Athens Man Pleads Guilty to the Death of a Stanley Woman

Thursday, February 1st, 2024 -- 2:00 PM

(Karen Madden, Marshfield News Herald) A 51-year-old Athens man pleaded guilty Wednesday in Taylor County Circuit Court to the Jan. 11, 2023, death of a Stanley woman.

According to Karen Madden with the Marshfield News Herald, Matthew J. Zarins pleaded guilty to homicide by negligent handling of dangerous explosives for the death of Jennifer K. Johnson, 51. He also pleaded guilty to maintaining a drug trafficking place.

As part of a plea agreement, additional charges of conspiracy to manufacture amphetamine, methamphetamine precursor possession and methamphetamines waste possession were all dismissed but will be considered during sentencing.

Taylor County Circuit Judge Ann Knox-Bauer ordered a presentence investigation and scheduled Zarins' sentencing for April 18. Zarins faces a maximum sentence of 13 ⅟₂ years in prison.

According to Taylor County Sheriff Larry Woebbeking, at 12:11 a.m. Jan. 11, a caller reported a fire with injuries at N44 Clark Drive in the Taylor County town of Maplehurst, about 40 miles north of Marshfield.

Taylor County deputies, along with fire and ambulance services responded to the fire, which was in a homemade structure built from an old camper frame. Zarins, the owner of the structure, hurt himself while escaping the structure.

He was burned, along with other injuries, Woebbeking said. Johnson also got out of the structure, but she was severely burned. Ambulances took Zarins and Johnson to a hospital for treatment, but Johnson died from her injuries, Woebbeking said. Zarins recovered.

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