A woman from Utah confessed to conspiring with her mother and brother to kill her husband, intending to disguise the shooting as self-defense.
Kathryn Lesteri, 37, entered a guilty plea to reduced charges of murder and conspiracy related to the death of 34-year-old Matthew Restill, who was shot in a family home in American Fork last July. According to local reports, she admitted to orchestrating the incident.
Lesteri revealed in court that she had invited her husband to her mother’s house on July 12, 2024, under the pretense of mending their relationship, insisting she couldn’t enter the house freely.
In her plea, Lesteri stated that she and her family had accused Matthew of breaking into their home, which set the stage for her brother Kevin Ellis to shoot him while claiming self-defense.
When police arrived, they found Matthew clutching a knife, positioned oddly, which raised suspicions regarding the family’s self-defense assertion.
Matthew was reportedly holding the knife incorrectly, with it in his right hand. After the shooting, his mother, Tracey Grist, called 911, but a subsequent call from within the house indicated the situation was more urgent.
Diane Lesteri, Matthew’s mother, shared that her son was anxious because his wife had taken their child and family vehicle to stay with her relatives in Utah.
Matthew had agreed to travel from California to American Fork to retrieve his family, but it seemed that little preparation had been made for the supposed trip.
He even discovered tracking devices in his truck, set up to monitor his movements, indicating his wife wanted to be prepared.
Reports suggest that Grist had taken steps to conceal evidence of the planned murder, including covering the sofa in the living room to prevent blood stains.
In addition to her guilty plea, Lesteri is facing felony charges for the discharge of a firearm. She is set to appear in court for sentencing on September 9, potentially facing a lengthy prison term.
Both Ellis and Grist have been charged with murder, conspiracy to commit murder, obstruction of justice, and two counts of domestic violence with children present.
Ellis’s trial is slated to start on January 20, while Grist’s trial is scheduled for January 12.
