Utah Woman Pleads Guilty to Plotting Husband’s Murder With Family
AMERICAN FORK, UTAH — A Utah woman has pleaded guilty to conspiring with her mother and brother to murder her estranged husband and stage the killing to appear as self-defense. The case has shocked the community and unveiled a chilling plot involving deceit, firearms, and digital tracking devices.
Kathryn Restelli, 37, entered guilty pleas to second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and felony discharge of a firearm in the July 2024 death of her husband, Matthew Restelli. She had initially been charged with first-degree murder but accepted a plea deal ahead of her trial.
According to court documents, Restelli and Matthew were estranged and living separately when she devised a plan to lure him to Utah under the guise of reconciliation. A few weeks before the killing, Kathryn left California without notice, taking the couple’s children and moving into her mother’s home in American Fork, about 30 miles south of Salt Lake City.
A Carefully Laid Trap
Investigators say Restelli conspired with her mother, Tracy Grist, and her brother, Kevin Ellis, to murder her husband. The plan involved staging a fake reunion to draw Matthew to Utah and make it appear he entered the home aggressively, justifying lethal force.
Police allege that Kathryn remained in frequent contact with Matthew during his drive from California, encouraging him to visit with promises of working things out. Unbeknownst to him, an Apple AirTag was hidden in his truck, allowing the family to track his movements.
Prosecutors revealed chilling details about the preparations inside the home. Grist allegedly removed the fabric screen from the door to provide unobstructed entry, covered the living room couch with a blanket to catch blood, and relocated children’s toys from the front room to an office—an attempt to sanitize the crime scene and spare the children’s play area.
When Matthew arrived on July 12, Kathryn directed him to enter through the unlocked front door. She then went upstairs while Ellis, allegedly armed and waiting with Grist, opened fire as Matthew stepped inside. Prosecutors say they planted a knife on Matthew’s body to support a self-defense claim—but key details unraveled the deception.
Forensics Uncover the Truth
Police testified that during the autopsy, a bullet wound was discovered on Matthew’s right wrist. The knife he was supposedly holding was also in his right hand—an inconsistency, as Matthew was left-handed. The placement of the knife and the nature of his injuries raised immediate red flags.
Further damning evidence came from the defendants’ online searches. Kathryn reportedly looked up details on other homicide cases and searched bizarre topics like “what attracts mountain lions to humans.” Meanwhile, her mother was researching Utah’s gun laws and recent shootings.
Legal Fallout and Upcoming Trials
Kathryn Restelli wept as she entered her guilty plea. She is scheduled to be sentenced on September 9 and could face decades in prison.
Her co-defendants, Grist and Ellis, are both charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and domestic violence in the presence of a child. Ellis faces additional charges for being a restricted person in possession of a firearm and for drug-related offenses.
Both are scheduled to stand trial in January.
A Disturbing Family Conspiracy
The Restelli case has drawn national attention due to the cold and calculated nature of the crime. Authorities say the murder was not spontaneous but premeditated, with family members working together to ensure its execution and cover-up.
“This was not a moment of passion or self-defense,” one investigator said. “This was a deliberate and orchestrated plan to murder someone and lie about how it happened.”
As the justice system moves forward, Matthew Restelli’s family continues to mourn a life lost to betrayal and violence—at the hands of those who once called him family.
