An Oakmont native was sentenced to life in prison Friday following his conviction in the 2019 kidnapping and killing of a Bethel Park woman.
John Matthew Chapman, 44, of Oakland, Md., was found guilty in May of kidnapping and killing Jaime Feden, 33, of Bethel Park under the pretense that they were going on vacation.
Police and federal prosecutors said in September 2019, Chapman drove Feden to Lincoln County, Nev., north of Las Vegas, bound her hands and feet and tied her to a signpost, officials said. Then, he put duct tape over her mouth and nose and watched her die from asphyxiation, according to court records.
He then left her body in the desert and drove back to Pennsylvania, discarding various items of her clothing along the way, according to a criminal complaint.
Prosecutors said Feden was born with VATER syndrome, a group of birth defects that develop during pregnancy and can cause physical and intellectual disabilities. She and Chapman dated off and on for about a decade despite Chapman being married, according to court documents.
In the days and weeks leading up to the 2019 Nevada trip, prosecutors said a search of Chapman’s computer revealed search inquiries including “What is the perfect place to dump bodies,” “Dump+body+nevada” and “How can I successfully dump a dead body without being caught?”
On Nov. 14, 2019, Bethel Park police conducted a welfare check on Feden at the request of a friend, according to court records. Neighbors told police at that time they had not seen Feden in about two months, but they had seen Chapman entering and leaving her home.
Inside Feden’s home, police found ID cards with Chapman’s name and photograph, Feden’s cellphone, multiple zip ties and a roll of duct tape.
Two photographs found on Chapman’s phone showed Feden bound to a signpost, prosecutors said.
U.S. Attorney for the District of Nevada Jason Frierson said a life sentence was the only fitting penalty.
Patrick Varine is a TribLive reporter covering Delmont, Export and Murrysville. He is a Western Pennsylvania native and joined the Trib in 2010 after working as a reporter and editor with the former Dover Post Co. in Delaware. He can be reached at pvarine@triblive.com.