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Can 12 new jurors do what 24 others couldn’t in the trials against Antonio Armstrong Jr.?

AJ Armstrong Re-Trial, Day 3: Investigators describe suspect as 'calm' after parents were found dead

HOUSTON – Attorneys selected a panel of 12 jurors and four alternates - six women and 10 men - on Wednesday to decide whether Antonio “AJ” Armstrong is innocent or guilty.

That is the question the Harris County jury will be tasked with answering starting on June 5 - an answer two previous juries failed to agree on.

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The investigation first started in July 2016 when Dawn and Antonio Sr. were shot to death.

Armstrong Jr. was 16 years old at the time when questioned by detectives over his parents’ deaths, ultimately leading to charges of capital murder on March 29, 2017.

Antonio Armstrong Leaving Jail

Two years from that day, prosecutors took Armstrong Jr. to trial. The teenager pleaded not guilty before the first jury.

The jury listened to witnesses and evidence for 22 days before deliberating. After two days, the jurors became deadlocked.

Judge Kelli Johnson declared the first mistrial.

The case didn’t end there.

Antonio Armstrong Jr. listens at a news conference called by his attorneys in Houston on July 25, 2018. (Bobby Wiggins/KPRC)

Instead, Harris County prosecutors took Armstrong Jr. back to court in October of 2022 where he pled not guilty, again.

Jurors were sent to deliberate after 12 days of hearing testimony. At the end of the third day of deliberations, Judge Johnson again declared a mistrial because of a hung jury.

Armstrong Jr. is now married and has a son of his own as he faces his third trial. He is expected to, once again, enter a not-guilty plea.

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About the Author
Jason Nguyen headshot

As an Emmy award-winning journalist, Jason strives to serve the community by telling in-depth stories and taking on challenges many pass over. When he’s not working, he’s spending time with his girlfriend Rosie, and dog named Dug.

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