Texas prosecutors said on Wednesday that murder suspect Kaitlin Armstrong’s DNA was likely found on the victim’s bicycle.
Armstrong, who is currently on trial for Moriah “Mo” Wilson’s May 2022 shooting death, is also accused of fleeing to Costa Rica. On Thursday, Austin Forensic Science Department specialist Katie Ferrara, said that she took prints and DNA from the crime scene — including from Wilson’s bicycle which was found in a grass patch near where the shooting occurred, according to KXAN.
Prosecutors showed Wilson’s bicycle to the jury during Ferrara’s testimony. KXAN reported that it was wrapped in a plastic bag, though Ferrara claimed it was swabbed before it was wrapped.
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During opening statements, prosecutors said it is “highly likely” that DNA taken from Wilson’s bicycle belongs to Armstrong. Wilson, a processional cyclist, was fatally shot at a friend’s apartment in Austin, and her bicycle was found a few yards away lying in a patch of bamboo, according to the Austin American-Statesman.
Armstrong is believed to have killed Wilson upon learning she slept with her boyfriend, Colin Strickland, who allegedly lied to Armstrong when he went swimming and out to dinner with Wilson on the day she was killed. He also allegedly disguised her name in his phone to keep Armstrong from knowing he was communicating with her.
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Prosecutors said Armstrong was tracking correspondence between Wilson and her boyfriend through a shared iPad. They also claimed that on the day of the murder, Armstrong managed to find where Wilson was staying in Austin through Strava, a fitness app that allowed users to log their workouts. Wilson reportedly logged a three-mile bike ride on the app shortly before her murder.
During a May 14 interrogation, police reportedly showed Armstrong footage of her car outside of the apartment where Wilson was found dead. The same day, Armstrong allegedly flew out of Austin and boarded a connecting flight to New York LaGuardia Airport.
According to reports, someone drove Armstrong to an airport in Newark, New Jersey, on May 18 — a day after a warrant was issued for her arrest. However, investigators found no outbound flight reservations listed under her name at the time.
Authorities believe Armstrong used a fraudulent passport to flee the country and cut and dyed her hair to evade detection. She was arrested in Costa Rica on June 30.
The trial continues…
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