A Marion man charged with the murder of his 5-year-old son has pleaded not guilty to the crime. Matthew Schleier, 45, is facing a First Degree Murder charge and filed his written plea on Monday. A jury trial for the case is scheduled to begin on May 6, 2025.
The incident occurred on the morning of October 29, 2024, when Marion Police responded to a call from a home in the 4100 block of Willowbrook Drive at 5:57 a.m. for an unresponsive child. Upon arrival, paramedics spoke with the child’s mother, who stated that her son, referred to only as “J.S.,” had been strangled by his father.
When questioned, Schleier admitted to strangling his son. Paramedics attempted to revive the child, but he was later pronounced dead at a local hospital. Medical personnel observed bruising on the child’s neck consistent with strangulation.
Following his arrest, Schleier confessed during an interview with investigators that he had been contemplating his son’s death for several days. He revealed that he had spent much of the previous night deciding how to carry out the murder and had considered using knives before ultimately strangling the boy.
A search of the home uncovered knives, further suggesting that Schleier had premeditated the crime.