Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
- The case involving the death of Utah National Guardsman Matthew Johnson has revealed a contentious separation with his estranged wife, Jennifer Gledhill, who is charged with his murder and multiple other offenses.
- Johnson's divorce attorney, Brady Gibbs, highlighted disputes over Johnson's premarital home and alleged that Gledhill's use of a protective order was a tactic to regain access and kill Johnson.
COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS — New details have surfaced in the killing of a Utah National guardsman who police believe was killed by his estranged wife.
Jennifer Gledhill, 41, was arrested on Oct. 2. She was charged with murder, five counts of obstruction of justice, one count of possession of a controlled substance, one count abuse or desecration of a human body and one count of tampering with a witness.
Matthew Johnson's divorce attorney, Brady Gibbs, is shedding light on the couple's contentious separation.
"In the communications that I saw between them, there were a number of things that she called him, just horrible things trying to illicit a response and his response in a lot of that was, 'Please just leave me alone, please think about you're doing,'" Gibbs said.
According to Gibbs, at the heart of the divorce dispute was 51-year-old Johnson's premarital home.
"There was a contention about the equity in that home. In any event, Ms. Gledhill had moved out of the home in March of 2024, so she wasn't even living in the home," Gibbs said.
Gibbs said Gledhill regained access to the home when she filed for a temporary protective order against Johnson and listed the Cottonwood Heights address as her own in August.
Court documents show the matter was eventually dismissed. Commissioner Russell Minas heard oral arguments, reviewed videos of various incidents and read text messages between the parties. Minas concluded that a civil protective order "was not warranted and the petitioner had not met her burden."
Minas further concluded that text messages showed Gledhill repeatedly berated, belittled and demeaned Johnson "if not outright attempting to goad him into a violent response," concluding that the petition was more a "litigation tactic in a pending divorce matter."
"This was likely a ploy to gain advantage in the divorce," Gibbs said.
According to court records, the order to dismiss the matter was filed on Sept. 16.
Just five days later, detectives suspect Johnson was killed in his sleep. Court documents indicate Gledhill confessed to the man she was having an affair with that she "shot Matthew in the head with Matthew's 9mm Glock as he slept in their shared bed."
"There would have been no ability for her to get in the home if not for the improper request for a protective order," Gibbs said. "Mr. Johnson was an Army Ranger. He was very capable of defending himself. This was the only way that Ms. Gledhill could get the access she needed to kill him."
Gledhill's divorce attorney Taryn Evans denied Gibbs' claims that Gledhill used the protective order to regain access into the home or as a litigation tactic. Moreover, Evans said there was no finding that the home was a premarital asset.
Evans said she respectfully disagreed with the commissioner's decision in the protective order hearing and interpretation of the evidence he reviewed.
KSL-TV also reached out to Gledhill's criminal defense attorney and did not receive a response.
Gledhill is suspected of burying Johnson's body in a shallow grave at an undisclosed location. The Cottonwood Heights Police Department said they are still searching for his body.
"He was a guy who really loved his kids and wanted to be around his kids and all he wanted was peace, and he just couldn't get that," Gibbs said.
