UT UT - Matthew Johnson, 51, Utah Ntl Guard member, missed work, car found a block from home, Cottonwood Heights, 20 Sept 2024

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GuyfromCanada

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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'
 
“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.”

 

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.
 

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.
 
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.

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."
 

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.
 
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.

 

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).
 
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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.
 
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.
 

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.”
 
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!

 
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!

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
 

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