The murder trial for Kaitlin Armstrong, the woman accused of fatally shooting professional cyclist Moriah Wilson, began with opening statements on Wednesday, November 1, 2023, in Austin, Texas.
Opening statements were delivered over the course of an hour. First, District Attorney Rickey Jones spoke for 50 minutes, outlining what he called a 'road map' to evidence that the jury can expect to review.
He stated that the prosecution would present to the jury a detailed timeline, with a focus on cell phone records, data and surveillance footage from the days leading up to and after Wilson's death, along with testimony from potential witnesses the jury could expect to hear.
Armstrong's Defense Attorney, Geoffrey Puryear, then spoke for roughly 15 minutes, stating that the defense team intended to show that the state's evidence collected during the investigation was lacking, that there would be no witnesses or camera footage of Armstrong shooting Wilson, and he reminded the jury that the burden of proof rests with the state to prove that Armstrong is guilty "beyond a reasonable doubt."
Armstrong is accused of first-degree murder in connection to Wilson's death in an East Austin, Texas, home on May 11, 2022. She pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Armstrong's murder trial was delayed four months from its expected June 26, 2023 date, but it began on Monday in an Austin courtroom as a jury was seated for the trial. The court took a break on Tuesday but resumed with opening statements on Wednesday.
The trial is expected to last upwards of five days to two weeks. The judge presiding over the murder trial will only allow live cameras inside the courtroom for opening statements, closing arguments and the verdict, but not during witness testimony.
Prosecutor: Cell phone records and GPS tracking
District Attorney Rickey Jones began his opening statements by telling jurors aspects of Wilson's life growing up in Vermont, athletic achievements throughout her collegiate skiing career and as a professional cyclist who specialised in gravel racing.
During a slide presentation, Jones detailed a timeline of evidence jurors can expect to view during the trial. He said that the evidence would outline the months and days that led up to the date of Wilson's death through gathered cell phone records and data from devices that belonged to Wilson, Armstrong and Colin Strickland, Armstrong's then business and live-in partner.
Strickland is not suspected of being involved in the incident and has not been accused or charged in this crime, but Jones listed him as one of the witnesses who will give testimony during the trial.
Jones said that the prosecution will provide evidence showing Armstrong had access to Strickland's phone messages through other devices, such as a tablet and computer kept in their shared home and through his business.
Jones also stated that the prosecution would present a combination of cell phone tracking records, GPS records, and other fitness tracking data records, which Jones stated Armstrong used to allegedly track Wilson's whereabouts, along with audio and video surveillance footage, which would be presented as part of the evidence that details a timeline of events in the hours leading up to Wilson's death.
Defense attorney: No video footage, witnesses
Defense Attorney Geoffrey Puryear spoke for about the final 15 minutes of the opening statements.
He primarily focused on reminding the jury that the prosecution must be able to prove that Armstrong is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Although Jones stated that surveillance footage showing Armstrong's jeep outside of the residence at the time Wilson was killed is part of the evidence, Puryear noted that there is no camera footage of Armstrong shooting Wilson.
"Not one witness saw Kaitlin Armstrong allegedly commit this murder. Because there isn't one," Puryear said.
A brief history
Wilson was killed in a shooting while staying at a friend's home in Austin on May 11, 2022, with the Austin Police Department issuing an arrest warrant in connection to the case on May 17, naming Armstrong as being wanted on first-degree felony murder charges.
After a 43-day fugitive hunt, authorities located and apprehended Armstrong on June 29, 2022, at a hostel on Santa Teresa Beach in Provincia de Puntarenas, Costa Rica.
Armstrong was deported and returned to the US on July 2, 2022, and then extradited to Travis County Jail in Austin on July 5, 2022.
She is held at the Travis County Jail in Austin, with a bond set at $3.5 million. She pleaded not guilty to the charges.
