Las Vegas woman named Jazlynn Roush allegedly continued with her daily life while her 68-year-old roommate’s body was hidden away in a freezer. Roush is accused of causing her roommate’s death by giving her cocaine laced with fentanyl, an act authorities believe was intentional and with malice. The chilling discovery came when the property’s office manager noticed strange details, such as the unusual placement of the victim’s car and the persistent barking of her dogs, leading to a welfare check by law enforcement.
On November 6, officers were called to check on Monique Gilbertson, the deceased woman, at her mobile home in east Las Vegas. Gilbertson had been living with Roush, who she initially hired for handyman work after meeting at a local store. When officers arrived at the mobile home, no one answered, leading them to enter the residence. Inside, they found two individuals, including Roush, who could not explain Gilbertson’s whereabouts. During their search, police found Gilbertson’s body in the freezer. Both individuals were detained for further investigation.
According to police, Roush’s wife, who occasionally stayed at the mobile home, was the other individual encountered during the welfare check. In subsequent interviews, Roush admitted to discovering Gilbertson’s body about a week before Halloween, claiming the elderly woman had taken drugs. Roush explained that she panicked and decided to place Gilbertson’s body in the freezer, allegedly telling officers, “I put her in the icebox, because I didn’t know what to do. Until I could figure it out, I had her in the icebox.”
However, police allege that Roush’s actions were far from accidental. According to a criminal complaint, Roush is accused of providing Gilbertson with fentanyl-laced cocaine, which led to her overdose and death. Roush’s wife reportedly told police she witnessed her give Gilbertson a line of the laced cocaine, which allegedly caused Gilbertson to collapse and overdose.
Roush’s social media posts suggest that she identifies as a trans woman trying to find her place in the world, adding complexity to her background. Further investigation revealed a strained living arrangement between Roush and Gilbertson. According to the property manager, Gilbertson had reportedly complained about Roush’s behavior in the home, describing her as untidy and frequently leaving drug paraphernalia around. Their relationship had grown so contentious that Gilbertson had recently attempted to have Roush’s belongings removed from the property.
In the days before her death, Gilbertson was described as being upset with Roush, eventually attempting to change the locks and calling authorities to try to remove Roush from her home. However, she was unsuccessful, and the property manager stated that the last time she saw Gilbertson was on October 22.
During police questioning, Roush’s wife denied any involvement in Gilbertson’s death. She insisted that the overdose was the result of a line of cocaine that Roush allegedly gave Gilbertson, which was observed to be laced with fentanyl. When officers searched the home, they reportedly found cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl, confirming the presence of drugs at the scene.
On November 13, Roush pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree murder and is scheduled to return to court on November 28. The investigation is ongoing, with authorities piecing together the events that led to Gilbertson’s death and the days that followed.
