Authorities in Texas are investigating the death of a professional cyclist visiting from San Francisco allegedly shot because she was part of a love triangle.
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According to an affidavit obtained by The Washington Post, investigators believe Kaitlin Armstrong, 34, murdered Anna Moriah "Mo" Wilson. The 25-year-old Vermont native and professional racer was in Austin, Texas for an event when she was discovered by a friend "lying on the bathroom floor covered in blood." on May 11.
Wilson had suffered from multiple gunshot wounds.
Emergency responders pronounced her dead a short time later.
Earlier in the day, Wilson had met up with Colin Strickland, 35, to go swimming, authorities said. Strickland – who had been dating the suspect for most of the last three years and was living with her in Austin at the time – is also a professional cyclist. He told investigators that he and Wilson began "a romantic relationship" during a brief period in October 2021 when he and Armstrong were on a "break."
While that was going on, Strickland told police that Armstrong called Wilson to tell her "she was with Strickland" and Wilson "needed to stay away from him."
An arrest warrant said Strickland lied to Armstrong about meeting up with Wilson the night of her death. After Strickland dropped Wilson off at home, a dark-colored SUV that appeared to belong to Armstrong was caught on surveillance video stopping in a nearby spot, authorities said. When later talking to authorities, Armstrong "rolled her eyes in an angry manner" when she was asked about Strickland going out with Wilson without her knowledge. She also nodded in agreement several times and issued no denials when an investigator revealed authorities were able to place her vehicle in the area during the time of the murder.
Strickland, who told authorities he believed that Wilson was "the best female cyclist in the United States and possibly the world," has since released a statement saying he and Wilson "were not in a romantic relationship, only a platonic and professional one."
Armstrong is described as white or white Hispanic, 5 feet 8 inches tall and 125 pounds with hazel eyes and brown hair.
The Austin Police Department is receiving assistance from the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force Austin Division and U.S. Marshals in the large-scale effort to arrest Armstrong. A GoFundMe launched by Wilson's family has already raised $75,000 of its $100,000 goal as of Monday afternoon. Wilson "had missed several gravel cycle races last summer so she could travel to Africa to help local cyclists develop skills to compete against elite athletes," her mother, Karen Wilson, told Buzzfeed.
In an Instagram post, Specialized Bikes of Morgan Hill said Wilson had joined the company as a USA Demand Planner in October 2019. "Like many of you, we're devastated by the tragic loss of a friend who exuded so much inspiration, determination, and joy," the post said.
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