A Texas yoga teacher convicted of murdering an elite cyclist last May in a jealous rage before fleeing the country for more than a month was sentenced Friday to 90 years in prison.
Kaitlin Armstrong, 35, was found guilty of first-degree murder on Thursday in connection with the May 2022 slaying of Anna Moriah Wilson. Throughout the two-week trial, prosecutors argued that Armstrong ambushed the 25-year-old Wilson at her friend’s Austin home and fatally shot her three times, including once in the heart.
The murder occurred after Wilson went swimming with Armstrong’s ex, Colin Strickland. Wilson had briefly dated fellow cyclist Strickland in October 2021, and prosecutors say Armstrong secretly monitored their messages for months. After the slaying, Armstrong took drastic steps to disappear, including selling her car and spending thousands on plastic surgery after she fled to Costa Rica using her sister’s passport. Her disappearance spurred an international manhunt for 43 days before she was captured in June 2022.
In addition to prison time, Armstrong was also ordered to pay a $10,000 fine. After the sentence was read aloud, Armstrong’s sister could be heard crying in the courtroom before some of Wilson’s friends and family made their final remarks.
On Thursday, those closest to both Wilson and Armstrong gave impact statements ahead of sentencing. Wilson’s family discussed the cyclist’s commitment to the sport, her loving demeanor, and the “nightmare” of her death. Several jury members were seen crying as Wilson’s mother, Karen, described the murder as the “worst, worst” moment of her life.
“My sister had her life taken from her. For no reason at all. She’ll never ride a bike again. She’ll never take a 20-minute break from work to bake banana bread in her kitchen. She’ll never get married. She’ll never buy a home. She’ll never have kids,” Wilson’s brother, Matt, said in court.
Armstrong’s family members also spoke on her behalf, describing the yoga teacher as driven and passionate about health and wellness. Her father, Michael Armstrong, said the murder had also been tragic for his family but recognized that it was much worse for the Wilsons.
“She’s just such a special person. She’s always been such a special person. I’ve always looked up to you. I’ve always looked up to her. I just love her so much and I hate that she’s been painted in this light,” her sister, Christine Armstrong, said in court. “She’s not a bad person. She’s a really good person, she’s always cared for other people and if you ask anyone who knows her, they would say the same thing.”
Prosecutors on Friday, however, did not hold back on their assessment of Armstrong, who they believe should get the maximum sentence of 99 years in prison. Armstrong also faces separate charges for attempting to escape from deputies after a doctor’s appointment 19 days before trial.
“She was selfish. Utterly selfish,” Travis County prosecutor Rick Jones told the jury. “I’m not asking you to put any value on how she is looking sitting there. Because that’s not fair to her. Look at her actions. A shrinking violet doesn’t stand over a person and give them another shot in the heart for good measure.”
Throughout the two-week trial, prosecutors called 40 witnesses to the stand to describe evidence to prove Armstrong’s guilt. Jurors also saw surveillance footage of Armstrong’s 2021 Jeep around the apartment where Wilson was staying the night of the murder. Her DNA was also found on Wilson’s bike, and a neighbor's Ring doorbell audio played in court revealed Wilson’s screams and the three gunshots that killed her.
Armstrong’s defense lawyer, Rick Cofer, insisted Thursday throughout the trial that prosecutors did not have the evidence to prove their client murdered Wilson and called the allegations of a love triangle offensive.
“We, the defense, have no recommendation for an appropriate sentence. That is your decision,” Cofer said Friday. “Two families are devastated in very different ways. Kaitlin has no prior criminal history, no rap sheet.”