WEALTHY UTAH MOM MAKES 'BIG PURCHASE' AFTER SPECIAL OPS HUBBY DISAPPEARS

Matthew Johnson is active military, serving as a National Guardsman in the Special Ops Unit. Johnson takes a brief leave of absence while the children return to school.   The day  Johnson is set to return to work, his wife, Jennifer Gledhill reports him missing. She tells police he should have been home from base hours ago and his phone is going straight to voicemail. It turns out, Johnson never showed up to work that morning either. Jennifer says she last saw her husband pulling out of the driveway.  

The last time Matthew Johnson is seen by someone other than Jennifer Gledhill is three days before he is reported missing at a neighborhood gas station. Neighbors say they remember seeing Johnson’s truck.   They also remember hearing Johnson and Gledhill arguing late into the night. The next day, Johnson’s communications, even with his children, stop entirely.  As police search for Johnson,  his truck is finally found.... Ten days after he was reported missing.   Its parked on the street not even a mile from million dollar home.  The truck is locked, with gas in the tank.   Inside the truck, nothing appears out of the ordinary, but cops do not find any more of Matthew’s belongings. Investigators begin processing the truck for any evidence that would explain what happened to Johnson.   Neighbors say they last saw the truck on the day Johnson went missing. It was parked in his driveway. 

During the investigation police discover that after ten years of marriage Matthew Johnson and Jennifer Gledhill are in the midst of a contentious divorce. Jennifer Gledhill initiated the split in July with proceedings set to be finalized by the end of October. Gledhill says that she’s afraid of Johnson, claiming Johnson has been violent with her in the past. Cottonwood Heights PD visited the family’s home for domestic disputes several times.   

A temporary restraining order is issued, but Gledhill must prove abuse at the hands of her husband for anything more permanent.  Video and text messages are gathered as proof,  in Gledhill’s fight for a permanent order.   One video shows Johnson cleaning up glass from a broken family photo, his demeanour,,, calm.  Court Commissioner Russell Minas, denied the permanent order determining there was no abuse. He described the couple’s relationship as highly dysfunctional, adding both parties were equally confrontational and that Gledhill, did not exhibit any fear of Johnson. The commissioner said the request for a restraining order appeared to be a litigation tactic in the pending divorce.    

Matthew Johnson has been missing 5 days when Cottonwood Heights PD gets a call from a friend of Jennifer Gledhill’s. The friend claims Gledhill called before reporting Matthew missing, giving a very different version of events. According to the friend, Jennifer Gledhill killed her husband and got rid of his body.  

Joining Nancy Grace today: 

• Sgt. Gary Young - Cottonwood Heights Police Department
• Ray Guidice -  Atlanta Defense Attorney
• Dr. Chloe Carmichael  -  Clinical Psychologist, Author: ‘Nervous Energy: Harness The Power of Your Anxiety”, Twitter: @DrChloe, drchloe.com
• Toby Wolson - Forensic Biologist and Bloodstain Pattern Analyst at Noslow Forensic Consultations,  Formerly with Miami-Dade Police Department Forensic Services Bureau.   NoslowForensic.com.  Author: "Handbook of Bloodstain Pattern Analysis." out December 13
• Jennifer Dzikowski  - Crime Online Investigative Reporter 

 

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