[Trigger Warning]
The first-degree murder trial of Matthew Gerald Schleier, 46, began this week in Cedar Rapids, revealing a harrowing account of a father driven to violence by a paralyzing fear of his son’s medical vulnerabilities. Schleier is accused of fatally strangling his 5-year-old son, Jack, on October 29, 2024, at their Marion home. The defendant has opted for a bench trial, leaving his fate to Sixth Judicial District Judge David Cox.
In a recorded police interview played for the court, Schleier detailed a mindset consumed by the “overwhelming” responsibility of managing his children’s severe food allergies. He told investigators that Jack would be “better off not being here” rather than navigating a world where a single mistake could be fatal. This anxiety reportedly stripped him of his ability to relax, as he felt he had to keep his son “safe all the time.”
The defense argued that Schleier was not a cold-blooded killer but a man gripped by profound insanity. Attorney Leon Spies stated that his client suffered from major depressive and anxiety disorders, which manifested as delusional obsessions regarding safety. Beyond the fear of “life or death” anaphylaxis, Schleier reportedly obsessed over ticks, asbestos, and the fear of contracting ALS, leading him to believe the only way to save Jack from future suffering was to end his life.
Prosecuting attorneys painted a more deliberate picture, asserting that Schleier spent 21 days contemplating drowning his son before committing the act in the middle of the night to avoid intervention. Assistant Linn County Attorney Jordan Schier emphasized that Jack was the true victim, noting that the defendant chose a time when the household was asleep to ensure no one could stop the strangulation.
During the police interview, Schleier’s demeanor was described as chillingly matter-of-fact. He admitted to considering multiple methods for taking his son’s life, including retrieving two knives from the kitchen before deciding on strangulation. When asked how long the process took, he calmly replied it was “long enough to expire,” though he admitted he entered a “panic” shortly after realizing what he had done.
The defendant’s wife, Victoria Schleier, provided emotional testimony regarding the morning of the tragedy. She recalled waking up to see her husband in the hallway before 6 AM, where he told her, “I did a bad thing. I hurt Jack.” Ms Schleier discovered her son unresponsive on the edge of his bed and frantically attempted to seek help, eventually noticing marks around the boy’s neck.
Ms Schleier described her husband as a loving father and Jack’s “best buddy,” but noted a steep decline in his mental health leading up to the incident. Despite seeking help at hospitals and mental health facilities in the weeks prior, Matthew’s condition worsened. He had recently stepped down from his executive position at United Fire Group because he “couldn’t think straight” and was in constant mental pain.
The court heard that Schleier’s fears extended to his 7-year-old daughter, who also has food allergies. He admitted to investigators that he briefly considered killing her after Jack’s death. Ultimately, he told police he relented because “she is my baby girl, and I couldn’t do it,” underscoring the distorted logic of his protective-yet-lethal delusions.
As the trial proceeds, the court will hear from expert witnesses regarding Schleier’s history of mental illness dating back to his college years. With testimony expected to conclude by Friday, Judge Cox will eventually issue a written verdict. The core of the case remains the tragic intersection of a father’s protective instincts and a mental breakdown that turned a fear of allergic reactions into a fatal obsession.
This is where we would normally provide context regarding a food allergy tragedy, but we are at a complete loss for how to process the circumstances and unspeakable brutality of this incident. We can only grieve for young Jack, who could have lived a long and happy life; his mother and sister, who will now carry the burden of this horror for the rest of their lives; and the food allergy community at large, which must cope with the fear of anaphylaxis on a daily basis.
If you have any insight to share with the community, please do so in the comments section below.
As a mother to a 21 year old daughter, I can state that his fear is real and can be overwhelming at times. Sadly, he was only 5 and may have outgrown them. Most food allergies are outgrown by age 9. My daughter used to have 9 food allergies and now only has 3. I am not justifying what he did by any means. I just wished he had received the proper support and mental health before this happened.