Dad planned to kill his 5-year-old son for a week before strangling him, police say

MARION, Iowa (KCRG/Gray News) – A father planned the murder of his 5-year-old son for a week before putting him to death, police said.

Matthew Schleier, 45, is charged with first-degree murder.

According to police, Marion police officers were called to a home early Tuesday morning for a report of a 5-year-old boy who was not breathing.

At the scene, paramedics asked the mother how she found the child, identified only as “JS.” The mother told paramedics that “his father strangled him.” An officer asked Schleier if that was true and he admitted to strangling his son.

Paramedics performed life-saving measures on the boy and he was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Medical personnel noted bruising on the child’s neck that appeared to indicate strangulation.

During a formal interview with investigators, Schleier admitted to strangling his son.

Schleier said he had been awake most of the night deciding how to kill his son, and that he had been thinking about killing the boy for a week. He also admitted that he thought about using knives to kill his son.

While executing a search warrant, investigators collected evidence, including knives, indicating that Schleier had premeditated his actions.

Schleier is being held on a $1 million cash bond.