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Utah Woman Testifies Against Brother in Husband’s Murder Plot | Crime House 24/7
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Hi Crime House Community. It's Vanessa Richardson. Exciting news. Conspiracy theories, cults and crimes is leveling up starting the week of January 12th. You'll be getting two episodes every week. Wednesdays we unravel the conspiracy or the cult and on Fridays we look at a corresponding crime. Every week has a theme. Tech, bioterror, power, paranoia, you name it. Follow conspiracy theories, Cults and crimes now on your podcast app because you're about to dive deeper, get weirder and go darker than ever before. This is Crime House. 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. Here's the In Utah, a woman is testifying against her own brother for conspiring to murder her husband. She says he pulled the trigger to kill while he says he was trying to defend 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.
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We're kicking things off with a highly anticipated trial that's happening as we speak. A Utah jury is hearing testimony today in a murder conspiracy case that prosecutors say was planned by multiple family members and carried out inside a home. Right now, a man named Kevin Ellis is on trial in Utah county on charges of aggravated murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the shooting death of his brother in law, Matthew Restelli. The prosecution's key witness is Ellis's sister Katherine Rastelli, who has already pleaded guilty and is serving a prison sentence for her role in the killing. During the trial this week, Katherine Restelli told her side of the story. She's required to testify under a plea agreement that she accepted in September 2025, and in her testimony, she claimed that her brother Kevin and her mother Tracy Grist, masterminded a plot to murder her hus, Matthew. Catherine told jurors that she and Matthew had a turbulent relationship and that she was unhappy in her marriage. She increasingly confided in her mother about her marital issues, and eventually Catherine decided that she wanted to leave Matthew and move to her mom's home in Utah, taking her two children with her. On June 20, 2024, Catherine rented a car and drove with the kids from California to Tracy's home in American Fork, Utah. But before leaving, she said that she placed an apple air tag her husband's truck to track his movements and shared the tracking link with her brother Kevin. According to her testimony. Her mom, Tracy, also knew about the air tag and supported its use. While in Utah, Catherine said she consulted with a California divorce attorney and secretly recorded the call. She feared Matthew would use the courts to force the children back to California. So a day before Matthew's killing on July 11, 2024, she shared the recording with her mother. The Then she and Tracy began constructing an elaborate murder plot. On July 12, 2024, Matthew tried giving Catherine money to rent a car and drive back to California with the kids. Catherine told him that she was turned away from the rental place, so Matthew decided to drive to Utah to get them himself. But in the hours before his arrival, Catherine explained that preparations were being made inside Tracy's home. She told jurors that her kids toys were moved, blankets were placed, furniture and a magnetic screen door was removed to make entry easier. Then she put her children to bed upstairs and gave them melatonin. By 9:30pm she stayed with them there. Matthew arrived at Tracy's home 30 minutes later, around 10pm from upstairs, Catherine said she heard his truck pull up, heard the doorbell ring and then heard gunshots sound off. She also told jurors she heard her husband cry out in pain. Her brother Kevin had shot and killed Matthew and Tracy called the police to report the shooting. But to Tracy's surprise, a neighbor had heard the gunshots and the police were already on their way. When investigators arrived, Kevin told them that Matthew had broken in, so he shot him in self defense. However, prosecutors noted that there were no signs of a break in and Kevin didn't have any defensive wounds. Furthermore, they noticed that Matthew was holding a knife in his right hand, but later evidence revealed that he was actually left handed, according to Catherine's testimony. She later told investigators that her mom had shown her a knife wrapped in a glove before the shooting. This, prosecutors argue, shows Tracy and Kevin's premeditation. Katherine also testified that she wasn't truthful during initial questioning and lied about timelines in an effort to make the story sound believable. Plus, prosecutors present text messages at trial that showed Tracy instructing her daughter not to speak with Matthew's mother after his death and warning Catherine that any statements she provided could be used against Kevin on his part. Kevin has pleaded not guilty and maintains that he was acting in self defense. His defense team also argues that he was manipulated by his sister and mother to pull the trigger. On the other hand, Tracy has also been charged in connection with Matthew's killing and her case is scheduled to be tried separately sometime this month while we watch this conspiracy unfold in Utah Overseas, European officials say they have finally busted the largest European drug conspiracy in the territory's history. European law enforcement agencies say they have dismantled the largest synthetic drug production network ever uncovered on the continent following a multi year investigation involving coordinated raids across several countries. Authorities announced the operation bust Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, led by Europol and supported by national police forces including those in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain and Poland. Investigators describe the network as an industrial scale operation responsible for producing and distributing massive quantities of synthetic drugs across Europe and beyond. The Investigation began in 2024 as Polish Police noticed that a company was importing huge quantities of legal chemicals from China and India. They suspected that the pharmaceuticals might be false fronts for drug trafficking, and investigators later realized that the network relied heavily on legal industrial chemicals that were diverted for illicit use. These precursor chemicals were shipped across borders using forged documents and shell companies to avoid det protection. Once acquired, they were transported to clandestine laboratories set up in rural areas, warehouses and industrial zones. Authorities say the group then exploited global supply chains, ordering chemicals from outside the European Union and routing them through multiple countries to obscure their origin. Once the drugs were produced, distribution networks moved them across Europe and into international markets, including Asia and Australia. Europol says the organization operated like a transnational business with separate divisions responsible for sourcing chemicals, manufacturing drugs, transporting products and laundering profits. Police say the group used sophisticated production methods, allowing them to manufacture drugs at a scale rarely seen before in Europe. Investigators estimate the network was capable of producing hundreds of millions of euros worth of synthetic narcotics and each year the coordinated crackdown took place over multiple phases, culminating in a series of raids conducted in early January. Authorities took down 24 industrial scale drug labs, finding a thousand tons of chemicals that produced drugs such as Meth and MDMA. They also conducted roughly 50 house searches with 45 of those being in Poland alone and 85 suspects have been arrested so far. They're now facing charges related to drug trafficking, chemical diversion, participation in a criminal organization and money laundering. Allegedly, more than 1,000 officers were involved in the final phase of the operation. Investigators also seized encrypted communication devices used by members of the network. According to CBS News. Those devices allowed traffickers to coordinate shipments, production schedules and payments while attempting to evade law enforcement. Surveillance and data recovered from those devices is expected to support additional prosecutions. Europol officials say the scale of the operation posed a serious public health and safety threat. Synthetic drugs can be produced quickly and cheaply, allowing traffickers to flood markets and adapt formulas to evade drug laws. As such, Europol described the operation as a major blow to organized crime, emphasizing that the investigation targeted not just street level dealers, but the infrastructure that made large scale production possible. Authorities say the case demonstrates how criminal networks have adopted corporate style structures to maximize profit and minimize risk. Officials stress that the investigation remains active while also adding that the operation underscores the importance of international cooperation in combating organized crime. Europol officials note that no single country could have dismantled a network of this scale on its own. As authorities in Europe continue to take down these massive illicit drug operations, another team of investigators back in the States believe they've also finally secured justice in a cold case that has haunted Virginia for decades.
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Federal investigators say they've identified the suspect responsible for a series of infamous killings known as the Colonial Parkway murders, formally closing one of Virginia's most enduring cold cases. The FBI announced on Wednesday, January 21, that they have linked a man by the name of Alan Wade Wilmer senior to two more killings that took place along the Colonial Parkway in southeastern Virginia in the 1980s. Those killings were the murders of Kathleen Thomas and Rebecca Dowski, who were found dead in their car in 1986. With Kathleen and Rebecca now added to his tally, Wilmer would therefore be responsible for the murders of six people killed between 1986 and 1989. However, according to the FBI, Wilmer died in 2017 and did not face criminal charges. Thomas and Dowski were both in their late 20s when they were murdered, and they were among the roughly eight people who went missing between 1986 and 1989 on the parkway. The police believe his other victims are David Nobling and Robin Edwards in 1987, Teresa Lynn Spa Howell in 1989 and another unnamed victim. All victims went missing and then were recovered days later. For decades, the cases remained unsolved despite extensive investigation. According to NBC and CBS News, The FBI reached its conclusion after a comprehensive cold case review that included new forensic testing, behavioral analysis and a re examination of witness statements. Primarily, they focused on the similarities across the Colonial Parkway homicides. They identified that some of the women were assaulted and died by strangulation in the 1980s. The Virginia Police Department identified a suspect, but they didn't get any hits in their database to confirm it. So the case went unsolved for years. But when Wilmer, a fisherman who clammed, oystered and often lived on his boat in the marinas along southeastern Virginia, died at age 63 in 2017, authorities legally obtained his DNA and began running it. By June 2023, they finally got a hit. The murders had long raised public concern due to their apparent targeted nature. The victims were young people and couples and the remote locations where victims were found. The FBI emphasized that the case closure does not change the pain experienced by the victims families Officials acknowledged that the passage of time and the suspect's death mean there will be no trial or formal conviction. But they do insist that if Wilmer had been alive today, he would have been prosecuted. I want to note that the FBI has been pretty tight lipped about what exactly led them to believe Wilmer was responsible for the murders in the first place. So we'll continue investigating and keep you posted on what we find. But in the meantime, we're learning about some new footage that has been uncovered in another infamous crime, a scandal that rocked Paris and is now known as the Louvre jewel heist.
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Foreign.
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20Th, 2026, French authorities released previously unseen surveillance footage connected to a high value jewel theft at the Louvre as the museum faces growing scrutiny amid labor strikes and security concerns. The video shows the moments leading up to a theft involving jewelry valued at roughly $100 million. Five security guards are seen scattering as one of the thieves smashes through a window. The guards seem to initially take action, hesitate, and then watch the robbers steal the gems. The theft occurred on October 19, 2025, and involved the burglary of nine open display cases in broad daylight. The robbers got in through a reinforced window with disc cutters, which they also used to cut through the display cases. Staff are seen not intervening, and they have since said that staffers are recommended to evacuate witnesses, not stop thieves. Only one of the items, a crown that was dropped during the heist, has been recovered and the other eight stolen jewels remain unfound. They total about $102 million and they are not privately insured. While four suspects have been arrested, none of them have been convicted in connection with the crime. The release of the footage comes as the Louvre face ongoing labor strikes that have repeatedly forced the museum to close for the third time since the heist. Workers have raised concerns about staffing shortages, security strain, and the pressure of managing record visitor numbers while protecting irreplaceable collections. Museum officials say the decision to air the footage was coordinated with authorities and was not connected to the labor dispute. However, critics argue the timing has intensified debate about whether the museum can adequately safeguard its holdings. French officials have said the footage does not change the legal status of the case, but they hope renewed attention could generate new leads.
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Hey, Sal.
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Hank.
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Lastly, let me tell you about what else is happening at Crime House today. Murder True crime stories is diving into the murder case of Jodi Aria. Some criminal cases become famous because of what happened. Others become famous because of how they unfolded. The Jodi Arias case belongs firmly in the second category. On the surface, it was a murder case involving two people who once shared an intimate relationship. But as the investigation and trial progressed, the story expanded far beyond that. It became a public spectacle, a psychological study and a media phenomenon that raised uncomfortable questions about truth performance and how violence is explained after the fact. Here are three of the most sensational details of the Jodi Arias case and why they still matter. Number one, the extreme violence of the crime scene and what it revealed about the relationship. When Travis Alexander's body was discovered in his Mesa, Arizona home on June 9, 2008, the crime scene immediately stood out as unusually violent. This was not a single blow, not a momentary lapse, and not a crime that suggested hesitation. Alexander had been stabbed dozens of times, with wounds to his chest, back and face. His throat had been slashed so deeply that he was nearly decapitated. And after all of that, he had been shot in the head. That sequencing mattered. Forensic evidence indicated that the stabbing occurred first, followed by the throat slashing and finally the gunshot. In other words, the violence escalated rather than ended quickly. Prosecutors argued that this progression demonstrated sustained rage and Intent, not panic or self defense. The brutality of the scene also reframed how investigators viewed the relationship between Arus and Alexander. What had initially appeared to be a volatile but consensual relationship relationship now looked deeply unstable. Friends described jealousy, obsession and emotional conflict. Text messages and emails revealed cycles of intimacy and rejection. What shocked the public was the contrast between the severity of the violence and Arius's demeanor. Afterward, she appeared calm, cooperative and articulate. In interviews, there was no visible sign of the chaos the crime scene represented. That disconnect between savagery and composure became one of the most unsettling aspects of the case. It forced people to confront the idea that extreme violence doesn't always look the way we expect it to. The photographs that transformed the case from circumstantial to unforgettable. The second sensational detail is the one that permanently separated the Jodi Arias case from most other homicide trials. During the investigation, police found a digital camera in Travis Alexander's washing machine. The camera had been damaged, apparently in an attempt to destroy evidence. But forensic technicians were able to recover images from the memory card. What they found was devastating. The photos began innocently enough. They showed Arius and Alexander together in his home on the day of the murder. Smiling, relaxed, engaged in consensual sexual activity. These images alone destroyed Arias's claim that she had hadn't been there. But the later photos told a different story. One image captured Alexander bleeding, heavily wounded, but still alive. Another showed him crouched in the shower, blood visible on the walls. The timestamps placed these images minutes before his death. The photographs bridged two realities, intimacy and violence. Without any space between them, jurors didn't have to imagine what happened next. They could see the transition. Even seasoned investigators described the images as some of the most disturbing they had encountered. Not because of graphic gore alone, but because of what they implied about awareness and intent. In an era where digital evidence is common, this case remains rare. Few trials involve such direct documentation of a crime in progress. The camera didn't just corroborate the prosecution's case. It anchored it emotionally and visually in a way no testimony ever could. Number three. Jody Arias's testimony and the transformation from denial to self defense. The third sensational detail didn't come from physical evidence at all. It came from the witness stand. When Jodi Arias testified in her own defense, she did something unusual. She changed her story completely. Again. After years of denying involvement and blaming imaginary intruders, Arius admitted that she had killed Travis Alexander. But she claimed she did so in self defense. Describing a sudden explosion of violence during which she feared for her life. This shift stunned observers, but what truly made it sensational was how she presented it. Arias testified for nearly 18 days, calmly and methodically recounting intimate details of her relations, the killing itself and her emotional state. She spoke at length, often correcting attorneys, maintaining eye contact and displaying a level of composure that many found unsettling. The sensational element here wasn't just the testimony itself, it was the performance of credibility. Arius didn't collapse under cross examination. She didn't appear overwhelmed. She told her story as though she believed she could persuade the jury through narrative alone. In the end, the jury rejected her self defense claim and convicted her of first degree murder. Few defendants have so openly attempted to rewrite their own crime in real time under oath before a global audience. That attempt, regardless of its failure, remains one of the most striking aspects of the case. The Jody Arias case remains lodged in public consciousness not because the facts are unclear, but because the contradictions are so dark. Extreme violence paired with composure, intimacy documented alongside death, denial transformed into justification. But the case itself remains unsettling because it refuses to sit neatly in our expectations. It challenges the idea that violence is always chaotic, that guilt always looks remorseful, and that evidence always speaks for itself without interpretation in the end. And what made this case sensational wasn't just the crime, it was the realization that reality can be reframed convincingly, even in the face of overwhelming proof. If you want more deep dive true crime that focuses on the details that change how we understand a case, consider subscribing. Because some stories don't just shock us, they force us to rethink what we believe we're seeing. For the in depth story behind the murder case of Jodi Arias, head over to our Crime House feed for the latest episode of True Crime Stories. 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.
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Looking for your next listen? Hi, it's Vanessa Richardson and I have exciting news. Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes is leveling up starting the week of January 12th. You'll be getting two episodes every week. Wednesdays we unravel the conspiracy or the cult, and on Fridays we look at a corresponding crime. Follow Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you listen.