Professional cyclist shot dead in alleged love triangle revenge murder by her ex-lover’s girlfriend | US News

A woman is being hunted by police on suspicion of shooting dead a professional cyclist who had an affair with her boyfriend.

Mo Wilson, 25, was pronounced dead at her friend’s home in East Austin, Texas, at 10.10pm after suffering several gunshot wounds, according to a police affidavit.

The US Marshal Service has issued an arrest warrant, charging Kaitlin Marie Armstrong, 34, with first degree murder.

The affidavit states that Armstrong and Wilson had both been romantically involved with another professional cyclist, Colin Strickland.

It claims that Strickland was in a long-term relationship with Armstrong until October 2021, when he and Wilson became involved. The affair ended and the couple have now reconciled, it adds.

But Wilson had spent time with Strickland on the night of her killing on 11 May, according to the affidavit.

In the statement, two sources claim Armstrong had been jealous of Wilson.

Suspect had warned victim to ‘stay away’

One, given the pseudonym Jane, claimed Armstrong had called Wilson several times in recent months, warning her to “stay away”.

Another said she had become “furious and was shaking with anger” when she found out her boyfriend had been in a relationship with Wilson.

“Armstrong told the caller [she] was so angry [that] Armstrong wanted to kill Wilson,” the source says in the affidavit.

“Armstrong then proceeded to tell the caller [she] had either recently purchased a firearm or was going to.”

Wilson, who had recently quit her job to focus on cycling full-time, was three days away from competing in a 150-mile race in Hico, 120 miles north of Austin.

She was staying at a friend’s house ahead of the event, where police believe Strickland had dropped her off before she was shot.

Authorities in Texas interviewed both Strickland and Armstrong in the immediate aftermath of her death.

Strickland told police he had been in a brief romantic relationship with the victim and had maintained a professional one with her thereafter.

But he said he had been forced to change her name in his phone to “prevent Armstrong from finding them”.

Separately, he said he had bought two guns – one for him and one for his girlfriend – in December 2021.

He issued a statement following Wilson’s death, saying: “There is no way to adequately express the regret and torture I feel about my proximity to this horrible crime.”

When Armstrong was interviewed she was confronted with CCTV evidence of her car near the crime scene.

She responded by saying she “had no explanation as to why it was in the area”.

The 34-year-old has since disappeared and been charged over Wilson’s death in her absence.

Meanwhile the cycling community has paid tribute to Wilson, who used her middle name Moriah, instead of her first name, Anna.

The Vermont-born sportswoman was also involved in charity work, her obituary said.

Writing on Instagram, one of her cycling friends said she was “just getting started”.