Austin Love Triangle Murder: Kaitlin Armstrong pleads not guilty in first court appearance

The Austin woman accused of murdering cyclist Moriah "Mo" Wilson on May 11 has made her first court appearance. Kaitlin Armstrong was arrested in Costa Rica in June after more than 40 days on the run. Armstrong faces a first-degree murder charge and in her arraignment Wednesday, Armstrong pled not guilty. In addition to that, U.S. Marshals had obtained a warrant for her arrest on a charge of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution after she fled Texas in May, traveling to New York, New Jersey and then Costa Rica, where police arrested her at a hostel on Santa Teresa Beach in Provinica de Puntarenas on June 29. A federal judge recently dismissed that charge against Armstrong but it's just a formality, and she could face the charge again in the future if prosecutors deem it necessary. Armstrong's attorneys have also filed a motion for a speedy trial. The docket call is set for October 19 and a jury trial is expected to take place the following week. An attorney representing the state says that Travis County has over 100 murder cases backlogged due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "I don't know what kind of privilege this particular defendant has to cut in front all of these people who have been waiting for trial," he said. The attorney requested Armstrong waive ineffective assistance of counsel claims if they are proceeding with the October trial, saying "I know [Armstrong's legal team] haven't seen all the evidence because we don't have all the evidence to give to them."