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Marion man accused in death of son to use insanity defense
Mar. 17, 2025 12:38 pm, Updated: Mar. 18, 2025 7:31 am
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A Marion man charged with murdering his 5-year-old son has filed a notice that he intends to use the defense of insanity in his trial.
Matthew Schleier, 46, was arrested in October on a charge of first-degree murder after police say he admitted to strangling his son, who he said he had been thinking about killing for a week.
A jury trial for Schleier’s case has been scheduled for May 6.
A criminal complaint filed last fall states that Schleier had though about using knives to kill his son. A search warrant shows police found a butcher’s knife and a boning knife on the bed in his bedroom. Police also say they found bottles of pills — which were not further described — in the master bedroom.
A notice filed Friday in Linn County court states that Schleier intends to “rely on the defense of insanity at the time of trial” and plans to call an expert witness.
The son, Jack, “loved to play with his family and friends, listen to stories, swing, build forts, draw, sing, dance, collect acorns, make people laugh, and give big hugs,” his obituary said. “His joyful, creative, curious, and kind spirit shone in everything he did.”
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