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Wife's Deadly Family Plot: Husband Lured to His Death
26 Sep
Summary
- Husband lured to Utah by wife for reconciliation, then murdered.
- Wife conspired with mother and brother to kill her husband.
- Family staged scene to appear as self-defense shooting.
In July 2024, Matthew Restelli journeyed to American Fork, Utah, expecting to reconcile with his wife, Kathryn, and their children. Instead, he was fatally shot seven times by Kathryn's brother, Kevin Ellis, shortly after entering his mother-in-law Tracey Grist's home. The family's initial claim of self-defense was undermined by evidence, including Matthew being found with a knife in his right hand despite being left-handed.
Kathryn Restelli later confessed to orchestrating the murder with her mother and brother, stemming from marital issues and fears over child custody. The plot involved luring Matthew to the home under false pretenses of reconciliation. Evidence showed the family had prepared the house, even removing a screen door and planning to place a knife in Matthew's hand post-mortem.
Kathryn pleaded guilty to murder and conspiracy in July 2025 and was sentenced in September 2025. She testified against her mother and brother. Kevin Ellis was sentenced in March 2026 to 15 years to life for murder. Tracey Grist, deemed the "mastermind," received the maximum sentence on all counts in June 2026.
