TX - Moriah Wilson, 25, Cyclist Fatally Shot Before Race, Austin, 2022 *arrest* #7

[arielilane]

@alcaprari23

Defense trying to test the expertise and credibility of the witness. Asking about his certifications, his procedures for extraction, whether he has experience of extracting from other technological devices. State objects over relevance, overruled.


12:58 PM · Nov 9, 2023

 

[arielilane]

@JessicaTaylorTX

Prosecution on redirect. He confirms his certification on Berle, the software needed to extract info from an infotainment system in a car, expired. State asks if he was asked to extract anything from an infotainment system. He says no.


1:01 PM · Nov 9, 2023

 

[arielilane]

2 of Kaitlin Armstrong’s cyclist friends testify in Day 5 of murder trial

Updated: 7:16 PM CST November 8, 2023

 

[arielilane]

@JessicaTaylorTX

State asked if Allen has ever seen an infotainment system that someone damaged or short circuited during removal. Allen says he hadn’t seen one damaged in removal. Asks how damage can impact data. Allen says they’d get 0 data in that case.


1:08 PM · Nov 9, 2023

 

[charminglane]

Always double their break times. moo

Like football.

 

[arielilane]

@JessicaTaylorTX

Perez says he assists in finding people that are wanted by a warrant. Prosecution asks if Perez was contacted by APD requesting assistance in apprehending Armstrong. Perez says yes


1:12 PM · Nov 9, 2023


Perez says the request was submitted May 18. Perez got involved May 19. He says they searched various locations in town and didn’t exercise full capacity of marshals service until thinking she fled immediate area.

 

[jepop]

I too believe she allegedly committed this crime of murder. She does deserve a fair trial and hasn't been convicted yet! I wouldn't want to be the one to say she did it because I wasn't there. Let this play out in court. If for some reason (doubtful imo) she isn't convicted, I would not want to slander someone. moo

Even if someone is not convicted (thinking of The Morphew thread in particular here - case dismissed without prejudice) does it equal slander to continue believing on a personal level that the person committed the crime? Genuinely don't think it amounts to slander to say 'I believe a defendant committed a crime' (at least not on WS). As opposed to an unequivocal statement which might well amount to slander - ie point a finger and say - she/he did it, and I know it. Moo

 

[arielilane]

@alcaprari23

No further questions. Witness dismissed.Next witness: Emir Perez, Deputy, US Marshals Service. On 5/18, Perez says APD contacted US Marshals for assistance searching for Armstrong around Austin.US Marshals then concentrated their efforts on Costa Rica. Perez flew their to help with immigration authorities to locate her.


1:13 PM · Nov 9, 2023

 

[arielilane]

After a 30 min recess...

KAITLING ARMSTRONG MURDER TRIAL



We're back. Next Witness: Michael Allen, United States Secret Service, 3.5 years experience. He is the lab manager for their forensics lab. He started training in digital forensics in 2009.



APD contacted Allen for assistance in recovering data from a locked iPhone 11. APD didn't have the right tools and software to access the data. The Secret Service has this capability and often assists local law enforcement, including testifying at criminal trials.


We are now looking at a forensics report the Secret Service generated using GrayKey software. The report shows that this iPhone 11 Pro belongs to Kaitlin Armstrong. Passcode: 0427.Allen says "brute force" was initiated on the phone, meaning approximately 100,000 four-digit number combos was used on the phone to get it to open. Once the passcode was recovered, all possible data was extracted.


Another document: Certification of Unlock by US Secret Service Forensics Lab. It is a sworn copy of the process Allen took to infiltrate the locked phone and extract the data. No further questions. Defense's turn.

Allen can't recall if pictures were taken of the phone or if it was just extracted. Allen says the extraction isn't physical. The phone is plugged into a data port and a program runs. Allen says APD didn't try to perform an extraction because they didn't have the tools needed.

Defense trying to test the expertise and credibility of the witness. Asking about his certifications, his procedures for extraction, whether he has experience of extracting from other technological devices. State objects over relevance, overruled.

No further questions. Witness dismissed.Next witness: Emir Perez, Deputy, US Marshals Service. On 5/18, Perez says APD contacted US Marshals for assistance searching for Armstrong around Austin.US Marshals then concentrated their efforts on Costa Rica. Perez flew there to help with immigration authorities to locate her.

https://twitter.com/alcaprari23

 

[arielilane]

Even if someone is not convicted (thinking of The Morphew thread in particular here - case dismissed without prejudice) does it equal slander to continue believing on a personal level that the person committed the crime? Genuinely don't think it amounts to slander to say 'I believe a defendant committed a crime' (at least not on WS). As opposed to an unequivocal statement which might well amount to slander - ie point a finger and say - she/he did it, and I know it. Moo

Thanks for asking, @jepop. My post said "I too believe" in addition, I try to remember to use the word allegedly when someone has not been convicted of a crime in a court of law. This person has not at this time. Hope that clears it up. It's an opinion. moo

 

[arielilane]

Next witness: Emir Perez, Deputy, US Marshals Service. On 5/18, Perez says APD contacted US Marshals for assistance searching for Armstrong around Austin.US Marshals then concentrated their efforts on Costa Rica. Perez flew their to help with immigration authorities to locate her.


Perez says you have to rely on local resources when conducting international investigations. He said it took "old-fashioned police work." He asked questions, interviewed people, looked around.He began to focus on Santa Teresa, a seaside beach town on the coast of the Costa Rican peninsula. It is small, touristy, with only one paved road.


Perez met with the local authorities and interviewed others in the service industry: waiters, bartenders, hostel owners, management staff. He conducted beach surveillance, looking for Armstrong. "Quite a lot of people matched her demographic," Perez says.

On 6/29, Perez says he got information that she may have been staying at a hostel. He concentrated his surveillance efforts on the hostel. It was at this point he encountered Armstrong. He walked in, noticing Armstrong and a man sitting together on a patio. He said he didn't recognize her at first, but upon getting closer and talking to her, he realized it was her. "It appeared she had a bandage on her nose and her lips looked a bit swollen. The hair we were looking for was lighter, so I wasn't exactly sure.”


Perez began to speak to her in Spanish. When she couldn't respond without a translator, he recognized her based on her eyes. Perez left and alerted the local authorities, who are the ones who needed to make the arrest.

https://twitter.com/alcaprari23

 

[arielilane]

@alcaprari23

Perez spoke to her under the guise that he was asking for information about the hostel.Perez was watching from a car as local authorities arrested Armstrong. She was then transported to the local jail a block away.


1:23 PM · Nov 9, 2023

 

[arielilane]

@alcaprari23

Perez never asked her her name. His partner did. She said her name was Kaitlin Armstrong. Perez says he learned that she was using at least 3-4 different aliases in Costa Rica.


1:25 PM · Nov 9, 2023

 

[jash]

Carissa Lehmkuhl
@CarissaonFOX7

Now hearing from Emir Perez with the U.S. Marshals. Perez flew to Costa Rica personally to assist local law enforcement in finding Armstrong.
@fox7austin
1:13 PM · Nov 9, 2023

Perez says they eventually zoned in on Santa Teresa and continued to conduct "old fashioned police work" - interviewing service industry workers, beach surveillance, etc.
@fox7austin
1:21 PM · Nov 9, 2023

Got a tip that Armstrong could be staying at Don Jon's Surf and Yoga Lodge. Perez stopped by & a woman was in lobby speaking with a man. She looked like Armstrong but had a bandage over nose, swollen lips & darker hair.
@fox7austin
1:23 PM · Nov 9, 2023

Perez started speaking to her in Spanish. She took out her phone to use Google Translate. Perez was able to get closer to her.“I was able to confirm it was her - based on her eyes”
@fox7austin
1:24 PM · Nov 9, 2023

Perez left & contacted local authorities. Armstrong was arrested. Immigration was involved because she had used someone else's passport to enter the country. She was brought to mainland Costa Rica for immigration proceedings.
@fox7austin
1:28 PM · Nov 9, 2023

 

[arielilane]

State brings up document in Spanish that says she entered country of Costa Rica illegally. Hearing was held and she was being deported.CR them to transfer her on their behalf, because they were low in numbers due to COVID. Perez boarded plane in San Jose w/ #KaitlinArmstrong


1:29 PM · Nov 9, 2023

 

[Mariposa]

@alcaprari23

Conner admits that the warrant was good all along. Since Conner never verified her DOB, she never realized that the warrant was still active. Essentially, APD let Armstrong, their eventual murder suspect who had an active warrant for her arrest, free after less than a 30-minute interview.


11:51 AM · Nov 9, 2023

This was an annoying screw up on APDs part IMO

 

[arielilane]

@alcaprari23

A legal document in Spanish from Costa Rica is being presented to the jury. Perez is being asked to translate it. It says that Armstrong entered Costa Rica illegally, a hearing was held and she was being deported.Perez and Armstrong boarded a plane in San Jose and landed in Houston, Texas. Armstrong was turned over to Customs and Border Protection officials.


1:29 PM · Nov 9, 2023

 

[BeachSky]

@alcaprari23

On 5/12, she came into work. She learned that Strickland was being interrogated at APD. She watched the interview from a TV in a safe space at HQ. Conner started to reach out to other units to help out with video canvassing.New info helped the detectives realize that they needed to speak to Armstrong right away. They learned she had a warrant for a separate issue, and so detectives went to pick her up.

10:37 AM · Nov 9, 2023


Kaitlin Armstrong was brought in to APD. Spitler was interrogating Strickland, so Conner offered to interrogate Armstrong.We are about to watch that interrogation video. Defense objects to the publication of this video. Judge overrules the objection and video gets put up on the big screen.


10:40 AM · Nov 9, 2023

BBM

Bet KA never thought that(dine & dash)botox non-payment would come back to help arrest her!
JMO

 

[arielilane]

Defense speaking to Perez now.

@JessicaTaylorTX

Defense asks if Perez personally had a conversation with Armstrong. Perez hesitates and says yes, defense calls out the hesitation. Perez says he was thinking back on it.


1:33 PM · Nov 9, 2023

 

[Seattle1]

Even if someone is not convicted (thinking of The Morphew thread in particular here - case dismissed without prejudice) does it equal slander to continue believing on a personal level that the person committed the crime? Genuinely don't think it amounts to slander to say 'I believe a defendant committed a crime' (at least not on WS). As opposed to an unequivocal statement which might well amount to slander - ie point a finger and say - she/he did it, and I know it. Moo

IMO, not slander. When a case is dismissed by the Court without prejudice, this also means that the defendant IS STILL THE PRIME SUSPECT.

If the Court did not believe this true, then the case would simply be dismissed with prejudice.