AUSTIN, Texas — A jury has been seated in the murder trial for Kaitlin Armstrong almost 18 months after the death of a professional cyclist.
Armstrong sat in the courtroom Monday, dressed in a business suit and facing dozens of prospective jurors.
Those randomly selected Travis County voters spent much of the day answering questions about how they feel about the law, law enforcement and – the most important question – whether they can be fair and unbiased.
Armstrong is accused of killing semi-pro cyclist Anna Moriah Wilson in East Austin on May 11, 2022. She faces a first-degree murder charge, as well as a felony charge related to an attempted escape earlier this month.
Armstrong's Jeep was seen on surveillance footage leaving the area of the home Wilson was staying at while she visited Austin for a cycling race. Armstrong was initially brought in for questioning regarding Wilson's death, but police had to release her because her date of birth in the report management system officials had did not match the birth date on the warrant.
Armstrong later sold her Jeep, then flew from Austin to New York, then from New Jersey to Costa Rica. She was arrested in Provincia de Puntarena, Costa Rica, on June 29, 2022.
By the time she was captured, Armstrong had altered her appearance by cutting and dyeing her hair. She also reportedly had cosmetic work done to her nose.
Law enforcement officials say it was Armstrong's love of yoga that led them to where she was staying in Costa Rica. She had taken several yoga classes before her arrest and went by three different aliases, though most of her acquaintances say they only knew her by the name "Ari Martin."
In July 2022, Armstrong pleaded not guilty to Wilson's murder. Her trial date was initially scheduled to begin on June 26, 2023. However, on May 4, 2023, the start date was pushed back four months.
Earlier this month, Armstrong briefly escaped custody while leaving a doctor's appointment in South Austin. Authorities say she was recaptured about a block away from where she escaped.
Armstrong faces a first-degree murder charge in connection with Wilson's death and a felony charge of escape causing bodily injury because the two officers who pursued her during her escape attempt were injured in the chase.
KVUE Senior Reporter Tony Plohetski said prosecutors in this trial are expected to point to multiple things to make their case. Among those are that Armstrong's Jeep was seen in the area the night of Wilson's murder, at around the time of the murder; that shell casings found at the scene matched a gun that was later found at Armstrong's home, according to ballistics experts; and that police received a tip from someone who said they heard Armstrong say out loud in the months before Wilson's death that she was so angry at her that she could kill her.
Armstrong has maintained her innocence. Plohetski said legal experts believe her defense will likely rest on whether police and prosecutors can prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt. It's unclear at this time if Armstrong intends to take the stand in her own defense.
The judge in Armstrong's trial is not allowing the proceedings to be streamed, and cameras will only be allowed in the courtroom for opening statements, closing statements and the reading of the verdict. However, KVUE will be in the courtroom, closely monitoring the proceedings, and we will provide updates on air and online.
This trial is expected to last as long as mid-November.
Opening statements begin Wednesday.