TX - Former NFL Antonio Armstrong & wife Dawn, both 42, fatally shot, Houston, *son charged* 29 Jul 2016 *Mistrials, 3rd trial in 2023 Guilty*

[arielilane]

Aug. 7 - 8:31 a.m.

Judge Kelli Johnson enters the courtroom room. Court is called into order.

Aug. 7 - 8:35 a.m.

The jury enters the courtroom.

Aug. 7 - 8:35 a.m.

Week one ended with Nathan Gates returning to the stand to present extracted evidence from Dawn Armstrong’s cellphone.

On Monday, Judge Johnson allowed the evidence into the court, which showed a text message and picture Dawn had sent to her family on July 26, 2016, two days before she was murdered. The message contained a picture of a carpet burn with the text, “AJ caught the house on fire. We stopped it. He is lying.” In which AJ’s brother responded with three question marks.

More at link:

Video of new DNA evidence shown to jurors in Antonio Armstrong Jr.’s trial

We’re headed into the second week of Antonio Armstrong Jr.’s third capital murder trial.

www.click2houston.com

Updated: August 7, 2023 at 11:35 AM

 

[arielilane]

Aug. 7 - 9:48 a.m.

The 18th witness is called to the stand, Houston Police Department Detective Andrew Barr.

Barr is the detective who bagged and inspected AJ’s clothing once he was officially charged with capital murder. Barr’s testimony was vital for both prosecutors and the defense team because he examined AJ’s clothing back in 2016 and did not find blood. Now, more than seven years later, Barr said he was present when the new DNA evidence found on a sticker that was attached to AJ’s shirt was discovered.

More of Det. Barr's testimony at link:

Video of new DNA evidence shown to jurors in Antonio Armstrong Jr.’s trial

We’re headed into the second week of Antonio Armstrong Jr.’s third capital murder trial.

www.click2houston.com

Updated: August 7, 2023 at 2:02 PM

 

[arielilane]

Aug. 7 - 9:48 a.m.

The 19th witness is called to the stand, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigator Sergeant and Blood Stain Pattern Analyst Celestina Rossi.

Video of new DNA evidence shown to jurors in Antonio Armstrong Jr.’s trial

We’re headed into the second week of Antonio Armstrong Jr.’s third capital murder trial.

www.click2houston.com

Updated: August 7, 2023 at 2:02 PM

 

[arielilane]

Aug. 7 - 12:10 p.m.

The 19th witness is called to the stand, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigator Sergeant and Blood Stain Pattern Analyst Celestina Rossi.

She is responsible for finding the new DNA that delayed the start of the trial.

During Rossi’s testimony, prosecutors showed jurors several displays made to mirror the Armstrong residence, such as their king-size bed and staircase.

In the first live demonstration, prosecutors pulled out a make-shift staircase while playing part of AJ’s interview where he explained to homicide detectives where he was located when he heard the gunshots. The prosecutors tried imitating AJ’s location, showing jurors that if he was located exactly where he said he was, he would have come face-to-face with the shooter.

The second demonstration was of Antonio Sr. and Dawn lying in their king-sized bed on the night they were murdered. The display showed a king-sized makeshift bed and two mannequins.

Rossi went through with prosecutors, from her expertise and knowledge of crime scenes, where she believes the suspect stood during the shooting, how many bullets were shot and the lack of blood spatter.

Video of new DNA evidence shown to jurors in Antonio Armstrong Jr.’s trial

We’re headed into the second week of Antonio Armstrong Jr.’s third capital murder trial.

www.click2houston.com

Updated: August 7, 2023 at 7:19 PM

 

[arielilane]

Aug. 7 - 12:10 p.m.

Judge Johnson ended the day at 5 p.m. right when Rossi was explaining how she found the new DNA evidence. Court will resume Tuesday at 8:30 a.m.

Video of new DNA evidence shown to jurors in Antonio Armstrong Jr.’s trial

We’re headed into the second week of Antonio Armstrong Jr.’s third capital murder trial.

www.click2houston.com

Updated: August 7, 2023 at 7:19 PM

 

[Niner]

Tuesday, August 8th:
*Trial continues (Day 7) (@ 8:30am CT) – TX – Antonio & Dawn Armstrong (both 42) (July 29, 2016, Houston) – *Antonio “A.J.” Armstrong, Jr. (16 @ time of crime/17/now 23) arrested (7/29/16), charged (8/1/16) & arraigned (7/26/17) with capital murder. Plead not guilty. $200K bond. Out on bond 4/12/17.
First trial: after ~20 hours of deliberations verdict was 8 Guilty & 4 Not guilty. Judge declares mistrial.
2nd Re-trial After ~18 hours of deliberations verdict was 4 for Guilty & 8 not guilty. Judge Kelli Johnson declared (another) mistrial.
3rd Re-trial began on 5/2/23 with jury selection & ended 5/19/23 with total of 48 potential jurors back on 5/31/23 for final jury selection.
12 jurors & 4 alternates were selected. (6 women (4 white & 2 Hispanic women) & 10 men (4 Hispanic, 2 Black, 2 white & 2 Asian men). Four of these jurors are alternates, but those 4 are not being told that until it’s time to deliberate.
There are two Marines, engineers in the oil & gas industry, a retired teacher, a Space Center Houston worker & therapists who work or have worked with mental health patients. The jurors range in age from a 26-year-old man to a 65-year-old grandmother. 6/27/23 Update: One of the original twelve jurors was excused for personal reasons. That means one of the four alternates is moving into the jury of 12 to hear the case, leaving the court with three alternate jurors.
12 jurors & 3 alternates as of 6/27/23. (6 women & 9 men).
Trial began on 7/31/23. Judge Kelli Johnson presiding. Prosecutors John Jordan, Ryan Trask & Sarah Seely. Defense attorneys Rick Detoto, Jennifer Carpenter & Chris Collings.
Court info from 12/11/19 thru 10/26/22 (2nd trial) thru Jury Selection 5/31/23 thru 6/14/23 & thru 6/27/23 & Trial Day 1-5 (7/31-8/4/23) reference post #536 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...l-2016-mistrial-retrial-1-6-20.313665/page-27
8/7/23 Monday, Trial Day 6: State witnesses: Houston Police Dept. Detective Andrew Barr. Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigator Sergeant & Blood Stain Pattern Analyst Celestina Rossi.
For more info see posts #541 to 545 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...16-mistrials-3rd-trial-in-2023.313665/page-28
Trial continues on Tuesday, 8/8/23.

 

[arielilane]

Week 2
Tuesday, August 8, 2023 is Day 7 of Antonio (AJ) Armstrong Jr.’s third murder re-trial.

Judge is not allowing any cameras in the courtroom, no one inside the courtroom will be able to use cellphones or laptops. There is no live streaming of the trial. moo

 

[JerseyGirl]

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/crime/article/antonio-armstrong-trial-sticker-18285075.php

 

[arielilane]

Aug. 8 - 9:24 a.m.

Judge Kelli Johnson enters the courtroom room. Court is called into order.

Aug. 8 - 9:55 a.m.

The jury enters the courtroom.

Aug. 8 - 10:00 a.m.

Day 7 of the trial started with Rossi back on stand, explaining how she found the DNA evidence.

Rossi said she initially went to the Houston Police Department’s evidence room to look at the pillows that were taken into evidence. She said when she got to the building, one of the employees gave her a list of evidence from the Armstrong case and instructed her to highlight all evidence she wanted to take a look at.

[...] Testimony continued @ link

Antonio Armstrong Jr. trial: Blood spatter expert walks jury through how she found new DNA evidence after 7 years

We’re headed into the second week of Antonio Armstrong Jr.’s third capital murder trial.

www.click2houston.com

Updated: August 8, 2023 at 1:22 PM

 

[arielilane]

Aug. 8 - 3:24 p.m.

The 20th witness took the stand via Zoom, Courtney Head, manager of biology and DNA at the Houston Forensic Science Center.

Head, who oversees the biology sector of HFSC, said the Armstrong report was very complicated due to the number of people living in the home.

Head said five known samples of DNA were collected from the Armstrong home: Anotnio Sr., Josh, AJ, Dawn and Kayla.

[...] Testimony continues at link:

Antonio Armstrong Jr. trial: Blood spatter expert walks jury through how she found new DNA evidence after 7 years

We’re headed into the second week of Antonio Armstrong Jr.’s third capital murder trial.

www.click2houston.com

Updated: August 8, 2023 at 6:15 PM

 

[arielilane]

Aug. 8 - 4:15 p.m.

The defense team starts cross-examining Head.

Head said the Houston Police Department’s evidence room is not the ideal place to test evidence, explaining the rigorous protocol that should be followed when handling evidence.

Head said when her lab conducted an analysis of the shirt and pants, no blood was ever detected. To date, no blood has ever been detected on AJ’s clothing.

She testified that the chain of custody when dealing with evidence years later is important when testing for new evidence. Although Head said she did not know where the blood found on the sticker came from, she said, in her opinion and from experience, the blood should have come from a stain on the shirt. To date, no stain has been found on the shirt.

Antonio Armstrong Jr. trial: Blood spatter expert walks jury through how she found new DNA evidence after 7 years

We’re headed into the second week of Antonio Armstrong Jr.’s third capital murder trial.

www.click2houston.com

Updated: August 8, 2023 at 6:15 PM

 

[arielilane]

Aug. 8 - 5:13 p.m.

The 21st witness was called to the stand, Bao Tran Nguyen, the screening supervisor at the Houston Forensic Science Center.

On Aug. 25, 2016 Nguyen said she processed two pillows that were placed into evidence from the Armstrong case. When testing those pillows, Nguyen said she tested for contact DNA and blood. Both pillows tested positive for blood.

In December 2016, Nguyen said she tested AJ’s shirt, pants and sandals for blood. She said she did not visually see any blood when examining his shirt and did not look under the sticker and check for any blood.

Antonio Armstrong Jr. trial: Blood spatter expert walks jury through how she found new DNA evidence after 7 years

We’re headed into the second week of Antonio Armstrong Jr.’s third capital murder trial.

www.click2houston.com

Updated: August 8, 2023 at 6:15 PM

 

[arielilane]

Aug. 8 - 5:30 p.m.

Judge Johnson called court to recess for the day. Court will resume Wednesday at 8:30 a.m.

Antonio Armstrong Jr. trial: Blood spatter expert walks jury through how she found new DNA evidence after 7 years

We’re headed into the second week of Antonio Armstrong Jr.’s third capital murder trial.

www.click2houston.com

Updated: August 8, 2023 at 6:15 PM

 

[arielilane]

ABC13 Houston report of trial - Day 6, Monday, August 7.

The construction of a replica bedroom wasn't the only thing displayed to jurors. Prosecutors presented something that was mentioned in the first two trials.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1689008639837700096

https://twitter.com/abc13houston

Monday, August 7, 2023 10:43PM

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Two mannequins laid on top of a wooden frame constructed to look like a king-size mattress, covered in a beige sheet, in the middle of Judge Kelli Johnson's courtroom.

That dramatic scene on day six of AJ Amstrong's capital murder trial drew the largest courtroom audience since trial began one week ago. Every seat seemed to be taken on Monday.

 

[Niner]

Wednesday, August 9th:
*Trial continues (Day 8) (@ 8:30am CT) – TX – Antonio & Dawn Armstrong (both 42) (July 29, 2016, Houston) – *Antonio “A.J.” Armstrong, Jr. (16 @ time of crime/17/now 23) arrested (7/29/16), charged (8/1/16) & arraigned (7/26/17) with capital murder. Plead not guilty. $200K bond. Out on bond 4/12/17.
First trial: after ~20 hours of deliberations verdict was 8 Guilty & 4 Not guilty. Judge declares mistrial.
2nd Re-trial After ~18 hours of deliberations verdict was 4 for Guilty & 8 not guilty. Judge Kelli Johnson declared (another) mistrial.
3rd Re-trial began on 5/2/23 with jury selection & ended 5/19/23 with total of 48 potential jurors back on 5/31/23 for final jury selection.
12 jurors & 4 alternates were selected. (6 women (4 white & 2 Hispanic women) & 10 men (4 Hispanic, 2 Black, 2 white & 2 Asian men). Four of these jurors are alternates, but those 4 are not being told that until it’s time to deliberate.
There are two Marines, engineers in the oil & gas industry, a retired teacher, a Space Center Houston worker & therapists who work or have worked with mental health patients. The jurors range in age from a 26-year-old man to a 65-year-old grandmother. 6/27/23 Update: One of the original twelve jurors was excused for personal reasons. That means one of the four alternates is moving into the jury of 12 to hear the case, leaving the court with three alternate jurors.
12 jurors & 3 alternates as of 6/27/23. (6 women & 9 men).
Trial began on 7/31/23. Judge Kelli Johnson presiding. Prosecutors John Jordan, Ryan Trask & Sarah Seely. Defense attorneys Rick Detoto, Jennifer Carpenter & Chris Collings.
Court info from 12/11/19 thru 10/26/22 (2nd trial) thru Jury Selection 5/31/23 thru 6/14/23 & thru 6/27/23 & Trial Day 1-6 (7/31-8/7/23) reference post #536 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...l-2016-mistrial-retrial-1-6-20.313665/page-27
8/8/23 Tuesday, Trial Day 7: State witnesses: Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigator Sergeant & Blood Stain Pattern Analyst Celestina Rossi back on stand. She is responsible for finding the new DNA that delayed the start of the trial. Courtney Head, manager of biology & DNA at the Houston Forensic Science Center. Bao Tran Nguyen, the screening supervisor at the Houston Forensic Science Center.
For more info see posts #549-553 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...16-mistrials-3rd-trial-in-2023.313665/page-28
Trial continues on Wednesday, 8/9/23.

 

[arielilane]

Week 2
Wednesday, August 9, 2023 is Day 8 of Antonio (AJ) Armstrong Jr.’s third murder re-trial.

Judge is not allowing any cameras in the courtroom, no one inside the courtroom will be able to use cellphones or laptops. There is no live streaming of the trial. moo

 

[arielilane]

ABC13 Houston report of trial - Day 7, Tuesday, August 8.

No updates on Day 8 at this time.

Father's blood found on AJ Armstrong, DNA expert testifies at 3rd trial

Questions about the recently discovered blood evidence dominated day seven of the trial. To better understand how this could've happened, a blood spatter expert took the stand.

abc13.com

Tuesday, August 8, 2023 11:33PM

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- How did blood end up on the back of the nametag sticker put on A.J. Armstrong hours after his parents were shot to death seven years ago, and whose blood is it?

Questions about the recently discovered blood evidence dominated day seven of Armstrong's third capital murder trial.

 

[arielilane]

Antonio Armstrong Jr. trial: Brother’s ex-girlfriend gives emotional testimony during murder re-trial

We’re headed into the second week of Antonio Armstrong Jr.’s third capital murder trial.

www.click2houston.com

Updated: August 9, 2023 at 1:51 PM

Aug. 9 - 8:55 a.m.

Judge Kelli Johnson enters the courtroom room. Court is called into order.

Aug. 9 - 9:10 a.m.

The jury enters the courtroom.

 

[arielilane]

Aug. 9 - 9:11 a.m.

The 22nd witness was called to the stand, John Brewer, the Chief of Economics Crime Division for the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office.

Brewer was the lead prosecutor for the Harris County District Attorney’s Office in 2019 during the first AJ Armstrong trial.

During Brewer’s testimony, he discussed the DA’s Office procedure for collecting property in preparation for trial, specifically, the AJ trial in 2019. Brewer said the evidence was taken from the Houston Police Department’s evidence room and transported to the DA’s Office where it was then secured by a homicide detective in the DA’s Office and placed in a secure room.

Brewer recalled the AJ trial in 2019, admitting that his co-counselor at the time, Lester Blizzard, touched some of the evidence, including the shirt and pillow, without gloves.

During the cross-examination by the defense, Brewer was shown several images from the 2019 trial, which showed his co-counselor Blizzard, touching AJ’s shirt and the bloody pillows without gloves. Photos of Blizzard holding a comforter, a Texas A&M pillow and a blanket without gloves were also shown to jurors.

Rick DeToto also showed the jury and Brewer images from the 2019 trial where Blizzard was holding AJ’s shirt by the collar, possibly damaging the sticker area. He also presented images where Blizzard said he could see the bottom portion of the sticker detaching from the shirt in 2019.

Antonio Armstrong Jr. trial: Brother’s ex-girlfriend gives emotional testimony during murder re-trial

We’re headed into the second week of Antonio Armstrong Jr.’s third capital murder trial.

www.click2houston.com

Updated: August 9, 2023 at 1:51 PM

 

[arielilane]

Aug. 9 - 10:28 a.m.

The 23rd witness is called to the stand, Lester Blizzard, a prosecutor with the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office and former prosecutor with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.

Blizzard handled AJ’s evidence during his first trial in 2019. According to attorney Rick DeToto, he possibly cross-contaminated evidence while handling multiple items without gloves.

During Blizzard’s testimony, he confirmed he was not wearing gloves while touching the bloody pillows and then touching AJ’s shirt.

Since the trial in 2019, Blizzard said he has had no involvement in the case and has not reviewed the evidence since.

Antonio Armstrong Jr. trial: Brother’s ex-girlfriend gives emotional testimony during murder re-trial

We’re headed into the second week of Antonio Armstrong Jr.’s third capital murder trial.

www.click2houston.com

Updated: August 9, 2023 at 1:51 PM