As Kaitlin Marie Armstrong faces murder charges behind bars in Austin, Texas, we organize a timeline of events.
Pro cyclist Moriah “Mo” Wilson’s alleged murderer Kaitlin Marie Armstrong made national headlines for almost 2 months as she evaded authorities. On May 14, police charged Armstrong with first-degree murder in Wilson’s May 11 shooting death in an Austin apartment.
Armstrong, 34, proceeded to avoid capture for 43 days despite a fugitive hunt that involved the U.S. Marshals Service and eventually international authorities.
On June 30, a law enforcement coalition of multiple agencies arrested her at a hostel in Costa Rica. She then underwent deportation back to the U.S., awaiting trial under a $3.5 million bond.
Along the way, authorities found the case likely resulted from a love triangle between the two women and professional cyclist Colin Strickland, who Armstrong lived with. They also uncovered numerous tips and leads that indicated Armstrong sold her car just before flying out of Austin, used a fake identity, and received help while she hid from investigators.
Here’s a timeline of the significant events in the case, from the night of Wilson’s death until now.
Timeline of Mo Wilson Murder Case
May 11: After dinner at a restaurant, Colin Strickland drops off Wilson, 25, at 1708 Maple Ave #B, where she is staying while visiting Austin to compete in the Gravel Locos race. At approximately 9:56 p.m., the Austin Police Department (APD) responds to an emergency call from the apartment. Officers arrive to find Wilson, 25, bleeding and unconscious with multiple 9mm gunshot wounds. At 10:10 p.m., a doctor pronounces her dead at the scene.
May 12: Following an autopsy, the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office determines Wilson’s death was a homicide. Meanwhile, officers with the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force find a black Jeep in Armstrong and Strickland’s driveway that appears to match a vehicle seen on security footage from the crime scene.
The footage showed that the car arrived one minute after Strickland dropped Wilson off at the apartment and departed shortly after that. The officers bring Armstrong in for an interview but release her. Police later admit that a technicality resulted in the department “mistakenly releasing” her.
May 13: The APD receives a tip from an anonymous caller saying that Armstrong “wanted to kill Wilson” after learning she had briefly dated Strickland during a break in the two’s relationship. The caller also tells police Armstrong said she’d either recently bought a handgun or planned to buy one soon.
May 14: Austin Police announce the incident “did not appear to be a random act” and that they “have identified a person of interest” in the case. Detectives ask anyone with information to contact the department. Armstrong departs from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, bound for New York’s La Guardia International Airport via Houston Hobby Airport.
