She had gone swimming and had dinner with a man that evening -- someone else's boyfriend. Hours later, she was dead, and the woman responsible was on a flight to Costa Rica.
Who Was Mo Wilson
Anna Moriah "Mo" Wilson grew up in rural Vermont in a family of competitive skiers, developing a passion for cycling that led her into professional gravel and mountain bike racing. She had traveled from San Francisco to Austin, Texas, ahead of a race near Waco.
The Murder
On May 11, 2022, Wilson was found dead in a home in East Austin, having been shot twice in the head and once in the chest. Investigators determined she had spent part of that evening with professional cyclist Colin Strickland, whom she had briefly dated the previous year during a period when he and his girlfriend, Kaitlin Armstrong, had separated. Strickland and Armstrong had since reconciled.
The Investigation
Evidence connected Kaitlin Armstrong, 34, a yoga instructor and realtor, to the scene: her Jeep was seen near the apartment around the time of the shooting, and bullet casings recovered near Wilson's body matched a gun Armstrong owned. Prosecutors said Armstrong had grown consumed by jealousy after learning of Wilson's connection to Strickland.
A Flight From the Country
After briefly speaking with police, Armstrong sold her vehicle and flew to Costa Rica using her sister's passport. While there, she spent thousands of dollars on cosmetic surgery and changed her hair color and style in an apparent effort to alter her appearance and evade capture. She was arrested weeks later at a hostel in Costa Rica, and later made an additional attempt to escape custody during a medical appointment while awaiting trial.
Trial and Sentencing
A Travis County jury convicted Armstrong of murder in November 2023 after roughly two hours of deliberation, finding that she had tracked Wilson to the apartment using a fitness app and shot her three times. She was sentenced to 90 years in prison along with a $10,000 fine, with her defense attorney noting she would be eligible for parole after 30 years.
FAQ
Why did Kaitlin Armstrong kill Mo Wilson?
Prosecutors said she acted out of jealousy after learning her boyfriend, Colin Strickland, had briefly dated Wilson and spent time with her again the night of the murder.
How was Kaitlin Armstrong caught?
She fled to Costa Rica using her sister's passport and altered her appearance, but was located and arrested at a hostel weeks later.
What sentence did she receive?
90 years in prison, with parole eligibility after 30 years.