Utah
Utah mom accused of killing National Guard husband enters plea as police search for body
A Utah mom accused of killing her husband in September 2024 pleaded not guilty to nine counts earlier this month as officials continue to search for the Utah National Guardsman’s body, according to local news.
Jennifer Gledhill pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder, five counts of obstruction of justice, possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, abuse of a human body and tampering with a witness, filed in Salt Lake County, in connection with Matthew Johnson’s disappearance and presumed death.
Gledhill appeared in court on Feb. 6, wearing a navy jumpsuit and shackles with her hair tied in a bun. She waived her right to a preliminary hearing, FOX 13 Salt Lake City reported.
Court documents obtained by Fox News Digital last year state that Gledhill was “very calculating in her crimes in that she arranged for the children to stay with her parents during the evening Matthew was killed” around Sept. 20, 2024, when he was last seen.
UTAH MOM SHOT MISSING NATIONAL GUARD HUSBAND IN HIS SLEEP, SUGGESTED LOVER ‘TAKE IT TO THE GRAVE’: POLICE
Jennifer Gledhill appeared in court on Feb. 6, wearing a navy jumpsuit and shackles with her hair tied in a bun. (FOX 13 Salt Lake City)
Her parents, Thomas and Rosalie Gledhill, face obstruction of justice charges.
Johnson was initially considered missing for days when a member of the Utah National Guard contacted the Cottonwood Heights Police Department on Sept. 25 asking for a wellness check on Johnson, stating he had not come into work, “which was very unusual,” a probable cause affidavit states.
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On Sept. 28, Gledhill reported her husband missing to police, saying she had not heard from him since Sept. 20. She also claimed “Matthew told her that he was going to be gone for a week and not to call him.” She seemed “distracted and at times nervous” during the call, according to court documents.
Jennifer Gledhill pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder, five counts of obstruction of justice, possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, abuse of a human body and tampering with a witness, filed in Salt Lake County, in connection with Matthew Johnson’s murder. (FOX 13 Salt Lake City)
An informant then came forward to police with information about Gledhill, saying he was having an extramarital affair with her. He told Cottonwood Heights police that on Sunday, Sept. 22, Gledhill came over to his house and told him that she was “likely going away for a long time.”
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Gledhill apparently told her lover that she and Johnson had gotten in a fight on Sept. 20 “because he knew she had been sleeping with someone else,” and allegedly went on to admit to the informant that on the evening of Sept. 21, she shot her husband in the head with his 9 mm Glock “as he slept in their shared bed.”
Matthew Johnson’s friends and family last heard from him on Sept. 21, though he is now presumed dead. (Cottonwood Heights PD)
She allegedly further told her lover “that she loaded Matthew’s body into a rooftop storage container, slid him down the stairs by herself, and loaded him into the back of her minivan.” She said she then transported Johnson’s body “north, dug a hole, and buried him in a shallow grave,” court documents state.
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Johnson’s body has yet to be recovered, though detectives found his truck located 0.3 miles from his home with his cellphone inside the vehicle.
In text and WhatsApp messages, Gledhill allegedly told her lover that if she were told a story like the one she told him, “she would take it to the grave,” the probable cause affidavit says.
Jennifer Gledhill apparently told her lover that she shot her husband in the head. (FOX 13 Salt Lake City)
A neighbor told police that on Sept. 24, she saw Gledhill’s parents inside the home “cleaning” the garage and “moving things around.”
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While serving a search warrant at Gledhill’s residence, detectives noticed that the mattress in the master bedroom “appeared to be brand new.”
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“Additionally, the entire wall behind the master bed appeared to have fresh wipe marks from cleaning. Several reddish-brown spots were located on the walls, bed frame, and blinds of the master bedroom. Detectives noted that the wall behind the master bed was covered in bleach,” court documents states.
Gledhill allegedly told her lover “that she loaded Matthew’s body into a rooftop storage container, slid him down the stairs by herself, and loaded him into the back of her minivan.” Gledhill said she transported Johnson’s body “north, dug a hole, and buried him in a shallow grave,” court documents state. (FOX 13 Salt Lake City)
Investigators also noted “a strong smell of chlorine in the basement” and bleach stains on “several stairs” with black carpeting.
MOM OF UTAH AUTHOR ACCUSED OF POISONING HUSBAND POSSIBLY ‘INVOLVED IN PLANNING’ HIS DEATH, POLICE SAY
During a search of the suspect’s vehicle, detectives located bags of what appeared to be drugs that were packaged “for individual sale” and about $200 in cash.
Police also served a search warrant at Gledhill’s parents’ home, where they located a tote bag by the room she would sleep in containing “a Glock 19X gun box (green/tan in color) with one of the handles broken,” which was “wrapped in a child’s onesie.”
Jennifer Gledhill waived her right to a preliminary hearing on Feb. 6. (FOX 13 Salt Lake City)
Gledhill’s cellphone records show that “at no point” after Sept. 21, when her husband last communicated with friends and family, “did she ever attempt to contact” Johnson, prosecutors said.
The suspect’s mother told detectives she went to her daughter’s home on Sept. 24 and admitted to purchasing a new mattress from Amazon at Gledhill’s request.
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When police asked the suspect’s father if he entered the master bedroom, he responded, “I did not go in where the incident happened.”
Gledhill previously made “unsuccessful attempts to secure a protective order against Matthew during the course of their marriage and was found by the Court to be an instigator and one to goad Matthew into a response in order to get him in trouble,” according to records obtained by prosecutors.
Gledhill’s attorney, Jeremy Deus, could not immediately be reached for comment.
SALT LAKE CITY — The Environmental Protection Agency awarded Utah and Salt Lake County a total of $3.5 million in grants to assess potentially polluted properties for eventual cleanup and redevelopment.
The agency announced a $2 million grant to Utah’s Department of Environmental Quality and $1.5 million to Salt Lake County to conduct environmental assessments and inventory brownfield sites for cleanup. Brownfields are sites that may be difficult to redevelop or expand because of “the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant,” according to the agency.
“These brownfields grants will help Utah communities clean up contaminated sites and unlock opportunities for redevelopment and investment,” EPA Regional Administrator Cyrus Western said in a news release announcing the grants earlier this week. “By transforming underused properties into community assets, EPA is helping create healthier neighborhoods and stronger local economies.”
The two grants awarded to Utah and Salt Lake County are among more than $248 million awarded to nearly 200 communities nationwide for brownfield assessment and cleanup. Utah’s Department of Environmental Quality plans to focus the resources on several areas in Ogden, Heber City and Fillmore, among others, according to Bill Rees, who leads Utah’s brownfield cleanup program.
“What we do is work to secure the funding and then begin to reach out to our communities across the state, say, ‘Listen, there’s opportunity to do some assessment work in your community if you’re interested,’ and then work with our rural partners, work with our urban partners to see if there are sites that will fit that bill,” he told KSL.
The state has received similar grants in the past, and Rees said the money can help local governments determine what to do with ailing properties such as old schools, hospitals or private property that have gone to waste.
“Is there asbestos in it, or is there hazardous material in it? Or could there be something that’s impacting the soil or the groundwater, and a policymaker needs to make a decision?” asked Rees. “Knowledge allows you to make good decisions.”
The $1.5 million awarded to Salt Lake County is the largest brownfields assessment grant the county has ever received, according to a county press release.
“This grant is a real win for our communities,” said Mayor Jenny Wilson. “This funding will let us do vital environmental work on a larger scale and in more neighborhoods. It reflects exactly the kind of partnership between local and federal government that gets results for residents.”
The county grant funds will be used to help create cleanup plans in three areas, including a vehicle storage yard in Salt Lake City’s Ballpark Neighborhood, a 4.26-acre vacant lot in Millcreek and a small commercial building in Magna that was damaged during an earthquake in March 2020, according to the EPA.
Contributing: Don Brinkherhoff
The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.
The National Weather Service in Salt Lake City issued red flag warning Friday morning as emergency workers continued to battle one of the state’s largest wildfires in its history.
The red flag warning, issued when critical fire warnings are occurring or imminent, was to be in place through midnight Saturday.
“This is the FIRST Particularly Dangerous Situation Red Flag Warning issued in NWS Salt Lake City history. This is an exceptionally rare event,” the federal agency said in its warning.
A map of the area under the warning covered much of central and southwest Utah, with an area of the southwest, central and southern mountains also outlined as “particularly dangerous red flag.”
The particularly dangerous area includes the Cottonwood Fire, near the town of Beaver, which started Monday and had grown to covering almost nearly 71,000 acres by Thursday, 15 News reported. The fire forced evacuations.
The NWS warned that gusty winds and dry conditions would lead to rapid fire growth.
Utah also was dealing with the Iron Fire, which started June 19, and nearly destroyed the town of Eureka. The fire was about 27% contained Friday morning.
The fire danger led Utah Gov. Spencer Cox to issue executive order restricting fireworks statewide during the July 4 holiday, which marks the nation’s 250th birthday this year. The ban is in effect through July 5.
“Nothing about this decision was easy,” Cox said in a statement issued by his office Thursday.
“This is unlike anything we’ve seen in recent memory. We’re seeing fires spread farther and faster under conditions that defy historical expectations” Jamie Barnes, Utah state forester and director of the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands, added in the statement.
Cox allowed cities and local communities to set aside areas where fireworks could be safely used. The city of Provo announced it would enforce a citywide prohibition on fireworks and would not designate a safe area for fireworks.
“This year is different,” Provo Mayor Marsha Judkins said in a statement. “The wildfire danger facing our community is real, and protecting lives, homes, and our natural spaces must come first.”
SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Earlier this month, 2News Investigates brought you a former inmate’s federal lawsuit alleging Utah Department of Corrections leaders failed to address reports of alleged sexual assault by correctional officers. Now, 2News Investigates examines another key claim in that lawsuit.
MORE: Federal lawsuit alleges Utah prison leaders covered up guards’ sexual assaults on inmates
The lawsuit alleges a mass cross-gender strip-search operation – women being viewed by men was intended to further silence female inmates.
Federal law generally prohibits cross-gender strip searches of female inmates except during emergencies or when conducted by medical personnel. UDC says that during body-search procedures, male correctional officers are not allowed in the immediate area and inmate privacy is maintained. Former inmates say that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Three former inmates agreed to speak with 2News Investigates but asked that their identities not be revealed.
“It was very traumatic.”
According to the lawsuit, on May 13, 2025, UDC carried out a large-scale operation known as a “reset” in women’s housing units at the Utah State Correctional Facility (USCF) in Salt Lake City.
Wendy: “They call it a reset. What do you call it?”
“A violation.”
“It’s like a rape.”
The lawsuit alleges UDC Deputy Warden Derick Zorn and Warden Sharon D’Amico directed the operation, along with more than a dozen members of the Critical Incident Response Team, or CIRT.
According to the plaintiffs, officers stormed dormitories, shouted profanities, and issued conflicting commands.
The women say and the lawsuit states they were ordered to pack their belongings into totes and change into state-issued uniforms in front of male CIRT officers. They were then marched to the Emerald Building for processing.
“It felt almost like we were at a concentration camp.”
The lawsuit alleges the women were required to undergo body scans and then strip completely naked. Plaintiffs claim they were ordered to lift their breasts, spread their buttocks, and cough while visible to male staff.
Women who were menstruating allegedly were instructed to remove menstrual products in full view of others.
“Just use one hand to remove it. Hold it up in front of you.”
“I felt really small and worthless.”
The lawsuit alleges some women were forced to hold soiled menstrual pads while performing physical maneuvers.
“I just did what I was told. I just wanted to get it over with.”
The plaintiffs also claim they were required to sit on toilets or squat to provide urine samples while completely naked and visible to male officers.
“It was humiliating. It was degrading.”
The lawsuit further alleges cell doors were left open, exposing naked women to other inmates and male staff.
An overhead observation booth with reflective glass overlooked the strip-search area. Plaintiffs say they observed movement inside and believed they were being watched from above.
The lawsuit alleges the female inmates were being watched from above during a mass strip search on May 13, 2025
“I could see in the overhead, the two-way mirror. There were multiple men walking around up there who had direct vision inside those cells.”
The lawsuit alleges Captain Jared Beers and Lieutenant Matthew Coombs were inside the booth and that Deputy Warden Derick Zorn observed women in various states of undress.
“I made eye contact with Officer Arroyo, and I also saw Deputy Zorn.”
“I knew if I could see the male officers, they could see me.”
One former inmate described the experience as state-sanctioned sexual violence.
“When that happens, and you’ve gone through the same kind of thing as a child, it’s very traumatic.”
The lawsuit alleges Warden D’Amico knew male officers were viewing naked female inmates and “ratified, condoned, and failed to stop it.”
An allegation in the lawsuit filed on May 15, 2026
“You’re pretty much a hostage.”
UDC Executive Director Jared Garcia declined repeated requests for an on-camera interview. A letter sent said:
“During the body search process in female living areas, male correctional officers are not allowed in the immediate area, and privacy is maintained. In general, resets are conducted routinely, according to UDC policy and under strict protocols designed to ensure safety while also preserving the privacy and dignity of incarcerated individuals.”
“The manner matters.”
Walter Mason represents the plaintiffs.
He told 2News Investigates, “The law protects inmates from being exposed to members of the opposite sex viewing their naked bodies unless there’s an emergency. Unless there’s what the law calls an exigent circumstance, the prison can take necessary actions to protect safety. There was no emergency. There was no exigency.”
UDC says the reset involved approximately 150 trained staff members and was conducted according to department policy.
UDC’s letter goes on to say:
“Every effort was made to treat belongings with care and document confiscated items appropriately. UDC stands by our methods and policies, which are intended to maintain the highest standards of integrity, safety, and efficiency during the reset process.”
Written response from the Utah Department of Corrections regarding 2News investigations
I asked UDC whether any exigent circumstances existed on May 13, 2025, during the reset operation.
The response:
“No exigent circumstances occurred on May 13, 2025.”
I also requested information about what items were confiscated. UDC said it could not provide a specific list.
Response to questions posed by 2News Investigates to UDC regarding mass strip search and if exigent circumstances existed that day
The lawsuit seeks a jury trial and accuses the defendants, all supervisors, of participating in a “coordinated effort to humiliate, mock, and psychologically degrade the plaintiffs … operating with a brazen and intentional disregard for clearly established law, fueled by an institutional custom of impunity.”
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