The wife of a missing Utah National Guardsman is facing accusations of m*rdering him and attempting to cover up the crime.
Matthew Johnson was reported missing on September 23, as reported by Fox 13. A member of the Utah National Guard, he failed to show up for work that day, according to Gephardt Daily.
Citing a probable cause affidavit, multiple news outlets including Fox 13, Gephardt Daily, and KUTV reported that the following day, Johnson’s estranged wife, Jennifer Gledhill, visited the Cottonwood Heights Police Department to discuss an incident involving Johnson that had occurred a few days earlier.
KUTV reported that Matthew Johnson’s children had not heard from their father since September 21, and his phone went directly to voicemail.
Court records show that his estranged wife, Jennifer Gledhill, filed for divorce in July and sought a protective order in August, which was dismissed in September due to a lack of evidence for abuse, according to KUTV.
On September 28, a confidential informant informed police that Gledhill allegedly confessed to k!lling Johnson by shooting him in the head while he slept, as stated in the affidavit.
The informant indicated that Gledhill then admitted to moving Johnson’s body and burying it in a shallow grave. She reportedly also removed and destroyed items from their home, as reported by Fox 13.
After obtaining search warrants for the couple’s residence, police allegedly discovered a blood-stained area on the carpet beneath the bed in the master bedroom, according to Gephardt Daily.
As of now, Johnson’s body has not been located. Records from the Salt Lake County jail indicate that Gledhill is in custody, facing charges of first-degree murder and obstruction of justice.
It remains unclear whether Gledhill has been formally charged by prosecutors or if she has entered a plea.