Jury convicts Gordon Lasley Jr. of two counts of second-degree murder

Gordon Lasley Jr. sat still with his hands on his thighs, showing no visible emotion on his face, when the judge read the verdicts finding him guilty for two counts of second-degree murder Thursday in federal court.

Lasley had the same reaction throughout the seven day trial. One of the family members in the courtroom said 'Love you Gon (Lasley's nickname)” as he was led out of the courtroom.

Lasley was convicted of killing his parents, Gordon Lasley Sr. and Kim Lasley, Feb. 5, at their home on the Meskwaki Settlement in Tama.

The jury, who deliberated about eight hours, found Lasley guilty on two lesser charges of second-degree murder. He was charged with first-degree murder. The difference between the charges is first-degree murder requires premeditation. On second-degree, Lasley still faces up to life in prison on each count.

U.S. District Chief Judge Linda Reade will consider the prosecutors' and defense attorneys' recommendations and the presentencing report, but ultimately the prison term will be up to her since the penalty is up to life on each count.

Prosecutors argued Lasley had intention and premeditation when he raised the 3-foot homemade machete and stabbed his father in the skull, behind his left ear and down into the spinal cord until he was dead. Lasley then chased his mother as she tried to escape from him downstairs. Lasley followed, striking her six to seven times with the machete, with the fatal wound coming with the severing of her carotid artery.

Assistant U.S. Attorney C.J. Williams during his closing demonstrated with a wooden replica of the machete how Lasley stabbed his parents according to the wounds and blood. He told jurors the photos, which they only saw a fraction of during the trial, reveal the 'unspeakable horror” of that night.

Williams said it's not difficult to believe that Lasley may have some form of post traumatic stress disorder after he killed his parents, as one of the psychologists claimed.

'It makes more sense to believe the murders caused a mental illness. Mental illness didn't cause the murders,” Williams said.

Lasley claimed insanity and didn't take the stand during the trial. Two psychologists testifying for the defense said Lasley had paranoid schizophrenia and delusional disorder. Lasley told them he believed his parents infected him with AIDS or another sexually transmitted disease and 'bad medicine” or a 'hex” was put upon him and the only way to heal himself was to kill them.

He wasn't actually infected with any disease.