AUSTIN, Texas — On the ninth day of the murder trial of Kaitlin Armstrong, the state and the defense both rested their cases.
Armstrong is charged in the death of semi-professional cyclist Anna Moriah Wilson in East Austin on May 11, 2022.
Erin LaGrone, senior latent print examiner
The state rested its case shortly before 9:30 a.m. Wednesday.
The defense then called its first witness, Erin LaGrone, the senior latent print examiner with the Austin Forensic Science Department. The department used to be part of the Austin Police Department (APD) but became separate in October 2022.
The defense asked LaGrone about her involvement in this case. She said she ran an Automatic Fingerprint Identification System search and conducted the comparison of prints. The defense asked LaGrone if she is considered a scientist or police, and she said a scientist.
The jury was shown LaGrone's latent print section laboratory report related to this case, which was issued on Aug. 2, 2022. The report shows a list of latent prints that were collected from the scene of Wilson's murder. There were 22 latent lift cards from areas around the doors and windows and nine latent lift cards from Wilson's bicycle.
The report states that Det. Richard Spitler requested that all the latent prints for this case be compared to Armstrong's. LaGrone told the court that Armstrong was the only person investigators requested to compare the prints to – she wasn't asked to compare the prints to Wilson and she said she doesn't know whose prints were on the door.
The results of LaGrone's analysis showed that the latent prints were either not suitable for comparison, inconclusive or excluded from Armstrong's prints. The state noted that for the inconclusive results, Armstrong was not excluded from those – they just didn't have good enough information to see if she was included or excluded.
APD Officer Gordon Niels
The defense then called its second witness, APD Officer Gordon Niels. Niels was the officer who picked Armstrong up when she had a warrant out for her arrest on May 12, 2022.
Niels said Armstrong was in her driveway when officers handcuffed her and loaded her into the squad car. He said there were four or five other officers at the scene of her arrest.
Niels said he told Armstrong she had a warrant for her arrest, but didn't say what the warrant was because he didn't know what it was himself at the time. He said Armstrong was calm and didn't ask specific questions on the 20-minute ride to APD Headquarters.
Niels said Armstrong looked indifferent when officers picked her up on May 12. When asked by the defense if she currently looks the same way she did that day, he replied, "For the most part."
Matt Quartaro, forensic DNA consultant, and Bill Tobin forensic metallurgist
The defense then called its third witness, Matt Quartaro, a forensic DNA consultant who helps attorneys and jury members understand DNA results in cases. KVUE was not present in the courtroom during Quartaro's testimony due to KVUE Midday.
The defense's fourth witness testified virtually via Zoom. William "Bill" Tobin is a forensic metallurgist, a material scientists who can provide firearm and ballistic analysis.
The state tried to object to Tobin as an expert witness in firearms identification, however, the judge overruled, saying that the defense is allowed to offer him as an expert in metallurgy.
The defense and Tobin went in depth about the firearms and toolmark examination process for nearly two hours. Tobin said the process is very subjective because there is no scientific framework for firearms identification.
When the defense was questioning Tobin, he said the scientific community is behind him in his belief that the Association of Firearm and Tool Mark Examiners (AFTE) process to identify toolmarks is not entirely accurate. The state brought up several other scientists who disagree with Tobin's conclusion.
The state also asked Tobin if he looked at evidence recovered in this case. He said no.
In response to questioning, Tobin said the defense gave him a $5,000 retainer to testify.
Questioning for Tobin moved very slowly due to technical difficulties with the Zoom. In total, Tobin was on the stand for about four hours with a brief 30-minute lunch break.
Colin Strickland
After Tobin, the defense called Colin Strickland, Armstrong's on-again, off-again boyfriend, back to the stand. The state previously questioned Strickland about where he was around 9:30 p.m. on the night of May 11.
Strickland said he was in his garage when Armstrong's Jeep pulled into the driveway. Strickland testified it was Armstrong who got out of the car and no one else. Strickland also testified that Armstrong did not say she was loaning her car to anyone else at that time.
Armstrong's attorneys asked her if she wanted to take the stand. Armstrong decided she will not testify.
The defense rested its case at around 5 p.m. After that, the state brought up a final witness – Dr. Tim Kalafut, an associate professor for the Department of Forensic Science at Sam Houston State University – to answer questions about the DNA on Wilson's bike. The defense questioned him on how DNA can get transferred.
Closing arguments will begin Thursday, and then the jury will start deliberations. Court is expected to resume at 9 am Thursday.