One charge dropped against Kaitlin Armstrong
The suspect in Moriah Wilson murder goes on trial soon
On Monday, a federal judge dismissed one of the charges against murder suspect Kaitlin Armstrong, who is being held in Travis County, Texas, in connection with the death of pro cyclist Moriah Wilson.
Moriah Wilson was murdered on May 11 by gunshot. Shortly thereafter, a warrant for the arrest of Kaitin Armstrong went out in connection with her death. As well as the state charge of first-degree murder, US Marshals also put out a warrant for her arrest on the charge of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. Armstrong fled Texas and headed to New York, New Jersey, and ultimately Costa Rica.
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Armstrong lived as a fugitive for 43 days before she was arrested by local authorities on June 29.
After she fled Texas on May 17, she then travelled to New York, New Jersey and then Costa Rica, where police arrested her at Santa Teresa Beach on June 29.
Armstrong used several names and snuck around Costa Rica before she was arrested. According to Deputy US Marshal Brandon Filla, she used the names Beth Martin, Liz Martin and Ari Martin. Filla updated the public at a news conference on Thursday.
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Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Buie filed a motion for the dismissal of the charge of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution on Friday. Magistrate Judge Susan Hightower then granted it.
According to Los Angeles trial attorney Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor, the dismissal of the second charge is a standard move. “This is a routine dismissal because the feds want the state prosecution for murder to happen first,” he said on Fox News Digital on Monday. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office can’t bring Armstrong to trial within the time required under the Speedy Trial Act because she is in state custody.”
She could still face the charge in the future if prosecutors think they believe it is necessary down the road.
Armstrong also has an outstanding charge of theft of services for an incident in 2018 when she walked out on paying a Botox bill at a clinic in Texas. In New Jersey Federal Court, she will also face a federal charge of misusing a passport for fleeing the country using a passport other than her own.
