Ex-NFLer's son Antonio AJ Armstrong Jr. found guilty in 2016 murder

Texas man found guilty of killing his parents as a teenager, sentenced to life in prison. Verdict sparks emotional reactions.

Antonio "AJ" Armstrong Jr., a 23-year-old from Texas, has been found guilty by a grand jury for the murder of both his parents in 2016. Armstrong was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 40 years for the shooting deaths of retired NFL linebacker Antonio Armstrong Sr. and Dawn Armstrong in their family home in southwest Houston. This verdict comes after two previous trials ended in a hung jury.

The jury deliberated for approximately 10-and-a-half hours before reaching a guilty verdict. Over the course of 11 days, they heard testimony from 31 witnesses, totaling more than 40 hours. Armstrong showed no emotion upon hearing the verdict, while his wife Kate Armstrong openly cried in the courtroom.

According to prosecutors, Armstrong, who was 16 at the time, shot both his parents while they were asleep in their bed. He then placed a pillow over each of their heads before calling 911 to report hearing gunshots. Dawn was pronounced dead at the scene, while Antonio Sr. was rushed to the hospital but later succumbed to his injuries. The murder weapon, a .22-caliber pistol belonging to Antonio Sr., was found along with an ominous note on the kitchen counter. The note read: "I have been watching you for a long time. Come get me."

Prosecutors presented evidence suggesting that Armstrong had previously shot the same gun into a pillow and blanket, as well as lit a fire outside his parents' bedroom. They also highlighted his search history on his iPad, which included information on crafting a car bomb. Furthermore, they questioned the credibility of Armstrong's claim that he saw a masked intruder fleeing the scene, as there were no records of anyone entering the home that night according to the security alarm system.

The defense attempted to cast doubt on the prosecution's theory by suggesting that Armstrong's older brother, Josh, who suffered from severe mental health issues including paranoia and schizophrenia, was a more likely suspect. They presented doctors' reports stating that Josh believed he was both a god and the devil following his parents' deaths. Additionally, Josh's then-girlfriend testified that she and his cousin were with him at his apartment on the night of the murders.

However, prosecutors countered these claims by arguing that Josh developed mental health problems after the murders, likely as a result of the trauma inflicted by his parents' deaths. They supported their argument with medical records and testimony from Josh's girlfriend at the time.

Due to Armstrong being a minor at the time of the killings, he is not eligible for the death penalty. His defense attorney has expressed plans to appeal the verdict.