Man accused of kidnapping Pittsburgh-area woman, killing her in Nevada desert found guilty

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A man accused of driving a Pittsburgh-area woman out to the Nevada desert, tying her to a signpost and killing her was found guilty of kidnapping resulting in death after a federal jury trial.

The jury returned a guilty verdict against John Chapman from Oakland, Maryland, in the death of 33-year-old Jaime Feden on Wednesday, Bethel Park police announced. 

Police in Bethel Park launched an investigation into Feden's disappearance in November of 2019 after friends and family became concerned. Feden was found dead and unidentified in the desert of Lincoln County, Nevada, a few weeks later and Chapman was charged in connection with her death. 

According to the complaint from 2019, Chapman admitted to Bethel Park police that he had taken Feden to Nevada in mid-September, telling her they were going to buy a home in Las Vegas together. However, he 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, Chapman told Bethel Park Police he drove from Pennsylvania to Nevada then took Feden out to the desert, tied her to a signpost and suffocated her.

The criminal complaint says 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 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.

Chapman will be sentenced on Aug. 2.