These are Yes or No Questions | EP 7
Episode of Love Trapped · April 2, 2026 · 53 min
Stephanie Young recounts the June 2024 Owens–Echard paternity trial in Phoenix, with courtroom audio, attorney interviews and the judge's ruling.
Summary
Host Stephanie Young reconstructed the June 10, 2024 paternity trial between Laura Owens and Clayton Echard in Maricopa County family court. The episode opened with attorney Gregg Woodnick describing how Owens' lawyer confronted him at courthouse security and said he was calling police because Owens was frightened of a subpoenaed witness — a former boyfriend Woodnick had called to testify about similar prior pregnancy claims. Echard described arriving to armed guards and a courtroom packed with members of the "Justice for Clayton" online community, including content creators Dave Neal, Megan Fox and Lauren Knighty, who had been granted permission to livestream the proceedings.
The episode played extensive courtroom audio. Under direct examination by her attorney David Gingras, Owens testified that Echard had sexual intercourse with her without her consent, denied tampering with pregnancy tests, and said she obtained an ultrasound at a Planned Parenthood under a fake name and later passed tissue on July 23, 2023. In cross-examination, Deandra Arena confronted Owens with inconsistencies: that she had testified to being 24 weeks pregnant on November 2, that she admitted altering an ultrasound image in Adobe Acrobat and doctoring HCG results, and that Planned Parenthood had no record of her visit. Owens shifted her account mid-testimony to claim the appointment occurred in Los Angeles rather than Mission Viejo. Arena ended by inviting Owens to "come clean"; Owens maintained she had been pregnant.
After competing expert witnesses — a retired OB-GYN for Owens and a former Planned Parenthood medical director for Echard, who testified patients cannot be seen anonymously — Echard testified for roughly twelve minutes, denying any penetrative sex and describing hundreds of messages from Owens. A week later Judge Mata granted Echard's petition for non-paternity, found Owens had filed the petition for an improper purpose and provided false testimony, ordered her to pay attorney fees, and referred the matter to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office for review. Woodnick called such a referral rare. Young noted that as of recording Owens had not paid the fees, and previewed the next episode with former boyfriend Mike Marcini.
Chapters
- 2:21
Chaos before the trial
Gregg Woodnick describes Laura Owens' attorney confronting him at courthouse security and calling 911 over a subpoenaed witness.
- 5:40
A courthouse tailgate
Clayton Echard and content creators describe the crowd of online supporters, livestream setup and packed gallery in Phoenix.
- 10:38
The trial begins
Appearances are entered, the two-hour time limit is explained, and Laura Owens' new attorney David Gingras is introduced.
- 12:42
Direct examination of Laura Owens
Owens alleges non-consensual sex, denies tampering with tests, explains the fake name at Planned Parenthood and describes passing tissue in July.
- 23:12
Cross-examination on the alleged ultrasound
Deandra Arena presses Owens on the altered ultrasound image, shifting dates and the missing Planned Parenthood records.
- 33:48
Doctored HCG tests and missing doctors
Owens admits altering an HCG result sent to Dave Neal and concedes she never physically saw the OB-GYNs she named under oath.
- 40:11
Break, final questions and the last chance
After a recess, Arena challenges Owens on incomplete records and litigation history before asking her to come clean.
- 48:23
Expert witnesses
Owens' retired OB-GYN expert offers his 'dribble before they shoot' testimony and Clayton's expert says Planned Parenthood patients cannot be anonymous.
- 49:48
Clayton Echard testifies
Echard denies rape and penetrative sex, describes the volume of messages from Owens and explains an email about abortion.
- 54:35
The ruling
Judge Mata grants non-paternity, finds the petition fraudulent and improper, awards fees and refers the case to the county attorney.
- 1:01:12
Four men and a preview
Cross-examination reveals Owens alleged pregnancies by four men, and the episode previews former boyfriend Mike Marcini.
Key points
What was said, by whom, with the exact words. Timestamps jump to the moment.
- Gregg Woodnick
Woodnick said Owens' attorney told him on the morning of trial that she might not enter the courtroom because she was frightened of a subpoenaed witness.
“If I recall correctly, her attorney said, I'm not sure if she's even going to go into the courtroom because she's so scared. And I think that he'd called 911”
Listen from 4:05 · Laura Owens v. Clayton Echard paternity trial
- Gregg Woodnick
Woodnick argued Owens was trying to prevent the court from hearing testimony from other men who described similar experiences.
“I think Laura had a problem with anyone coming in and sharing the fact that there were multiple prior victims who had very similar situations happen to them”
Listen from 4:50 · Laura Owens v. Clayton Echard paternity trial
- Clayton Echard
Echard said seeing roughly 50 supporters at the courthouse made him realize how much backing he had.
“There was probably 50 people that were part of the Justice for Clayton community that were there. And that's when it hit me that I was like, wow, I have a tremendous amount of support”
- Lauren Knighty
Knighty said she applied to livestream the trial so the public could see the extent of what she believed were Owens' lies.
“I wanted them to see the extent of it. I wanted them to see that in real time and to understand the gravity of what this woman is willing to do”
- Clayton Echard
Echard said Owens' side of the courtroom was nearly empty, which he found significant.
“It was her mom and her medical expert. That was it. Dad wasn't there. Sister wasn't there. No friends. And I think that, to me, also spoke volumes”
Listen from 9:59 · Laura Owens v. Clayton Echard paternity trial
- Clayton Echard
Echard described a surge of anger when Owens testified that he had raped her.
“I remember when she said it, I just felt this massive wave of anger overtake my body. And I remember clenching my fist and just closing my eyes”
Listen from 14:00 · Laura Owens v. Clayton Echard paternity trial
- Laura Owens
Owens testified she visited Planned Parenthood under a fake name, which is why no records could be verified.
“I went under a fake name when I went there”
- Laura Owens
Owens testified she altered the location on the sonogram because she feared Echard would track down her providers.
“I changed it because Mr. Eckerd was being threatening towards me and I didn't want him to know where I had gone and try to track down my providers”
Linked moment · 16:03Skip to 16:03 using a listen link in the info box.
Laura OwensOwens testified she passed tissue on July 23 that might have been a miscarriage but had no symptoms.
“Yeah, I wasn't having any symptoms at all, but I did pass tissue that... Looked like it could have potentially been a miscarriage, but I wasn't sure”
- Gregg Woodnick
Woodnick described Owens as a difficult witness who answers confidently even when the answer is false.
“she's got a confidence about her, which is interesting because she can confidently answer a question with a completely bullshit answer”
- Laura Owens
Owens admitted she doctored an HCG test result and sent it to content creator Dave Neal.
“When I tried to send it to Dave Neal to get him to stop creating harassing videos at me”
- Clayton Echard
Echard recalled the courtroom groaning when Owens characterized her conduct as only 'a little bit' of medical fraud.
“Deandra asked her about the medical fraud, and Laura says, well, it was just a little bit. And that's when you heard everyone just groan”
- Gregg Woodnick
Woodnick said that despite feeling the trial went well, bench trial outcomes are unpredictable.
“We definitely felt the trial went well. But listen, I have lost trials that I have thought I was going to win. And I have won trials that I thought I had lost”
Listen from 55:45 · Laura Owens v. Clayton Echard paternity trial
- Clayton Echard
Echard said he needed a legal document to corroborate his account, and the ruling lifted a weight from him.
“I knew my truth the entire time that I was fighting her. But I needed a legal document”
Listen from 57:00 · Laura Owens v. Clayton Echard paternity trial
- Gregg Woodnick
Woodnick said criminal referrals from family court are rare and reflected the court resources Owens consumed.
“You don't see that often. But you also don't see people like Laura Owens abusing the court system the way she did”
- Gregg Woodnick
Woodnick said Owens remained committed to her account even after the ruling.
“Say what you want about Laura Owens, but she was all in. I think as I say this, she is still all in on her lie”
Listen from 1:01:00 · Laura Owens v. Clayton Echard paternity trial
People
In the conversation
- Stephanie YoungJournalist and host of the podcast Love Trapped
- Gregg WoodnickPhoenix family law attorney who represented Clayton Echard (referred to in the transcript as Greg/Craig Woodnick)
- Deandra ArenaAttorney and co-counsel for Clayton Echard who conducted the cross-examination; transcript also includes courtroom audio of her questioning
- Clayton EchardFormer star of The Bachelor and respondent in the Arizona paternity case
- Lauren KnightyContent creator who livestreamed the trial for the online community
- Dave NealContent creator and unofficial leader of the Justice for Clayton online community
- Steve CarboneBlogger known as Reality Steve who covered the case
- Mike MarciniFormer boyfriend of Laura Owens, subpoenaed as a witness at the trial
Discussed
- Laura OwensArizona woman who claimed she was pregnant with Clayton Echard's twins and was the petitioner in the paternity case
- Julie MataMaricopa County family court judge who ruled on the paternity petition
- Megan FoxContent creator who traveled to Phoenix to cover the trial
- Greg GillespieMan who had a prior legal dispute with Laura Owens and had a protective order matter with her
- Michael MedchillRetired OB-GYN who testified as an expert witness for Laura Owens
- Samantha DeansFormer associate medical director at Planned Parenthood who testified for Clayton Echard
- Isabel RanneyCo-counsel on Clayton Echard's legal team
- Carrie HartmanVoice actor who read excerpts of the judge's written ruling for the podcast
Topics
- Laura Owens v. Clayton Echard paternity trial
- Planned Parenthood
- Cross-examination
- Human chorionic gonadotropin testing
- Maricopa County Superior Court
- Justice for Clayton online community
- Livestreaming of court proceedings
- Perjury
- Miscarriage
- Attorney fee sanctions
- Concealed pregnancy
- The Bachelor (American TV series)
- Order of protection
- Adobe Acrobat
- Phoenix, Arizona
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From the publisher
The day of trial finally arrived — June 10th, 2024. In a way, it was the conclusion of Laura Owens’ alleged pregnancy with Clayton Echard. A group of content creators and Clayton’s supporters descended on the courthouse in Phoenix, Arizona. How will Laura handle the pressure of being cross-examined? And if she was actually pregnant, what happened to the twins? For exclusive content, follow us on Instagram @glasspodcasts . If you would like to reach out to the Loved Trapped team, email us at lovetrappedpod@gmail.com . See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Summary, chapters and key points were generated from the episode transcript on September 27, 2026. Quotes are checked word for word against the transcript.