Judge orders Chapman transferred to Nevada
A federal judge ordered a Maryland man be transferred to Nevada on a charge that he kidnapped and murdered a Bethel Park woman last September.
John Matthew Chapman, 40, of Oakland, Md., appeared in federal court in Pittsburgh on Monday.
Last week, the Las Vegas division of the FBI charged Chapman with kidnapping resulting in death. At his court appearance, Chapman waived a preliminary hearing on the charge.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Maureen Kelly ordered that Chapman be transferred to Nevada so the case can proceed.
According to court documents, Chapman kidnapped Jaime Rae Feden, 33, in September, telling her they were taking a vacation to Las Vegas. The criminal complaint alleges that Chapman was planning to kill Feden, and had a “kill kit” prepared.
On Sept. 25, Chapman drove Feden into the desert of Lincoln County, Nev. According to the complaint, he bound her hands and feet to a sign post with duct tape, and covered her nose and mouth with duct tape.
According to the complaint, he watched her die of asphyxiation, and then stripped her naked and left her by the sign post. Nevada officials discovered her body on Oct. 5, and she was later identified via dental records.
Chapman confessed to Bethel Park police that he killed Feden “for her money,” according to the complaint.
In light of the federal charge, state charges of kidnapping and obstruction of justice against Chapman will be dropped.
When Chapman arrives in Nevada, he will be appointed a federal public defender.