He dropped Wilson off at at the home moments before she was killed. The lawsuit recounted the chilling May 11, 2022, murder in detail.
“Colin Strickland and Ms. Wilson returned to Caitlin Cash’s home at approximately 8:36 P.M. Moments later at approximately 8:37 P.M., unbeknownst to Ms. Wilson, surveillance footage captured video of Kaitlin Marie Armstrong, driving past an adjacent property,” the suit said. “Upon information and belief, Defendant Kaitlin Marie Armstrong had been stalking the neighborhood around Caitlin Cash’s residence throughout the late afternoon or evening hours of May 11, 2022 and was parked nearby when Colin Strickland and Ms. Wilson returned to the home. Colin Strickland dropped Ms. Wilson off and rode away on his motorcycle.”
“Thereafter, Defendant Kaitlin Marie Armstrong broke into Caitlin Cash’s home and shot Anna Moriah Wilson three times, twice in the head and once in the chest,” court documents continued.
After Armstrong was sentenced to prison, Karen Wilson faced her daughter’s convicted killer in court.
“When you shot Moriah in the heart, you shot me in the heart,” Karen said.
Reached for comment by Law&Crime, Randy Howry, an attorney for the Wilsons, explained what the plaintiffs hope to accomplish with the lawsuit.
“The goal for my clients, with regard to this civil lawsuit, is to ensure that Kaitlin Armstrong never benefits financially from her horrendous crimes,” Howry said, touching on the rationale he provided elsewhere.
Howry told KEYE that the plaintiffs’ aim is to win a judgment against Armstrong that will bar her from making money off of “a movie deal, a book deal, a TV deal” in the future.
Law&Crime also reached out to an Armstrong attorney for comment on the suit.
Read the lawsuit obtained by Law&Crime here.
Marisa Sarnoff contributed to this report.
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