TX - Moriah Wilson, 25, Cyclist Fatally Shot Before Race, Austin, 2022 *arrest* #5

[steeltowngirl]

CS has lied so much to everyone involved in this case, including LE, that I don't know how anyone could believe much that he has to say at this point. On the witness stand, he will be confronted with all of his lies and I doubt much of anything he says will be taken seriously by a jury.

Do we have any documented lies, aside from a feeling he was playing two women?

If he gets to the witness stand, he will be under oath, facing penalty of perjury, as would be any trial witness. A jury should take that seriously and treat testimony as such, else what is the point of a jury trial? He will provide testimony and be subject to cross-examination from both sides of the legal table.

I think if anyone wouldn’t be believable to a jury, it might be the defense, whose sole job is to defend their client from being found legally guilty, regardless of factual guilt.

jmo

 

[Marysmith]

He is a guy like many others, just born with physique and metabolism fit for biking. Emotionally and morally, a dime a dozen. And I feel sorry for Mo, too, were she not so young, she'd not have fallen for him. But, for his role, he already paid - by losing everything, career, sponsors, prestige, money, all. This should be enough. KA, who has been accused of killing, and I believe, is a killer and a massive liar, has to pay her due. Also, of these two, maybe CS is still able to feel remorse. Had Kaitlin remained in her tropical paradise, I believe, with time she'd simply forget what she had done, and just enjoy life.

I hear you and yes, he’s had many repercussions. His life will never be the same.

 

[Sundog]

Do we have any documented lies, aside from a feeling he was playing two women?

If he gets to the witness stand, he will be under oath, facing penalty of perjury, as would be any trial witness. A jury should take that seriously and treat testimony as such, else what is the point of a jury trial? He will provide testimony and be subject to cross-examination from both sides of the legal table.

I think if anyone wouldn’t be believable to a jury, it might be the defense, whose sole job is to defend their client from being found legally guilty, regardless of factual guilt.

jmo

IIRC, he lied to LE and said he didn't know MW when they first questioned him.
Under oath, he will be asked about these lies, including the texts to KS about his whereabouts the night of the murder.

He won't make a very credible witness, given this tendency to lie, even to LE. The jury will take that into account.

 

[Sundog]

Sure he would. If he suspected she might be following him, but wasn’t sure, he would be anxious to text her and have her respond with reassurance that she was actually at home and all was well. And he’d be rushing home after dropping MW off, getting away from the apartment as quickly as he could.

I doubt he expected KS was following him, but I do think the lying text he sent her immediately after dropping of MW shows his consciousness of guilt. Getting out of there quickly so he could send the text and communicate with KA was a priority for him now that the evening with MW was over.

 

[Mrspratcher]

Doesn't he need to provide a rock solid alibi for her, then? Just saying, "That can't be her jeep" doesn't mean it may not be. So where was she?

He’s right in that he doesn’t have to prove anything. The burden is on the government. But, that won’t work well with a jury.

 

[Mrspratcher]

From Cofer, the tool:

Evidence such as the ballistic report that ties Armstrong's gun to the killing. The report concludes that the potential for a match was 'significant,' but not concrete.

"Ballistic analysis is functionally a junk science. It is a type of witchcraft if you will," Cofer says.

[..]

As for the appearance changes, Cofer says there's no evidence to indicate that Armstrong had any plastic surgery.

Defense attorney expects 'the government's own evidence will acquit Kaitlin Armstrong...she will be found not guilty' in Moriah Wilson murder case

In a two-hour NBC Dateline special, attorney Rick Cofer alludes to evidence that may exonerate Armstrong

www.cyclingweekly.com

Junk science that repeatedly meets the Daubert standard. He’s hilarious.

 

[BUF]

Just another thought on that receipt from AVA for cosmetic surgery on June 23, Alison Paige with passport number paid $6350. cash…

This receipt was found along with her and her sister’s passport, credit cards, vax card, etc, but no other passport. Could it be that someone who came to stay at this hostel had this name? KA was also working the front desk. It is customary to show your passport when checking into accommodations in another country. Could KA have checked a person in with this name and made a copy of her passport? Something else that I picked up on the Dateline show…the guy that owns the bar next door said that KA would come in with a couple of people…only locals, not tourists. He also said that after a while he noticed how she cut and died her hair.

So, did she walk into AVA with a copy of a passport with the name of Alison Paige who had shoulder length dark hair? Having a copy of your passport for ID when abroad and leaving your passport locked up is not unusual.

 

[Sundog]

From the information we have so far, it sounds like the defense attorney, RC, is setting up the narrative that the prosecution only has circumstantial evidence. Of course, a case can be won on circumstantial evidence, but I think RC is making the case against the reliability of the circumstantial evidence that has so far been presented. And this includes:

- license plate not seen on vehicle that is said to be KA's Jeep in area around home where MW was staying, nor image of who was driving the vehicle
- ballistic tests that attest to probability (but not certainty) that the weapon used to kill MW was the gun that belonged to KA
-no evidence found to show that KA was ever inside the residence where MW was staying (as far as we know at this point)
-timing of KA's flight to Costa Rica possibly before knowledge that an arrest warrant was issued
-trip to see sister in upstate New York understandable, KA even checked with an attorney before leaving the area for advice on legality of this trip
-flight to Costa Rica perhaps understandable to get away from CS
-questions about whether or not KA had plastic surgery or not, RC on Dateline calls this into question

I do think he will have an uphill battle regarding the circumstantial evidence presented by the prosecution, however he will try to introduce reasonable doubt for at least one juror.

I do think that if KA is found guilty, that he will shift gears and go for crime of passion in the penalty phase of the trial.

ETA: And RC is also calling into question the timestamp on the security video of the Jeep being near the home where MW was staying, and also RC is arguing that KA was not read her Miranda rights when she was brought in by LE for questioning, and so any evidence gleaned from that interview by LE should be thrown out.

 

[Charlot123]

I doubt he expected KS was following him, but I do think the lying text he sent her immediately after dropping of MW shows his consciousness of guilt. Getting out of there quickly so he could send the text and communicate with KA was a priority for him now that the evening with MW was over.

I think he behaved the regular cheater’s way. Guilty conscience, and the wish to avoid a scandal at home.

About him lying to LE. If by that time he already heard about MW being murdered, he tried to avoid being dragged into a scandal. If he tried to avoid what befell him, ultimately, it is understandable.

If he did not know about the murder, then him lying to LE is more interesting. I have several theories. (The simplest one, both CS and MW were keeping their relationship under wraps, or maybe it was very casual). On the very bottom of the list is: did KA know someone in Austin PD, and CS was aware of it?

- KA was never arrested for that Botox misdemeanor

- she was let go because of some “clerk error”, but now we read that the PD knew her DOB?

- CS said “no” to the question about MW

KA might have simply sold a house to one of policemen, or maybe someone’s wife was in her yoga group when she still had it, it might have been something very casual. But this question I can’t get out of my mind. Some dices have fallen too well for KA at the beginning.

 

[Charlot123]

From the information we have so far, it sounds like the defense attorney, RC, is setting up the narrative that the prosecution only has circumstantial evidence. Of course, a case can be won on circumstantial evidence, but I think RC is making the case against the reliability of the circumstantial evidence that has so far been presented. And this includes:

- license plate not seen on vehicle that is said to be KA's Jeep in area around home where MW was staying, nor image of who was driving the vehicle
- ballistic tests that attest to probability (but not certainty) that the weapon used to kill MW was the gun that belonged to KA
-no evidence found to show that KA was ever inside the residence where MW was staying (as far as we know at this point)
-timing of KA's flight to Costa Rica possibly before knowledge that an arrest warrant was issued
-trip to see sister in upstate New York understandable, KA even checked with an attorney before leaving the area for advice on legality of this trip
-flight to Costa Rica perhaps understandable to get away from CS
-questions about whether or not KA had plastic surgery or not, RC on Dateline calls this into question

I do think he will have an uphill battle regarding the circumstantial evidence presented by the prosecution, however he will try to introduce reasonable doubt for one juror.

I do think that if KA is found guilty, that he will shift gears and go for crime of passion in the penalty phase of the trial.

ETA: And RC is also calling into question the timestamp on the security video of the Jeep being near the home where MW was staying, and also RC is arguing that KA was not read her Miranda rights when she was brought in by LE for questioning, and so any evidence gleaned from that interview by LE should be thrown out.

RC said that before trip to NY, she checked with him?

So, she already knew him as an attorney?

Would be interesting to know, since what time? Under what circumstances?

Did she ever hire him? Knew him personally?

He is not a business lawyer, he is a criminal one. When did she meet him?

ETA: if she flew out the day after the warrant was issued (I think the dates are May 17 and 18), it indeed seems too narrow a time to find out for her. But if she already had a lawyer by that time, she’d know! All it takes is one call.

If she had a lawyer by the time she fled, it is a twist, I think.

 

[Sundog]

Just another thought on that receipt from AVA for cosmetic surgery on June 23, Alison Paige with passport number paid $6350. cash…

This receipt was found along with her and her sister’s passport, credit cards, vax card, etc, but no other passport. Could it be that someone who came to stay at this hostel had this name? KA was also working the front desk. It is customary to show your passport when checking into accommodations in another country. Could KA have checked a person in with this name and made a copy of her passport? Something else that I picked up on the Dateline show…the guy that owns the bar next door said that KA would come in with a couple of people…only locals, not tourists. He also said that after a while he noticed how she cut and died her hair.

So, did she walk into AVA with a copy of a passport with the name of Alison Paige who had shoulder length dark hair? Having a copy of your passport for ID when abroad and leaving your passport locked up is not unusual.

Interesting thoughts about KA's possible use of ID of another guest at Don Jon's Lodge in Costa Rica. And also the possibility that KA had access to another guest's documents due to the part time work she eventually did at the lodge.

But I wonder if she would have had to show a passport at the clinic for the plastic surgery. I would think a driver's license or other ID would have been sufficient for this kind of service and not necessarily a passport.

And if a passport was necessary, would they have accepted a copy? I have travelled extensively abroad, and have never shown a photocopy of my passport. When I needed to show it, I had to show the actual passport. Only reason I had a photocopy was in case I lost the passport or it was stolen.


Edited to delete multiple postings in reply

 

[BUF]

RC said that before trip to NY, she checked with him?

So, she already knew him as an attorney?

Would be interesting to know, since what time? Under what circumstances?

Did she ever hire him? Knew him personally?

He is not a business lawyer, he is a criminal one. When did she meet him?

ETA: if she flew out the day after the warrant was issued (I think the dates are May 17 and 18), it indeed seems too narrow a time to find out for her. But if she already had a lawyer by that time, she’d know! All it takes is one call.

If she had a lawyer by the time she fled, it is a twist, I think.

Cofer didn’t say that KA had contacted him when Morrison questioned him, but that she had consulted a lawyer….evasive way of answering a question imo.

Defense attorney expects 'the government's own evidence will acquit Kaitlin Armstrong...she will be found not guilty' in Moriah Wilson murder case

Cofer claims that before leaving Austin, Armstrong had consulted a lawyer to ask if she'd be in any legal trouble if she left.

 

[Kittybunny]

CS has lied so much to everyone involved in this case, including LE, that I don't know how anyone could believe much that he has to say at this point. On the witness stand, he will be confronted with all of his lies and I doubt much of anything he says will be taken seriously by a jury.

No doubt Cofer will make mincemeat out of him on the stand. Hopefully little of his testimony is critical to establishing KA's guilt. Her own actions are pretty damning.

 

[Sundog]

RC said that before trip to NY, she checked with him?

<snipped for focus>

On the Dateline show, RC said that KA checked with an attorney before leaving Texas for New York, to see if it was legal for her to do so. RC did not name the attorney she checked with, and didn't say that it was him. It sounded like he was referring to another attorney, but it wasn't made clear.

We discussed earlier on this forum that KA and RC might have known each other on various committees or causes related to being residents of the same Austin community. That wouldn't be unusual. If you serve on various city committees or projects, you are likely to know many of the city's leaders, volunteers, etc.

 

[BUF]

Interesting thoughts about KA's possible use of ID of another guest at Don Jon's Lodge in Costa Rica. And also the possibility that KA had access to another guest's documents due to the part time work she eventually did at the lodge.

But I wonder if she would have had to show a passport at the clinic for the plastic surgery. I would think a driver's license or other ID would have been sufficient for this kind of service and not necessarily a passport.

And if a passport was necessary, would they have accepted a copy? I have travelled extensively abroad, and have never shown a photocopy of my passport. When I needed to show it, I had to show the actual passport. Only reason I had a photocopy was in case I lost the passport or it was stolen.


Edited to delete multiple postings in reply

I am also an avid traveler and needed my passport for accommodation check ins, banking, etc. I never had cosmetic surgery abroad, so can’t answer if you would need your actual passport. I would imagine cash speaks loudly.

The only drivers license she had was listed with her name…so she obviously didn’t want to use it.

 

[Charlot123]

Cofer didn’t say that KA had contacted him when Morrison questioned him, but that she had consulted a lawyer….evasive way of answering a question imo.

Defense attorney expects 'the government's own evidence will acquit Kaitlin Armstrong...she will be found not guilty' in Moriah Wilson murder case

Cofer claims that before leaving Austin, Armstrong had consulted a lawyer to ask if she'd be in any legal trouble if she left.

This is very interesting. I could have sworn that the first time I listened to it, I heard, “I said, go!” , and paid attention to it. He said, “she called me”. Now it is “he said, go”. Maybe it was my mistake. (I usually don’t pay attention to things that don’t stand out to me, and his words did, the first time.) Another thing: this interview with RC was everywhere, separately, now I can find it only on Dateline.

But, Cofer - no Cofer. If Kaitlin already had a lawyer, here is her way of knowing about the warrant for arrest in TX when she was in Upstate NY. All it takes is having a connection to a lawyer at that time.

 

[Charlot123]

I am also an avid traveler and needed my passport for accommodation check ins, banking, etc. I never had cosmetic surgery abroad, so can’t answer if you would need your actual passport. I would imagine cash speaks loudly.

The only drivers license she had was listed with her name…so she obviously didn’t want to use it.

The usual answer would be: if they want you (as a guest, a customer, etc), they’d let you in with minimal amount of documents. If they don’t, even a passport might not work. I assume that what KA was willing to pay, in USD and upfront, was good enough for them.

 

[Sundog]

The usual answer would be: if they want you (as a guest, a customer, etc), they’d let you in with minimal amount of documents. If they don’t, even a passport might not work. I assume that what KA was willing to pay, in USD and upfront, was good enough for them.

Apparently medical tourism, including cosmetic surgery, plays a major role in the Costa Rica economy. Nose surgery is one of the top cosmetic surgery procedures. I suspect that many clinics are willing to be discreet, if requested.

"About 8.5 million people come every year to have some kind of procedure here, of which the majority are women. Breast augmentation, facelift, lipoplasty (liposuction), nose surgery and eyelid surgery are the most popular surgical procedures done in Costa Rica; and Botox, skin fillers, chemical peel, laser hair removal and micro-dermabrasion are the most popular non-surgical procedures."

Costa Rica Medical Tourism Guide: Hospitals, Clinics & Procedures

Costa Rica is a prime medical tourism destination, with top facilities & procedures. Explore the best tips, accommodations, and recovery options for travelers.

www.vacationscostarica.com

 

[getthefax]

I don't think the CT scan would be in order to look for recent surgeries. I am pretty sure that would violate the human rights of prisoners in most countries, i.e. putting them through medical procedures to look for something they want in order to prosecute a person, or for any other reason. I supsect that KA actually had a medical reason for having the CT scan or at least her physicians/medical personnel deemed it to be the case.

If she got hit in the face with a surfboard, she may have needed a CT to rule out a brain bleed/damage.

OTOH, a person who has a record of having committed fraud *may* have purposely had a run-in with a surfboard in order to get her face altered for free… and promptly .

MOO.

 

[getthefax]

If KA goes to trial and is convicted of 1st degree murder, is she eligible for the death penalty? I was thinking her charge of 1st-degree murder (vs. capital murder) avoided the possibility of the death penalty.

I’m wondering about special circumstances (lying in wait, or stalking…) and whether those might bump this to a DP case…