Colin Strickland said he didn’t really know Kaitlin Armstrong

Colin Strickland, a former pro gravel racer who dated Kaitlin Armstrong, testified on the fourth day of the murder trial trial on Monday. When asked questions about his former girlfriend, Strickland seemed aggressive and angry. He even pushed camera crews out of the way when he arrived and on the lunch break. Strickland also wore a mask and sunglasses when entering and leaving the courtroom.

Video of Colin Strickland pushing down a photographer’s camera during today’s lunch recess. #KaitlinArmstrong https://t.co/WL9AdbYTBl

— Alex Caprariello (@alcaprari23) November 6, 2023

Day 4 of the Kaitlin Armstrong murder trial

Armstrong, a yoga instructor, stands accused of the shooting death of professional cyclist Moriah Wilson and has entered a plea of not guilty to a first-degree murder charge. Wilson was discovered unconscious with a gunshot wound to the head on May 11, 2022, at a friend’s residence in Austin, Texas.

Kaitlin Armstrong faces additional charge after escape attempt

Life on the run

Just days after the murder, Armstrong made a quick sale of her Jeep and then fled to Costa Rica. She lived on the run for 43 days before a massive manhunt resulted in her apprehension. The 35-year-old was then extradited stateside where she has been awaiting her trial. She has pleaded not guilty to the charges of murder. Just weeks before the trial, she attempted to flee from authorities when she was briefly out of prison for medical treatment.

Newly uncovered DNA evidence links Kaitlin Armstrong to Moriah Wilson’s murder

Colin Strickland’s phone

On Monday, the testimony resumed with the presentation of text messages from Strickland’s phone. Strickland mentioned that at least four individuals had been blocked on his phone, although he personally hadn’t blocked them himself. One of those blocked was Wilson, and the other three were women. Armstrong herself allegedly had control of his messages, and had been reading them the day of the murder. The prosecution has theorized she used Strava to track down Wilson as well.

Text messages shown

The text messages shown to the jury in court included a conversation between Strickland and Wilson, where they attempted to reestablish communication after realizing that she had been blocked. They also discussed racing and strategy, which Strickland described as part of heir typical chats.

Moriah Wilson’s name changed

There were text messages about a contact named “Christine Wall,” which the prosecution questioned Strickland about. Colin explained, “It is no one that I know, but it is the name I used in my phone for Mo.” He had previously testified that he had changed Wilson’s name in his phone to avoid any confrontations with Armstrong. He allegedly changed the name so Armstrong wouldn’t see her name pop up on his phone.

Never sent explicit messages to Wilson

When asked about whether he and Wilson had exchanged explicit photos or engaged in conversations about intimate matters, Strickland responded in the negative. When asked if he ever “sexted” with her, he said he did not know what sexting was. The defence asked Strickland, “You know Kaitlin Armstrong very well, don’t you?”

Audible gasp in courtoom

To the shock of the courtroom, Strickland responded, “No I do not.” Defence attorneys questioned Strickland about what Armstrong was like on May 11. Strickland stated that Armstrong did not appear distressed or exhibit any unusual behaviour. After speaking with the Austin Police Department the following day, Strickland informed Armstrong that he had been with Wilson the previous night, but he testified that Armstrong “did not seem upset about that.”

On May 13, Strickland met with a defense attorney and made the decision to completely distance himself from Armstrong.