A Pennsylvania man has been sentenced to life in prison for luring his girlfriend to a desert, tying her to a post, and watching her die. John Matthew Chapman, 44, was convicted on Friday for the 2019 kidnapping and death of 33-year-old Jaime Feden.
A brutal betrayal in the Nevada desert
In September 2019, Chapman convinced Feden to drive from Pennsylvania to Nevada under the pretense of purchasing a home in Las Vegas. Once there, he persuaded her to drive into the desert for a “bandage photoshoot.” Prosecutors detailed how Chapman then zip-tied Feden to a signpost and covered her nose and mouth with duct tape, watching as she suffocated. After she died, Chapman removed the tape, zip ties, and her clothes, leaving her body in the desert.
Prosecutors revealed that Chapman had premeditated the murder before the trip. After the crime, Chapman drove back to Pennsylvania, discarding her clothes along the way.
Investigation and arrest
In November 2019, a friend of Feden requested a welfare check. Neighbors reported they had not seen the 33-year-old for months but had observed someone they believed to be her boyfriend entering and leaving her home. Inside, police found Chapman’s ID, Ms. Feden’s cell phone, and multiple rolls of duct tape and zip ties.Following his arrest, Chapman confessed to killing Feden for financial gain.
US Attorney Jason M. Frierson stated, “The defendant violated the victim’s trust by luring her away from her family and friends in Pennsylvania and out into the Nevada desert, where he viciously killed her. This sentence should send a clear message to others that kidnapping and killing another person will result in a substantial prison sentence.”
