Plea talks ongoing in Laura Owens ‘Bachelor’ fraud case; trial is next step

The Laura Owens case could be heading to trial as so far, Owens has not yet accepted a plea offer, according to the Maricopa County Attorney’s office.

Owens, a 34-year-old Scottsdale woman, is facing two sets of felony charges in Maricopa County after prosecutors say she faked pregnancies to pursue men for child support, including former “The Bachelor” star Clayton Echard.

Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell was asked about the case on KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Outspoken with Bruce & Gaydos.

“Yeah, that’s the next step,” Mitchell said when asked whether the case would go to trial. She declined to share details of the plea offer.

Owens was indicted in May 2025 on seven felony counts tied to the Echard case, including fraud, forgery, perjury and tampering with evidence. A second indictment in another fake pregnancy case followed months later, adding seven more charges involving a different man Owens had briefly dated in 2021.

In the Echard case, prosecutors allege Owens altered an ultrasound image, faked a pregnancy video and lied under oath multiple times during civil paternity proceedings between May 2023 and June 2024. Owens dropped her paternity claim against Echard in May 2024, saying she had suffered a miscarriage. A Superior Court judge later asked the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office to investigate.

Echard, a Scottsdale real estate agent who starred in season 26 of ABC’s “The Bachelor,” said the indictment lifted “a weight of two years” from his shoulders.

The Laura Owens investigation extends beyond Maricopa County

Mitchell also confirmed that while additional allegations have been made against Owens, some occurred outside Arizona and fall beyond her office’s reach.

“A lot of people are wanting it all wrapped up here. And obviously I only have jurisdiction over what happened in Maricopa County,” she said, adding that there are some allegations that other things happened as well.

The case has drawn outsized attention from true-crime podcasters and social media commentators. While Mitchell said she doesn’t follow the coverage to gather information, she warned against “trial by media.”

Owens’ next hearing is scheduled for September.

Correction: This story was updated to reflect that plea negotiations are ongoing.

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