Home Scandal and Gossip Cottonwood Heights mom confesses shooting missing serviceman husband dead as he slept

Cottonwood Heights mom confesses shooting missing serviceman husband dead as he slept

SHARE
Jennifer Gledhill, Cottonwood Heights, Utah mom confesses shooting missing serviceman husband, Matthew Johnson dead
Jennifer Gledhill Utah mom makes first court appearance where she admitted having sex w/ husband, revealing affair, before Matthew Johnson’s death the next day as court orders her to have no contact with their children as search for missing national guardsman’s body continues.
Jennifer Gledhill, Cottonwood Heights, Utah mom confesses shooting missing serviceman husband, Matthew Johnson dead
Jennifer Gledhill, Cottonwood Heights, Utah mom confesses shooting missing serviceman husband, Matthew Johnson dead as he slept.

Jennifer Gledhill, Cottonwood Heights, Utah mom confesses shooting missing serviceman husband, Matthew Johnson dead as he slept after filing for divorce earlier in the summer and one week after an order of protection against her estranged husband was denied. 

A Utah mother has confessed to shooting her serviceman husband dead as he slept at their $1 million Salt Lake City area home, before then dumping his body in a shallow grave at an undisclosed location. 

Jennifer Gledhill, 41, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on Wednesday for murder and obstruction of justice after her husband Matthew Johnson, 51, abruptly going missing late last month. 

In an arrest affidavit seen by The Gephardt Daily, Gledhill reportedly confessed to shooting her National Guardsman husband in the head before dumping his body.  

Jennifer Gledhill parents arrested helping daughter clean up husband murder scene

Utah mom had sex w/ husband only to kill him after revealing affair

‘Suspicious case…’ 

Johnson, a member of the United States Military Special Operations Unit, was reported missing on September 23rd after he failed to show up for work with the Utah National Guard. 

Detectives probing the serviceman’s disappearance found a large blood stain at the family’s $967,000 home in Cottonwood Heights, which is a suburb of Salt Lake City.

Gledhill is also accused of buying a new mattress after disposing of the one her husband died on.  

Authorities said on Monday the case was ‘suspicious’ after the missing man’s truck was found just a few blocks from their house. 

Police determined that Johnson was last seen on Sept. 20, with witnesses telling investigators that Johnson and his wife had an argument sometime between Sept. 20-21, FOX13 reported.

Stated an arrested affidavit: ‘Johnson was shot while on the mattress inside the master bedroom of their home in Cottonwood Heights. 

‘Jennifer told the [informant] she had removed the body of Johnson and had relocated his remains to a shallow grave at an undisclosed location. 

Jennifer Gledhill, Cottonwood Heights, Utah mom confesses shooting missing serviceman husband, Matthew Johnson dead
Jennifer Gledhill, Cottonwood Heights, Utah mom confesses shooting missing serviceman husband, Matthew Johnson dead.

Cottonwood Heights estranged wife confessed to shooting estranged husband as he slept

‘Gledhill also told the [informant] she had been removing items from the home and destroying them to cover up this crime.

‘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 [informant].’

Officers reported in the affidavit that there was also evidence of a significant cleanup, which included the walls being bleached. 

Police say that phone records showed that a new mattress was ordered on September 24 and arrived at their home two days later. 

According to the court documents, on September 24 Jennifer came into the Cottonwood Heights Police Department to report an incident that occurred on or about September 20 or 21 between her and her estranged husband Matthew Johnson.

It was on September 28 when police came in contact with a confidential informant who reported speaking with Jennifer on the 22nd. The informant claimed that Gledhill openly admitted to killing Matthew Johnson by shooting him in the head as he slept.

Jennifer Gledhill, Cottonwood Heights, Utah mom confesses shooting missing serviceman husband, Matthew Johnson dead
Pictured the Cottonwood Heights, Utah home where missing serviceman, Matthew Johnson was allegedly shot dead by his estranged wife.

Shot victim dead just one week after order of protection against estranged husband denied

Authorities served a search warrant on the home where they found incriminating evidence, including the ordering of a new mattress and significant clean-up involving bleach before arresting Gledhill.

Following Gledhill’s arrest, officers asked for a ‘No Bail’ to be issued, saying they believe she would further tamper or remove critical evidence, and that she was a flight risk. 

According to court documents seen by KSL, Gledhill had filed for divorce from Johnson in July. She then filed a petition for a temporary protective order in August.

The outlet reported that 3rd District Commissioner Russell Minas said the protective order was not warranted and that ‘no abuse’ had occurred. 

She submitted videos claiming a need for the order, but the ruling stated the videos portrayed her as being ‘equally confrontational’. 

According to text messages also submitted, Gledhill was ‘repeatedly berating, belittling, and demeaning’ toward Johnson, the ruling said. 

That protective order was dismissed by a judge on Sept. 16, less than a week before Johnson was shot to death.

Police confirmed that they had also visited couple’s home for civil matters previously. The couple share two sons and a daughter aged 11, 7, and 5.

The Cottonwood Heights Police Department said: ‘We want to express our heartfelt sympathy to the families, especially to the Johnson children. These unfortunate tragedies tear apart the fabric of our families.

‘We extend our gratitude to our partners at the DA Office, State Crime Lab, and Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office for their efforts.’

If convicted, Gledhill could spend the rest of her life behind bars.

SHARE