Man charged with murdering woman, moving into her house and impersonating her on social media

John Matthew Chapman accused of kidnapping resulting in death after luring victim to desert before killing her

Mr Chapman told police he planned to kill the victim and had a 'kill kit' ready before their departure to Nevada (Allegheny County Jail)

A man is facing the prospect of the death penalty after allegedly kidnapping and killing a woman he led to believe was his girlfriend before later moving into her house.

John Matthew Chapman of Maryland has been charged with one count of kidnapping resulting in death after luring Jaime Feden to the Nevada desert, where he bound her to a signpost and duct taped her mouth and nose until she died from suffocation, according to a criminal complaint issued by federal prosecutors.

Mr Chapman, who is currently being held in state custody, will appear in federal court on Monday. If convicted, the 40-year-old faces the maximum penalty of life in prison or death.

After being first arrested by police in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania late last year, Mr Chapman admitted he drove Feden to Las Vegas in September under the guise of a holiday with the potential to move there together, prosecutors say.

Two days later he took her out to the desert in Lincoln County, Nevada to carry out a “bondage-themed photo shoot”. After allegedly tying up Feden and watching her die from asphyxiation, Mr Chapman stripped the deceased and left her body there.

He later returned to Pennsylvania to live in Feden’s home, passing it off as his own, and posed as her on social media, the criminal complaint says.

A family member of the victim told investigators she was communicating with the victim’s Facebook messenger account.

In November, the Bethel Park Police Department in Pennsylvania conducted a welfare check on the victim at the request of a friend.

“Neighbours stated that they had not seen the victim or her van in approximately two months, but they had recently observed a person whom they believed to be her boyfriend (Chapman) entering and leaving the victim’s residence,” the US Attorney’s Office said.

Inside the victim’s residence, investigators found a fake CIA identification card with Mr Chapman’s name and photograph, the victim’s phone, multiple zip ties and a roll of duct tape.

Mr Chapman told police he planned to kill the victim and had a “kill kit” ready before their departure to Nevada.

Feden’s body was discovered in October after a family pulled over along a stretch of Route 93 in Lincoln County for a bathroom break.