A Utah woman admitted to conspiring to kill her husband with the help of her mother and brother, making the fatal shooting look like an act of self-defense.
Kathryn Restelli, 37, pleaded guilty to a reduced count of murder and conspiracy to commit murder for the death of Matthew Restelli, 34, her estranged husband who was shot dead at her family’s residence in American Fork last July, local KSL reported.
The mother of two told the court that she lured her husband to her mother’s home on July 12, 2024, with the promise of reconciling their relationship, telling him he was free to walk into the home unannounced.
Restelli and her family had set things up in such a way that they would accuse Matthew of breaking into their house, allowing Kevin Ellis, her brother, to shoot him and make a claim of self-defense, according to the plea statement.
Officers who arrived at the scene testified that they found Matthew with a knife in his hand, but its placement seemed unusual and raised doubts about the family’s self-defense claim.
Police said Matthew was gripping the knife in the wrong direction and that the weapon was in his right hand — despite the fact that he’s left-handed and that a bullet wound was centered on the wrist holding the blade.
Restelli’s mother, Tracey Grist, called 911 after the shooting, but the call from inside the house came minutes after a neighbor had already notified police, setting off more alarm bells.
Diane Restelli, Matthew’s mother, said her son was concerned after his wife took the kids and family truck to stay with her family in Utah.
Matthew had agreed to drive from his California residence to American Fork to pick up his family because Restelli told him she could not rent a vehicle to come back, Diane told the court.
Despite promising Matthew that the family would drive back together, police said Restelli had not packed anything for the supposed trip.
Restelli had also put a tracking device in Matthew’s truck to monitor his arrival and stayed in touch to make sure he would get to the house so her family would be ready to act, she admitted.
Grist allegedly prepared the home for the murder, which included covering the living room couch to prevent it from getting blood stains.
Along with pleading guilty to reduced count of murder and conspiracy to commit murder, Restelli was also hit with a Felony discharge of a firearm charge.
She is set to return to court on Sept. 9 for her sentencing, where she faces a maximum of life in prison.
Ellis and Grist have both been charged with murder, conspiracy to commit murder, obstruction of justice, and two counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child.
Ellis, whose trial is expected to start on Jan. 20, has also been charged with possession of a gun as a restricted person and drug possession.
Grist also has a jury trial scheduled to start on Jan. 12.
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