An Austin detective took the Friday morning during alleged killer Kaitlin Armstrong’s trial, who stands accused of murdering Moriah “Mo” Wilson at a Texas apartment last year.
According to KXAN News, the trial resumed Friday morning at the Travis County court with prosecutors questioning Detective Jason Ayers with the Austin Police Department, concerning an interview with Colin Strickland. Strickland was reportedly in a relationship with Armstrong when she allegedly killed Wilson.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, on May 11, 2022, Armstrong allegedly shot and killed Wilson, a professional cyclist who was staying at friend Caitlin Cash’s apartment in Austin at the time.
Armstrong is believed to have killed Wilson after thinking she slept with Strickland, who allegedly lied to Armstrong when he went swimming and out to dinner with Wilson the day she was killed. He also allegedly disguised her name in his phone to keep Armstrong from knowing he was communicating with her.
When questioned by the state Friday, Ayers confirmed he was one of the detectives assigned to the case who questioned Strickland after the murder. Prosecutors then showed bodycam footage of an interview conducted between the detective and Strickland on May 12, 2022.
The video, according to KXAN, showed Strickland saying that he dropped off Wilson, who he described as a platonic friend only, at Cash’s apartment on May 11 after hanging out with Wilson for the day. When the detective told Strickland that Wilson had been murdered, he appeared visibly upset and became choked up.
Strickland then questioned if he was the last person to be seen with Wilson before her death, and explained that he dropped her at Cash’s apartment at the bottom of the outdoor apartment stairs, and didn’t see her the next day since they both had training races.
“She’s the best female racer in the country right now,” Strickland told the detective.
A few minutes after Strickland dropped Wilson off, security footage showed a Cherokee SUV pull into the complex. Investigators say the vehicle belonged to the defendant.
Strickland told the detective that he was briefly in a romantic relationship with Wilson in 2021 when he was “breaking up with my current girlfriend,” but the romance was short-lived. They remained friends, Strickland said, and Wilson moved back to California.
Text messages, however, reportedly indicated that Wilson believed she and Strickland were still linked romantically.
The defense objected to the video and said only the interactions between Strickland and the detective should be played for the jury. The judge allowed the jury to view the video but ruled that they could only listen to the interview between Ayers and Strickland.
The trial continues. Check back for updates.
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[Featured Photo: Mo Wilson/Family Handout]
