Wife of missing Utah guard charged with murder in death

COTONWOOD HEIGHTS, Utah (KUTV) — The wife of a Utah guard who reported her husband missing has been jailed on murder charges.

Matthew Johnson was last seen on Friday, September 20 near 3000 East Fort Union Boulevard.

Cottonwood Police Department officials said Johnson’s wife, Jennifer Gledhill, 41, reported him missing when he did not return home.

His employers also reported that the 51-year-old failed to show up on Monday September 23.

MORE: Disappearance of Cottonwood Heights man missing for more than two weeks under investigation as ‘suspicious’

Police said the couple had been considering divorce since July. They shared three young children – aged 11, 7 and 5.

Witnesses reported seeing Johnson and Gledhill arguing around the time she was reported missing and were called to the family home.

Investigators believed Johnson had been shot.

Authorities said the death was reported to police on Saturday, September 28. They did not reveal what was reported, but said they collected testimony and “significant physical and digital evidence,” leading to Gledhill’s arrest.

She was taken into custody and charged with first degree murder.

Gledhill was booked into the Salt Lake County Adult Detention Center.

Officials said Johnson was a member of the U.S. military special operations unit.

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