The Austin woman who allegedly killed an up-and-coming professional cycling star made her first court appearance on Wednesday, per reports from Austin-based media outlets.
Kaitlin Marie Armstrong faces a homicide charge stemming from the May death of 25-year-old Anna Moriah “Mo” Wilson during the latter’s visit to the state capital for a competition.
Wednesday’s proceeding was a pre-trial hearing that centered on an arrest warrant executed in Wilson’s murder case, Austin NBC affiliate KXAN reported.
According to KXAN, Armstrong’s legal counsel submitted a Franks Motion on grounds Austin Police Department (APD) investigator Richard Spitler supposedly included falsehoods in and omitted crucial information from the warrant.
Per the station’s report, Spitler told Rick Cofer, a member of the defense team, “yes” as to whether “everything in that affidavit is true.”
During cross examination, KXAN reported, the detective explained to prosecutors that he used information that was available to him and asserted that he carefully wrote the document.
The station reported that another APD detective took the stand, and the court was shown a video of investigators interviewing Colin Strickland, a local cyclist who reportedly dated the late Wilson.
“He was told that he was the last man seen alive with [Wilson],” one of the prosecutors said, according to KXAN.
Austin ABC affiliate KVUE reported that the murder trial was scheduled for this month, but the presiding judge felt that pre-trial motions must be considered first before the case moves forward.
The 34-year-old Armstrong in July entered a guilty plea after she was arrested in Costa Rica and extradited to the U.S. following a 43-day manhunt.
Austin FOX affiliate KTBC reported that the hearing will resume on Monday.
