A former fugitive has been sentenced to 90 years in jail after murdering her love rival in a jealous rage, earlier than fleeing the US and having cosmetic surgery to attempt to evade authorities.
Kaitlin Armstrong, 35, was convicted of taking pictures useless skilled bicycle owner Anna Moriah “Mo” Wilson after the 25-year-old went swimming and had a meal and rum drinks with Armstrong’s boyfriend Colin Strickland earlier that night.
A Texas jury discovered Armstrong responsible of homicide on Thursday and a day later took three hours to determine her sentence. She confronted a most of 99 years for the crime.
Armstrong left the Austin courtroom instantly after the decision, as her household might be heard sobbing.
Wilson’s household embraced one another after the sentencing, as her mom Karen Wilson addressed the courtroom.
Looking at Armstrong, she stated: “When you shot Moriah in the heart, you shot me in the heart… all the people who loved her, pierced their hearts.”
Armstrong used health app Strava to trace Ms Wilson down to an residence in Austin – the place she shot her twice within the head and as soon as within the coronary heart earlier than fleeing the scene.
At the time of the homicide in May 2022, the killer was in a relationship with one other skilled bicycle owner, Mr Strickland.
The pair had been collectively for about three years earlier than a interval of separation – throughout which Mr Strickland had a quick relationship with Ms Wilson.
Armstrong and Mr Strickland then obtained again collectively, however she remained jealous of her rival and had known as Ms Wilson warning her to “stay away”.
Two of Armstrong’s buddies stated she advised them she wished to, or may, kill Ms Wilson, jurors had been advised.
Ms Wilson had been visiting Texas for a biking race and was among the many favourites to win. She had been staying with a good friend when she was killed.
Following the homicide, police managed to briefly interview Armstrong. But she then bought her Jeep and fled to Costa Rica utilizing her sister’s passport.
Once overseas, she spent greater than $6,000 (£4,850) having surgical procedure to alter the looks of her nostril, in addition to altering the color and elegance of her hair.
But she was ultimately arrested at a beachside hostel after 43 days on the run.
Armstrong made a second try to evade justice when she tried to flee authorities throughout a medical appointment exterior jail final month. She faces a separate felony escape cost.
Read extra from Sky News:
Two 12-year-old boys charged with man’s homicide
Diddy manufacturers intercourse allegations ‘outrageous’
Meghan ‘thrilled’ to be again in Hollywood
Jurors deliberated for about two hours after two weeks of testimony earlier than delivering their verdict on Thursday.
Earlier, Ms Wilson’s good friend Caitlin Cash had advised the courtroom she found her physique and tried to carry out CPR.
She advised jurors she had texted Ms Wilson’s mom earlier that day with a message: “Your girl is in safe hands here in Austin.”
“I felt a lot of guilt not being able to protect her,” Ms Cash stated. “I fought for her with everything I had.”
Karen Wilson additionally advised the courtroom: “From the day she was born, she had a force in her.
“She lived as if day-after-day was her final day. And she lived it so totally. She by no means wasted any time… It’s as if she knew her life could be brief.”
Armstrong, a yoga trainer, didn’t testify on her personal behalf through the trial, which heard her Jeep was seen close to the residence on the time of Ms Wilson’s homicide.
Bullet casings discovered close to Ms Wilson’s physique additionally matched a gun Armstrong owned.
She denied homicide and her attorneys claimed she was the sufferer of a “nightmare” of circumstantial proof.
Source: information.sky.com”