Colin Strickland is an Austin, Texas, professional cyclist whose live-in girlfriend is accused of murdering an elite cyclist who was a love rival.
The victim in the case was Anna Moriah Wilson. Strickland’s live-in girlfriend Kaitlin Armstrong is accused in the homicide and was on the run. Armstrong has now been captured in Costa Rica, the U.S. Marshals Service announced on June 30, 2022.
An arrest affidavit obtained by the Austin American-Statesman shows that police believe the motive for murder was jealousy. For his part, Strickland, an elite cyclist who is affiliated with Red Bull, admits to having a week-long romantic entanglement with Wilson during a break in his relationship with Armstrong but denies trying to pursue a relationship on the side.
Wilson’s family told KXAN-TV they believe she was not in a relationship with anyone at the time of her death.
On Instagram, Strickland posts photos of him cycling.
The victim, Wilson, was a “competitive gravel and mountain cyclist” who “was known as a rising star in the sport,” the Austin American-Statesman newspaper reported. Armstrong is also listed on a gravel cyclist website.
Known as Mo, Wilson wrote about her cycling career and sponsorships on Substack.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Strickland Is ‘Fast Becoming One of the Leading Lights of Gravel Racing,’ His Red Bull Bio Says; Wilson Was Found Shot to Death
Strickland’s Red Bull biography reads, “After leading the field at criterium events, Texan rider Colin Strickland is fast becoming one of the leading lights of gravel racing.” He is 35-years-old, from Texas, and started his career in 2011, the bio states.
“Colin Strickland took a long and uncommon route to becoming a professional cyclist, launching his pro career in his late 20s. Now at the height of his ability, he’s rewritten the record books in criterium racing and is a dominant force in the fast-growing discipline of gravel,” the bio says.
Continues the biography, “On gravel, the 1.88m (6ft2in) powerhouse preferred – and still does – the long-distance events. In 2017 and 2018, Colin claimed back-to-back victories at Nebraska’s Gravel Worlds, which features nearly 3km (10,000ft) of climbing in 240 bone-jarring kilometres (150 miles). Then in 2019 he clinched a spot in the Dirty Kanza, a 322km (200 mile) grail for gravel riders. On a scorching Kansas day, Colin opened up a lead halfway to the finish, eventually winning by more than nine minutes and becoming the first person to finish Dirty Kanza in under 10 hours.”
The U.S. Marshals Service named Kaitlin Marie Armstrong as the suspect.
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“The U.S. Marshals Lone Star Fugitive Task Force is assisting with the fugitive investigation of an Austin woman wanted for a homicide that occurred May 11 in the 1700 block of Maple Avenue,” the U.S. Marshals office wrote in a news release on May 20, 2022.
A family GoFundMe described Mo Wilson as having a “loving spirit.”
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“In her short time here, Moriah inspired many, lived fully, and loved fiercely,” it reads. “In her memory, we are raising money to help fund community organizations that help youth find self-confidence, strength, and joy through biking, skiing, and other activities that Moriah was passionate about.”
The Marshals service says that Wilson was murdered while she was in Austin, Texas, for a race.
“Austin police issued a homicide warrant May 17 for Kaitlin Marie Armstrong, 35, who is suspected of killing Anna Wilson, 25, a Vermont native who was in Austin for a race,” the release states.
“Police responding to a call at the East Austin residence discovered Wilson bleeding and unconscious from multiple gunshot wounds. They performed CPR on her, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.”
A press release from Austin police gave the victim’s name as “Anna Moriah Wilson, W/F, 5/18/1996.”
On Wednesday, May 11, 2022, at approximately 9:56 p.m., Austin Police Department officers “responded to an emergency call at 1708 Maple Ave #B. A woman told 9-1-1 dispatch she returned home to find her friend bleeding and unconscious,” that release says.
“Investigators arrived at the scene and discovered a 25-year-old female with multiple gunshot wounds. Officers and EMS performed life-saving measures. However, the victim died from her injuries. The victim is Anna Moriah Wilson. Wilson was pronounced deceased at 10:10 P.M. by Dr. Escott.”
Authorities noted: “The investigation shows someone shot Wilson inside the home on Maple Ave. Detectives have identified a person of interest. There is no reason to suspect any threats to the public, and the shooting does not appear to be a random act.” The cause of death was homicide.
The 911 caller, Caitlin Cash, said Wilson was her friend, a professional cyclist visiting from San Francisco, the affidavit states. She had picked Wilson up at the airport on May 10, and Wilson came to Austin for a bicycle race the coming weekend in Hico, Texas.
Officers observed multiple fired cartridge cases on the floor but no firearm.
Her bicycle appeared to be stolen, the affidavit says.
Authorities found the bicycle 68 feet south of Cash’s home concealed in thick bamboo.
2. Strickland, Who Grew Up on a Farm in Texas, Went Swimming With Wilson & to a Burger Bar Shortly Before the Murder
The Red Bill bio says that Strickland “grew up on a farm outside Austin, Texas,” and quotes him as saying, “The first time I got on a bike, there was no tarmac in sight – it was two miles on gravel to the highway.”
According to the bio:
By the time he was in high school, Colin was cycling everywhere. He attended college, earned his degree and worked in conservation until age 24, when he took his first race win at an alleycat event. Four years later Colin won the Texas Cup Overall Road/Criterium Championship and the season finale of the Red Hook Criterium in Milan, Italy. In 2016, he made the Red Hook series his focus and completed an unprecedented four-race winning streak with victories at Brooklyn, London and Barcelona, capturing the season crown. Topping the podium at prestigious events, including The State Cyclocross State Championship of Texas, was simply icing on the cake.
The bio says that Strickland “rides nearly 17,700km (11,000 miles) a year.
“I love challenging myself and competing and winning. And the battle of will involved – holding your hand to the fire. I’m happy where I am in life and in this sport. It’s a very sweet spot,” Strickland said in the Red Bull bio.
The bio states, “Strickland is also a passionate advocate for reintroducing everyday bike riding to American culture.”
Wilson was also an exceptionally talented professional cyclist.
According to the arrest affidavit, Cash stated that on May 11, Wilson sent her a text message saying she was going to meet up with a friend named Colin to go swimming. Cash went home to speak with Wilson about her going out with Colin. She left the home around 5:30 p.m. to meet friends for dinner. She returned home to find Wilson lying on the bathroom floor covered in blood.
According to the affidavit, Cash said that Colin Strickland was the man Wilson was going to swim with on the evening of the murder. He lives in Austin and is a professional cyclist sponsored by Red Bull.
Cash explained she has an electronic lock on her door that is unlocked by using a unique code. She receives a notification on her phone when the door has been unlocked. She had provided Wilson with the code and received a notification at 5:55 p.m. on the day of the homicide, indicating that is when Wilson locked the door to go swimming. She next received a notification at 8:36 p.m. to unlock the door, indicating she had returned.
Detectives found a surveillance camera near the crime scene. They observed a dark colored SUV drive past the residence at 8:37 p.m., one minute after Wilson entered Cash’s residence. It slowed down, appeared to come to a stop, directly next to Cash’s home. Daily Mail has published stills from the video, reporting that Armstrong is a yoga teacher.
It had a large bicycle rack mounted on the trailer hitch and other distinctive characteristics. Officers drove to Strickland’s residence and observed a 2012 Jeep Cherokee that was similar at the home.
The Austin Police Department “requested assistance from the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force – Austin Division to locate and apprehend Armstrong, who is an Austin resident. Members of the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force are actively conducting a fugitive investigation and pursuing leads on the whereabouts of Armstrong,” the news release says.
“Anyone with information on Armstrong’s whereabouts is urged to contact the U.S. Marshals Service Communications Center at 1-800-336-0102 or submit a tip using the USMS Tips app. Tips may also be sent to the Capital Area Crime Stoppers at 1-800-893-8477.”
Many agencies participate in Austin’s Lone Star Fugitive Task Force, including the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Attorney General’s office, and various police departments.
3. Strickland Told Police That He Dated Wilson Only for 1-2 Weeks Last Fall
Strickland agreed to an interview with police and stated he lives with his girlfriend Armstrong, 35. They were dating for three years but briefly ended their relationship for one to two weeks in October 2021, the affidavit states.
It further alleges:
During the break, Strickland said he met the victim, Wilson, and Wilson and Strickland had a romantic relationship before Strickland and Armstrong started dating again.
Strickland said that while he and Wilson were dating, Armstrong called Wilson the on the phone and stated she was the one who was dating Strickland. He had to change Wilson’s name in his phone so Armstrong did not know who he was speaking to as they continue their relationship. Armstrong had blocked Wilson’s number in Strickland’s phone. He also had to delete text messages on his phone to prevent Armstrong from finding them.
On the day of the murder, he picked Wilson up on his motorcycle at Cash’s residence and they went to the City of Austin Deep Eddy Poll. After swimming, they walked to Pool Burger to eat. After they ate, he drove Wilson back to Cash’s residence.
He did not go inside the home. He stopped his motorcycle and texted Armstrong at 8:36 p.m., writing, “Hey! Are you out? I went to drop some flowers for Alison at her sons house up north and my phone died. Heading home unless you have another food suggestion.” He lied to Armstrong, the records allege.
He said he arrived home at 8:43 p.m. He sent Armstrong another text. He went into the garage and began working on his bicycles. At 9:21, he wrote Armstrong another text. She arrived home shortly thereafter driving the Jeep Grand Cherokee.
He spoke highly of Wilson and her accomplishments during the police interview. She was a professional cyclist, and he was assisting her with obtaining sponsors. He said she was the best female cyclist in the U.S. and possibly the world.
He described Armstrong as a participant at bicycle races while he is a racer. He told Armstrong in the past that she does not need to ride with him because she “holds him back,” and she is not able to ride at a professional level.
Strickland admitted buying two firearms, one for himself and one for Armstrong between December 2021 and January 2022.
4. In a Statement to the News Media, Strickland Praised Wilson & Insisted He Was Not Trying to Pursue an ‘Auxiliary Relationship’ or ‘Mislead Anyone’
NEW: Austin professional cyclist Colin Strickland has just released a statement about the murder of cyclist Moriah Wilson, clarifying his relationship with her and expressing “torture about my proximity to this horrible crime.”
In a statement to a reporter for KVUE and the Austin American-Statesman, Strickland said there was “no way to adequately express the regret and torture I feel about my proximity to this horrible crime. I am sorry, and I simply can not make sense of this unfathomable tragedy.”
He said he had cooperated fully with investigators and said he had a brief a week-long romantic relationship with Wilson from late October through early November 2021 while she was visiting Austin. At the time, they had both decided to end relationships but after she returned to her home in California, he and Armstrong reconciled. He said he often saw Mo at cycling events and in public settings, including at competitions.
After that point, he said that they had a platonic and professional relationship only and added that “it was not my intention to pursue along an auxiliary romantic relationship that would mislead anyone. Moriah and I were both leaders in this lonely, niche sport of Cycling, and I admired her greatly and considered her a close friend. I am deeply grieving her loss.”
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Armstrong was interviewed by police before she disappeared. The affidavit alleges:
She stated that Strickland walked into the house and said one of the women in the cycling community had passed away. She was “very still and did not move at all as they spoke” during the police interview. She was confronted with video evidence and had no explanation as to why the vehicle was in the area.
She rolled her eyes “in an angry manner” when confronted about how Strickland went out with Wilson.
She said, “I…I’m certain as to even what you mean or what he said because I didn’t have any idea that he saw or even went out with this girl… as of recently.”
The detective said “maybe you were upset and just in the area” and she began to nod in agreement. She nodded when the detective said things did not look too good. She then asked to leave the interview.
The detective contacted a friend of Wilson’s named Jane as a pseudonym. Jane advised Wilson and Strickland “have had multiple romantic relationships together and described it as an “on again, off again’ relationship.” It started during Wilson’s first trip to Austin, Texas in fall 2021. Armstrong discovered Wilson’s phone number and contacted her several times, causing Wilson to block her phone number. She said that Armstrong began following Wilson on Instagram. Armstrong called Wilson and told her she was with Strickland and Wilson needed to stay away from him.
5. A Tipster Claims Armstrong Wanted to Kill Wilson After ‘Shaking in Anger’
The affidavit further describes an anonymous caller who contacted Austin police after the murder and said she was with Armstrong in January when Armstrong discovered Strickland was having a romantic relationship with Wilson even though Armstrong and Strickland were still dating.
The caller advised Armstrong “became furious and was shaking in anger.” Armstrong told the caller Armstrong was so angry Armstrong wanted to kill Wilson.” She spoke of purchasing a firearm. There was a text message of an event where Wilson saw Strickland and Armstrong, and Wilson sent Strickland a message,
“Hey! Sooo I would like to talk to you at some point. I had originally texted you on Friday but appears my texts aren’t going through again. This weekend was strange for me and I just want to know what’s going on. If you just want to be friends (seems to be the case) then that’s cool, but I’d like to talk about it cause honestly my mind has been going circles and I don’t know what to think.”
The next day Strickland wrote, “Hey Mo- I feel very sh*tty for putting you in a position where you don’t feel comfortable. Kaitlin came along the go to a meeting about the sprinter/spartan hotel project. In hindsight, this was not a good idea.”
The affidavit says that based off of this conversation Wilson appeared “under the impression she was still in a romantic relationship with Strickland even though he was currently dating Armstrong.”
Authorities tested shell casings at the scene to one of the firearms Strickland bought and found that the “potential that the same firearm was involved are significant.:
Strickland said he had not spoken with Armstrong since May 13, 2022. She had deleted her social media accounts. For his part, video shows that Strickland left the area after dropping off Wilson and then arrived home.
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