Boyfriend, 23, charged with murder a month after his girlfriend, 19, disappeared

Jon Christopher Clark was charged with murder in connection to his girlfriend’s disappearance and death 

The boyfriend of a woman found dead in an Arizona desert a month after she disappeared has been formally charged with her murder.  

Jon Christopher Clark appeared before a judge on Tuesday night where he was charged with first-degree murder, improper removal of a body and evidence tampering in connection to the disappearance and death of 19-year-old Kiera Bergman. 

Earlier on Tuesday, investigators said they had gathered enough information to charge the 23-year-old for his teenage girlfriend’s murder. 

Bergman was last seen alive on August 4 at her Phoenix-area apartment. According to reports, she had moved from San Diego to Phoenix in March to live with Clark but had moved out before her death.

Clark, who was arrested on August 31 on unrelated charges, had previously denied being involved in Bergman’s disappearance.

The teen’s father, Christopher Bragg, told KNXV on Tuesday that the family always suspected Clark had done something to Bergman.

‘We believed from the beginning he was involved, but without any information we didn’t want to put him out there as a bad person without knowing some facts,’ he said. 

Clark appeared in court on Tuesday. He was also charged with improper removal of a body and evidence tampering

Clark appeared in court on Tuesday. He was also charged with improper removal of a body and evidence tampering

Clark had initially denied his involvement in her disappearance saying she left their apartment after they got into an argument 

A passerby found Bergman’s remains in a rural desert area on September 3, a month after she vanished, and called police. Authorities have not said how she died or how long the body was in the desert.

Police also have not yet released a motive for the crime.  

Kiersten Bragg, the teen’s mother, told KNXV that she’s ‘relieved’ Clark has been charged with murder.

‘I would hate to see other parents have to go through this. It’s the worst feeling in the world,’ she said. ‘I pray that the situation opens up a lot of especially young women’s eyes to the dangers that are out there and that you think twice before you get involved with certain people.’

The family said Bergman met Clark last November on the dating app Tinder. They described the couple’s relationship as ‘volatile’ and said Clark was ‘controlling’.   

The day Bergman disappeared she had gotten into an argument with Clark. A co-worker told media that the teen was noticeably upset when she left the store with Clark.  

Clark told the Huffington Post last month that he had taken Bergman back to the apartment after picking her up from work. He said their argument was over finances and Bergman left the house around 1pm on August 4 to clear her head.

Clark told the outlet that the last time he saw his girlfriend was when she left but he wasn’t concerned because they would often leave the apartment to get some space after a fight.

Bergman was last seen alive on August 4. Her remains were discovered on September 3 in a rural desert in Arizona

 The 19-year-old had moved from San Diego to Phoenix in March to live with her boyfriend after meeting him on Tinder last year 

 The 19-year-old had moved from San Diego to Phoenix in March to live with her boyfriend after meeting him on Tinder last year 

Bergman's mother (right) said she had suspected Clark had something to do with Bergman's disappearance and death

Bergman’s mother (right) said she had suspected Clark had something to do with Bergman’s disappearance and death

‘When she left there was no immediate concern because we have had arguments in past where either me or her have left for an hour or a couple at a time to go clear our head. I didn’t really find it unusual until she wasn’t in contact with me,’ he said.

Bergman’s family and friends, however, found it unusual that she had left her wallet, purse, and car at the apartment. 

An Instagram account that appears to belong to Clark had several messages and videos denying his involvement in Bergman’s disappearance. In one video, he flips through a photo album containing pictures they took together.

‘I gave this to you on valentines day this year and i still can see the big smile you had on your face. i look at this album everyday and cry because i just want you to come home soo bad. I love you Kiera and we are going to find you and bring you home,’ he captioned the video. 

In another post roughly two weeks before her body was found, Clark lashed out at Bergman’s family. 

‘I have been nothing but open and honest with investigators and Kieras family. However, I am still being looked at from her family as having something to do with this. … It hurt me so deeply that I was not able to attend Kieras Vigil of Hope because her mom did not want me there,’ he said. 

Clark has not entered a plea and is being held on a $1million cash bond. He is due back in court on September 18

‘If the police ever had a shred of evidence to say I had anything to do with this, they would not let me go. So to all of Kieras family that still wants to look at me negatively, you better have this same energy when Kiera comes home’. 

Clark also posted that on the day Bergman went missing she had reportedly texted her friend that she went to meet up with a man she had just met at her job. Both the friend and Bergman’s mom told media outlets that meeting up with strangers was out of character for the teen.

Clark was already in jail on identity theft and forgery charges when the charge of first-degree murder was added. His bond has been set at $1million cash. His next court date is scheduled for September 18. He has not yet entered a plea. 

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