Suspect in cyclist's slaying now in custody in Austin
Kaitlin Armstrong, who is accused of killing professional cyclist Moriah Wilson, is now in custody in Travis County where she faces a murder charge.
Armstrong was located and arrested Wednesday at a hostel on Santa Teresa Beach in Provincia de Puntarenas in Costa Rica, according to the U.S. Marshals Service.
When she was extradited to the United States, Armstrong was booked in the Harris County Jail in Houston on Saturday before being moved to Austin on Tuesday.
Armstrong is also facing a charge of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution as she used a false name and fraudulent passport to flee the country, according to law enforcement officials. Authorities also said Armstrong altered her appearance while on the run by changing her hairstyle and color.
Armstrong left Austin in the days after the slaying and after an interview with police in which an officer presented security camera footage to Armstrong of her vehicle arriving moments before the fatal shooting of Wilson at a home in East Austin on May 11.
After the interview, Armstrong sold her vehicle for $12,200 and is believed to have used the money to aid her escape to Costa Rica.
Departing from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on May 14, Armstrong flew through Houston to New York's LaGuardia Airport before leaving the country on May 18.
According to the affidavit, the deadly conflict centered around Wilson's relationship with Armstrong's boyfriend Colin Strickland.
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Strickland and Armstrong had split up last fall, after which a brief relationship began between Wilson and Strickland that then turned platonic as Armstrong and Strickland got back together.
In January, Armstrong learned of Wilson and Strickland's romantic relationship. A confidential informant who witnessed the exchange told law enforcement officials that Armstrong became visibly angry and "wanted to kill Wilson."
On the day of the slaying, Wilson was staying with a friend in East Austin prior to a gravel race in the coming weekend near Waco.
Strickland and Wilson spent part of that day swimming together and then had dinner before he dropped her off at the home on Maple Avenue.
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One minute after Wilson used a specific code to unlock the door, the affidavit says Armstrong's vehicle appeared on the security camera footage just after 8:30 p.m.
Police responded to a 911 call shortly before 10 p.m. and arrived at the house to find Wilson with multiple gunshot wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
On June 10, a Travis County grand jury indicted Armstrong for murder, which carries a prison sentence of five to 99 years or life.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Kaitlin Armstrong extradited to US, charged in death of moriah wilson
