Deceased/Not Found UT - Matthew Johnson, 51, Utah Ntl Guard member, missed work, car found a block from home, Cottonwood Heights, 20 Sept 2024 *Arrest*

[GuyfromCanada]

According to police, 51-year-old Matthew Johnson was last seen on September 20 in the area of 3000 East Fort Union Boulevard in Cottonwood Heights.

Johnson's wife reported him missing after he didn't return home and his employer reported that he failed to show up for work on September 23.

More at Police asking for the public's help in search for missing guardsman

Though detectives had utilized numerous investigative means to attempt to find Johnson, Young said those efforts had proven unsuccessful until officers located his truck Monday in the area of 3100 East and Fort Union Boulevard.

"Here's your car that you drive to work every day, is now located a block from your house," Young said. "It arouses our suspicion."

More at Police: Missing persons case involving Utah Guard member considered 'suspicious'

 

[GuyfromCanada]

“We’ve checked phone and other avenues we would investigate and we’re not getting anything from him,” Young said.

“We’re checking with neighbors and possibly some doorbell cameras.”

Police: Missing persons case involving Utah guardsman considered 'suspicious'

Police said Monday a missing persons case involving a Utah guardsman was “suspicious” after his truck was discovered only a couple blocks from his home.

ksltv.com

 

[tarabull]

What had he been on-leave from his job for??

 

[mlhenn]

Police: Missing persons case involving Utah guardsman considered 'suspicious'

Police said Monday a missing persons case involving a Utah guardsman was “suspicious” after his truck was discovered only a couple blocks from his home.

ksltv.com

Friday, Sept 20: Last seen
Mon, Sept 23: Didn’t show up for work
Mon, Sept 30: truck found a few blocks from his home

LE were beginning the process of going over the vehicle for any possible evidence.

Neighbors
said they had seen Johnson’s truck in his driveway facing the garage and then backed completely into the garage on Sept. 20, but all communication from the man had ceased after that day.

Police confirmed they had visited the house previously for civil matters.

Young said Johnson’s wife had been cooperative with the investigation.

 

[Audrina]

definitely not a car-jacking type area. lived there for years.

 

[GraceG]

Police: Missing persons case involving Utah guardsman considered 'suspicious'

Police said Monday a missing persons case involving a Utah guardsman was “suspicious” after his truck was discovered only a couple blocks from his home.

ksltv.com

Friday, Sept 20: Last seen
Mon, Sept 23: Didn’t show up for work
Mon, Sept 30: truck found a few blocks from his home

LE were beginning the process of going over the vehicle for any possible evidence.

Neighbors
said they had seen Johnson’s truck in his driveway facing the garage and then backed completely into the garage on Sept. 20, but all communication from the man had ceased after that day.

Police confirmed they had visited the house previously for civil matters.

Young said Johnson’s wife had been cooperative with the investigation.

Three things really stuck on from this news article.
Young said Johnson, a father who is employed with the Utah National Guard, was on leave but was supposed to return to his work on Sept. 23.

Trouble with his marriage
Neighbors, who wished not to be identified, said Johnson and his wife had been working toward a divorce.

Police confirmed they had visited the house previously for civil matters. (Utah doesn't have a non fee based service to view court records onlin so I couldn't check what such civil matters were).

If the truck had been missing I'd think he just needed to get away from what appears to be their shared home but the truck being left isn't a good sign, IMO.

 

[mlhenn]

If the truck had been missing I'd think he just needed to get away from what appears to be their shared home but the truck being left isn't a good sign, IMO.

New details reveal how wife of missing guardsman allegedly covered up his killing

Police have arrested the wife of a missing man from the Salt Lake area, and she is being charged with murdering him.

www.fox13now.com

Police have arrested the wife of a missing man from the Salt Lake area, and they say she is being charged with murdering him.

Cottonwood Heights Police announced Wednesday that they arrested 41-year-old Jennifer Gledhill for murder and obstruction of justice.

Officials said they believe Johnson died from a gunshot wound; however, they did not state how they reached this conclusion other than gathering "significant physical and digital evidence, along with witness testimony."

 

[mlhenn]

Arrest made in case of missing Cottonwood Heights man

On Wednesday, the Cottonwood Heights Police Department arrested and charged Matthew Johnson's wife, Jennifer Gledhill.

kslnewsradio.com

On Wednesday, Oct. 2, the Cottonwood Heights Police Department arrested Johnson’s wife, 41-year-old Jennifer Gledhill.

She has been charged with murder and obstruction of justice.

Through the investigation so far, police learned that witnesses reported Gledhill and Johnson were arguing around Sept. 20, before he went missing.

 

[mlhenn]

Utah doesn't have a non fee based service to view court records onlin so I couldn't check what such civil matters were

Johnson and Gledhill had been considering divorce since July and have three children, all minors, police said. Court documents showed court documents had been filed for divorce and included orders not to harass, intimidate or disturb the peace of the other party and that there was a possible significant custody dispute.

Wife arrested, allegedly admitted to killing her missing husband

A Utah woman has been arrested in connection to the death of her husband, who was reported missing in September.

ksltv.com

 

[Snoopster]

Those poor kids. Now they've lost both parents.

 

[GuyfromCanada]

New details reveal how wife of missing guardsman allegedly covered up his killing

Police have arrested the wife of a missing man from the Salt Lake area, and she is being charged with murdering him.

www.fox13now.com

Police have arrested the wife of a missing man from the Salt Lake area, and they say she is being charged with murdering him.

Cottonwood Heights Police announced Wednesday that they arrested 41-year-old Jennifer Gledhill for murder and obstruction of justice.

Officials said they believe Johnson died from a gunshot wound; however, they did not state how they reached this conclusion other than gathering "significant physical and digital evidence, along with witness testimony."

I didn't expect this, and feel very bad for their three kids (still minors).

 

[swanniee11]

@GuyfromCanada I agree, I was reading along, found the wife to be cooperative, then she was arrested. Prayers for their kids for sure. IMO

 

[vls12345]

Fyi, she's listed in the jail docket/roster for the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office. (The pdf from 03 Oct 2024.)

(I blacked out the people that appear above her on the page.)

Jail Dockets & Rosters

View and access Salt Lake County Jail dockets and rosters.

www.saltlakecounty.gov

 

[vls12345]

Wealthy Utah mom makes shock 'confession' about missing husband

Jennifer Gledhill, 41, was arrested by officers in Salt Lake County on Wednesday after her husband Matthew Johnson, 51, vanished last week.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[vls12345]

Utah woman arrested after telling informant she shot her estranged husband in his sleep

A Utah woman has been arrested for investigation of murder after she reportedly told a confidential informant that she shot her estranged husband in his sleep and buried him in a shallow grave.

apnews.com

Gledhill said she shot Johnson on the bed, buried his body and removed items from the house and destroyed them to cover up the crime, the informant said.

A search of the house found a bloodstain on the carpet under the bed, blood on the bed frame and evidence the wall had been bleached. Gledhill also had a new mattress, according to documents supporting her arrest.

 

[Snoopster]

I hate domestic violence. And, yes, males are vastly more likely to kill their partner/ex-partner. But here is a case where a female killed their partner. I find it equally abhorrent.
There are no winners here. Violence is never the answer.
ETA: No one has the right to determine who lives or who dies.

 

[mlhenn]

Update: Affidavit reveal details behind Cottonwood Heights woman’s murder arrest; husband’s body not yet recovered | Gephardt Daily

Charging documents filed in the arrest of Jennifer Gledhill share disturbing details about what led police to book her for the alleged murder of husband Matthew Johnson.

gephardtdaily.com

A confidential informant told officers that Gledhill confessed to the crime, saying she shot her husband as he slept, the affidavit says. Supporting evidence found by detectives includes a large blood-stain in the carpet beneath the bed, obscured by a newly purchased mattress above on the blood-stained frame, and signs of a significant cleanup, including recently bleached walls.

“Several search warrants have been obtained and served on electronic devices which have led investigators to believe the remains of Johnson are at the same undisclosed location as described by the CI.”

 

[mlhenn]

Gledhill admitted to killing Johnson by shooting him in the head while he slept, according to the affidavit.


Johnson was sleeping when he was shot, the informant reportedly said.

That is beyond horrific!

Utah Wife Allegedly Shot Serviceman Husband in Head as He Slept, Then Tried to Cover It Up

Jennifer Gledhill was arrested and is accused of first-degree murder and obstruction of justice in connection with the death of her serviceman husband, who was shot in the head.

people.com

 

[Unalienable Rights]

I wonder if she had help moving him. That can't have been easy.

 

[fcavanaugh]

Gledhill admitted to killing Johnson by shooting him in the head while he slept, according to the affidavit.


Johnson was sleeping when he was shot, the informant reportedly said.

That is beyond horrific!

Utah Wife Allegedly Shot Serviceman Husband in Head as He Slept, Then Tried to Cover It Up

Jennifer Gledhill was arrested and is accused of first-degree murder and obstruction of justice in connection with the death of her serviceman husband, who was shot in the head.

people.com

It is absolutely horrific! Jumping off your post, per the neighbors report that the truck was first parked facing the garage and had later been backed completely into the garage that day, I wonder if truck was backed in to the garage in order to load the body prior to disposal. Wondering if the truck was used to take body to disposal site which brings me to my next question, how would JG have managed to move him by herself-
load him into truck (or whichever vehicle was used for transport) and then moving his body out of vehicle and then burying him. IMO from his photos MJ appears to be a pretty big/muscular guy and I can’t picture her doing all that by herself without help. Hmmmm.

I realize it’s still early and we probably won’t have answers to these questions for awhile.
At any rate, hopefully cameras picked up something(s) valuable to help LE in their investigation.

So very sad for their children, my heart breaks for them.

RIP Matthew