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Crime House 24/7
A Man Drove Nine Hours to Save His Marriage and Was Shot Seven Times at the Door
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- [00:02]
Vanessa Richardson
Hi listeners, it's Vanessa Richardson. Real quick, before today's episode, I want to tell you about another show from Crime House that I know you'll love. America's Most Infamous Crimes. Hosted by Katie Ring. Each week Katie takes on one of the most notorious criminal cases in American history. Serial killers who terrorized cities, unsolved mysteries that keep detectives up at night, and investigations that change the way we think about justice. Listen to and follow America's Most Infamous crimes Tuesday through Thursday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music or wherever you listen to podcasts.
- [00:48]
Crime House Announcer
This is Crime House.
- [00:53]
Vanessa Richardson
Good morning everyone. We have multiple breaking true crime cases this morning that you need to know about and we're starting with the biggest one. A Utah man drove nine hours to pick up his wife and kids and was shot seven times the moment he walked through the door. Today his mother in law goes on trial accused of orchestrating the whole thing. This is crime house 24 7, your non stop source for the biggest crime cases developing right now. Make sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Vanessa Richardson and we have quite a lineup for you today. Here's what you need to know.
- [01:36]
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- [02:07]
Vanessa Richardson
On April 13, 2026, jury selection is scheduled to begin in the trial of Tracy Garist, a 60 year old woman from Provo, Utah accused of orchestrating the murder of her own son in law, 42 year old Matthew Rastelli, in the spring of 2024. The Rastelli marriage had been deter badly. Catherine testified that she and Matthew had been fighting and on June 20, 2024, she packed up their children and drove from their home in Temecula, California to her mother's house in American Fork, Utah, telling Matthew that she needed a breather. Despite this, Catherine admitted in her police statement that she was actively texting him in a way that led him to believe she was open to reconciling, reassuring him, keeping him calm and never once telling him not to come. So on July 12, he made the nint hour drive to Utah, thinking he was going to pick up his wife and kids and bring his family home. But he never made it back. At approximately 10:07pm Matthew arrived at Catherine's home. He took off his sandals at the door. Less than two minutes later, he was shot seven times, three in the back. Gest didn't call 911 until 10:15pm a full eight minutes after Matthew was shot. Catherine's brother, 35 year old Kevin Ellis, was inside the home that night. Ellis told responding officers that Matthew had entered the residence armed with a knife and that he shot him in self defense to protect himself, his sister and his mother. His first words to officers were that guy had a knife. But when police arrived, the lights in the house were off, which is odd if the family was expecting a guest. And the knife found in Matthew's right hand raised immediate red flags. He was gripping it tightly but only had about half the handle in his hand and the blade was facing the wrong he also had a bullet wound in that same wrist and investigators later determined he was left handed. Investigators eventually traced the knife to an online purchase linked to Garist. She had obtained it back in April 2020, four months before Matthew's death. Additionally, when detectives seize all three photos, they found Catherine had been researching spousal homicide cases and that the family had been tracking Matthew's drive from California in real time using the air tag she had planted in his tr. Text messages also revealed that when Matthew initially offered to send Catherine money for a rental car rather than make the drive himself, it was Garist who suggested Catherine fake a sprained ankle, forcing Matthew to come to them instead. After what police described as a time consuming and meticulous investigation, Catherine and Gurist were arrested on October 29, 2024, more than three months after Matthew's death. In September 2025, Catherine pleaded guilty to murder, conspiracy to commit murder and discharge of a firearm. She was sentenced to one to 15 years in prison and has already testified at her brother Kevin's trial. She's expected to take the stand again at her mother's trial. A jury convicted Kevin Ellis of murder in late January 2026. He was sentenced to at least 20 years in prison. The jury acquitted him on the charge of criminal conspiracy, but prosecutors have always maintained that the true architect of the scheme was Tracy Grist. At Ellis's sentencing, prosecutors pointed to digital evidence they say ties Grist directly to the plot. Among the most striking her Internet search history. Gist had searched for Katherine McBan, a key figure in the murder for hire killing of Florida State University law professor Dan Marel. She also searched where was Donna Adelen arrested, Adelen being Marel's former mother in law who was ultimately convicted in his death. Gist's devices also showed a search for a DATELINE episode focused on the Adelen family and a search for how to get a US Passport quickly. Text messages tell a similarly dark story. In the months before the shooting, Gariss texted her daughter, quote, I won't call him. I'll just drive nine hours and strangle him, end quote. Referring to Matthew, Catherine testified these kinds of comments were common in how her family talked about her husband. They even referred to Matthew by the code name Olaf so the children wouldn't know who they were discussing. The morning after Matthew's death, Gist text texted Catherine telling her not to share anything about what had happened with Matthew's mother because it could be used against Ellis. Tracy Garist has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, criminal conspiracy, obstruction of justice and domestic violence in the presence of a child. Jury selection begins April 13th in Provo. And we'll be watching closely as this case moves forward from one family torn apart by betrayal to another cold case cracking open after more than three decades. Our next our next story takes us to North Carolina. Robert William McCaffrey Jr's wife disappeared more than a decade ago. At one point he was the investigator's prime suspect, but ultimately a grand jury declined to indict him for murder. Now McCaffrey is in police custody again, this time for a killing that happened more than 36 years ago before Gayle McCaffrey ever went missing. On Friday, April 10, 2026, a multi state task force arrested 54 year old McCaffrey in Manteo, North Carolina and he's now pending extradition to New Jersey where he faces charges of first degree murder, first degree kidnapping and second degree burglary in connection with the 1990 death of 27 year old Lisa Marie McBride. Lisa McBride was last seen in the early morning hours of June 23, 1990, entering her home in Vernon Township, New Jersey after a night out New York City. When she didn't answer her phone the next day, her family grew concerned when officers responded to her home. What they found raised immediate alarm lights still on inside, sheets stripped from her bed, the telephone line cut from outside and two deliberate slits made in a window screen. She was reported missing that same day. Nearly four months later, in October 1990, a hunter discovered McBride's body in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and the case case went cold for decades. That changed with advances in DNA technology, which ultimately gave investigators what they needed to make an arrest more than 35 years after McBride's body was found. When Sussex County Prosecutor Daniel Perez announced the arrest, he credited advances in DNA technology and years of persistent investigative work. But the New Jersey murder charge is not the first time McCaffrey has been at the center of a criminal investigation. Years before this weekend's arrest, he was already a suspect in the disappearance of his own wife, 36 year old Gail McAffrey, who vanished from their home in West Ashley, a community in Charleston County, South Carolina on March 18, 2012. According to investigators, the night before she went missing, Robert and Gail had an argument. Robert drove to the upstate while their two children slept, then returned the next morning to report his wife missing. He told officers she'd left behind a farewell letter, but investigators determined that letter had been fabricated. It was typed and contained several profanities that Gail's family said she would have never used. Inconsistencies in his story led to Robert's arrest in June 2014 on obstruction of justice charges. Within months of Gail's disappearance, he'd moved to be near family in the Charlotte area and had reportedly started a new relationship months after his wife's disappearance. In March 2018, six years after Gail vanished and just before his obstruction trial, he was arrested on a fugitive murder warrant. But a Charleston county grand jury declined to indict him, citing insufficient evidence. Gail has still not been found and detectives are continuing to investigate her case as a homicide. The Charleston County Sheriff's Office continues to investigate her disappearance as a homicide. Gail's sister, Helen Bonach, spoke to local media over the weekend after news of the New Jersey arrest broke over the weekend. She said the family was shocked to learn that Robert, quote, might have killed someone before in his lifet, end quote and expressed hope that McBride's family would now see justice. Gail's other sister, Debbie Pearson, told ABC4 News that they, quote, have no doubt that he killed her back in 2012, end quote. McAffrey remains in North Carolina pending those extradition proceedings. Whether this development in New Jersey will open new avenues in the investigation into Gail McAffrey's fate remains to be seen. And in another case out of the east coast over the weekend, a man wielding a machete attacked three strangers on one of the busiest subway platforms in New York City before being shot and killed by police. For a lot of people, the hardest part about weight loss isn't getting started. It's finding something that works and lasts that's why Weight Loss by Hers is designed to support you in a more effective way with access to an affordable range of FDA approved GLP1 medications, including the Wegovy Pill and the Wegovy Pen. With Wegovy through her occurs, you can lose up to 20% or more of your body weight when combined with diet and exercise. It helps regulate your appetite so you can eat less and maintain progress over time. And because it's also available as the first GLP1 in a pill, there's a no needle option if that's something you prefer. 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- [13:47]
Vanessa Richardson
11, commuters at the 42nd Street Grand Central subway station in New York City found themselves caught in the middle of a terrifying and seemingly random attack. At approximately 9:40am Authorities received reports of stabbings on the platform. Platform officers responded to find a man wielding a machete who had already injured multiple people. The suspect, later identified as 44 year old Anthony Griffin, was behaving erratically and claiming to be lucifer according to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch. According to Tish, officers attempted to de escalate and gave clear commands for Griffin to drop his weapon at least 20 times. He refused. When he advanced toward officers with the weapon extended, an officer shot him twice. Griffin, who had three prior arrests, Tish said, was transported to Bellevue Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Three people were injured in the attack. An 84 year old man sustained significant lacerations to the head and face. A 65 year old man suffered similar lacerations along with an open skull fracture. A 70 year old woman sustained cuts to her shoulder. All three victims were transported to local hospitals and their injuries were not believed to be life threatening. According to Tisch. Griffin slashed one victim on a lower platform before going upstairs and attacking the other two victims on a second platform. Chief of Transit Joseph Gulata said the attacks appear to be entirely random. Transit service at the station was suspended for several hours as police processed the scene. The Metropolitan Transit Authority reported that subway trains bypassed Grand Central for much of the morning before service resumed in the afternoon. New York governor Kathy Hochul responded via social media expressing gratitude to the officers who acted quickly to stop the threat. One bystander, a 34 year old man named Bo Lardner, described the moment the shots rang out while he was swiping into the station. He said a wall of people rushed toward him through the turnstiles and he sprinted back up the stairs saying had never seen a crowd move like that. As New York processes what happened at Grand Central on Saturday, we close this morning on the west coast where a home invasion caught on a ring doorbell camera in Fairfield, California has been making headlines nationwide. On April 14, 30 year old Jason Nichols is scheduled to appear in court in connection with a home invasion in Fairfield, California that has since gone massively viral. After Ring doorbel footage of the incident spread across social media. The incident unfolded on the morning of April 7th at a residence on Burbank Court. A woman and child were home alone when Nichols approached the front door around 9am wearing a black trench coat, a Demon Slayer anime shirt and flip flops, according to the Federal Police Department. He was captured on the homeowner's security camera, pacing outside aggressively and repeatedly asking where's your daughter? When the homeowner, who was away at the time, responded through the camera and told Nichols to leave, the situation escalated quickly. Nichols began pounding on the door, ripped off the doorbell and threatened the homeowner before attempting to kick the door in. When the homeowner asked who he was, Nichols identified himself as Harry Dresden the fictional wizard detective protagonist of Jim Butcher's best selling novel series, the Dresden Files. Unable to force his way through the front, Nichol made his way to the side of the house and entered through a sliding glass door. With the woman and child still inside, the homeowner raced back to his property. When he arrived, he confronted Nichols while armed with a shovel. The altercation turned physical and both men sustained head injuries in the struggle. The woman and child were not physically harmed. When officers arrived, they found Nichols outside the residence and took him into custody without further incident. He was treated at North Bay Medical center before being booked into Solano County Jail on on four felony charges, first degree burglary, assault with a deadly weapon causing great bodily injury, criminal threats with intent to terrorize, and vandalism. His bail was set at $35,000. Whatever was driving Nichols that morning, the footage left millions of viewers with the same unsettling question. What would have happened if that homeowner hadn't made it back in time?
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Crime House Announcer
Crime.
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Vanessa Richardson
Hi listeners, it's Vanessa Richardson. I wanted to take a brief moment to tell you about another show from Crime House that I know you'll love. America's Most Infamous Crimes. Hosted by Katie Ring. Each week Katie takes on a notorious crime, whether unfolding now or etched into American history, revealing not just one what happened, but how it forever changed our society. Serial killers who terrorized cities, unsolved mysteries that keep detectives up at night, and investigations that change the way we think about justice. Each case unfolds across multiple episodes released every Tuesday through Thursday, from the first sign that something was wrong to the moment the truth came out or didn't. These are the stories behind the headlines. Listen to and follow America's Most Infamous Crimes Tuesday through Thursday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Okay, before I let you go, you know we can't end without giving you a little something extra. Over on America's Most Infamous Crimes. Today, Katie is kicking off a three part deep dive into the case of Chandra Levy. Chandra was a 24 year old government intern who vanished from Washington, D.C. in May of 2001. Before she disappeared, she had everything going for her a master's degree, a prestigious internship, and a passion for public service that had driven her whole life. But behind the scenes, she was hiding a major secret. A clandestine affair with a sitting U.S. congressman. This episode traces Chandra's remarkable journey from a small California town to the halls of power in Washington, D.C. and the relationship that would put her life and a political career on the line. We grabbed a clip from today's episode. Take a listen, and if you like what you hear, don't forget to follow. America's most infamous crimes.
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Crime House Announcer
At first glance, you'd think Robert and Susan Levy were your average couple. They lived in Modesto, California, a quiet little city in the heart of California's Central Valley. Robert was an oncologist, while Susan ran the household and raised horses. But beyond their buttoned up appearances, Robert and Susan were full of surprises. Although they both practiced Judaism, the Levies blended their beliefs with other religions like Pentecostal Christianity, Buddhism and Hinduism. And when their daughter was born on April 14, 1977, they named her Chandra, the Sanskrit word for moon. The Levies were known for living life to the fullest. They took Chandra and her little brother Adam on trips all around the world. They explored the African jungle in Tanzania, the ruins of Machu Picchu and Peru, the ancient temples of Jerusalem, and the rainforests of Costa Rica. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. It took a while for Chandra to warm up to all of that globe trotting. Growing up, she tended to be on the cautious side, like when she decided to sleep in the car during a trip to Yosemite because she was afraid of bears. But as the years went by, she learned to lean into her fears. When Chandra was 12, her mom made her sign up for a 10 day rock climbing camp. She wasn't really into it at first, but she stuck with it. And by the time the camp was over, she was the only girl who made it through all the way to the end. And when Chandra started high school, that resilience transformed into something else. Confidence. Chandra's teachers were blown away by her determination and focus. She didn't get pulled into any petty drama. All she cared about was building the foundations for a career in public service. For Chandra, that meant going into law enforcement. So she started volunteering as a police explorer with the Modesto pd. Most of the time she was just doing office work, like delivering mail or answering phones. But every once in a while, she got to go on ride alongs. The thrill of working in the field made Chandra realize she wanted to be more than a local police officer. She was going to work for the FBI or CIA. Those experiences made Chandra feel older than many of the people around. Dating boys her own age didn't really appeal to her. Instead, she found herself drawn to older men, sometimes much older. For reference, her celebrity crush was Harrison Ford, who was already in his 50s at the time. After Chandra graduated high school in 1995, she was more than ready to move on to bigger things. She decided to go to San Francisco State University, which wasn't too far from Modesto, but still far enough to get some independence. Independence. And she was just getting started. After graduating around 1999, Chandra set her sights on getting her Master's degree and was accepted to the University of Southern California School of Policy Planning and Development. Like always, Chandra impressed the faculty with her intense focus and determination. She also nabbed some major internships, first with the Mayor of Los Angeles and then with the Governor of California. Shonda Chaundra loved working in politics. As always, she loved being close to action. And although it wasn't the same kind of thrill as police ride alongs, she got a front row seat to the high stakes deal making that went on at the highest levels of government. It was the kind of experience that can set a whole person's future in motion. And Chandra was no exception. She was especially moved by a trip to Folsom State Prison, where she went on a tour that included sitting in on a parole hearing. Folsom was one of the first maximum security prisons and housed some of the world's most notorious criminals like Charles Manson and Eric Menendez. So Chandra was coming face to face with some of the most dangerous people on the planet. It was another core memory for her and it set the wheels in motion for a decision that would have huge ramifications. In the summer of 2000, after her final semester of grad school school, the 23 year old got one final internship. She needed to finish her degree with the Public affairs office of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Any internship in Washington D.C. was a huge resume booster for an aspiring public servant. And this one was especially big for Chandra. It was a major step towards accomplishing her goal of working for the FBI or CIA. Chandra's entire life had been leading up to this moment. And like always, she was ready for anything that came her way. Shortly after arriving in D.C. in the fall, she made a surprising connection. In October of 2000, one of Chandra's friends who was also in D.C. reached out to her. She was in the same graduate program and still needed that final internship for her degree. So she asked Chandra to go to Capitol Hill with her to put out some feelers. Chandra and her friends started visiting the offices of different congressmen and women in what they called political field trips. One of the field trips led them to the office of Chandra's representative from Modesto, Congressman Gary Condit. The Secretary told them to take a seat in the reception area till someone could talk to them. Chandra figured they'd have a quick meet and greet with an overworked staffer. So she was surprised when Congressman Condit personally came out from his office to say hi the second she saw him. Sean Chandra couldn't help but feel drawn in. He was the exact kind of guy she was into. If you squinted, you could even see a resemblance to Harrison Ford. Not only that, but he was the kind of public servant she aspired to be, one who always took time out of their busy schedule to talk to constituents because not only did he sit down for a glass of grape juice with them, Condit took them on a personal tour around the Capitol building. As they headed back to Condit's office, he impressed Chandra again. When her friend asked him for help getting her an internship, Condit said he could do her one better and offered her a job in his office right then and there. And even though Chandra already had an internship, he also offered to help her however he could. Condit gave her his email address and phone number for his office and told her to call anytime for advice or anything else. To Chandra and her friend, their outing was a huge success. Her friend had a job and Chandra had a personal contact with a powerful man in Washington. And she was determined not to let that connection go to waste. So a few days later, she picked up the phone and called Conhid's office. And it was that call that changed both of their lives forever.
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Vanessa Richardson
That's Katie Ring, host of America's Most Infamous Crimes. And that is just a taste. Part one of the deep dive into the case of Chandra Levy is out right now on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Just search America America's Most Infamous Crimes and make sure you follow so you don't miss part two and part three. You've been listening to Crime House 247 bringing you breaking crime news. I'm Vanessa Richardson. We'll be back tomorrow morning with more developing stories. Stay safe and thanks for listening. Thanks for listening to today's episode. Not sure what to listen to next. Next, check out America's Most Infamous Crimes, hosted by Katie Ring. From serial killers to unsolved mysteries and game changing investigations, each week Katie takes on a notorious criminal case in American history. Listen to and follow America's Most Infamous Crimes now. Wherever you listen to podcasts,