By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-10-30 14:44:20 | Updated at 2024-10-30 17:23:31
2 hours ago
A Utah woman accused of killing her husband with her mother's help allegedly said she was happy he was gone and went on a date just days later.
Kathryn Restelli, 36, and her mother Tracy Grist, 59, have been arrested Tuesday for conspiracy to commit murder over the shooting death of Matthew Restelli, 42, in American Fork, 32 miles southeast of Salt Lake City.
Kathryn's brother Kevin Ellis had already been arrested for murder after he claimed he shot Matthew dead in self-defense in July.
'The arrests came after an intensive, time-consuming, and meticulous investigation that led detectives to believe that Kathryn Restelli and Tracy Grist worked in concert with Kevin Ellis to lure Matthew Restelli from California so that Ellis could kill Matthew,' police said in a statement.
Authorities say Ellis shot Matthew as he entered Grist's home in a gated community after being lured by the mother and daughter, as reported by ABC 4.
Kathryn Restelli, 36, and her mother have been arrested for conspiracy to commit murder over the shooting death of her husband in Utah
Kathryn's brother Kevin Ellis had already been arrested for murder after he claimed he shot Matthew dead in self-defense. The Rostellis are pictured in their wedding day
Three days after Matthew's killing, one of Kathryn's friends filed a police report saying Kathryn had once said she 'might murder' her husband.
Kathryn also sent a message on a social media chat room hours before Matthew's death saying she had to do 'big girl things this morning,' according to police.
The day after Matthew's killing, Kathryn reportedly told her friend that her husband was dead and that she was 'happy about it.'
The next day Kathryn allegedly spoke to the same friend on a video call as she was getting ready to go on a date and 'displayed an image of blood' where Matthew's body had been found.
Grist reportedly told Kathryn's friend that she would have taken a picture of Matthew’s body if she knew the friend liked true crime.
Matthew lived in California with Kathryn, who was a Utah native and had traveled to the state to stay with her mother, saying she was having marital issues.
Authorities say Kevin Ellis shot his brother-in-law Matthew as he entered his mother Tracy Grist's home in a gated community. Grist, pictured above, has been arrested over the killing
Matthew, pictured lived in California with Kathryn, who was a Utah native and had traveled to the state to stay with her mother, saying she was having marital issues
Kathryn contacted a divorce lawyer while in Utah, per court documents.
Police say Grist said in text messages that she and Kathryn had been 'thinking of ways for [Kathryn Restelli] to not take a rental car from American Fork back to California.'
Grist also allegedly searched for phrases such as 'how to Get my U.S. Passport fast,' 'cemetery american fork,' and 'What To Do? Parental Kidnapping and No Custody Order.'
Officials found a knife in Matthew's right hand at the scene, but said 'the blade was facing inwards towards Matthew instead of pointing outwards towards a threat.'
Police added that 'It appeared that the knife was deliberately placed into Matthew’s right hand after he had been shot dead.'
The day after Matthew's killing, Kathryn reportedly told her friend that her husband was dead and that she was 'happy about it'
Officials found a knife in Matthew's right hand at the scene, but said 'the blade was facing inwards towards Matthew instead of pointing outwards towards a threat'
Detectives eventually discovered the knife had been purchased by Grist months before Matthew was killed.
Grist called 911 after the shooting but detectives said the delay between other 911 calls by witnesses and hers was 'unreasonable.'
Police said 'Detectives believe that during this delay a knife was placed into Matthew’s hand.'
Detectives also believe the suspects had been tracking Matthew through an AirTag.
The Restellis' two children were found unharmed in Grist's home after the shooting. They are now in the custody of child and family servicers in Utah.
