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Prosecution’s expert: Marion man who killed son was not experiencing psychosis
Feb. 23, 2026 5:46 pm, Updated: Feb. 23, 2026 6:22 pm
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Closing arguments in Matthew Schleier’s first-degree murder trial will be submitted in writing after rebuttals conclude Tuesday
CEDAR RAPIDS — An expert brought in by prosecutors Monday testified that a Marion man was not experiencing psychosis when he strangled his 5-year-old son in October 2024, and that he could understand right from wrong, disagreeing with three experts who testified on behalf of the man’s defense last week.
Matthew Gerald Schleier, 46, is being tried on a first-degree murder charge in Linn County District Court.
He is claiming insanity as his defense, so the burden of proof switched from the prosecution to the defense to prove that Schleier was legally insane at the time he killed his son, Jack, on Oct. 29, 2024, in the family’s Marion home.
Three experts testified last week that Schleier suffered from a disease or deranged mind and agreed he could not distinguish right from wrong. They also said Schleier could “appreciate” the nature and quality of the act — that is, he could understand his actions would kill Jack.
To prove legal insanity in Iowa law, a defendant must either prove by a preponderance of evidence that he couldn’t distinguish right from wrong or that he couldn’t appreciate the nature and quality of the act.
As part of the state’s rebuttal Monday, prosecutors called Dr. Veronica Lestina, a clinical and forensic psychologist in Fort Madison, to the stand. Lestina stated that while she hadn’t met with Schleier, she reviewed his medical history — including reports provided by the defense’s three experts — and videos that were provided to her by the Linn County Attorney’s Office showing his interactions with police following Jack’s death.
Lestina testified that Schleier had a long history of mental health conditions, including anxiety that often manifested in “obsessions,” such as a concern about ticks, or a concern about the stability of the porch on his home. She stated that Schleier’s previous testimony to police that he had thought about killing Jack and his 7-year-old daughter constantly in the weeks leading up to Jack’s death, because he was concerned about their severe food allergies and convinced they would die from them, was consistent with his previous obsessions, except that he did not disclose these thoughts to anyone. With his other obsessions, he usually did not refrain from sharing the information with his mental health providers.
Lestina said that while the ongoing thoughts could be considered an obsession related to his anxiety, she did not believe those thoughts put him in a state of psychosis, which would have caused him to not know the difference between right and wrong. She stated that the fact he waited until everyone was asleep to kill Jack, testified that he thought for many hours about killing his daughter as well, and considered how to commit the murder in a way that he would consider “most humane,” were all factors in her understanding of the case.
“He was processing cognitive thinking at an abstract level ... He was fully aware that that was a wrong act,” Lestina said.
When someone is in a severe enough level of psychosis that they do not know right from wrong, they will typically act on their compulsions immediately, rather than thinking them through or making active decisions about how to act, Lestina said. She also said that there didn’t appear to be signs of psychosis in the videos of Schleier after Jack’s death, as he was easily interacting with police and responding to their questions in a way that was not “robotic.”
On cross-examination, the defense questioned Lestina’s credentials and why she did not meet with Schleier herself or prepare her own report about his mental state. She stated she asked the attorney’s office if she should meet with Schleier as part of preparing for her testimony, but that she was not authorized to do so.
The prosecution rested its rebuttal Monday after Lestina testified, and the defense’s witnesses for rebuttal were not available until Tuesday, so the case was put on a recess.
After the final rebuttal witnesses are heard Tuesday, both sides will submit their closing statements in writing, a decision made Monday by 6th Judicial District Judge David Cox, in order to accommodate a scheduling conflict with a member of the prosecution team, who has another trial beginning Wednesday.
Schleier opted for a bench — or non-jury — trial, so Cox will decide the verdict. He may take weeks or months to provide his written verdict after receiving the written closing statements. Schleier faces up to life in prison if convicted.
Local mental health nonprofit receives anonymous donation on behalf of victim
Foundation 2, a Cedar Rapids nonprofit that works with mental and behavioral health issues, received an anonymous $50,000 donation from a group who identified themselves as friends of the Schleier family, according to a Monday news release from the nonprofit.
“The trial has been difficult. We are heartbroken for the Schleier family. We hope honoring Jack’s life is one way we can find purpose in this tragedy. Our allied intent is to bring awareness to the importance of mental health and to reduce the stigma around seeking help. We will be designating a portion of this funding to community awareness, ensuring people experiencing crisis know how and where to access services,” an unidentified friend of the family said in the press release.
Jack’s mother, Victoria Schleier, also was quoted in the release expressing gratitude for the gift.
“We are deeply grateful to those whose generous gift makes this possible. Their commitment represents a positive step forward in advancing mental health awareness and advocacy in our community. Acts of love like this remind us to do what we can, when we can, to create lasting change in the lives of individuals and families,” she said.
Gazette reporter Trish Mehaffey contributed to this report.
Comments: (319) 398-8328; emily.andersen@thegazette.com
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