Woman Accused Of Dismemberment Faces Amended Murder, Evidence Tampering Charges

Isabelle Johnson, 38, is now facing amended charges after prosecutors reduced an initial first-degree murder count to second-degree murder and added counts of abuse of a dead human body and tampering with evidence, according to court records reviewed by Court TV.

Johnson has pleaded not guilty to allegations that she strangled 43-year-old Jason Coulthart with a zip tie, severed his legs and buried his naked remains under concrete in her yard. Authorities say Coulthart's employer reported his van stolen after his disappearance, and prosecutors allege Johnson was later stopped while driving that van in Carrollton County, Georgia.

Newly unsealed arrest paperwork indicates Johnson completed some college, suffers from chronic illnesses including multiple sclerosis, and requested a public defender. Investigators say she was located in August at an address in Cottondale, Florida, where she had been living under the name "Andy" and told officers she had been in an abusive relationship and was trying to leave town.

Judge J. Ryan Love denied Johnson's request for bond, finding that the circumstances of the alleged crime demonstrated a disregard for community safety and that no conditions of release would reasonably protect the public, ensure the defendant's presence at trial, or preserve the integrity of the judicial process.

Next Steps: Johnson is scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 19. She remains presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Reporting by Court TV.