HOUSTON — Both sides have rested in the capital murder re-trial of Antonio 'AJ' Armstrong.
He was 16 when prosecutors say he shot his parents, Antonio and Dawn Armstrong, while they slept in their home in 2016.
The first trial ended with a hung jury in 2019.
Friday, we heard testimony from Armstrong’s younger sister, who was the only other survivor in the family's home the night of the murder.
She spoke about how the family spent their final hours together that night.
Kayra Armstrong testified AJ seemed normal while spending time with their parents that night. She was only 12 at the time.
Kayra called the family’s home security system “very finicky” and said after falling asleep that night, she was shaken awake by AJ when police were at the door.
She also testified that their other brother had moved out of the house two weeks before the murder after arguments with their parents and a big personality change.
“It was like he was there but he wasn’t really there,” Kayra said.
“The important testimony of AJ’s sister was to show, and I think it’s very important, that there were times that he would lock himself in the bathroom for hours and would be talking to himself," said defense attorney Rick Detoto. "According to the state’s expert witness, that’s signs of a high progression of schizophrenia.”
Defense witness forensic psychiatrist Dr. Mark Moeller analyzed the older brother’s medical records.
Moeller read from them, “Patient reports witnessing his parents murdered and reports not wanting to speak about it.”
Prosecutors interpreted the medical records as meaning he saw first responders carry his parents' bodies away.
As a rebuttal, prosecutors called forensic psychiatrist Dr. Ian Lamoureax to testify. Lamoureax also reviewed the brother's medical records and case files.
“The crime scene that I looked at was an organized crime scene. It was not consistent with someone that was in a schizophrenic psychosis," Lamoureax testified.
Prosecutors declined to comment on Friday.
“I think the reality that it’s winding down and coming to a close has hit him (AJ), so he’s nervous,” defense attorney Chris Collings said.
Closing arguments are scheduled to start Monday morning at 10:30.
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