Police say a Pennsylvania man whose girlfriend has been missing since Sept. 15 has confessed to her murder and to impersonating her for two months on social media.
John Chapman allegedly admitted to taking Jaime Feden from her home in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, to Nevada around Sept. 15 and then killing her, according to an Allegheny County criminal complaint obtained by CNN.
The 39-year-old suspect allegedly told police he bound Feden’s hands and feet with zip ties as part of a bondage-themed photo shoot, CNN reports. Chapman then allegedly tied Feden to a signpost and put duct tape over her mouth and nose, suffocating her, according to Pittsburgh station KDKA TV.
Police say he has admitted to impersonating Feden through text and social media for roughly two months after her disappearance.
On Friday, Chapman was charged with kidnapping, obstructing the administration of law and criminal use of a communication facility in Pennsylvania.
Whether Chapman is also charged with murder is up to officials in Nevada. The Clark County, Nevada, Coroner’s Office told Pennsylvania investigators that the body of an unidentified woman matching Feden’s description was found on Oct. 5. Officials said there is “sufficient evidence” to believe Feden is the unidentified woman, according to CBS Pittsburgh.
Although Chapman claimed to be single on his Facebook page, BuzzFeed said he has actually been married for about a year to Maureen Chapman.
She told WPXI that she found out about her husband’s “double life” and the alleged murder from police on Friday morning. Chapman also said her husband called her and said he killed Feden because he “had to.”
“He said he had murdered a woman,” she told WPXI. “I was in disbelief.”
Bethel Park Police Chief Timothy O’Connor told CNN that for two months Chapman contacted Feden’s family members via text and social media pretending to be her.
Feden’s cousin said she received messages from the victim’s Facebook account but, based on the conversation, did not believe she was actually talking to Feden. Her suspicions where confirmed when she asked the person claiming to be Feden very personal questions ― and they were answered incorrectly, according to CNN.
Chapman is due in court on Nov. 21 for a preliminary hearing, but KDKA said it might be two or three weeks before the body in Nevada can be positively identified.
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