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FATAL TWIST

Who was cyclist Moriah Wilson?

Wilson's murder is the subject of a Dateline episode that airs on April 5, 2024

PRO-ATHLETE Moriah Wilson was considered a star cyclist.

The 25-year-old was shot dead on May 11, 2022, ahead of an upcoming race.

Moriah Wilson was brutally murdered on May 11, 2022
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Moriah Wilson was brutally murdered on May 11, 2022Credit: Instagram

Who was cyclist Moriah Wilson?

Moriah Wilson, 25, was a competitive gravel and mountain cyclist.

She grew up in Vermont and was in Austin, Texas preparing for the Gravel Locos race in Hico. 

According to , Wilson had races planned all summer, including one in East Africa. 

The cycling community remembered her as a "super-talented athlete" and a cycling "ambassador."

What was Moriah Wilson's cause of death?

Wilson passed away at an apartment in Austin on May 11, 2022.

That day, her friend, Caitlin Cash, returned home to find the pro athlete in a pool of blood.

Cash testified in front of a jury during the 2023 trial that she tried to perform CPR on her friend.

"I felt a lot of guilt not being able to protect her," she said. "I fought for her with everything I had."

Investigators concluded Wilson had been struck several times with a 9mm round and she suffered from multiple gunshot wounds.

"On May 11th, 2022, Moriah 'Mo' Wilson passed away in Austin, Texas, where she was preparing to compete in the Gravel Locos bike race. In her short time here, Moriah inspired many, lived fully, and loved fiercely," her family wrote on a page.

"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. 

Shortly after Wilson's body was found, Kaitlin Armstrong was named as a suspect and accused of killing her.

On June 29, 2022, Armstrong was arrested in Costa Rica after evading authorities for 43 days, and on November 16, 2023, she was found guilty of murder.

Kaitlin Armstrong was found guilty of killing Moriah in November 2023
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Kaitlin Armstrong was found guilty of killing Moriah in November 2023Credit: Police Handout

Who is Kaitlin Armstrong?

Armstrong was accused of killing Wilson in a jealous rage after she had a brief fling with Colin Strickland, her ex-boyfriend and professional cyclist.

Strickland and Wilson's romantic relationship took place in the middle of a brief split between Strickland and Armstrong.

Strickland testified during the fourth day of the trial, according to .

When asked if he knew Armstrong well, he replied, "No. I do not."

Before becoming a convicted killer, Armstrong worked as a yoga teacher in Austin, Texas.

She also built vintage trailers at Wheelhouse Mobile, a company she owned with Strickland.

After Armstrong was named a suspect in Wilson's death, she deleted all of her social media accounts.

On November 16, 2023, a jury found Armstrong guilty of Wilson's murder.

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The following day, November 17, Armstrong was sentenced to 90 years in prison with a $10,000 fine.

The criminal trial lasted over two weeks, but sentencing was reached only one day after the verdict for the then 35-year-old.

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