TX - Moriah Wilson, 25, Cyclist Fatally Shot Before Race, Austin, 2022 *arrest* #8

[nodamselindistress]

Big nothing burger, like the rest of the defense case will be. Because they have nothing, because she did it!

 

[arielilane]

@alcaprari23

Defense really emphasizing that LaGrone was not asked to compare these fingerprints to any other people. Not Caitlin Cash. Not Moriah Wilson. LaGrone admits she doesn't even know who those two people are. Defense has no more questions.


10:50 AM · Nov 15, 2023

 

[cujenn81]

I think they didn't learn about the dumpster stop(s) until too late, as that info came from the Jeep's GPS at least a week or so later (?) so the dumpsters would have been emptied by then. And I guess they didn't feel searching a landfill was important.

I think so too. My notes indicate the infotainment system was removed from the Jeep on the day they were notified the vehicle was at CarMax, which wasn't until June 2, 2022.

 

[SteveP]

I think they didn't learn about the dumpster stop(s) until too late, as that info came from the Jeep's GPS at least a week or so later (?) so the dumpsters would have been emptied by then. And I guess they didn't feel searching a landfill was important.

Searching a landfill, I learned from the Heidi Planck case, is a long and tedious, and very costly effort. Just to find a pair of gloves, or perhaps a piece of discarded clothing with blood, well after the murders, would almost surely be a waste of time and money. JMO

 

[CrimeDawg123]

I hope the defense isn't putting this witness on just to show the jury that Armstrong's fingerprints weren't found anywhere at the crime scene. In which case, I can only assume the State will have two follow-up questions during their cross-examination:
1) If someone committed a crime wearing gloves, would their fingerprints be found at the scene/on the evidence?
2) If fingerprints are unique to every individual and can be used by police to identify someone, it is plausible that a fugitive assuming a different identity might inquire about the various ways their fingerprints could be erased?

I'm really appreciating your insights @cujenn81!

 

[arielilane]

@JessicaTaylorTX

Prosecution asks if crime scene is asked to lift any latent prints they see. LaGrone says she believes so but hasn’t received crime scene training so doesn’t know for certain.


10:52 AM · Nov 15, 2023

 

[JerseyWasHome2]

I think so too. My notes indicate the infotainment system was removed from the Jeep on the day they were notified the vehicle was at CarMax, which wasn't until June 2, 2022.

Wow, that's much later than I thought. And then how long until the data was analyzed!

 

[SteveP]

@alcaprari23

Defense really emphasizing that LaGrone was not asked to compare these fingerprints to any other people. Not Caitlin Cash. Not Moriah Wilson. LaGrone admits she doesn't even know who those two people are. Defense has no more questions.


10:50 AM · Nov 15, 2023

Ummm, wouldn't we kinda expect to find Cash's prints in her own apartment????

 

[BUF]

@alcaprari23

Defense really emphasizing that LaGrone was not asked to compare these fingerprints to any other people. Not Caitlin Cash. Not Moriah Wilson. LaGrone admits she doesn't even know who those two people are. Defense has no more questions.


10:50 AM · Nov 15, 2023

She doesn’t even know who Moriah Wilson is….the murder victim that she is working on her case?

 

[arielilane]

@alcaprari23

State's redirect: LaGrone says it would not be concerning in fingerprints would be found at a home of someone who lives there or a friend who is visiting. But she would be alarmed if she found fingerprints of someone who did not belong there.


10:52 AM · Nov 15, 2023

 

[JerseyWasHome2]

Searching a landfill, I learned from the Heidi Planck case, is a long and tedious, and very costly effort. Just to find a pair of gloves, or perhaps a piece of discarded clothing with blood, well after the murders, would almost surely be a waste of time. JMO

Very long and tedious for sure. Although they did find little Quinton Simon's body in a landfill, and some evidence in the Ana Walshe case in one, but I think both of those searches took place very soon after the disappearances.

 

[arielilane]

@BriHollisNEWS

Every time I glance over at Armstrong, she still appears to be writing something.


10:57 AM · Nov 15, 2023

 

[cujenn81]

Wow, that's much later than I thought. And then how long until the data was analyzed!

None of the tweets I've seen say exactly when the data was analyzed

 

[arielilane]

State has rested their case in the murder of Moriah Wilson. They say Kaitlin Armstrong did it. The state called over 40 witnesses. Expected that defense will have very few witnesses, meaning they'll argue state did not prove their case. Here's the witness list

https://twitter.com/x/status/1724818876121203062

https://twitter.com/MillsHayesTV

 

[nodamselindistress]

Defense trying to push theory that APD was sloppy and had tunnel vision about KA (regardless of the fact they testified they first looked at CS)

 

[arielilane]

@JessicaTaylorTX

The prosecution is going back over the training and proficiency testing that the defense had LaGrone describe at the beginning of her testimony. Prosecution asks if she’s ever failed a testing, and she replies she hasn’t.


10:59 AM · Nov 15, 2023

 

[SteveP]

@BriHollisNEWS

Every time I glance over at Armstrong, she still appears to be writing something.


10:57 AM · Nov 15, 2023

Probably the lies she plans to tell when she is convicted and gets to speak during a victim impact statement.

 

[arielilane]

@JessicaTaylorTX

Prosecution asks if pineapple juice can alter fingerprints. LaGrone says it would need to cause injuries deep enough that they would scar, and LaGrone says pineapple juice is weakly acidic. She says it’s, “definitely one I have not heard of.”


11:01 AM · Nov 15, 2023

 

[arielilane]

@alcaprari23

LaGrone asking about people trying to alter their fingerprints. LaGrone says she knows of some historical cases and that it's discussed as part of their professional training. LaGrone says people may try to alter their fingerprint to try avoid detection.State asking if she's ever heard of pineapples being used to alter fingerprints. LaGrone says deep scarring is the only way to alter fingerprints. Agrees pineapple juice is acidic, but it's a "weak acid.""You would have to hold on to a pineapple for an exceedingly long time for it to wear away your fingerprints," LaGrone says. The courtroom gallery chuckles.LaGrone closes by saying she has never heard of someone using pineapples to alter their fingerprints.


11:02 AM · Nov 15, 2023

 

[arielilane]

@JessicaTaylorTX

Defense calls their next witness: Gordon Niels, with the Austin Police Department.


11:06 AM · Nov 15, 2023