Woman Found Guilty in Murder of Professional Cyclist
The woman accused in the May 2022 shooting death of rising professional cyclist Anna Moriah Wilson — known as "Mo" Wilson — has been found guilty of her murder. Jurors reached the verdict for Katilin Armstrong Thursday in court at the Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center in Austin, Texas, concluding a criminal trial that lasted just over two weeks.
Armstrong, 35, had pleaded not guilty to a charge of first-degree murder in Wilson's death. She was also charged with escape causing bodily injury, which is a felony, for allegedly trying to escape custody three weeks before the trial began. Authorities said Armstrong fled from officers as they escorted her to a doctor's appointment on Oct. 11, but only ran for about half a block before they caught up with her.
She could potentially face up to 99 years in prison for the murder conviction, and up to 20 years in prison for the second charge if convicted. There was also an outstanding warrant for Armstrong's arrest on a misdemeanor charge for theft of services when she was questioned by police after Wilson's death.
A tragic incident occurred on May 11, 2022, when Wilson was discovered shot to death in the bathroom of a close friend. She was only 25 years old and had been preparing to participate in a cycling race, where she was expected to emerge victorious.
Law enforcement officials revealed that Wilson had previously been in a relationship with Colin Strickland, a fellow competitive cyclist and Armstrong's boyfriend. Despite their breakup, Wilson and Strickland remained friends. On the day of the murder, Wilson and Strickland had gone swimming together at a local pool. Strickland stated that he had picked up Wilson earlier in the day and dropped her off at her friend's house, where she was staying in preparation for the upcoming race in Austin. This occurred at approximately 8:30 p.m.
Armstrong, who worked as a yoga instructor and real estate agent in Austin, was in a business partnership with Strickland and also resided with him. During a temporary separation in their on-and-off relationship, Strickland briefly dated Wilson.
Prosecutors alleged during Armstrong's trial that she had been using the fitness app Strava to monitor Wilson's location. Wilson frequently utilized the app to manage her workouts. Prosecutors further informed the jury that Armstrong's Jeep had been spotted near the apartment where Wilson was staying with her friend, Caitlin Cash.
Cash testified during the first week of the trial, describing how she arrived back at her home to find Wilson covered in blood, after the cyclist had been shot in the head and chest. In addition to playing a recording of the 911 call from the night of the murder, when Cash tried to revive Wilson after finding her, prosecutors said the jury would be shown surveillance footage where Wilson could be heard screaming just before her death.
"The last thing Mo did on this earth was scream in terror. Those screams are followed by 'pow! pow!'" said Travis County Prosecutor Rick Jones in his opening statement at the trial. He said Armstrong shot Wilson again, for the third time, seconds after that.
Armstrong's defense said there were no witnesses to the killing, nor is there video evidence placing Armstrong at the scene of Wilson's death. She was questioned by police and let go after the murder, but a warrant was eventually issued for Armstrong's arrest on May 19. Before the warrant, authorities said that Armstrong sold her Jeep for cash and traveled from Austin to New York City, then from Newark, New Jersey, to Costa Rica, allegedly using her sister's passport as her own for the trip.
Armstrong, who had been staying in Costa Rica for nearly six weeks, was apprehended by U.S. Marshals at a hostel on Santa Teresa Beach in Provincia de Puntarenas. He was then transported back to the United States.
Amazon Announces New Delivery Drone
Amazon has recently unveiled its latest innovation in delivery technology - a new delivery drone. The new drone, called the Amazon Prime Air, is capable of delivering packages to customers in under 30 minutes.
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According to Amazon, the new delivery drone will initially be used to deliver small packages to customers located within a 15-mile radius of select Amazon fulfillment centers. The company plans to expand the service to more customers and locations in the future.
Amazon has been working on developing delivery drones for several years and has made significant progress in the field. The company aims to revolutionize the delivery industry by using drones to make deliveries faster and more convenient for customers.
The announcement of the new delivery drone comes as Amazon faces increasing competition in the e-commerce industry. Other companies, such as Walmart and Google, have also been experimenting with delivery drone technology.
Despite some regulatory challenges and concerns about privacy and safety, Amazon remains committed to bringing its delivery drone service to customers. The company believes that drone delivery has the potential to transform the way packages are delivered and improve the overall customer experience.
With the introduction of the Amazon Prime Air drone, the future of delivery technology looks promising. Customers can expect faster and more efficient deliveries, thanks to this innovative new technology.
