The Family Plot

29:04Many times. Too many to count? Oh, my gosh. Well, whenever there was a function early on, the answer was yes to all of them. To the point where we'd make a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner, and she'd be too drunk to come down and join us for dinner. Other times, they say, Kate would lash out at whoever she felt had crossed her. I mean, you could see it in her eyes whenever this would happen. It was instantaneously like, I'm coming after you. And there was no stopping it. And most of the time it was verbal. It was almost always verbal. Just nasty stuff directed at other people. She was never wrong.

29:43You know, she would make these comments that were just off the wall and just how she would convey herself to the rest of the family. It was embarrassing. You're making her sound absolutely toxic. Toxic. Totally toxic. Even Terilyn, who helped her sister escape that marriage, admits Kate could be a lot. I love her immensely, but also she's the one who would cause the issue at the family gathering. She would cause a scene, get upset, quick to anger. It was just Kate. She's difficult. She says the drama only intensified when Kate met Matt. Taralyn knew they weren't right for each other and says she was pretty honest about that.

30:35I tried to get them to not get married. She was so mad at me because right before they were getting married, I told Matt not to marry her. I said, don't do this. The couple married anyway. At the reception, Kate and Terilyn's dad, Stan, cautioned the new bride. You said to Kate, in the presence of witnesses, you're marrying into a good family, don't screw it up. Yes. I said that at her wedding because I knew that she'd somehow make a mistake of that. It doesn't sound like Kate took your advice. No, she didn't. No, she didn't. Diane also says Kate was not doing her part to make the marriage work.

31:28She was not helping at all in any financial things that they needed. And she kind of had the attitude that, you know, Matt was her stud and she doesn't need to work. And yet they needed things. They needed things. They had a lot of repairs with the equipment, you know, the tractors and the diesels. and they had a lot of repairs. And I would see little glimmers of, hey, she's learning how to cook. She's learning how to bake. Little glimmers. But it just was only a glimmer. It just didn't last. One of those glimmers was when Kate quit drinking, though it soon became clear she had exchanged one vice for another.

32:08She was using marijuana dab. I don't know what that is. They're basically, it's kind of a jelly type of concentrated marijuana that's in little jars. And I think they use a water pipe to put it in. So it's a stronger wave. I think it's much stronger, yeah. According to friends and family, Kate dabbed so much during the day. She had this designated smoking camper at home. Things became so heated that Kate got physical with Matt. And she was arrested for domestic violence. Her case was dismissed once Kate completed anger management classes. Those did not seem to help. By March of 2022, the Rostelli family had seen enough.

32:56We were not going to involve Kate anymore because of how volatile she was as a human being. At Father's Day, they told Matt as much. Then that rubbed Matt the wrong way. Yes, Matt was, he was pissed. I mean, literally, he just, he grabbed his stuff and he left. Last time I saw him, last time I spoke to him. By the time Matt was killed, Paul and Mark had not spoken with their brother in more than two years. The issue was Kate. I said explicitly to my mom, she isolated him. I need to call him. And that's the step that I, to this day, will regret not doing. You didn't call him? I didn't call him.

33:41I didn't want to get dragged back in to their nonsense, to their drama. But I had no thought that this was my only opportunity to call my brother. So if I'm given the opportunity to call someone in need, I will call them in a split-second, moment's notice, because I'm not going to miss out on what I missed out the first time.

34:05You want to stop a second? No, I'm good. I just can't not tear up thinking about that. Yeah. The Rostelli family wrestled with grief, along with growing doubt about what really took place in the living room that night. What happened next turned suspicion into outright anger. I tell my mom we're at war.

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36:49Two days after Matt Rostelli was killed, his mom received a message. Kate wanted to talk. By now, both Diane and Mark were suspicious of her. So once again, they recorded the call. So tell me what's on your mind. I want a proper memorial for me. And the kids are my concern. The kids are just supposed to happen. So when Kate says we need to have a good funeral, that's asking for money. Yes. As far as a memorial service for Matt, you have all the cards in your hand for that event. So, you know, you will have to do what you wish to do. Okay, I have no money for any of that, so I won't figure out how I will do that then.

37:47It seemed Kate had dealt with the grief phase and moved straight to the GoFundMe part. Your husband is dead, and you're ready to just instantaneously talk about funerals and move on, when we still don't know at all what happened. Diane pressed Kate for answers. And do you believe that this particular shooting was justified? That's when she heard another voice in the background. Diane, I can't answer that question. I hear your mom in the background. She's giving you answers. And during that entire conversation, Mom is whispering the answers. Like whispering, like telling her what to say? Yes. I understand.

38:35When you hear Tracy coaching Kate, what do you think? They're in on it. Diane wanted to know more about the gun, which Tracy said she bought for protection during the pandemic. and how it got out of its lockbox in the garage. To me, somebody brought that gun out of the garage. I was not downstairs. I do not know what happened, okay? I cannot give you any answers, Diane. Kate told Diane Tracy had tried to help Matt after he was shot, but couldn't say how. Getting nowhere with Kate, Diane asked to speak with Tracy, mom to mom. Hi. You know, Tracy, when were you able to give life-saving measures to Matt?

39:32I'm in so much shock, and I can't have the conversation going over the experience again because I am so sad. I just need some time. Did you really try to save him, Tracy?

39:52Did you really try to save him? I was on the phone. Did Kevin try to save him? Yes. And what did he do? I don't know. The moment the phone call ends, I tell my mom they did this and we're at war. The Rostellis were so disturbed by the call, they handed it over to investigators working the case. The detectives had also discovered some interesting information in the days after the shooting. It had to do with Matt's trip to his mother-in-law's house on the day he was killed. Matt and Kate's home in California to American Fork, Utah is a drive of roughly 10 hours. Matt made this drive in his truck alone.

40:38Except, Matt was not really alone. Someone was following his every move. Police learned there was an air tag in Matt's truck. I mean, the conclusion is inescapable that somebody wanted to know where Matt was leading up to his killing. Yeah, that's what it seemed like for sure. They needed to find out who. Investigators had asked Kate for her phone the night of the shooting. Now, Detective Nordean searched it for any mention of an air tag. And that's where we've seen a bunch of text messages about an AirTag. He discovered the AirTag could be accessed by most of Kate's family, including her sisters, Tara Lynn and Rachel, and her brother Kevin.

41:28I was able to find a picture that was sent to Catherine from one of her sisters that had the AirTag location and it was labeled truck. And just in case you have any lingering doubts about how Kate's family felt about Matt, this was the emoji they assigned to his air tag. In the weeks leading up to the shooting, the family members texted each other about Matt's location. Kevin wrote to Kate, And just five minutes before Matt arrived at the house, this, from Sister Rachel to Kevin, saying Matt was in the neighboring town of Orem. Kate's sisters were helping her track Matt. Yes. You questioned Rachel and Terrilyn about their involvement in this.

42:21No. We attempted to, or at least Rachel told us that she was advised by counsel not to talk to us. Terrilyn says she never spoke with police either. If she had, she says, she would have explained the AirTag was perfectly innocent. It was your idea to put the AirTag in the truck. It was my idea. But Kate actually did it. Kate did it, yeah. I have AirTag PTSD. So it was my daughter's AirTag. We had it on her, tied it to her shoe at Disneyland. Tara Lynn says that's what gave her the idea. On the day Taralyn helped her sister leave California and Matt behind, she says she coaxed a hesitant Kate into placing the air tag inside Matt's truck before leaving.

43:16I told Kate, I said, we should put an air tag in the truck, because that way you know if he starts to follow you. We were trying to keep her safe. She was terrified that night that he would follow one of my mom's. Do you understand that that makes it look as if you're complicit in a plot to track match? Oh, I'm very aware that that makes me look complicit. I've never regretted something more than the stupid emoji I made on that air tag or putting it, giving her the air tag to put in the truck. Two families, two very different stories. Detectives would have to do some more digging. So where do you start?

43:53with the evidence, just like every investigation. We just started with the physical evidence. That evidence was about to reveal a lot more about the night Matt Restelli was killed.

44:19Detective Nordean had the difficult job of sorting through the tangled knot that was Matt and Kate's relationship. He began the way all good detectives do, by following the evidence. First, what was found at the crime scene? Right off the bat was a knife in Matt's hand. So the way it was in his hand, it looked like it was backwards. Meaning the knife's finger grip was facing Matt's palm. And the backside of the handle was pressed against his fingers. The way he was holding it, it didn't look like he was holding it in a manner to hurt people, to slash or stab anyone. Now look at Matt's flip-flops.

45:03They're not on his feet. In the body cam video, you can see them placed neatly by the front door. Who storms in for a home invasion, but first politely takes off their shoes? Matt Restelli was not some hardened criminal. No, I don't think so. And from Matt's mom, Diane, Nordean learned something truly fascinating. Nice found in his right hand, but he's left-handed. Correct. If Kevin's telling the truth, Matt Rustelli literally brought a knife to a gunfight, right? And he's also holding it the wrong way, and in his non-dominant hand. Correct. So from early on, this is sort of feeling like not self-defense.

45:51Correct. Police found the gun Kevin used to kill Matt on the kitchen counter when they arrived. And they also searched Kevin. So I'm going to have you stand up. I'm just going to pat you down real quick, okay? Kevin told them he had a holster on him. Not any of you being aware of? I've only got the holster that was in my pocket. That's it. You can ask any gun owner or any cop if they wear a holster at 10 o 'clock at night and they're home sitting around with the family. And the answer is no. You just don't do that. But you would wear one if you were expecting to use it. Correct. From Matt's autopsy, the location of one of his gunshot wounds raised another question.

46:32In his right hand, his non-dominant hand that he was holding the knife in, there was a gunshot wound that went through his wrist. And that's significant because being shot through the wrist would cause you to drop a knife. That's what I would assume, yeah. That's one more piece of evidence that says somebody staged this by putting the knife in Matt's hand. Correct. So, had Kevin been too eager to defend Kate that night, and then maybe tried to cover it up? Terrilyn says Kevin had long considered himself the family's protector. Kevin would always say, I'll be here for you. If you need anything, I'm here for you.

47:13Terilyn says that remained true even as Kevin battled his own demons. The night of the shooting, detectives found a rolled-up dollar bill in Kevin's bedroom that tested positive for cocaine. That's something we need to investigate to see if that is what led to the homicide or not, or if that influenced it in any way. Or whether he's given himself sort of a shot of courage before doing this shooting. Yeah, that's definitely a possibility as well. Terrilyn says Kevin was always sweet, but struggled after his fiancée ended their engagement three years before. After that breakup, he was really, really depressed in a dark spot.

47:56And he'd talked about suicide. That's when Kevin moved back home in every sense of that term. My mom would still make his bed for him. She'd still give him 20 bucks every night to go to the pool hall. She would pay for his drinks, bought him a car, told him to get a job numerous times. But she'd say, it's my baby. I'm going to take care of him. He's sad. Sounds like he was completely dependent on your mom. He was. Even as Detective Nordean learned more about this family, he continued to focus on the crime scene. To establish a timeline for the evening, he paid close attention to that security video from the house across the street.

48:45That did capture Matt's truck pulling up to the house. What time was that? 10.06. The next door neighbor says she hears gunshots at 10.07. Correct. Yeah, I believe she said she waited about a minute or two before she called 911. Meaning Matt was only in the house for about 60 seconds before he was shot. The neighbor's 911 call was logged at 10.09 p.m. Tracy doesn't call until 10.15. Correct. So about eight minutes passed from when the shots were fired to when Tracy called police. What do you think happened during those minutes? So that's something we're trying to find out.

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51:11Investigators had questions about Kate's mom, Tracy Grist, and about why she waited so long to call 911 on the night Matt was shot. They learned she had a complicated past. What was it like growing up with Tracy as a mom? And in a lot of ways, it was magical. My mom was the mom that all my friends wished they had. Tara Lynn says there was a little less magic as she got older. I feel like she had a couple more kids than she could really handle. There are seven total? Yes, there are seven of us. So I'm the oldest. My dad and my mom had four kids. How many marriages? Four. Those were followed by four contentious divorces.

51:56Stan, husband number one, says his split with Tracy was terrible. In the custody fight between the two of you, she accused you of abusing the children. And I'm going to say this, as God is my witness, that is a bunch of bull because I never touched my children. I never hurt them. Terry Bishop was best friends with Tracy for three decades. She says Tracy invented stories about all her exes. After she would marry one of them and it didn't work out, then what, all of a sudden she was saying things that were not true. Exactly. She always got custody. She always got custody. And she did and said whatever she had to say or do to get custody.

52:46She says that's because Tracy lived for her children. him. When Tracy heard from her daughter Kate things weren't going well with Matt, she got involved. Investigators dug up a text thread from January of that year. In it, Tracy told Kate, I just told your husband don't mess with my child. I want you to know I meant that. He should not mess with you. He asked if it was a threat. Even years earlier, Tracy had confided in Terry just how much she disliked Matt. Tracy said, well, I hate Tara Lynn's husband and I hate Katie's husband, but I hate Katie's husband the most. And then she said, I could kill him.

53:32Tara Lynn describes her mom as charismatic, but troubled. And there's this. Tracy had a rap sheet, mostly for stealing. A lot has been made of Tracy being a thief, stealing money from people, like literally going into the purses and wallets of people whose house she's in or who come to her house or people she encounter. You've seen that? Yeah. So that's true. Yeah.

54:08It started when I was little. We were super broke. We were super broke. And I think my mom shoplifted here and there. The Rostelli's say that at Matt and Kate's wedding, Tracy actually stole money meant for the happy couple. Zero question in my brother's mind and also zero question in Katie's mind. She knew about it too, to the point where they would hide things when her mom came over. Then there was Terry. One day in 2022, Tracy came over for a visit while Terry was going through chemo treatment. A few days later, Terry noticed some things were missing. $13 ,000 in cash and a handgun. And silver and gold coins.

54:59And you think that was Tracy? It was the maid or Tracy. And when I called her and confronted her and said I'd called the police, she begged me not to call the police. And I said, Tracy, it's a gun. I mean, I have to call the police. They took a gun. Terry did file a report. Police said they could not make an arrest without proof. And so Terry set a boundary with her longtime bestie. And so I said, we can no longer be friends. Tracy denied stealing from Terry, but seemed fine with that long friendship being over. as long as she didn't get into trouble. She has a way of talking her way out of things that blows my mind.

55:48Blows my mind. Tara Lynn struggled to accept her mom's intentions as anything but good. Loving? Yes. Intense? I call her eccentric. Manipulative? Very. But I think that's why she's so charming. She's so charming. And a chronic liar? Yeah. Yeah. I feel like I was always laced with good intention. Or also never wanting to get caught with anything. Those are two different things. Yeah. I feel like I have blinders on because she's my mom, in a lot of respects. Investigators did not have blinders. and as they dug through Tracy's cell phone, Detective Nordean noticed multiple searches of a name Dateline viewers will know quite well.

56:42The Adelson case. Yeah. I honestly didn't know about the case when I was looking into this. In case you need a refresher, Donna Adelson is a Florida grandmother who was arrested and found guilty of conspiring with her son and others to murder her former son-in-law, Dan Markell. It all happened against the backdrop of a bitter divorce and a custody battle. Less than two weeks before Matt was killed, Tracy looked up Adelson Donna, Adelson Donna movies and TV shows, and New Dateline episode January 19th, Donna Adelson arrested at the airport. to Tara Lynn. Those searches did not sound all that suspicious.

57:32Your mom looking at the Adelson case suggests that she's looking for plots like this one in which a family member is killed by other family members for reasons of relationships and not money. I'm like, oh, that makes sense. That was an act of trial. I'm a Dateline fanatic or a true crime fanatic like she is too. So that could have just been one of the cases we were looking up. Well, that wasn't all investigators found on Tracy's phone. There was also an audio recording of a conversation Kate had with a divorce attorney one day before Matt drove to Utah. What's that attorney tell her? So that attorney pretty much told her, like, hey, you're SOL.

58:20He could file something and yank you back really quick, or at least yank the kids back. If you want to get a divorce from him, you have to go back to California. If you want to stay in Utah with the kids, you need to establish residency, which Catherine knows will take a long time. So Kate would be at a disadvantage in any potential custody battle. Something Tracy knew all about from her own experiences. This was looking more and more like that famous Adelson case. A controlling mother. An obliging son. A looming battle for custody of the children. And questions about what others in the family knew about a murder.

59:20The investigators had a long list of questions for Tracy, her son Kevin, and her daughter, Matt's wife Kate. Some of those were answered when the phone rang, and it was this woman calling. Tell me how you met Kate. I met her online through Instagram. You guys had a pretty good connection right away. We did. Her name is Stephanie Slocum. Her friendship with Kate developed exclusively online, where they chatted daily on Instagram and in video group chats on Discord. Stephanie says that at least through a webcam, Kate's life looked great. She baked cookies. You know, she did all this stuff for her husband while he had his own work.

1:00:05And I was like, wow, what a perfect woman. I'd love to be like her. It wasn't long before Stephanie felt Kate's online persona was not grounded in reality. The happy marriage that Kate was sort of describing might be more what she wanted than what was really happening. Yes. Yes. According to Stephanie, most of Matt and Kate's arguments stemmed from Kate's admitted infidelity. She cheated on Matt? Yes. Numerous times? Yes. Then came the morning of July 12th. That's when Kate found out Matt would be driving to Utah. She left a message for her friends online that could be read different ways. Kate sends a message to your group chat, which says, Wish me luck.

1:00:58I have to do big girl things today. Anybody say to her, what do you mean? What big girl things? Yeah, I think somebody did and she never responded. The day after Matt was killed, Stephanie saw Kate in the video group chat. I remember seeing the look on her face that I could tell something was very wrong. And she just told me that she needed to talk to me. They jumped off the chat and onto FaceTime. and she got right on the screen and was like, Matt's dead. And I was just kind of in shock, and I told her that I'm sorry, and she told me, it's okay, I'm happy, and she hung up the phone and went back to Discord.

1:01:37It's okay, I'm happy. Stephanie says that wasn't the end of Kate's odd behavior. She wanted to talk to me later that afternoon, and I think this was when she was getting ready for a date. A date? Yes. Her husband is dead, what, not even 24 hours at that point? Not even 24 hours. And she's going on a date? Yes. Yes. And she was getting ready doing hair and makeup and everything. Within days of Matt's death, investigators learned Kate had searched online for how soon is too soon to tell somebody love them and five ways to get rid of hickeys. It sounds like Kate did not waste a moment after her husband was killed, resuming a very active social life with other men.

1:02:30It was like it's never happened. It was like Matt never even existed. After that, Stephanie called police and eventually cut off contact with Kate. She told Detective Nordean all about Kate's disturbing behavior. He added it to his growing case file, which now included this, the provenance of that knife found in Matt's hand. After weeks of investigating, Nordean learned that exact type of knife had been sent to a house Tracy was visiting. So you think that Tracy got her hands on that knife that way? Correct. Investigators now believed Tracy and Kate lured Matt to Utah that day, where Kevin was waiting to kill him.

1:03:17Once it was done, police said, they planted the knife in Matt's hand to make him look like the attacker. Three and a half months after Matt Rostelli was shot, police arrested Tracy. Take a seat. Go ahead. and then Kate when she arrived to pick up one of her children from school. Kate made any statements at that time? She was very, very volatile, very upset. Detective Nordeem met Tracy back at the station. I walked in there, advised of her rights, and she just kind of had like a thousand-yard stare almost. She just looked like she wasn't quite all there trying to wrap her head around what the heck was going on.

1:04:00For Matt's family, the arrest cemented what they had suspected all along. I just shook inside. Absolutely just shook inside. We see now that you did betray me, you betrayed our family and what you've done. Tara Lynn found out about the arrests when her mom called from behind bars. And I remember her saying, I'm so confused. I'm so confused. And so this went exactly the opposite of the way you thought it was going to. Yes, I did. Terrilyn remained convinced of their innocence. It made me frustrated and sad when people would try to say, no, I think they did this. I'm like, then you don't know them that well because they wouldn't do this.

1:04:50Well, that was before she heard these recordings made during the last hours of Matt Rustelli's life. What do you want to do? I want you to be comfortable I will be, I just be comfortable once I have my family Okay, well good

1:05:11This episode is brought to you by SoFi The everything app for smarter money Everything in one place to move your money forward Banking, investing, borrowing, and more Make your first move with SoFi Checking and Savings Competitive APY No account fees And a direct deposit bonus Terms apply. Get started today at SoFi.com slash smart money. SoFi. Get your money right. SoFi Checking and Savings is offered through SoFi Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. In A Talent for Murder, Oscar winner Helen Mirren stars as the notorious Patricia Highsmith, author of The Talented Mr. Ripley. Older now and living a solitary life in the Swiss Elves, she's visited by Ridgeway, a literary agent who's determined to convince her to write one more Ripley novel.

1:05:57Highsmith refuses the offer. Unless Ridgway can dream up the perfect murder along with her. Watch A Talent for Murder in theaters October 23rd. For my family, I'm always at my best. That's why I also want the best in my kitchen. And that means only Eggland's Best Eggs. They're always so fresh tasting and delicious. with six times more vitamin D, 10 times more vitamin E, and 25 % less saturated fat than ordinary eggs. So why give your family less when they can have the best, egglands best, better taste, better nutrition, better eggs. For added convenience, look for our hard-cooked peeled eggs.

1:06:47Kevin, Tracy, and Kate. were together charged with the murder of Matt Restelli. All three pleaded not guilty. Terrilyn watched Kevin's preliminary hearing online from her home. I was sitting there probably folding laundry. She heard Detective Nordean testify about texts between Kate and Tracy, texts that revealed Matt never wanted to come to Utah in the first place. What he did want was for Kate to come to California instead. Here's Kate texting her mom. Matt doesn't want to drive out. He's depositing money for me to rent a car. And Tracy's reply, nope. Tracy told Kate to say she'd hurt her ankle.

1:07:35Saying I have a sprained ankle, I can't drive. Yes. So in other words, Matt, you have to come here. Correct. Still on the stand, the detective revealed this. Kate had recorded six separate phone calls with her husband on the day he was killed. First, Kate told Matt she was unable to make the drive home. Hey, what's going on? Hey, um, I'm at a loss right now, Matt. Okay, just chill out. They won't rent me the car. Kate said she didn't have a credit card. Matt suggested she rent the car in her mom's name. You need me to go at nine o 'clock and put more money in your account and then send it all over to your mom's account and just rent the car in her name?

1:08:25Kate pushed back. If there's any problem on the way home, I'm f***ing. If there's any sort of hiccup on the way home, I'm f***ing. Okay, well, I'm just trying to deal with what we're doing. I understand that. Matt was hesitant to make the 10-hour drive in his old truck, the one with the air tag in it. I don't think our 250 should be driving up that far. Really? Well, I mean, I guess I could. Kate insisted. You can't just roll the dice with the truck. It's that f***ing sketchy. In the end, Matt agreed to drive the truck, but worried about it dying on them. But I think when I get there, I don't think I want to turn the truck off.

1:09:05Okay. So I just want to get the car seats in, load up, and just kind of take off. Is that going to be doable? Yeah. Tracy's house was inside a gated community. Kate texted Matt the gate code. She asked him many times, are you going to come inside? Are you going to come inside? Are you going to come inside and help me load up? Yeah. Okay. Yeah. The front door is always unlocked, okay? You can just walk right in the door. The door is always unlocked. I mean, it's like she's baiting a trap. Yeah, so that's what it looks like. Matt does not sound angry or confrontational. Nothing in those phone calls suggests he was upset or that Kate was terrified of him, as she told police.

1:09:53Hey, how's it going? Good, how are you? Pretty good, what's going on? I was just calling to see how your driver's going. I'm just passing that abandoned water carton. Oh, fine, cool. You hear Matt acting aggressive or threatening in any way? No, no, he's super calm and cool, collected and nice. You're going to come in though, right? Yeah, but I just want to make it like easy. I don't want to like hang on. Yeah, no, it's going to be easy. No, it's going to be easy. I mean, you can hear her just eager for him to come inside, just come inside. I mean, it's just, it's awful to be honest. Matt's family was in court that day and heard those recordings.

1:10:33I was saddened by that. You know, just the luring, just like, oh my God, this is so horrible. Body cam footage shows Matt left his truck running with his flashers on while he went inside, for what he apparently thought would be a quick trip. She was told to be packed and ready to go that evening. She didn't pack a thing. And the fact they would even say, well, Matt came in aggressively, was going to kill everybody, he's like, no, he wasn't. Matt loved those kids. Matt wanted his family. For Taralyn, her family's staunch defender, It was an eye-opening moment. I remember hearing those calls and just, what the F?

1:11:15What is happening? Because those are not the calls of a furious Matt who's coming over there to have a confrontation. No, not at all. And it wasn't until I heard those calls that I knew they lied to me. I mean, just to theorize, if Kate had not recorded her conversation with Matt or if she had deleted it, This might have gone differently. They might not have been charged. You would still believe everything your mom and Kate told you. Probably. I probably would have been their defender till the very end. And people probably would have called me a fool. You feel like a fool. I do. I feel embarrassed for how much I defended them.

1:11:57Two questions. Why would Kate record such incriminating evidence? And second, why would she hang on to it? I have no idea. But, you know, at this point, I'm glad she did. That's because not long after those calls came to light, prosecutors received a different call. Kate had something she wanted to tell them. You believed her. To some extent. I mean, clearly, you know, she's in it for her best interest.

1:12:44July 2025. After a year of denying any involvement in her husband Matt's death, Kate Rustelli suddenly changed her tune. She asked for a plea deal. In exchange for a reduced sentence, Kate agreed to provide details about the plot to kill Matt. Prosecutor James Watabe, you believed her. To some extent. I mean, clearly, you know, she's in it for her best interest. Kate will be eligible for parole in 2036. At her sentencing, she apologized. I'm so very deeply sorry for the pain that I've caused. I understand that my apology will never be enough to heal the hurt that Matt's death has caused and continues to cause.

1:13:37At this point, the least I could do is speak the truth on what happened to give Matt and his family the justice they deserve. It meant Kate would testify against her own brother and her mother. First up, Kevin. Kate admitted she and her mom prepared the house that night for both Matt's visit and his murder. We were getting ready for his arrival by putting toys away, putting blankets over the couch to avoid blood spatter. Any other preparations? The screen was removed from the front door. Why was the screen door removed? To make it easier for him to come in and have it not be a deterrent. Kate remained evasive when it came to her brother's involvement in the murder.

1:14:26Prosecutor David Brown. She was still protecting Kevin. In the days leading up to Matt coming out, did you talk to him about Matt? I don't recall if I did or not. On the night of the murder, Kate said she was upstairs when she heard gunshots. I heard Matt say, ow, ow. And then after that, I heard Kevin say, be careful, he might still be kicking. Like to be careful. Kevin's defense attorney, Scott Williams, never denied his client pulled the trigger. He insisted. Kevin was just a sucker, easily roped into murder. You said there was a conspiracy here. It just didn't involve Kevin. There were two peas in the pod, not three.

1:15:30Tracy and Kate. Absolutely. And they sort of dragged Kevin in by saying, Matt's coming over, he's violent, he's going to hurt your sister, or if Kate's talking, he's going to hurt me. Here's some cocaine. Here's a gun. If you don't do it, I guess I'll have to pull the trigger. On cross-examination, Kate seemed to get over her initial hesitancy about turning on her brother. She stunned everyone by admitting that Kevin was in on the conspiracy to kill Matt. Kate testified she, Kevin, and their mom Tracy spoke about the plot the day Matt was driving out. We had a little bit of a discussion, and that was it.

1:16:13And that's the first time she had ever said that. After being pressed by prosecutors who wanted desperately for her to say that. The jury took six hours to reach a verdict. As to count one murder, as charged any information, guilty. Guilty of murder. Then came the verdict on the conspiracy charge. As to count two conspiracy to commit murder. Murder as charged in the information, not guilty. Why do you think Kevin was acquitted of conspiracy? I'm not sure. I think the defense did a great job, and I think the jury felt sorry for him. I felt like maybe that was a bone they were throwing in. The jury might not have felt so much sympathy for him had they known what would be revealed at Kevin's sentencing hearing just two months later.

1:17:10Thank you. Please be seated. The prosecutor played a post-verdict phone call between Taralyn and Kevin, who talked from inside the lockup about what he had told his mother before the shooting. I literally warned her. I said, this will change so many lives. You won't even know how many lives it's going to change. Oh my God, you said that to her? Wow. Yes. I said, this is a thing you can't take back. I said that to her. By the time you heard that recorded phone call of Kevin, he'd already been acquitted of conspiracy. That's correct. If you reverse those two things, he gets convicted. Correct. Was your client not aware that phone calls from jail are recorded and monitored?

1:17:59So. I'm guessing you might have. Welcome to my profession. The judge imposed the maximum sentence. Kevin will spend 15 years to life in prison. You clearly could have backed out and said no and stopped. And this wouldn't have occurred. Stan Ellis struggled to take it all in. A dead son-in-law, someone he'd loved. Two of his kids in jail. And all of it, prosecutors believed, because of his ex-wife Tracy. You being the investigative reporter, and you've seen stuff like this all the time, how am I supposed to move on from this? Does that make sense what I'm asking you? There's a myth out there that some legal proceeding can somehow turn the clock back to when your kids were not convicted murderers and Matt was still alive.

1:19:00You will, because you have other children, figure out a way to go forward from this.

1:19:09One trial remained. You tell me, without Tracy's involvement, Matt's still alive. Absolutely. Kate wouldn't have done this on her own. Kevin wouldn't have done this on his own. No. This is Tracy's hand over all of this. This is. Tracy's trial began in April 2026, with prosecutors painting a portrait of a spiteful woman who killed not for money or passion, but because she couldn't stand not being in control. Fueled by her hate for Matthew, inspired by her interest in true crime, Tracy planned and executed a knockoff of the Donna Adelson conspiracy. Wendy Adelson was Donna Adelson's daughter. Detective Nordean testified about Tracy's searches for that one particular case.

1:20:02So she searches Adelson Donna, Adelson Donna movies and TV shows, new Dateline episode. Did Tracy miss the part where Donna Adelson is arrested? You know, that was one of her last searches is when was Donna Adelson arrested. So I think she thought maybe she could do it better. Unlike Donna Adelson, Tracy took the stand in her own defense. Could she talk her way out of trouble one last time? You could have knocked me over with a feather. I was shocked.

1:20:47A courtroom was the stage for a stark look inside what might be Utah's most dysfunctional family. All right, Ms. Rostelli, I know you've testified before. Kate took the stand again and said Tracy hated Matt so much, she was more than willing to sacrifice her own son, Kevin, to see Matt dead. She said Kevin's feeling suicidal. She told him that if he was going to do it, go off map first, and then he can finish himself off. Wow. That's mother talking to son. Yeah, exactly. Tracy's attorney urged the jury to sweep away the mess and recognize there was no big conspiracy here. I think you'll find this is just a messy deal that just got out of hand.

1:21:40and one guy murdered a guy. Tracy was innocent, he said. Whatever happened had to do with the rest of the family's chaos. He gave the jury a glimpse of Matt and Kate's home life with that video of Matt complaining about his tacos. You were my taco. You were my taco. I said don't do it. Shut the f*** up. I said don't do it. What'd you do? Not the best look, acknowledged the prosecutor, but not frightening either. It doesn't show him as violent. No, and it still didn't show him as violent. Next, on the stand, the woman at the center of it all. Gated left her home. In a soft voice, Tracy denied preparing the house for a killing.

1:22:32Tracy said all she wanted was for the place to look tidy for her son-in-law. Well, Matt was coming and I wanted it to look nice when he came. Tracy said she thought Matt and Kate were on the brink of divorce and couldn't believe it when she heard those lovey-dovey calls between them. You could have knocked me over with a feather. I was shocked. Why? Because that's not what she said to me. That's not what Kate represented to me in any way, shape or form. Tracy insisted no one was lying in wait for Matt. And then, maybe by that point predictably, under the bus went another of her children. Tracy said Tara Lynn was the one who came up with the lie about Kate's ankle.

1:23:20It was Tara Lynn's idea to pretend like she has a sprained ankle so she couldn't drive the rental car back. Tara Lynn denies that. As for Tracy's searches about the Adelson case... So is this a hobby of yours? Yeah. True crime? Yes. Tracy told the jury the true crime that unfolded in front of her sofa was one she did not witness. She said she was in the kitchen when Matt arrived. Moments later, she heard gunshots. I went to the foot of the stairs, and that's where I saw Matt laying down where he had fallen down. and I saw Kevin and I said, Kevin, what happened? What happened? What did Kevin say?

1:24:07He said he had a knife. She said she went to find her phone to call 911, which she later learned was several minutes after her neighbor called. What were you doing during those six or seven minutes?

1:24:27Operating slowly because on the fight, flight, or freeze spectrum, I freeze. But I was so stunned by everything that happened. I was not moving fast at all. And that knife in Matt's hand? Tracy said she'd never seen it before that night. Did you ever plan and conspire with Kate to shoot Matt? No. Further, did you ever ask Kevin to kill Matt? No. Did you ever ask Kate to kill Matt? No. Did you ever make a plan to kill Matt? Never. No further questions, Your Honor. Matt's brother Mark was not swayed by Tracy's testimony. The way she talks very softly, it's a way, it's kind of what she's always done.

1:25:17To me, it's a total facade. Didn't buy it for a second. Now came the cross-examination. Prosecutors insisted Tracy was the mastermind. And that's why Kevin was angry with her after his arrest. To support that, they read a text Tracy sent to Tara Lynn. You tell Tara Lynn, please tell Kevin, that if he is mad at me and doesn't want to talk to me, he doesn't have to. And later you say, I am mad at me too. Yes. Both sides rested. Tracy's jury took a little less time than Kevin's. About five hours. We the jury, impaneled in the above entitled cause, find a defendant asked to count one murder as charged in the information guilty.

1:26:08Guilty of murder and conspiracy. She'll spend 20 to life behind bars, locked up like Kate and Kevin before her. It was an emotional relief where my tears sort of stopped to where it was like, it's over. You know, that we've made it happen. Back home in California, Terrilyn today has a different way of looking at the mother who raised her. And the wreckage that same mother spawned. I was surprised at a few of the lies she told. But also, not surprised at all. Right. Tara Lynn says she has decided to cut ties with her mom. I've heard moms over the years in this job cry for their kids. I've heard them apologize for their kids.

1:27:00I've heard them flat out lie for their kids to get them off the hook. I've never heard a mom before try to implicate one of her children. As I was sitting there, and especially in the thought process afterwards, I don't know if she actually believes what she's saying. Terrilyn never faced any charges. She admits it was her idea to place that air tag in Matt's truck. But there is zero proof she was involved in the family plot. I've spoken with police and prosecutors. I don't think they 100 % believe that you had nothing to do with this. I get that. And I can't prove a negative. And I see how, again, just being close to my mom and how close we were, it makes sense.

1:27:46that that's cloudy. Do you anticipate further charges being brought in this murder? I can't really speculate on that at this point, but I'm not aware of any. Diane Restelli says now that the trials are over, she can finally grieve. When I think about the loss of Matt, who he was to me, it makes me break down. But I have to be strong for what Matt needs to be done, that his children and our family needs to be free from that family. Mark Rostelli is not counting on time to help them heal. Jump and shoot. He's now raising Matt's kids along with his own. He has found a way to use time to help them remember.

1:28:38An engraved watch for each of Matt's brothers and sons. On the back, I got it engraved, MCR, MCR Forever, Matthew Clark Rostelli. You always want to think about this, don't you? Good. I mean, I have Matt and Kate's children, so there won't be a time ever in my life where I don't think about it.

1:29:11That's all for this edition of Dateline. And don't forget to check out our Talking Dateline podcast, which will go behind the scenes of tonight's episode, available Wednesday in the Dateline feed, wherever you get your podcasts. We'll see you again next Friday at 9, 8 central. I'm Lester Holt. For all of us at NBC News, good night.

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