TX - Moriah Wilson, 25, prized cyclist, fatally shot before race, Austin, May 2022 #2

[Nikynoo]

Respectfully I think your views are outdated. Per the Pew Research Center, "The share of adults ages 25 to 54 who are currently married fell from 67% in 1990 to 53% in 2019." Fewer people are getting married than ever before, and fewer people are imagining their romantic lives end at 35. In a large city, I think a millennial 35 is more like a Gen-X 25.

I also don't see how it applies here, if KA was attempting to force CS to nest, she did a very poor job of it by ensuring she'd never see him again. If CS was thinking it wasn't destined to be forever, why did he cheat instead of simply leaving?

Perhaps he is of the 'Have your cake and eat it' genre?

 

[spangled]

Perhaps he is of the 'Have your cake and eat it' genre?

There's a lot of them around, I've just finished dating one...

I am of a similar age group and sadly the behaviour of stringing people along is not new. Plenty of people in their mid thirties in relationships with no intention of actually settling down.

 

[SMK777]

It’s been 5 weeks since KA was dropped off at Newark Liberty International Airport. It doesn’t seem likely that she has any plans to turn herself in, and with her vast funds and connections and global experience, I doubt she’s suicidal.

Unless there’s some stroke of fortune for US Marshals, her being apprehended does not seem likely.

Anyone feel differently?

 

[Curious_in_NC]

Regarding sponsorship deals being involved somehow as a motive or not, I don't think the deals are as big as some might think. Also I think MW met CS when she was seeking advice on how to gain enough sponsors to quit her day job. I just don't think they would be competing for the same ones. And as someone pointed out, gravel racing is still a niche sport. MOO

This article from a couple of years ago gives a lot of details on how CS was supported. The amounts are not large but they add up. It required being part promoter and influencer, not just riding fast and winning races.

How Colin Strickland is blazing a new path through American pro cycling

Dirty Kanza winner Colin Strickland is not your average pro cyclist, as we found when we visited him in Austin in late 2019. Strickland's constant tinkering is pushing American pro cycling in a bold new direction.

www.velonews.com

"Within this changing landscape, a handful of gravel racers have carved out livelihoods with the backing of various brands. Sponsoring a major race or team costs well above $100,000, while backing an individual rider often costs less than $30,000. The relationship creates more jobs for the cyclist, who must function as athlete, manager, and media producer."

ETA "The deals pay him anywhere from a few thousand bucks to the low five-figures, and in total, they add up to more than he earned as an environmental scientist. The Red Bull deal pays him bonuses for victories, and gives him access to the brand’s media and performance infrastructure."

 

[SteveP]

It’s been 5 weeks since KA was dropped off at Newark Liberty International Airport. It doesn’t seem likely that she has any plans to turn herself in, and with her vast funds and connections and global experience, I doubt she’s suicidal.

Unless there’s some stroke of fortune for US Marshals, her being apprehended does not seem likely.

Anyone feel differently?

You know me, Mr Optimist. I still believe she will ultimately be captured, but I would not be willing to even guess the time that may happen, as I thought it would have happened well before now. US Marshals. She had a good headstart on them, but this race will clearly be a marathon, and not a sprint. And in this race, I would rather be the chaser than the chased.

 

[SMK777]

You know me, Mr Optimist. I still believe she will ultimately be captured, but I would not be willing to even guess the time that may happen, as I thought it would have happened well before now. US Marshals. She had a good headstart on them, but this race will clearly be a marathon, and not a sprint.

Yes, I thought when the news about the sister and the campground broke that her arrest was imminent.

Upon reflection I realized just how long ago May 18 was, now 5 weeks, and hasn’t been seen since.

Right, not looking like it’s going to be quick. UNLESS they somehow get a very lucky break.

 

[di anna]

Regarding sponsorship deals being involved somehow as a motive or not, I don't think the deals are as big as some might think. Also I think MW met CS when she was seeking advice on how to gain enough sponsors to quit her day job. I just don't think they would be competing for the same ones. And as someone pointed out, gravel racing is still a niche sport. MOO

This article from a couple of years ago gives a lot of details on how CS was supported. The amounts are not large but they add up. It required being part promoter and influencer, not just riding fast and winning races.

How Colin Strickland is blazing a new path through American pro cycling

Dirty Kanza winner Colin Strickland is not your average pro cyclist, as we found when we visited him in Austin in late 2019. Strickland's constant tinkering is pushing American pro cycling in a bold new direction.

www.velonews.com

"Within this changing landscape, a handful of gravel racers have carved out livelihoods with the backing of various brands. Sponsoring a major race or team costs well above $100,000, while backing an individual rider often costs less than $30,000. The relationship creates more jobs for the cyclist, who must function as athlete, manager, and media producer."

ETA "The deals pay him anywhere from a few thousand bucks to the low five-figures, and in total, they add up to more than he earned as an environmental scientist. The Red Bull deal pays him bonuses for victories, and gives him access to the brand’s media and performance infrastructure."

This is a good article on CS, very informative.

 

[Barry]

I sense a lot of smoke and deception in KA's activities in the NYC area. The campground may have been a part of that. MOO.

 

[Sundog]

Regarding sponsorship deals being involved somehow as a motive or not, I don't think the deals are as big as some might think. Also I think MW met CS when she was seeking advice on how to gain enough sponsors to quit her day job. I just don't think they would be competing for the same ones. And as someone pointed out, gravel racing is still a niche sport. MOO

This article from a couple of years ago gives a lot of details on how CS was supported. The amounts are not large but they add up. It required being part promoter and influencer, not just riding fast and winning races.

How Colin Strickland is blazing a new path through American pro cycling

Dirty Kanza winner Colin Strickland is not your average pro cyclist, as we found when we visited him in Austin in late 2019. Strickland's constant tinkering is pushing American pro cycling in a bold new direction.

www.velonews.com

"Within this changing landscape, a handful of gravel racers have carved out livelihoods with the backing of various brands. Sponsoring a major race or team costs well above $100,000, while backing an individual rider often costs less than $30,000. The relationship creates more jobs for the cyclist, who must function as athlete, manager, and media producer."

ETA "The deals pay him anywhere from a few thousand bucks to the low five-figures, and in total, they add up to more than he earned as an environmental scientist. The Red Bull deal pays him bonuses for victories, and gives him access to the brand’s media and performance infrastructure."

Although the sponsorships for CS may not have been highly lucrative, they did allow him to leave his day job and live off of the sponsorships. So if he would lose them to someone else, if there would be more competition for those sponsorships, even some of them, then it would be a significant loss for CS as he was living off of these sponsorships. He had apparently pieced together enough sponsorships to pay the rent, so to speak. It formed the base of his living expenses.

 

[di anna]

Although the sponsorships for CS may not have been highly lucrative, they did allow him to leave his day job and live off of the sponsorships. So if he would lose them to someone else, if there would be more competition for those sponsorships, even some of them, then it would be a significant loss for CS as he was living off of these sponsorships. He had apparently pieced together enough sponsorships to pay the rent, so to speak. It formed the base of his living expenses

The article also mentions that he had other cyclists that were paid by him to race for him. Very interesting.

 

[SpanishInquisition]

Everyone in the world worries about car notes, mortgage payments, and food on the table, unless they're born to wealthy parents. Gravel racers are not adrenaline junkies in the sense of taking huge risks to life and limb. They beat their bodies into the dirt under often brutal weather conditions, and spend hours upon hours on bikes training. I think the fact that Mo, one of the world's top female gravel racers, was staying with a pal for free instead of at a 5* hotel really speaks to how incorrect you are about this. It's an incredibly humbling sport, and the average participant is a humble person.

I think the reason she had those accomodations with her friend was to be by CS since where she was staying was over 100 miles away from the race (the race was in Hico) plus she was still on the payroll of her six figure job at Specialized. It's not like she couldn't afford a hotel closer to the race. I forget where it was reported, but her staying in Austin was apparently some last minute thing and I think there was more to it with her being in Austin. I do wonder if she had booked a hotel in the proximity for a date closer to the race so that she wouldn't be driving 2 hours just to get to the race as that would seem to degrade her competitiveness.

 

[azure]

I think the reason she had those accomodations with her friend was to be by CS since where she was staying was over 100 miles away from the race (the race was in Hico) plus she was still on the payroll of her six figure job at Specialized. It's not like she couldn't afford a hotel closer to the race. I forget where it was reported, but her staying in Austin was apparently some last minute thing and I think there was more to it with her being in Austin. I do wonder if she had booked a hotel in the proximity for a date closer to the race so that she wouldn't be driving 2 hours just to get to the race as that would seem to degrade her competitiveness.

Sure, but there are 5* hotels in Austin that offer way more privacy for a secret liaison. I don't think any of these folks were rolling in dough from being gravel cyclists is my point. Certainly not enough to make it a motive for murder.

 

[Kyle86]

It’s been 5 weeks since KA was dropped off at Newark Liberty International Airport. It doesn’t seem likely that she has any plans to turn herself in, and with her vast funds and connections and global experience, I doubt she’s suicidal.

Unless there’s some stroke of fortune for US Marshals, her being apprehended does not seem likely.

Anyone feel differently?

I beleive it's very likely she is deceased. The brazenness of her crime is what suggests to me that this is not something you do and actually believe you can get away with. My guess is that she can be found somewhere in that campground.

 

[SMK777]

I beleive it's very likely she is deceased. The brazenness of her crime is what suggests to me that this is not something you do and actually believe you can get away with. My guess is that she can be found somewhere in that campground.

You believe she went back up to the campground after being taken from there on May 18 to Newark airport? Do you think her sister and father believed she was thinking of taking her own life?

On the one hand I believe she had enough money and resources to find the will and means to continue on.

On the other, everyone believed that Brian Laundrie was enjoying his game with authorities of eluding capture. There was all kinds of speculation about his parents aiding him and media pictures of how he might look in disguise. Yet he had shot himself many weeks before.

If US Marshals and her sister and father are not searching for a suicide, how will she ever be found?
EDIT:
I wanted to add that suicide would certainly explain why they cannot trace her to any transportation or hotels or calls in 5 weeks — nor have there been any calls to US Marshals from attorneys negotiating surrender.

The murder warrant going out on May 17 certainly could have made her suicidal. She probably thought she couldn’t be charged without an interrogation. It must have been a terrible shock to realize she couldn’t have further contact with her sister.

 

[SMK777]

DBM

 

[Cryptic]

I don't think any of these folks were rolling in dough from being gravel cyclists is my point.

I agree.

Though gravel racing is a rising sport at a time when a certain number of marketers are looking for fresh faces and fresh sports, nobody earns millions off it.

Rather, top level competitors probably max out around 100K (+) from prize winnings (one race series featured 250K in total prizes) and sponsorships of the Red Bull sort.

Certainly not enough to make it a motive for murder.

I disagree.

At the end of the day, people have committed murder over ridiculously small sums of money. As @Sundog pointed out, there is sufficient money involved for professionals to quit day jobs and "live a dream" whose potential earnings are increasing from year to year.

Of course, just because a monetary motive is plausible, does not mean that it is likely. Occam's razor would seem to cut heavily towards olde fashioned and cost free romantic rivalry.

 

[SpanishInquisition]

Sure, but there are 5* hotels in Austin that offer way more privacy for a secret liaison. I don't think any of these folks were rolling in dough from being gravel cyclists is my point. Certainly not enough to make it a motive for murder.

I'm talking about MW in particular who was on the Specialized payroll as a Demand Planner. It's also not just a binary choice between a 5 star hotel or staying with someone for free, like there's lesser hotels. I do think there's more to the story and I hope it comes out, like she could have stayed at the Budget Inn rather than it just being a choice of something like the Four Seasons or her friends...maybe she thought it was perhaps it was safer at a private residence like maybe her friend is armed and could have defended her if an attack came when her friend was there while she would be unarmed and alone at a hotel, etc with it being for reasons besides financial.

 

[Curiousobserver]

I beleive it's very likely she is deceased. The brazenness of her crime is what suggests to me that this is not something you do and actually believe you can get away with. My guess is that she can be found somewhere in that campground.

I think this is a very real possibility. It would explain why no signals at all for 5 weeks.

It doesn't explain the airport visit though- perhaps that wasn't even her?

 

[SMK777]

I think this is a very real possibility. It would explain why no signals at all for 5 weeks.

It doesn't explain the airport visit though- perhaps that wasn't even her?

1. It certainly would explain 5 weeks of inactivity.

2. Well, she was taken from the campground to Newark airport on May 18, less than 24 hours after the warrant for first degree murder came out. It’s obvious her sister had to ask her to leave because allowing KA to stay any longer at the campground was now felony aiding and abetting a fugitive from justice.

3. They had to do something fast— so she was dropped near trains, planes, and buses.

4. This separation from her sister may have led to feeling suicidal, once the reality sank in that it was permanent.

 

[jash]

Well, she was taken from the campground to Newark airport on May 18, less than 24 hours after the warrant for first degree murder came out. It’s obvious her sister had to ask her to leave because allowing KA to stay any longer at the campground was now felony aiding and abetting a fugitive from justice.

Do we know for a fact that she was at the campground before May 18?

I may have missed something but I thought the unidentified male "camper" didn't provide dates for when he says he saw KA up there nor how long she stayed. He said she was there "right before the whole thing blew up". The arrest warrant was issued at 10:40PM on on May 17 but I don't think her name was linked to the killing in the media before May 20. And even then, it took a day or two to really spread nationally/internationally (earliest reference on CNN, for example, is May 23). The original thread on WS was created on May 21.

And the PI stated someone applied/obtained a NY driver's license in the name of KA's sister on May 17 but I don't believe he stated where in the state, i.e. was it in the NYC area or upstate by the camp. Not to mention it hasn't been confirmed that it actually was KA, and not her sister, who got it. If the sister was working for Camp Haven and planned on living there for awhile, she may have had legitimate reasons for wanting NY state ID.