Kaitlin Armstrong trial: Witness testimony
Yoga instructor Kaitlin Armstrong had been following Anna Moriah Wilson‘s moves on social media before the promising cyclist was murdered last year.
Ms Armstrong is facing trial in Austin over the 11 May 2022 murder of Wilson, who prosecutors have described as her “love rival.” The two women were reportedly involved in a love triangle with Ms Armstrong’s then on-and-off boyfriend and Wilson’s fellow bike owner Colin Strickland.
Detective Daniel Portnoy with the Austin Police Department’s digital forensic unit resumed his testimony on Monday morning following a recess on Friday in observance of Veteran’s Day.
Mr Portnoy instructed the courtroom he had extracted information from Ms Arsmtrong, Mr Strickland and Wilson’s telephone on the request of the main detective within the case and after a number of search warrants had been permitted by the prosecution.
The detective mentioned that whereas analysing Ms Armstrong’s iPhone 13, he had discovered a number of pictures of Wilson saved within the cache. Mr Portnoy defined that data saved within the cache was not all the time deliberately saved by the telephone consumer and that it may need been saved mechanically.
Prosecutors have tried to argue that Ms Armstrong was monitoring Wilson’s digital footprint on the times main as much as the homicide.
Defence motions for mistrial throughout detective’s testimony
The attorneys introduced up that Det Spitler had beforehand met Mr Strickland at a taco deli years earlier than the homicide, additionally asking the detective if he considered Mr Strickland as a “local celebrity.” The choose shortly denied the movement.
Det Spitler instructed the courtroom he was assured in his resolution to clear Mr Strickland and different males whose names got here up throughout the murder investigation. The detective refused to entertain the defence’s speculative line of questioning and reiterated that he pursued different traces of investigation however all of them introduced him again to Ms Armstrong.
Andrea Blanco14 November 2023 11:00
Armstrong’s searched if pineapples may erase fingerprints
Activity from Kaitlin Armstrong’s iCould accounts reportedly exhibits that she looked for her identify on-line and for “can imei be tracked if not making phone calls.”
Some of her searches led to articles about her escape to Costa Rica and Wilson’s homicide. Ms Armstrong additionally searched “can pineapples burn your fingerprints” and appeared to land on an article that debunked the parable.
Andrea Blanco14 November 2023 09:30
Key DNA proof ties Armstrong to homicide, prosecutors say
Dramatic courtroom testimony on 2 November revealed that DNA proof discovered on Wilson seemingly ties her accused killer to the crime scene.
Jurors heard testimony from Sgt Timothy Price who responded to the scene of the homicide. He mentioned Wilson’s bike was discovered mendacity in the course of bamboo just a few yards from the residence.
It was swabbed by one other crime scene investigator, he mentioned.
DNA discovered on the bike was “highly likely” to have come from Ms Armstrong, prosecutors instructed the courtroom throughout opening statements.
But, throughout witness testimony, defence lawyer Rick Cofer questioned crime scene specialist Katie Ferrara about why the bike had been taken to the police division and not using a protecting protecting.
She mentioned the police didn’t have a large enough bag for the bike.
Ms Ferrara additionally testified that there have been no observe marks within the grass resulting in the place the bike was positioned, and that she didn’t know the way the bike received there.
Austin police detective Rolando Ramirez, one other witness for the prosecution, testified on 2 November that he thought Wilson’s killing was “more of a personal thing or more of anger type of shooting”.
His idea was primarily based on the truth that there was no signal of compelled entry and no indicators of wrestle. Nothing appeared to have been stolen from her house, he added.
Andrea Blanco14 November 2023 08:30
Court conflict ‘prompts charges’ towards Colin Strickland
Mr Strickland’s many mishaps with members of the media reportedly led to at least one photographer submitting prices towards him.
In footage captured by reporters who attended the trial on 6 November, Mr Strickland appeared to purposefully exit of his technique to stamp on a photographer’s foot whereas he left courtroom.
In the video shot by NewsNation correspondent Alex Caprariello, he takes what appears to be a deliberate step to the left and comes into contact with a person holding a video digicam. The man lets out a shout of ache, however Mr Strickland carries on strolling.
According to Mr Caprariello, the photographer has pressed prices over the incident. The man mentioned Mr Strickland had additionally tried to knock down his digicam throughout the lunch recess. The photographer managed to catch the digicam simply earlier than it fell to the bottom, Mr Caprariello mentioned.
The same incident came about on 3 November, additionally filmed as Mr Strickland left courtroom. A separate video additionally shared by Mr Caprariello confirmed him strolling at a quick tempo whereas a photographer walked backwards in entrance of him.
The cameraman didn’t appear to understand there was a barricade behind him and misplaced stability when he tripped on it, finally falling to the bottom. Mr Strickland appeared unphased and stepped over him earlier than coming into a automobile and leaving the courthouse.
Andrea Blanco14 November 2023 07:00
WATCH: Kaitlin Armstrong stands trial for homicide
Austin lady stands trial for homicide
Andrea Blanco14 November 2023 05:30
Yoga instructor mentioned ‘in so many words’ that she wished to ‘kill Wilson’
Nicole Mertz, a detailed buddy of Ms Armstrong, was referred to as to the stand on Wednesday (8 November).
Ms Mertz mentioned that her buddy and Mr Strickland usually broke up and received again collectively and that he referred to Ms Armstrong as “his lady friend.” Ms Mertz went on to recount that Ms Armstrong as soon as mentioned that if Mr Strickland dated one other lady, she “would kill her.]”
“My first thought was that Kaitlin might have had something to do with it,” Ms Mertz mentioned in regards to the second she discovered about Wilson’s killing.
Jacqueline Chasteen, a buddy of Mr Strickland who finally additionally befriended Ms Armstrong, mentioned that in a gathering in Bentonville, Ms Armstrong confided in her that Mr Strickland had “cheated” on her with Wilson.
“She had described how Colin had cheated but while she was describing that, she had said in so many words that she wanted to kill her,” she mentioned, per NewsNation. “That she had thought about it. But how she said it at the time I didn’t take it seriously…she said something to the effect that she had bought a gun… I do know the words kill and the words gun were used.”
Andrea Blanco14 November 2023 04:00
WATCH: Kaitlin Armstrong trial resumes
Kaitlin Armstrong trial resumes
Andrea Blanco14 November 2023 02:30
Who is Kaitlin Armstrong, the yoga instructor accused of homicide?
Before fleeing the nation final yr in a determined bid to evade prices of homicide towards Wilson, Ms Armstrong was a yoga instructor. She and Mr Strickland met on-line within the fall of 2019 and finally began a relationship.
Ms Armstrong stayed over Mr Strickland’s house throughout the Texas freeze of 2021, and by no means left.
She turned a pivotal a part of his biking enterprise and acted as his supervisor. According to testimony heard in courtroom, Ms Armstrong had entry to all of Mr Strickland’s social media and monetary accounts.
Jacqueline Chasteen, a buddy of Strickland who additionally befriended Ms Armstrong, mentioned throughout her testimony that Mr Strickland would overtly say he didn’t have a girlfriend, regardless of being “head over heels” firstly of his relationship with Ms Armstrong.
Ms Chasteen went on to say that in a celebration in early 2022, Ms Armstrong confided in her that Mr Strickland had “cheated” on her with Wilson.
“She had described how Colin had cheated but while she was describing that, she had said in so many words that she wanted to kill her,” she mentioned, per NewsNation. “That she had thought about it. But how she said it at the time I didn’t take it seriously…she said something to the effect that she had bought a gun… I do know the words kill and the words gun were used.”
Andrea Blanco14 November 2023 01:00
Armstrong’s household additionally within the courtroom
According to Newsnation’s Alex Caprariello, the household of Kaitlin Armstrong are additionally in courtroom.
They have proven little response and have requested for privateness, sitting by themselves within the courtroom.
“They definitely pay attention to the photographs, slides and evidence, when shown to the courtroom,” Mr Capariello wrote on X.
Mike Bedigan13 November 2023 23:30
Moriah Wilson’s dad and mom hear testimony about bullets utilized in homicide
The bullets proven in courtroom are labelled in manila envelopes as a part of a homicide case, in keeping with NewsNation correspondent Alex Caprariello.
Some of the bullets have purple and brownish stains, whereas one other is bagged with a bit of hair.
Wilson’s dad and mom are within the gallery and seem distraught.
Her brother has momentarily left the courtroom.
Andrea Blanco13 November 2023 22:54
Source: www.impartial.co.uk