Wife arrested and charged with murder of missing Utah security guard

COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS — A Utah woman has been arrested and charged in the death of her husband, who was reported missing in September.

According to Cottonwood Heights police, Jennifer Gledhill, 41, was charged with first-degree murder and obstruction of justice after she reported her husband, Matthew Johnson, 51, missing on Sept. 20. Gledhill is in custody.

Johnson was a respected member of a special unit of the US military, police said. He was employed by the Utah National Guard and was scheduled to return from leave on September 23rd. He was last seen on September 20 and police said witnesses reported an argument between the couple nearby or on that day. Investigators believe Johnson died of a gunshot wound. His truck was located Monday in the area of ​​3100 East and Fort Union Boulevard.

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

Cottonwood Heights Police received reports of a crime on Saturday, Sept. 28, and said, “Investigators have collected significant physical and digital evidence as well as witness statements that support probable cause for the arrest.”

Police will not release any further information without consulting Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill. Investigators worked with Gill and his office, the state crime lab and the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office.