Houston man, AJ Armstrong, 23, sentenced to life in prison, as he’s found guilty of the 2016 murders of his parents, after three trials – crime committed as a minor meant no death penalty
After three mistrials spanning seven years, a man was found guilty Wednesday in the 2016 murders of his of NFL play dad and his mother, by a Jury in Houston, Texas
Antonio ‘AJ’ Armstrong Jr was found guilty of killing his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Antonio Armstrong Sr, while they slept in bed in their Houston home in 2016
The defendant’s father Antonio Armstrong Sr. was a former linebacker for the Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers
AJ Armstrong, 23, was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 40 years
The verdict comes after three trials in seven years, during which time AJ had been free on bail, albeit wearing an ankle monitor
He married his high school sweet heart and fathered a child
His lawyers say they plan to appeal the ruling
After three trials, Antonio ‘AJ’ Armstrong Jr was convicted Wednesday for the 2016 killing of his parents by a Houston Jury. The 23-year-old was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 40 years
A 23-year-old Houston man was sent to jail for life on Wednesday of killing the parents who gave him a privileged life, seven years ago. Antonio ‘AJ’ Armstrong Jr was found guilty of killing his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Antonio Armstrong Sr, while they slept in bed in their Houston home.
Prosecutors said house alarms and motion detectors indicated that 16-year-old AJ killed his father and mother in their home in Bellaire, Texas, on July 29, 2016
As the verdict was handed down at the Harris County Criminal Courthouse in Houston, the defendant’s wife wept in the as the man with whom she shares a child was sentenced to life in prison for killing both of his parents.
The Houston jury deliberated for about 10 hours after hearing more than 40 hours of testimony from 31 witnesses spanning 11 days during the capital murder trial before finding AJ Armstrong Jr, the son of former NFL player Antonio Armstrong guilty of murdering his parents as a 16-year-old in 2016.
He will have the possibility of parole after 40 years.
Antonio Armstrong Jr ‘s wife, Kate Ober, [center], wept openly listening to a verdict of guilty in the capital murder trial of her husband on Wednesday, at the Harris County Criminal Courthouse in Houston
Antonio Armstrong Jr heard the guilty verdict on Wednesday following two previous mistrials.
Because he was a minor at the time of the murders, he was not facing the possibility of the death penalty.
During the seven year gap between the murders and today’s guilty verdict, Armstrong married Kate Ober, his high school girlfriend with whom he shares a son.
Ober was seen being comforted by her husband’s attorneys in court as Armstrong was led away following sentencing.
Kate Ober continued weeping as she left court with her family
Armstrong Sr. was a former linebacker for the Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers.
Defense attorney Rick Detoto said of his client: ‘He’s devastated. He’s one of the strongest young men I’ve ever known. His family is amazing, and obviously they are devastated right now.’
‘This is a difficult time for them, but they will rally and they will help AJ and his young son and his wife get through this.’
AJ Armstrong [right] was living in the Houston family house wit his parents Dawn and Antonio Armstrong Sr [center] and younger sister [left], at the time of the murders. His older, half-brother Josh, lived nearby. AJ’s attorney’s were unsuccessful in attempts to shift the blame Josh, as a potential suspect
AJ was charged with shooting his parents, both 42, seven years ago. In 2016, Dawn and Antonio Sr. were each shot in the head, with pillows placed over their faces, as they slept in their Texas home.
Armstrong was arrested hours later. He was entering his junior year of high school at the time of the arrest.
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In several trials since his arrest, prosecutors have attempted to prove that AJ practiced and planned to kill his parents. Investigators said the then-teen admitted to experimenting with how to silence a gun with blankets and pillows. A search of the family home also revealed that AJ had both a crack pipe and a pillow with bullet holes in his room.
Antonio AJ Armstrong Jr is found guilty of killing his parents in 2016 by a Houston jury
Armstrong now 23, was out on bond since 2017. He has worn a GPS ankle monitor for his entire adult life.
Between his second and third trials, Armstrong married the mother of his son, his high school girlfriend, Kate Ober.
She testified on her future husband’s behalf during his first trial. For now the it appears the couple will be conducting their life through the bars of the jail yard if if his proposed appeal fails. If the verdict remains Armstrong will be spending most of his adult life behind bars since he turns 63 before parole eligibility,
The defendant, a son of former NFL player Antonio Armstrong was found guilty of murdering his parents as a 16-year-old in 2016. The couple were shot dead as they slept in their bed and their teen son who was grounded for failing grades was the only suspect
AJ’s dad Antonio Armstrong Sr. was a former linebacker for the Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers in the NFL
Investigators have maintained for years that AJ is the only person who could have killed his parents.
The young man’s defense attorneys have attempted to cast doubt on that, even at one point attempting to shift the blame to Armstrong’s older half-brother, Josh, as a potential suspect.
The state, in response, had text messages between Antonio Sr., Dawn and Josh introduced as evidence that prosecutors used to show Josh was a loving son who had a normal relationship with his parents.
Josh also did not live in the house with the family at the time of the murders.
Josh Armstrong, seen [ight], with his parents and younger sister, did not live at home. He was ruled out as a suspect after medical experts detailed the debilitating emotional trauma he suffered as a result of the parents with whom he had a very loving relationship
The alternate theory put up by the defense pointing to Josh Armstrong as a possible suspect was put to rest on the 9th day of the trial when an expert witness, a psychiatrist, told the court that Josh Armstrong was a victim in the case who had been destroyed by the murders to the point of suffering severe mental health issue.
His younger brother AJ on the other hand had been painted as ‘manipulative’ and totally devoid of empathy.
From the onset AJ has maintained his innocence from the time of his arrest with his defense team arguing that his older brother bears closer scrutiny. After Wednesday’s verdict they said they plan to appeal. He’s also sued Houston police in federal court, alleging they planted evidence, to obtain a false conviction. HPD said they have not been served
AJ’s attorneys say they play to appeal the verdict.
On Tuesday, AJ also filed a federal lawsuit against the Houston Police Department, claiming its officers allegedly planted evidence in an effort to move forward with a false conviction.
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