Clayton Echard Says 'Justice Is Finally Served' as His Paternity Suit Accuser Is Indicted on Felony Charges: 'This Nightmare Is Over'
Laura Owens named the former Bachelor in a paternity lawsuit in 2023, alleging that Echard got her pregnant with twins after a one-night stand. But a paternity test confirmed he had not fathered the unborn twins, ending what he called "five months of torture," in October 2023. She later dropped the suit and alleged she'd miscarried the twins.
An investigation into Owens' claims began last July by the Maricopa County Attorney's Office in Arizona, and on May 6, the office announced in a press release that she's been indicted on seven felony charges.
Related: Clayton Echard Feels 'More Confident' After Winning Paternity Suit, Says He's 'Grateful' for Ex Susie Evans' Support
Owens "made several inconsistent statements during a paternity hearing involving" Echard, per the release, and the investigation determined that "between May 2023 and June 2024, Owens altered an ultrasound image, fabricated a pregnancy video, and lied multiple times under oath."
She was indicted by a grand jury on four counts of perjury, one count of forgery, one count of tampering with physical evidence and one count of fraudulent schemes and artifices.
Echard, 32, reacted to the news of Owens' felony indictment in an Instagram video just minutes after the charges were announced, as he said, "Justice is finally served."
"This nightmare is over. I am so ready to not have to think about this anymore," he said, calling the news "a weight lifted off me."
"I'm literally looking at messages coming through right now from the other guys. We are so, so thankful."
Related: Former Bachelor Clayton Echard on 'Really Fighting' for Himself After Winning Paternity Suit — and What's Next (Exclusive)
In June, Echard scored a major legal victory as an Arizona judge ruled that Owens had "knowingly presented a false claim," and he told PEOPLE he was "kind of in disbelief" at the ruling.
'It felt odd that this has been going on for a year and just now it's I guess ended. It was very exciting though, and I was excited to go talk to the other victims and let them know as well," he said.
"At the end of the day, I don't want her to do this ever again to anybody else... I think she's shown no signs of stopping,' Echard revealed. 'I mean, I was victim number four that we know of, and so we felt that especially when somebody commits a crime, they should have to face legal repercussions for doing so.'
Echard also said that the Maricopa County Attorney's Office investigation, which the court had recommended and which resulted in Owens' seven felony indictments this week, was 'the ultimate win for me.'
'That's what I wanted more than anything else, because at the end of the day, I don't want this to happen again."
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Following the June ruling, Echard's attorney Gregg Woodnick told PEOPLE in a statement, "This has been an exhausting process, but we are very happy with the outcome and Judge Mata's thoughtful ruling. We hope this is the end [of] the saga for all the victims.
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