Judge Orders Man Suspected In Kidnapping, Death Of Bethel Park Woman Transferred To Nevada To Face Federal Charges
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - John Chapman was ordered to be transferred to Nevada in the kidnapping and death of Jaime Feden.
On Monday, Chapman appeared in court in Pittsburgh. The federal complaint was filed a week ago in Nevada, federally charging Chapman with kidnapping resulting in death.
#BREAKING: John Chapman appeared in federal court this afternoon. The judge ordered him to be transferred to the state of Nevada for a federal charge of kidnapping resulting in death. If convicted, he will face life in prison and could be eligible for the death penalty. pic.twitter.com/uKxBtlIAeC
— Amy Wadas (@AmyWadas) March 2, 2020
KDKA's Amy Wadas reports the judge looked at Chapman and said, "You are facing a very serious charge involving the death of a person."
Despite the seriousness of the charge, Chapman had no emotion on his face. He was represented by a public defender.
The U.S. Attorney's Office says if convicted, he will face life in prison and could be eligible for the death penalty.
According to the complaint, 40-year-old Chapman allegedly admitted to Bethel Park Police that he had taken Feden to Nevada in mid-September. The federal complaint says he allegedly told her they'd be going so they could get a home in Las Vegas together.
However, he allegedly told police that he had intended to kill her for her money. The complaint says he had a "kill kit" ready before they left for the trip.
In his alleged confession, he told Bethel Park Police he drove from Pennsylvania to Nevada. The complaint says he then took her out to the desert, tied her to a signpost and suffocated her.
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The complaint goes on to say that in the deleted photos section of Chapman's phone, detectives found a picture of Feden under a Las Vegas sign and a picture of Feden bound in the Nevada desert with duct tape on her mouth and zip ties securing her to a signpost where her body was found.
After her murder, the complaint says Chapman tossed Feden's clothes at various locations on his drive back to Bethel Park from Nevada. It also accuses Chapman of using Feden's home after her death, allegedly bringing his new girlfriend there.
The judge mentioned that Chapman had waived his right to a preliminary hearing and ordered him to be extradited to Nevada, where he will have a court appointed attorney.
The U.S. Marshals can't release when he will be transferred. He'll remain in the custody of U.S. Marshals until his transfer.
Meantime, the Lincoln County District Attorney in Nevada says he will likely be filing separate murder and kidnapping charges in the next week and a half.