Shivangi Sinha
In July 2024, police received a call reporting shots fired at a house in American Fork, Utah. When officers arrived, they found Matthew Restelli had been shot multiple times at his in-laws’ home. His brother-in-law, Kevin Ellis, admitted to firing the shots but claimed that he had acted in self-defense. However, as investigators looked deeper into the case, they uncovered several suspicious details that ultimately led them to dismiss his self-defense claim. Kevin, along with his mother, Tracey Grist, and his sister, Kathryn Restelli, was arrested. NBC’s ‘Dateline,’ particularly the episode ‘The Family Plot,’ examines the details of the case and how the investigation took an unexpected turn.
Kevin Ellis Admitted to Shooting His Brother-in-Law But Initially Claimed Self-Defense
Kevin Ellis was one of seven children born to Tracey Grist and Stan Ellis. His siblings, Teralyn, Kathryn, Timothy, Rachel, Jacob, True, and Aurora, remembered him as a sweet and gentle person who remained much the same as he grew older. He spent a considerable part of his childhood in California, though his life was not always smooth. Between 2007 and 2014, he reportedly faced several charges and convictions related to battery and multiple DUIs. By July 2024, Kevin was believed to be living at his mother’s house in American Fork, Utah. During the investigation, a detective testified that several of Kevin’s belongings were found there, and cocaine was allegedly one of the items.
Kathryn Restelli had been staying at her mother’s house for several weeks beginning in June 2024. She reportedly told her mother that her marriage to Matthew Restelli was not going well and that she wanted to leave him. However, she was also afraid that going through with a separation could mean losing custody of her two children. According to initial charging documents, prosecutors alleged this was when Kathryn and her mother began planning Matthew’s killing, and attempted to bring Kevin into the plan. His defense attorneys later argued that Tracey had allegedly taken advantage of his vulnerable mental health and coerced him into becoming involved. In a phone call after the shooting, Kevin reportedly said that he should have stopped the plan and not gone through with it.
According to the timeline provided by detectives, Matthew arrived at the house on July 12, 2024, reportedly expecting a possible reconciliation. Instead, he was met by Kevin and Tracey. Prosecutors said that Kevin then shot his brother-in-law seven times, striking him in the back and chest. Investigators also added that a knife was placed in Matthew’s right hand to make the shooting appear to be an act of self-defense. When police arrived, Kevin maintained that Matthew had allegedly come to the house carrying a knife and that he had shot him in self-defense. However, a photograph of the crime scene showed the knife facing inward in Matthew’s hand, which investigators said did not support the claim that he had posed a threat. They also noted a discrepancy between when the shots were fired and when the household called the police. Kevin was arrested in July 2024.
Related
Kevin Ellis is Behind Bars in a Prison in Utah Today
Kevin Ellis’ trial began in January 2026. His sister, Kathryn Restelli, testified against him as part of her plea deal. She said she had overheard her mother and brother discussing a plan to place a knife in Matthew’s hand. She also added that she never discussed the plan directly with Kevin. According to her testimony, it was her mother, Tracey Grist, who took Kevin to lunch that day and spoke with him about the situation. Kathryn also testified that her brother was allegedly under the influence of drugs when he committed the shooting. Kevin’s defense team argued that he was not an active participant in the plan and had been “duped” into carrying out the killing.
He was found guilty of first-degree felony murder, second-degree obstruction of justice, two counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child, third-degree possession of a gun as a restricted person, and drug possession. However, he was acquitted of conspiracy to commit murder. He was sentenced to 15 years to life for murder, 1-15 years for obstruction, and two consecutive terms of 0-5 years for domestic violence in the presence of a child. He also received a 0-5-year sentence for one count of transfer of a firearm, which runs concurrently. Kevin is currently held at the Central Utah Correctional Facility in Gunnison, Utah. Further details regarding his parole eligibility have not been made public.
You must be logged in to post a comment.