2 men identified in connection to case of missing South Jordan teen

SALT LAKE CITY — Police in Utah, Texas, and Florida have identified two men who they say had contact with, and may be involved in the disappearance of a South Jordan teen.

The 15-year-old, was last seen on her way to school when her mother dropped her off on April 21. Surveillance footage shows her at a FrontRunner station in American Fork before she vanished, supposedly heading to Las Vegas.

First suspect

Now, nearly a month after her disappearance, South Jordan police identified a Florida man, Matthew Nicholas Menard, 35, who they say enticed her to go there, according to a search warrant, which requested full access to his phone.

Based on text conversations that were found between Menard and the girl on social media, investigators were first able to glean some information about runaway plans.

“Matt and the victim also have extensive conversations where they plan on the juvenile running away from home to meet him in Las Vegas, NV,” the warrant states. “Matt tells the victim he will fly to Las Vegas for a business trip later in May, and she can lay low until he gets there. They then planned to fly to Los Angeles, CA together for several days, before ultimately going back to Miami, FL where Matt lives.”

The warrant states the two discussed “methods in which the victim can travel without being tracked and avoid detection.”

“They also discuss their future plans and how they can create a false scenario where Matt tells people she is his daughter,” it states.

Charging documents from Utah described in detail the sexual conversations that Menard and the girl had before the teen’s disappearance.

In one of the conversations, she confirmed to Menard that she was 15 years old and was a minor. Menard acknowledged her age and kept chatting with her about sex.

Charing documents stated that Menard instructed the 15-year-old to take inappropriate photos of her and send them to him.

Charges were filed against Menard on Friday in the 4th District Court, after investigators said they found evidence within the messages that Menard knew she was underage.

Menard faces charges for aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, enticement of a minor, and criminal solicitation. Prosecutors requested a no-bail arrest warrant, but have yet to locate him, or the missing girl.

A second suspect

Authorities have said they are exhausting all leads, and one actually yielded an arrest. William Taylor Glines, 37, had contact with her before her disappearance also, police say.

Glines faces similar charges to Menard: aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, attempted aggravated sexual exploitation, sexual exploitation of a minor, enticement of a minor and criminal solicitation.

Utah charging documents stated that Glines had similar conversations with her, including acknowledging her age, wishing to engage in sexual activities, and demanding inappropriate images of her.

Glines was arrested by Texas authorities on May 8, but only recently have investigators linked him publicly to the case.

According to a police affidavit from Texas, the girl used a stranger’s phone at a bus stop in Utah to send a message to Glines.

The affidavit stated that she told Glines that “she was safe and that she was using a stranger’s phone to contact him and to not respond.”

Texas authorities were able to track the number that she used to text Glines, and eventually, they were able to arrest him.

South Jordan police said Tuesday it is still following other leads in hopes of locating her.

“SOJO will continue efforts to locate Alisa and follow other leads. Alisa is attempting to meet individuals she met online using multiple social media platforms and chat applications,” police said. “She is listed as a runaway juvenile who is endangered.”

Editor’s note: KSL NewsRadio has removed the teenager’s name and image because she is a minor.

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Contributing: Garna Mejia and Michael Houck, KSL TV