(NewsNation) — Day six of the trial for Kaitlin Armstrong, who’s accused of killing professional cyclist Anna Moriah “Mo” Wilson, started with more witness testimony Thursday.
Video was shown to the court of Armstrong’s interview with Katy Conner, an Austin police officer assigned to the homicide unit.
Wilson was found unconscious with a gunshot wound to the head on May 11, 2022, at a friend’s home in Austin, Texas.
She’d had a brief romantic relationship with Colin Strickland, another professional cyclist, while he was on a break with Armstrong, with whom he’d had an “on-again, off-again” relationship. Now, Armstrong faces a first-degree murder charge in Wilson’s shooting death, which she’s pleaded not guilty to.
Wednesday’s testimony included Austin Police Department Detective Richard Spitler saying that police found Armstrong’s DNA on Wilson’s bike. Some of Armstrong’s search history was revealed to the court as well, including her looking up local Austin news related to the trial, as well as evidence she was searching plastic surgery and ways to burn off one’s fingerprints.
Two friends of hers testified that they remember Armstrong saying she wanted to kill Wilson out of jealousy. Spitler also said that he believes evidence shows Armstrong was a jealous person, and this could be a potential motive.
In the video played Thursday, Conner told Armstrong she was at the Austin Police Department for a “theft of service warrant,” adding that this is minor.
When Armstrong asked if she needed an attorney present, Conner explained to her that there were two different issues: the warrant and needing information about “a separate incident.”
The warrant ended up having the wrong date of birth for Armstrong, so she was no longer under arrest. However, Conner said she wanted to ask her some questions.
Armstrong said Strickland told her “someone in the cycling community has passed away,” to which Conner replied she believes there is more to that, and wanted to hear Armstrong’s side.
It sounds like “Colin went out with this girl” and, “You might have been upset about it,” Conner said.
Armstrong said that was “not accurate.”
“I would like to leave. I don’t actually know (about if Colin hung out with Wilson), and I would like to leave,” Armstrong said forcefully in the video.
Conner then revealed that Armstrong’s car was seen near the crime scene.
Back in the courtroom, Conner said her goal was “to find the truth.” She wanted an explanation about why Armstrong’s Jeep was at the scene, but she wasn’t a suspect yet at that time — just a person of interest.
Conner says she ended up writing a DNA search warrant for Strickland and Armstrong. Strickland was later cleared by police of the crime with prosecutors saying that video and cellphone calls, texting and location data confirm he was nowhere near the scene of the shooting.
Next to testify Thursday was Deputy Emir Perez with the U.S. Marshals Office. He talked about detaining Armstrong in Costa Rica, where she had fled to after Wilson’s killing.
Perez said he got information Armstrong was at a hostel, so he concentrated surveillance efforts there.
When he found Armstrong, he didn’t recognize her at first, but realized who she was after talking to her.
“It appeared she had a bandage on her nose and her lips looked a bit swollen,” Perez told the court. “The hair we were looking for was lighter, so I wasn’t exactly sure.”
Perez ended up recognizing Armstrong’s eyes and alerted local authorities to make the arrest.
The two boarded a plane in San Jose and landed in Houston, Texas, where Armstrong was turned over to Customs and Border Protection.
Perez said he had a personal conversation with Armstrong, during which she had been polite and friendly. Because there are so many American tourists there, Perez said Costa Rica was a great place for her to hide.
NewsNation local affiliate KXAN reports members of Wilson’s family and friends have been present for the trial, and also set up a foundation in her honor that aims to use sports, recreation and the outdoors to build community.
NewsNation local affiliate KXAN contributed to this article.