Antonio “AJ” Armstrong Jr. was emotionless as a Texas jury declared him guilty of the killing of his two parents.
AJ Armstrong has been sentenced to life in prison for the brutal murders of his father, retired NFL linebacker Antonio Armstrong Sr. and mother Dawn Armstrong.
With his wife, Kate Armstrong, weeping uncontrollably, Antonio “AJ” Armstrong Jr. seemed frozen in time as the jurors read the brutal verdict.
The 23-year-old was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility to ask for parole in 40 years. Antonio Armstrong Jr. was not eligible for the death penalty because he was a minor when he committed the crimes.
It took the jury 10-and-a-half hours to bring down the hammer on AJ Armstrong. The trial lasted 11 days, and they listened to 40 hours of testimony from 31 witnesses.
This is the third time that Armstrong was tried for the killings of his parents. The first two trials ended with a hung jury. AJ Armstrong has been in and out of prison and wearing an ankle monitor since 2017.
Through his legal troubles, he married his longtime high school girlfriend Kate, and they have a son together.
Holes in AJ Armstrong’s story
According to the prosecutors, on July 29, 2016, Armstrong, then 16, brutally shot both his parents — Antonio Armstrong Sr. and Dawn Armstrong — both 42 as they were sleeping and placed pillows on their faces before dialing 911 to say that he heard gunshots in the home.
Dawn Armstrong, who was shot twice, died on the scene. Antonio Armstrong Sr. was rushed to a nearby hospital but did not survive the injuries.
The murderer reportedly left a confusing confession via a note that read: “I have been watching you for a long time. Come get me.”
The note was accompanied by the murder weapon, a .22-caliber pistol owned by Antonio Sr. Prosecutors said several incidents before the murders indicated that Armstrong was the culprit.
The then-teenager was scolded by his parents for getting expelled from school, bad grades, and smoking marijuana.
Few days before the murders, Armstrong shot the same gun that killed his parents into a pillow and blanket, through the floor of his bedroom.
Investigators discovered that Armstrong used his iPad to search for instructions on how to make a car bomb.
AJ Armstrong tried to pin murders on his brother
The defense pushed the theory that AJ Armstrong’s older brother, Josh Armstrong, was the killer.
Josh Armstrong has been dealing with complicated mental issues, paranoia, and schizophrenia, that have led him to believe that he is God and the devil.
Josh Armstrong has been in and out of psychiatric hospitals and has told a doctor that he “witnessed” his parents’ murders. However, Josh Armstrong’s doctors say that he became mentally ill after the deaths of his parents.
Josh Armstrong’s then-girlfriend confirmed that they were hanging out with a cousin at the time of the murders. AJ Armstrong’s attorney plans to appeal the verdict.
