Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes' father-in-law posed as a 'concerned citizen' during jury selection for her fraud trial and mingled with the media in the hope of ensuring she was given fair press, before revealing his true identity by standing next to her and her husband as they entered the courtroom when the trial began.
William 'Bill' L. Evans, 61, is the father of Holmes' husband, Billy Evans, 29, who she married in secret in June 2019.
The pair welcomed their first child, a boy, in August.
The older Evans is a San Diego hotel magnate. His parents founded the Evans Hotel Group in 1953, and it now boasts multiple properties including The Lodge at Torrey Pines in La Jolla.
When jury selection began on August 31, Evans was among the first to line up in the morning to ensure he was allowed inside.
On day one, he spoke with DailyMail.com's Chief Investigative Reporter Laura Collins, who was also lining up at 5.30am. Evans offered Collins his jacket because it was so cold. He was carrying a collection of photos in an artist’s pad, which prompted some to think he might be a court sketch artist.
Elizabeth Holmes enters the San Jose federal courtroom on August 31 for day one of jury selection. Among the press was her father-in-law, Bill Evans, in a blue jacket. He wouldn't tell reporters who he was, claiming instead he was a car enthusiast called 'Hanson' who was just a concerned citizen eager to make sure the press was telling the truth. He is shown with DailyMail.com's Chief Investigative Reporter Laura Collins (left) who saw him lining up at 5.30am
By September 8, day one of opening statements, Evans (front) accompanied her along with her husband Billy, right, and her mother Noelle
Holmes with her other, Noelle, her husband Billy and Billy's father, Bill, front on September 8
When asked who he was and what the pictures were for, he told Collins: ‘These are just pictures of cars. It’s my hobby. You wouldn’t find them interesting.’
He was notably quiet when journalists speculated over whether Holmes would bring her baby to the trial, after delaying it because she was pregnant.
When pushed, Evans introduced himself to reporters as 'Hanson' and claimed he was just a 'concerned citizen' who had always wanted to attend a trial, and who wanted to make sure the media was reporting the proceedings accurately.
NPR's Bobby Allyn reports that when asked if or how he knew Holmes, he replied: 'Do I know her? Does anyone know her? What does it even mean to know someone these days?'
'No journalist has ever told the real story about her. Everyone is just copy and pasting each others' stories without thinking.'
When opening arguments began last Wednesday, 'Hanson' had ditched his cover to walk with Holmes and his son as they entered the courtroom.
He wore a
