Father Allegedly Killed His 5-Year-Old Son After Planning the Attack for a Week: Police

Mar. 15, 2025

Jack Matthew Schleier.Photo:murdoch funeral home

murdoch funeral home

An Iowa man is facing a murder charge after allegedly telling police he had plotted for several days before he strangled his young son last month.

Jack Matthew Schleier, 5, died on Oct. 29, according to hisobituary.

His father, 45-year-old Matthew Schleier was arrested on a first-degree murder charge,The GazetteandTheKansasCityStarreport, citing court records and his initial court appearance.

The child died after being transported to the hospital. He’d sustained bruises on his neck that were consistent with signs of strangulation, medical staff said, per the complaint.

During an interview with police, Mathew allegedly confessed to killing Jack and disclosed disturbing details about his planning, according to the complaint.

He allegedly said he’d thought of using a knife on the child. Police later found knives in the home that they consider evidence to substantiate the fact that the killing was premeditated, KCRG reports, citing the complaint.

Mathew allegedly said he had been contemplating for a week how to kill the child and, on the night of the killing, he stayed up most of the night thinking about how to kill him, per the complaint.

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Mathew is being held on a $1 million cash-only bail, per KCRG,The Gazetteand KWWL. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for this week. It wasn’t immediately clear if he has retained an attorney.

AGoFundMehas been set up for the child’s family.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

source: people.com