Utah Mother, Jennifer Gledhill, Accused of Killing Husband While He Slept Makes Court Appearance | Crime Alert 11AM 12.08.25

Last year, Gledhill was charged with murder and obstruction of justice following the disappearance of her husband, Matthew Johnson.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Crime Alard hourly update, breaking crime news Now. I'm Nicole Partner,
woman from Utah charged with the murder of her husband
while he slept in their home in twenty twenty four,
made a brief appearance in court on Thursday to schedule
upcoming proceedings in her case. Jennifer Gledhill entered the courtroom,
greeted someone in the audience, and then stood beside her

(00:21):
attorney for a short hearing before being led out. Prosecutors
and Gledhill's legal team agreed to reconvene on January twenty
nine for a pre trial conference, leaving many to wonder
if a plea deal is in the works. Good Morning
was clued Hill Streudias withit's the status today.

Speaker 2 (00:41):
So, your honor, we filed some motions last night. The
state and I have had an opportunity to speak about them.
I believe on a couple of them there's some form
of an agreement that will come to that will resolve.
I think some of the issues, based on a conversation
that I had with Miss Paulus in October and trial
getting canceled, I file the motion in lemony that the

(01:03):
state would like an opportunity to look at and consider
so I think as of right now and in speaking
with the state, I'm also toying with the possibility of
another one which they're not agreeing to, but they don't
have an objection to me kind of looking at and
ferreting out and then potentially filing. What we're asking for
collectively is a status hearing on the sixteenth of January,

(01:29):
and then from there we would set trial dates and
motion hearing dates should they become needed.

Speaker 1 (01:37):
Last year, Gledhill was charged with murder and obstruction of
justice following the disappearance of her husband, Matthew Johnson. He
was last seen on September twenty, twenty twenty four, and
was reported missing by Gledhill days later after he missed
work as a member of the Utah National Guard. Despite
extensive searches throughout the state, Johnson's body has not been located.

(02:00):
The Cottonwood Heights Police Department informed scripts News at Salt
Lake City on Thursday that the search for Johnson's remains
is ongoing, saying, in part, we are still actively looking.
Our focuses on northern areas as our initial investigation directed
us there. We will persist in our efforts until that

(02:20):
green space is covered. Johnson's pickup truck was discovered near
the couple's home in Cottonwood Heights. Reports indicate that Gledhill
and Johnson, who have three children, were contemplating divorce and
had been arguing prior to his disappearance. A man involved
in an affair with Gladhill told authorities that she confessed

(02:41):
to him that she shot her husband in the head
as he slept on their bedroom mattress. The man claims
she disclosed that she had disposed of Johnson's body, relocating
it to a shallow grave at an undisclosed site, and
had destroyed items from their home to conceal the crime.
During a search of the residents, investigators uncovered a significant

(03:02):
blood stain on the carpet in the master bedroom under
the bed, as well as blood stains on the bed
framed slats. This went along with her former lover's account
of what she had told him. Police reported evidence suggesting
a thorough cleanup had occurred post murder, including the bleaching
of walls and the use of carpet cleaning products. Additionally,

(03:24):
Gledhill's parents, Rosalie and Thomas Gledhill, have been arrested and
faced multiple first degree felony charges of obstruction of justice
for allegedly helping their daughter clean up the crime scene
or Crime and Justice News. After this, Sebastian Rodgers celebrated

(03:46):
his seventeenth birthday on Saturday, marking the second birthday since
he vanished from his mother's home in Hindersonville, Tennessee, in
February twenty four, where he had been living with autism.
His father, Seth Rogers, spent the day at a nearby
Culver's restaurant in Clarksville, which offered free malts and distributed
flyers to honor the son's disappearance. Flyers get removed often,

(04:09):
said his father. Some people mistakenly believe he has been found,
but that's not the case, lamented Seth Rogers. In the
nearly two years since Sebastian's disappearance, Seth has traveled to
various states, chasing leads, logging over thirty six thousand miles
on his truck in a relentless search for his son.
It's just gas and mileage, but it's finding my son,

(04:31):
and that's priceless, his father said. As a father, it's
my responsibility to explore every avenue possible. To locate my son.
I believe that somewhere along one of those paths, I'll
find Sebastian. Seth's quest has taken him to states including Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky,
and Mississippi. He has expressed a desire for the FBI

(04:52):
to take over the lead investigation, feeling that his request
has been overlooked. They might not appreciate me saying this,
but I am deeply invested to my son, he said.
To them, he's just another case, but I refuse to
accept that. Since the investigation began in twenty twenty four,
he has noticed a decline in communication from authorities. However,

(05:13):
through community efforts, the search for Sebastian has gained a
national attention, drawing support from organizers across the country. Seth
is determined to do everything in his power to bring
his son home safely. This birthday will pass, and if
he's not found by Christmas, it will be another painful
reminder that my son is missing. He sent a heartfelt

(05:34):
message to his son if he hears it. If you're
out there, Sebastian, my phone number hasn't changed. Just call me.
I'll come get you, no matter where you are I'll
find a way, even if it means getting a boat.
I'm searching for you. I will not stop. I love you, son,
and I always will, his father said. The investigation into
Sebastian's disappearance continues to be handled by the Sumner County

(05:56):
Sheriff's Office, the Tennessee Bureau and Investigation, and the FBI.
Seth emphasized that his son's case is part of a
larger issue involving countless other missing children that need to
be prioritized. It's absurd that some people can't set aside
their differences and egos to help locate missing children, he said.
Far too often this is happening in our country. Seth

(06:19):
also noted that the community can aid in the search
by remaining vigilant and sharing flyers. The FBI has set
the current reward for information leading to Sebastian's location at
fifty thousand dollars, and police say anyone with relevant information
should reach out to authorities immediately. For the latest crime
injustice news, follow Crime Alert hourly update on your favorite

(06:42):
podcasting app with this crime Alert. I'm Nicol Parton