Who Is Mo Wilson? Murdered Star Cyclist Was Involved With Alleged Killer’s Boyfriend

Star cyclist Moriah "Mo" Wilson's 2022 murder shocked friends, family and the professional cycling world — and set off a manhunt for her alleged killer that began in Austin, Texas, and ended in a Costa Rican beach town.

In Texas for a 155-mile bike race, Wilson, 25, was shot and killed on May 11, 2022, at a residence in East Austin, allegedly by her jealous rival in a love triangle.

Police responding to a call "discovered Wilson bleeding and unconscious from multiple gunshot wounds," the U.S. Marshal Service stated in a press release at the time. "They performed CPR on her, but she was pronounced dead at the scene."

Investigators interviewed friends of Wilson and learned she briefly dated fellow cyclist Colin Strickland while he was temporarily separated from Austin-based realtor and yoga instructor Kaitlin Armstrong, whom he lived with at the time of the shooting.

Armstrong was questioned and released. But when police wanted to arrest her as a suspect in Wilson's murder, they found she'd fled the country to Costa Rica, allegedly with a fake passport.

After a 43-day search, Armstrong was captured and charged with one count of murder. She pleaded not guilty and has been held on a $3.5 million bond at Travis County Jail. Her murder trial begins next week.

Why was Mo Wilson in Austin at the time of her death?

The 25-year-old cyclist traveled to Austin from her home in Vermont for Gravel Locos, a 155-mile race through the Texas Hill Country.

Wilson was staying with a friend who lived in a garage apartment in a trendy neighborhood on the city's East Side.

Just days after her death, the racing event took place on May 14, in Hico, Texas.

"We know that Moriah would want the event to carry on, for her compatriots to test their limits, as she would have been alongside her friends on the race course," her parents said in a statement at the time. "We hope everyone feels her passion and support as they chase their own dreams. Her spirit will be there with you all, while training and on every race day."

How did Wilson become a professional cyclist?

Wilson grew up in East Burke, Vermont, where she had dreams of becoming an Olympic skier. She was fully committed through high school and became a member of the Dartmouth Alpine ski team in college. 

But her dreams were dashed after she tore her ACL on two separate occasions.

Unable to ski, she refocused her goals and set her sights on cycling.

“Even if you fail, it will have been worth it,” she told a mentor, according to a website created in her memory. “The process and all that comes along with that is more important and valuable, in the end.”

In less than three years of gravel and mountain bike racing, she became the winningest off-road cyclist in America.

Were Moriah Wilson and Colin Strickland dating?

Strickland told investigators that he and Wilson dated during a break in his relationship with Armstrong, according to an arrest affidavit, which was back on by the time Wilson was murdered.

However, investigators said a search of Wilson's phone uncovered text messages that appeared to indicate that Wilson thought she "was still in a romantic relationship with Strickland even though he was currently dating Armstrong," KXAN reported.

Wilson's loved ones disputed that claim. "While we will not elaborate about the ongoing investigation, we do feel it’s important to clarify that at the time of her death, those closest to her clearly understood, directly from Moriah, that she was not in a romantic relationship with anyone,” her family wrote in the statement.

What happened the night Moriah Wilson was killed?

Wilson and Strickland agreed to meet up at Deep Eddy, a popular pool in Austin. After a swim, the pair had dinner at a burger spot next door.

Strickland then drove Wilson to the home where she was staying and dropped her off at about 8:30 p.m.

According to multiple reports including TV station KXAN, Strickland did not tell Armstrong that he planned to meet with Wilson on the night of the murder.

At 10 p.m., police were called to the home after Wilson's friend discovered her dead inside her apartment.

She’d been shot twice in the head and once in the chest.

Who killed Moriah Wilson?

Prosecutors allege Armstrong killed Wilson because she was jealous about a romantic connection with Strickland. However, Armstrong denied she was involved in Wilson's death and plans to defend her innocence at trial.

The day after the murder, police interviewed Armstrong and showed her video from a neighbor's doorbell camera. The footage showed a black Jeep Cherokee driving up to the apartment. Wilson drove a similar car, according to the Austin American-Statesman.

Armstrong ended the interview and was not arrested. Police said releasing her was a mistake due to a clerical error.

Within days, police obtained an arrest warrant for Armstrong, but she had already boarded a flight to Costa Rica with a fraudulent passport, officials said.

What Is Moriah Wilson's legacy?

A year after Wilson's death, her family hosted "Ride For Mo," a fundraising event for the cycling community near her home in Vermont so they could celebrate and memorialize her passion for the sport.

Wilson’s younger brother, Matt Wilson, said it had been a difficult year following her death as he attempted to establish the Moriah Wilson Foundation, a nonprofit organization created to “promote healthy living and community building by supporting organizations dedicated to expanding access to recreation, sports, and educational programs,” according to the site.

On May 13, more than 200 cyclists participated in 26- and 53-mile gravel routes and guided mountain bike rides through the area’s famed Kingdom Trails. Proceeds from the ride went to Kingdom Kids, a local nonprofit that supports recreational programming for children.

Her family hopes the ride becomes an annual tradition.

“We want to allow our local community and the greater cycling community that’s felt the impact of this tragedy to have a day, an event, and a time to come together and support each other,” Wilson’s younger brother Matt told Outside magazine. “To remember and honor Moriah and what she meant to each one of us.”