A Utah woman and her mother have been charged in connection with the murder of her husband, a crime authorities allege was carefully orchestrated.
Utah woman conspired to kill husband
Kathryn Restelli, 36, and her mother, Tracy Grist, 59, were arrested on Tuesday on charges of conspiracy to commit murder in connection with the death of Kathryn’s husband, Matthew Restelli, 42.
Matthew was fatally shot at Grist’s home in American Fork. The alleged murder plot is said to have involved Kathryn’s brother, Kevin Ellis, who was also arrested and charged with murder.
Kevin initially claimed self-defense, asserting that he shot Matthew upon his arrival.
However, after a prolonged investigation, police now allege that the mother-daughter duo lured Matthew from his California home to Utah, where Kevin lay in wait.
In a statement, police described the investigation as “intensive, time-consuming, and meticulous,” ultimately leading them to believe that Kathryn and her mother were complicit in a scheme to kill her husband.
According to court records, Kevin Ellis shot Matthew as he entered Grist’s residence, located in a gated community.
Utah woman turned in by friend
ABC 4 News reported that three days after the murder, one of Kathryn’s friends filed a police report, citing that Kathryn had previously expressed a desire to “murder” her husband.
Just hours before the shooting, Kathryn allegedly sent a message in a social media chat group, stating she had “big girl things” to take care of that morning.
Shortly after Matthew’s death, Kathryn reportedly told a friend that her husband was dead, even saying she was “happy about it.”
The day following Matthew’s death, Kathryn reportedly joined the same friend on a video call while preparing for a date.
During the call, she allegedly displayed an image from the crime scene, showing blood where Matthew’s body had been found.
In a grim revelation, Grist allegedly commented to Kathryn’s friend that she would have taken a photo of the body if she’d known the friend enjoyed true crime.
Court documents reveal that Matthew had traveled to Utah with Kathryn, who is originally from the state, citing marital difficulties.
According to text messages retrieved by investigators, Grist discussed with Kathryn, who had contacted a divorce attorney, various ways to avoid her daughter returning to California.
Investigators also found that Grist had conducted several suspicious internet searches, including “how to get my U.S. passport fast,” “cemetery American Fork,” and “what to do: parental kidnapping and no custody order.”
Investigators discovered additional evidence at the crime scene that pointed to foul play.
A knife was found in Matthew’s right hand; however, officials noted that the blade was positioned inward, toward Matthew, suggesting it was not held in a manner consistent with self-defense.
Police suspect the knife was “deliberately placed” in his hand to make it appear as though he was armed during the altercation.
Adding to their suspicion, detectives uncovered receipts showing Grist had purchased the knife months before Matthew’s killing.
Emergency calls made around the time of the shooting raised further questions. Detectives reported that multiple 911 calls from neighbors alerted authorities to the shooting, but Grist’s own call was made after an “unreasonable” delay.
Police allege that during this gap, someone placed the knife in Matthew’s hand to create a false narrative of self-defense.
Victim was reportedly tracked
Authorities also uncovered evidence suggesting the suspects were tracking Matthew’s movements in the days leading up to his death.
Investigators found an AirTag device they believe was used to monitor Matthew, potentially aiding in the plan to ambush him.
Police discovered a screenshot from Apple Maps that was sent from Kathryn’s sister, pinpointing a location in Aguanga, California, which was close to Matthew’s home.
The couple’s two children were inside the home at the time of the incident, but were unharmed. They are suspected to be motivation for the crime.
“Under California law, from what we understand, if Matthew wanted the children back in California, they would need to be returned, and Kathryn didn’t want that to happen,” American Fork Police Lt. Stuart Fore said.
They have since been placed in the custody of child and family services in Utah as the investigation continues.
