PROVO, Utah (Court TV) — The trial of a man accused of fatally shooting his brother-in-law was put on hold as his attorney, Scott Williams, has withdrawn due to a conflict of interest.
Kevin Stanley Ellis, who informed the court of his financial difficulties, including having less than $100 in the bank and owning no vehicle or home, was granted representation by the Utah Public Defender’s Office until conflict counsel could be appointed.

Kevin Ellis appears via remotely from the Utah County Jail for a Jan. 29 2024 hearing. (Court TV)
The Utah Public Defender’s Office is currently representing two co-defendants in the case: Ellis’s sister, Kathryn Restelli, and their mother, Tracey Grist. The public defender indicated they are close to securing conflict counsel for Grist while they will continue to represent Restelli.
Ellis is facing several charges, including murder and possession of a controlled substance, for shooting Matthew Restelli seven times at a home in American Fork, Utah, on July 12, 2024. Ellis has claimed he acted in self-defense to protect himself, his sister, and his mother, all of whom were in the house at the time of the shooting.
MORE | Judge: Texts, search history show evidence of conspiracy to kill
Digital evidence presented in court suggests a plot involving Kathryn Restelli and Tracey Grist, with text messages and search histories indicating discussions about Kathryn’s desire to leave her marriage and plans to lure Matthew to Utah. Investigators found an audio recording on Grist’s phone of Kathryn speaking to a divorce attorney, asking how she could legally refuse to take her children back to California and leave their father. She maintained she was suffering verbal abuse but said Matthew had never physically hurt her or the children.
The court is scheduled to reconvene next week to finalize the appointment of conflict counsel for both Ellis and Grist, ensuring their right to adequate representation is maintained.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.