TX - Former NFL Antonio Armstrong & wife Dawn, both 42, fatally shot, Houston, *son charged* 29 Jul 2016 *Mistrials, 3rd trial in 2023 Guilty*

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Docket update. Do not know "what" D/M in Limine means - I am thinking: Denied/Motion in Limine since the hearing was cancelled for today.


Activities:
Date Type Description SNU/CFI
10/07/2022 MOTIONS D/M IN LIMINE SNU: 926 10/07/22

10/07/2022 MOTIONS FILED CFI 178 10/07/22


Settings:
Date Court Post Jdgm Docket Type Reason/ Appearance Court Results/ Setting Type Defendant Future Date Comments Attorney Appearance Indicator
10/11/2022 09:00 AM 178 Trial Docket
Jury Trial
Data Not Entered To Be Set

10/07/2022 09:00 AM 178 Trial Docket
Jury Trial
Continued N/A Present 10/10/2022 PRE-TRIAL MO. Present


Next/Last Setting Date 10/11/2022


link: Office of Harris County District Clerk - Marilyn Burgess | Search Our Records
 
Tuesday, October 11th:
*Trial begins (Day 1) (@ 9am CT) – TX – Antonio & Dawn Armstrong (both 42) (July 29, 2016, Houston) – *Antonio “A.J.” Armstrong, Jr. (16 @ time of crime/17/now 22) arrested (7/29/16), charged (8/1/16) & arraigned (7/26/17) with capital murder. Plead not guilty. $200K bond. Out on bond 4/12/17.
Trial started 4/2/19 & ended 4/26/19. 7 women & 5 men on jury with 1 woman alternate (Juror #12 excused 4/5/19). 4/26/19: after 20 hours of deliberations verdict was 8 Guilty & 4 Not guilty. Judge declares mistrial.
Re-trial began on 10/3/22 with jury selection which is expected to last about 3 days. Opening statements expect to start on 10/11/22.
Court info from 12/11/19 thru 9/19/22& Jury Selection Day 1-2 (10/3 & 10/6/22) reference post #278 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...l-2016-mistrial-retrial-1-6-20.313665/page-14
10/6/22 Thursday, Trial/Jury Selection Day 3: Jury has been selected. Trial begins with opening statements on Tuesday, 10/11/22.
10/7/22: Defense Motion in Limine. Pretrial motions hearing on 10/10/22. 10/7/22 Update: Motion in Limine-denied. Trial continues on 10/11/22.
 
Activites:
Date Type Description SNU/CFI
10/11/2022 MOTIONS MTN FOR COMM SUPERV SNU: 925 10/11/22

10/11/2022 MOTIONS FILED CFI 178 10/11/22

10/11/2022 MOTIONS D/M ELECTION TO JURY SNU: 924 10/11/22

10/11/2022 MOTIONS FILED CFI 178 10/11/22


Settings:
Date Court Post Jdgm Docket Type Reason/ Appearance Court Results/ Setting Type Defendant Future Date Comments Attorney Appearance Indicator
10/12/2022 09:00 AM 178 Trial Docket
Jury Trial
Data Not Entered To Be Set

10/11/2022 09:00 AM 178 Trial Docket
Jury Trial
Continued N/A Present 10/12/2022 Present


Next/Last Setting Date 10/12/2022

link: Office of Harris County District Clerk - Marilyn Burgess | Search Our Records
 
www.houstonchronicle.com

Defense for Antonio Armstrong Jr. points blame at brother in deaths of their Bellaire parents

Antonio Armstrong Jr., now 22 and a father, is accused of shooting his parents, Dawn and...
www.houstonchronicle.com www.houstonchronicle.com

Oct. 11, 2022

The defense characterized Antonio Armstrong Jr. – charged in 2016 with capital murder in the death of his parents – as a typical teen who sometimes clashed with his parents or lied to them over school.

Defense attorney Rick DeToto said that was no reason for the then-16-year-old to kill them.
[.....]
Prosecutors repeated the past contention by law enforcement that no one else could possibly be responsible for the double shooting. The doors and windows were locked and the alarm enabled when police arrived to the Armstrong townhome.
[.....]
Trask said investigators gave Armstrong Jr. multiple chances “to explain what happened because the homicide investigators didn’t want to believe that a 16-year-old killed his parents.”
[.....]
The trial followed the selection of 16 jurors, including alternates, from 240 jurors this month. A few dozen of those jurors expressed having prior knowledge of the allegations against Armstrong from news reports when the judge asked about their familiarity with the case.
 
Wednesday, October 12th:
*Trial continues (Day 2) (@ 9am CT) – TX – Antonio & Dawn Armstrong (both 42) (July 29, 2016, Houston) – *Antonio “A.J.” Armstrong, Jr. (16 @ time of crime/17/now 22) arrested (7/29/16), charged (8/1/16) & arraigned (7/26/17) with capital murder. Plead not guilty. $200K bond. Out on bond 4/12/17.
Trial started 4/2/19 & ended 4/26/19. 7 women & 5 men on jury with 1 woman alternate (Juror #12 excused 4/5/19). 4/26/19: after 20 hours of deliberations verdict was 8 Guilty & 4 Not guilty. Judge declares mistrial.
Re-trial began on 10/3/22 with jury selection which is expected to last about 3 days. Jury: 12 jurors & 4 alternates. Opening statements expect to start on 10/11/22.
Court info from 12/11/19 thru 9/19/22& Jury Selection Day 1-3 (10/3 & 10/7/22) reference post #282 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...l-2016-mistrial-retrial-1-6-20.313665/page-15
10/11/22: D/M Election to Jury. Motion for community supervision.
10/11/22 Tuesday, Trial Day 1: Opening statements by Assistant District Attorney Ryan Trask & Defense attorney Rick DeToto.
For more info see post #284 (article) here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...l-2016-mistrial-retrial-1-6-20.313665/page-15
Trial continues on 10/12/22.
 
Found a good article on who testified yesterday!

abc13.com

2nd day of retrial: AJ Armstrong becomes emotional in court as he sees images of his parents

An officer and EMT who responded to the scene testified on the second day of trial, recalling the events of that day.
abc13.com abc13.com

Oct. 13, 2022
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Prosecutors started day two of A.J. Armstrong's capital murder trial by showing jurors photos of the inside of the Armstrong home on Palmetto Street in southwest Houston, hours after Dawn and Antonio Armstrong Sr. were shot to death.

Their son, Antonio Armstrong Jr., who's on trial for their murders, and buried his head in his hands. It was the first time we saw A.J., now 22 years old, get emotional during this trial.
[.....]
The first witness was Houston police Lt. J.P. Horelica, who testified he was one of the first to arrive at the Armstrong house minutes after A.J. called 911 for help. Horelica testified that A.J.'s younger sister, Kaira, who was 12 years old at the time, looked frightened and confused as if she had just been woken up.
[.....]
The second witness to testify was Jason Williams, a former Houston EMT, who talked about trying to save Antonio Sr., who still had a pulse when paramedics arrived. Williams said he had to remove a pillow placed over Antonio Sr.'s head, adding that he wasn't worried about preserving evidence because he was focused on trying to save a life.
[.....]
Houston police Sgt. Travis Parkerson also testified about securing the scene and seeing a pistol on the kitchen counter. Parkerson said that, at one point, he saw an officer pick up the gun to which he told her to put it down.
[.....]
Retired HPD Lt. Jimmy Dotson was the final HPD officer to testify, appearing from Florida via Zoom. He testified that the note left next to the gun was "scribbled in an odd way. In a way, you wouldn't be able to do any handwriting recognition on it."
[.....]
Day three of the trial starts Thursday at 9 a.m. with the state's fifth witness. The prosecution has declined to comment during the trial thus far.
 
Thursday, October 13th:
*Trial continues (Day 3) (@ 9am CT) – TX – Antonio & Dawn Armstrong (both 42) (July 29, 2016, Houston) – *Antonio “A.J.” Armstrong, Jr. (16 @ time of crime/17/now 22) arrested (7/29/16), charged (8/1/16) & arraigned (7/26/17) with capital murder. Plead not guilty. $200K bond. Out on bond 4/12/17.
Trial started 4/2/19 & ended 4/26/19. 7 women & 5 men on jury with 1 woman alternate (Juror #12 excused 4/5/19). 4/26/19: after 20 hours of deliberations verdict was 8 Guilty & 4 Not guilty. Judge declares mistrial.
Re-trial began on 10/3/22 with jury selection which is expected to last about 3 days. Opening statements expect to start on 10/11/22. (Trial should last until 11/4/22).
Court info from 12/11/19 thru 9/19/22& Jury Selection Day 1-3 (10/3 & 10/7/22) & Trial Day 1 (10/11/22) reference post #285 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...l-2016-mistrial-retrial-1-6-20.313665/page-15
10/12/22 Wednesday, Trial Day 2: State witnesses: Houston police Lt. J.P. Horelica, he was one of the first to arrive at the Armstrong house. Jason Williams, a former Houston EMT. Houston police Sgt. Travis Parkerson, secured scene. Retired HPD Lt. Jimmy Dotson appeared from Florida via Zoom.
For more info see post #289 (article) here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...l-2016-mistrial-retrial-1-6-20.313665/page-15
Trial continues on 10/13/22.
 
www.click2houston.com

A.J. Armstrong Re-Trial | Day 3: Investigators describe suspect as ‘calm’ after parents were found dead

A re-trial is underway after jurors declared a mistrial regarding a suspect who was accused of slaying his own parents back in 2016.
www.click2houston.com www.click2houston.com

Oct. 13, 2022
HOUSTON – A re-trial is underway after jurors declared a mistrial regarding a suspect who was accused of slaying his own parents back in 2016.
[.....]
On Thursday, during day three of the trial, jurors heard from three additional witnesses.

The first witness was a Houston police officer who was one of the first people on the scene of the Armstrong’s home in 2016. The officer says he drove A.J., who was 16 years old, downtown to see a magistrate judge and then to the Houston Police Department for questioning. The officer testified that A.J. seemed calm, introverted, and eerie following the murders of his parents.
[.....]
Jurors then heard from a retired Harris County hearing officer who testified that she read A.J. his right and had him read the rights himself, give his interpretation, and then initial each line.

Jurors got to hear that audio in court Thursday.

Lastly, the seventh witness in this trial took the stand. That crime scene officer with the Houston Police Department testified his job was to document the scene, and collect and preserve the evidence. The state then brought out several pieces of evidence, including the gun and note found on the kitchen counter that witnesses verified.
[.....]
Day four of the re-trial resumes Friday morning.


Seems like the same people from Day 2 - first officer on the scene. Unfortunately this article does not give the name of the witnesses. Couldn't find another one with names....
 
Activities:
Date Type Description SNU/CFI
10/13/2022 ORDER JURY SWORN SNU: 961 10/13/22

10/13/2022 OFFENSE CAPITAL MURDER (MULTI MURDER) LEVEL FC 10/13/22


Settings:
Date Court Post Jdgm Docket Type Reason/ Appearance Court Results/ Setting Type Defendant Future Date Comments Attorney Appearance Indicator
10/14/2022 09:00 AM 178 Trial Docket
Jury Trial
Data Not Entered To Be Set

10/13/2022 09:00 AM 178 Trial Docket
Jury Trial
Continued N/A Present 10/14/2022 Present

link: Office of Harris County District Clerk - Marilyn Burgess | Search Our Records
 
Friday, October 14th:
*Trial continues (Day 4) (@ 9am CT) – TX – Antonio & Dawn Armstrong (both 42) (July 29, 2016, Houston) – *Antonio “A.J.” Armstrong, Jr. (16 @ time of crime/17/now 22) arrested (7/29/16), charged (8/1/16) & arraigned (7/26/17) with capital murder. Plead not guilty. $200K bond. Out on bond 4/12/17.
Trial started 4/2/19 & ended 4/26/19. 7 women & 5 men on jury with 1 woman alternate (Juror #12 excused 4/5/19). 4/26/19: after 20 hours of deliberations verdict was 8 Guilty & 4 Not guilty. Judge declares mistrial.
Re-trial began on 10/3/22 with jury selection which is expected to last about 3 days. Opening statements expect to start on 10/11/22. (Trial should last until 11/4/22).
Court info from 12/11/19 thru 9/19/22& Jury Selection Day 1-3 (10/3 & 10/7/22) & Trial Day 1-2 (10/11 to 10/12/22) reference post #290 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...l-2016-mistrial-retrial-1-6-20.313665/page-15
10/13/22 Thursday, Trial Day 3: State witnesses (no names given): A Houston police officer who was one of the first people on the scene of the Armstrong’s home in 2016. Retired Harris County hearing officer testified that she read A.J. his right and had him read the rights himself, give his interpretation, and then initial each line. Jurors got to hear that audio in court Thursday. Crime scene officer with the Houston Police Dept. testified his job was to document the scene, and collect and preserve the evidence. That witness also read the note, believed to have been written by the true killer, out loud to the court. It read, in part, “I have been watching for some time."
For more info see post #291 (article) here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...l-2016-mistrial-retrial-1-6-20.313665/page-15
Trial continues on 10/14/22.
 
Settings:
Date Court Post Jdgm Docket Type Reason/ Appearance Court Results/ Setting Type Defendant Future Date Comments Attorney Appearance Indicator
10/17/2022 09:00 AM 178 Trial Docket
Jury Trial
Data Not Entered To Be Set

10/14/2022 09:00 AM 178 Trial Docket
Jury Trial
Continued N/A Present 10/17/2022 Present


Next/Last Setting Date 10/17/2022


link: Office of Harris County District Clerk - Marilyn Burgess | Search Our Records


Not finding any articles for Day 4 Friday's trial... anyone have any better luck?
 
Ah - got a an article in my alerts! Sure wish these reporters would give names for the witnesses....

www.fox26houston.com

A.J. Armstrong re-trial: Jurors see activity on cell phone the morning his parents were murdered

Prosecutors in the A.J. Armstrong capital murder trial showed jurors his cell phone activity for the morning his parents were murdered. The now 22-year-old is on trial, accused of killing his parents when he was just 16.
www.fox26houston.com www.fox26houston.com

Oct. 14, 2022
HOUSTON - Prosecutors in the A.J. Armstrong capital murder trial showed jurors his cell phone activity for the morning his parents were murdered. The now 22-year-old is on trial, accused of killing his parents when he was just 16.

An investigator was on the witness stand Friday testifying about the timeline of events from Antonio Armstrong Junior’s cell phone, which prosecutors say helps prove their case. They say Armstrong murdered his parents as they slept.

A Harris County District Attorney’s Office Digital Forensics Investigator Nathan Gates says that July morning in 2016 when former NFL player Antonio Armstrong Sr. and his wife Dawn were murdered in their home their 16-year-old son Antonio Armstrong Jr. was nearly non-stop on his phone.
[.....]
Josh Armstrong’s girlfriend gave tearful testimony and prosecutors read medical records saying Josh's mental health decline started after his parents were murdered.

Prosecuting attorneys also told jurors two days before his parents were murdered, AJ searched, "How can a car be rigged to explode when started?"

Antonio Jr’s 911 call was played in court.....
[.....]
A veteran Houston police detective that responded to the double murder testified Friday that he never covered a homicide before or since where there are locked doors and windows and the murder weapon is still inside the home. He says a murder weapon is usually only left at a scene if it’s dropped in a struggle for instance.
[.....]
The trial is set to resume Monday [10/17/22] morning.
 
I do have serious doubts about this young man.
 
Monday, October 17th:
*Trial continues (Day 5) (@ 9am CT) – TX – Antonio & Dawn Armstrong (both 42) (July 29, 2016, Houston) – *Antonio “A.J.” Armstrong, Jr. (16 @ time of crime/17/now 22) arrested (7/29/16), charged (8/1/16) & arraigned (7/26/17) with capital murder. Plead not guilty. $200K bond. Out on bond 4/12/17.
Trial started 4/2/19 & ended 4/26/19. 7 women & 5 men on jury with 1 woman alternate (Juror #12 excused 4/5/19). 4/26/19: after 20 hours of deliberations verdict was 8 Guilty & 4 Not guilty. Judge declares mistrial.
Re-trial began on 10/3/22 with jury selection which is expected to last about 3 days. Opening statements expect to start on 10/11/22. (Trial should last until 11/4/22).
Court info from 12/11/19 thru 9/19/22 & Jury Selection Day 1-3 (10/3 & 10/7/22) & Trial Day 1-3 (10/11 to 10/13/22) reference post #293 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...l-2016-mistrial-retrial-1-6-20.313665/page-15
10/14/22 Friday, Trial Day 4: State witnesses: Harris County DA’s Office Digital Forensics Investigator Nathan Gates. Josh Armstrong’s girlfriend. Antonio Jr’s 911 call was played in court. A veteran Houston police detective that responded to the double murder.
For more info see post #295 (article) here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...l-2016-mistrial-retrial-1-6-20.313665/page-15
Trial continues on Monday, 10/17/22.
 
Not finding anything for yesterday's trial. But the court site says

Settings:
Date Court Post Jdgm Docket Type Reason/ Appearance Court Results/ Setting Type Defendant Future Date Comments Attorney Appearance Indicator
10/18/2022 09:00 AM 178 Trial Docket
Jury Trial
Data Not Entered To Be Set

10/17/2022 09:00 AM 178 Trial Docket
Jury Trial
Continued N/A Present 10/18/2022 Present


Next/Last Setting Date 10/18/2022

link: Office of Harris County District Clerk - Marilyn Burgess | Search Our Records
 
Tuesday, October 18th:
*Trial continues (Day 6) (@ 9am CT) – TX – Antonio & Dawn Armstrong (both 42) (July 29, 2016, Houston) – *Antonio “A.J.” Armstrong, Jr. (16 @ time of crime/17/now 22) arrested (7/29/16), charged (8/1/16) & arraigned (7/26/17) with capital murder. Plead not guilty. $200K bond. Out on bond 4/12/17.
Trial started 4/2/19 & ended 4/26/19. 7 women & 5 men on jury with 1 woman alternate (Juror #12 excused 4/5/19). 4/26/19: after 20 hours of deliberations verdict was 8 Guilty & 4 Not guilty. Judge declares mistrial.
Re-trial began on 10/3/22 with jury selection which is expected to last about 3 days. Opening statements expect to start on 10/11/22. (Trial should last until 11/4/22).
Court info from 12/11/19 thru 9/19/22& Jury Selection Day 1-3 (10/3 & 10/7/22) & Trial Day 1-4 (10/11 to 10/14/22) reference post #297 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...l-2016-mistrial-retrial-1-6-20.313665/page-15
10/17/22 Monday, Trial Day 5: State witnesses: No info available. Trial continues on Tuesday, 10/18/22.
 
for Monday, 10/17/22.

www.fox26houston.com

A.J. Armstrong re-trial: Second week of testimony begins

Jurors in the capital murder trial for Antonio Armstrong Jr. heard his police interrogation recording Monday morning before he was charged with killing his parents. This is the second week of testimony.
www.fox26houston.com www.fox26houston.com

Oct. 17, 2022

HOUSTON - Jurors in the capital murder trial for Antonio Armstrong Jr. heard his police interrogation recording Monday morning before he was charged with killing his parents. This is the second week of testimony.

A scientist also testified gasoline was found in a burned spot of carpeting in the Armstrong family’s home, as prosecutors tell jurors Antonio Armstrong Jr. used gasoline to set the carpet on fire and fired a test shot from the murder weapon in the days before his parents were murdered.

A Houston police investigator gave testimony saying, then 16-year-old Antonio Armstrong Jr. didn’t appear to be "scared, nervous, in shock or emotional," while being interviewed by two homicide detectives the morning his parents, former NFL player Antonio Armstrong Sr. and Dawn Armstrong, were murdered as they slept in their Bellaire-area home back in July 2016.

His interrogation interview was played for jurors.
[.....]
The trial resumes at 9 a.m. when an alarm expert is expected to testify that the alarm was working properly.



Sure wish they would give names to the witnesses.... :rolleyes:
 
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