On Tuesday, authorities unveiled a stunning tale of deception involving an Arizona woman, Laura Michelle Owens, 34, of Scottsdale, who falsely claimed to be pregnant with Clayton Echard, the Season 26 star of "The Bachelor." Owens allegedly orchestrated a elaborate hoax, employing a doctored ultrasound image and a "fabricated pregnancy video" to substantiate her bogus pregnancy assertions.
A seven-count indictment slams Owens for her false testimony, asserting that she was carrying Echard's child, according to prosecutors. Between May 2023 and June 2024, Owens "manipulated an ultrasound image, conjured a pregnancy video, and repeatedly lied under oath," revealed the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office in a statement.
Initially, Owens filed a lawsuit against Echard, seeking child support, but later withdrew her claim, citing a miscarriage, prosecutors detailed. Owens, the daughter of renowned radio personality Ronn Owens, was unreachable for comment on Wednesday.
Echard, who captured hearts as the leading man in "The Bachelor's" 26th season, couldn't suppress his jubilance in a video statement posted on Tuesday. "This nightmare is finally over," he exclaimed. "I'm desperate to move past this. My heartfelt gratitude to [Maricopa County Attorney] Rachel Mitchell and the investigators for delivering justice. And a huge thank you to my lawyers—they've been phenomenal, standing firmly by my side."
Echard's season on "The Bachelor," where he was a former University of Missouri football player, aired on ABC in 2022, culminating in a dramatic turn of events. He chose nurse Gabby Windey and flight instructor Rachel Recchia for the finale but reversed his decision to pursue the departed Susie Evans. Echard and Evans shared a romantic liaison until their split in fall 2022.
Echard recounted the legal battle with Owens as a painful two-year ordeal. "It's like a colossal weight has been lifted," he said on Tuesday. "We're incredibly grateful, and thank you all for your unwavering support. I haven't felt this happy in a long time. It's like a two-year burden has been shed from my shoulders."
While Echard steadfastly denied ever being in a relationship with Owens and affirmed that they never had intercourse, he acknowledged that she engaged in sexual activity with him orally.
