Murdered cyclist Mo Wilson's parents sue convicted killer Kaitlin Armstrong for wrongful death
The family of professional cyclist Anna Moriah "Mo" Wilson sued her convicted killer Kaitlin Armstrong for over $1 million in a wrongful death lawsuit.
In the wrongful-death lawsuit, Wilson's parents Karen and Eric Wilson said they were seeking "monetary relief (of) over $1,000,000.00, including damages of any kind, penalties, costs, expenses, pre-judgment and post-judgment interest." The Wilsons have asked that a jury ultimately decide what damages Armstrong might be responsible for.
"The worst day in the lives of Plaintiffs Karen and Eric Wilson and their son Matt Wilson was May 12, 2022," read the lawsuit, obtained by CBS News. "That is the day they learned that Defendant Kaitlin Marie Armstrong shot and killed their only daughter, Anna Moriah Wilson, affectionally known as 'Mo.'"
The lawsuit alleges that Armstrong "was handling her firearm negligently, unlawfully, wantonly and recklessly and in violation of laws, statutes and ordinances intended to protect people" at the time of the shooting, and alleges that Armstrong assaulted Wilson by shooting her. The suit also accuses Armstrong of wrongfully causing Wilson's death.
The damages would cover funeral costs and emotional pain, among other expenses, according to the lawsuit.
"Many of the elements of damage, including the loss society and companionship representing the positive benefits flowing from the love, comfort, companionship and society cannot be determined with mathematical precision," said the lawsuit.
Wilson was found fatally shot on the floor of a friend's Austin, Texas bathroom in May 2022, CBS News previously reported. She was 25 years old, and had been expected to compete and win a cycling race just days after her death. She was staying with her friend in preparation for the race.
Police have said that Wilson previously dated Armstrong's boyfriend, and the two remained close, spending time together the day Wilson was killed. Armstrong reportedly tracked Wilson using a fitness app, and entered the apartment after her boyfriend dropped Wilson off.
After the killing, Armstrong fled to Costa Rica, where she taught yoga and underwent plastic surgery and changed her hair to avoid detection, according to prosecutors. After almost six weeks in the Central American country, Armstrong was arrested by U.S. Marshals and returned to the U.S. for trial. Once back in the U.S., she tried to escape custody by fleeing from officers escorting her to a doctor's appointment, but she was taken back into custody after running for less than a block, CBS News previously reported.
In January 2024, Armstrong was convicted of murder in the case. She has been sentenced to 90 years in prison and is currently incarcerated at the Gatesville Corrections Center in Texas.
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Kerry Breen is a reporter and news editor at CBSNews.com. A graduate of New York University's Arthur L. Carter School of Journalism, she previously worked at NBC News' TODAY Digital. She covers current events, breaking news and issues including substance use.
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