LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The person arrested on a murder charge appeared in court Wednesday after a woman's body was found in a freezer during a welfare check.
Jazlynn Roush pleaded not guilty before Judge Eric Goodman. Roush's preliminary hearing was scheduled for Nov. 27 at 9 a.m.
Officers from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department found the body in the 5500 block of Tres Piedras Road after receiving a caller request for a welfare check around 11:41 a.m. Nov. 6.
The caller said they had not heard from the woman, identified as 68-year-old Monique Gilbertson, since Oct. 22.
According to Roush's arrest report, Roush and Gilbertson had met one day while shopping at Home Depot. After some small talk, Gilbertson invited Roush to move in with her.
According to someone who knew Gilbertson, Roush moved in and helped with chores around the house, but within a week Gilbertson complained about Roush's cleanliness, her belongings disappearing, and Roush's drug paraphernalia.
When police spoke with Roush on the day of the welfare check, officers asked Roush about the drug paraphernalia that had been found. Roush declined to comment.
When police asked Roush about Gilbertson's body in the freezer, Roush said they found Gilbertson seated at the dining room table with drugs nearby, saying that she liked to do cocaine and opiates. Roush said she checked on Gilbertson but found her stiff. Roush told police Gilbertson was put in the freezer until Roush could figure out what to do.
Roush initially couldn't remember the exact date this happened but said it was sometime during the week before Halloween.
During the interview with police, Roush was inconsistent in recalling where Gilbertson's body had been found, initially claiming she was at the dining room table, then claiming to find Gilbertson in a different room.
Police also interviewed Roush's wife, who said she had never met Gilbertson but had been taken to Tres Pierdras residence a few times to help clean up after Gilbertson's animals "while she was out of town," according to Roush's arrest report.
Roush's wife initially denied any knowledge of Gilbertson being found in a freezer, saying she only learned about it when she overheard two officers mention it.
Later, Roush's wife told police she had heard from Roush that Gilbertson overdosed on cocaine and fentanyl Roush sold her. Roush's wife told police she told Roush she was on probation and didn't want to get involved.
Roush's wife eventually told police she knew Gilbertson's body had been in the freezer for roughly four days. She also admitted to being in the Tres Pierdras residence to "hang out and do drugs."
Roush's wife also told police Roush gave Gilbertson a line of cocaine laced with fentanyl and said Gilbertson overdosed right in front of Roush.
When officers executed a search warrant, they found cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, a digital scale and a razor.
