Court is now in session. Eight witnesses are now simultaneously being sworn in, raising their right hands and swearing to tell the truth. They are being instructed that they cannot from this point forward discuss the case outside the courtroom. There are four uniformed police officers and four plainclothes men and women.
The state calls its first witness: Matthew Wilson, Anna Moriah Wilson's brother. He lives in Vermont. Says most people from college onwards called her "Mo." He has long, blonde, wavy hair. I saw him earlier sitting in the courtroom, but was not inside during opening statements.
First exhibit being shown is a picture of Mo Wilson and their family dog, Brooke from 2015. Picture taken in Vermont. Second exhibit is a picture of Mo with her bicycle. Picture taken at the Mid-South race, which Matthew says she won.
Wilson family grew up in Kirby, Vermont: pop. ~500. Matthew says he and his sister were very close growing up. Mo competed in alpine ski racing at Dartmouth. At the time of her death, she was living in San Francisco but was moving to Boulder, CO. The siblings spoke daily.
Mo started racing in Fall 2019. Matthew says she was considered one of the best gravel racers despite only training for 3 years. Next exhibit is Mo Wilson's Instagram. They show pictures of Mo competing and training.
Matthew says he was aware that Mo was in ATX in May 2022. Parents notified Matthew that his sister was dead when he was in school in Middlebury, Vermont.
Defense now X-examining:
Mo's DOB: 5/18/96. She was just short of her 26th bday at time of death. Matthew said he knew of Mo's relationship with Strickland. Says he knew Strickland was a professional racer and that they met at a race. Knew that Mo and Colin were talking about Mo becoming professional cyclist. He knew them as professional colleagues. He was also aware that they had been romantic. He says they were not in love and were not dating.
Matthew says they spent one night with each other in Austin during Fall of 2021. That is all he knows.No further questions for Matthew Wilson. He is being released.
The entire Wilson family has left the courtroom now that Matthew has stepped off the witness stand.Next witness: Caitlin Cash. Cash was the friend who Wilson was visiting at the time of her death. She performed CPR on Wilson and called 911.
