MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) - A man accused of stabbing his grandparents to death in the Mason City home they all shared is asking the court for a psychiatric evaluation.
Television station KIMT reports that attorneys for 25-year-old Codie Matz filed court documents this week saying it “appears the defendant is suffering from a mental disorder” that prevents him from understanding the charges and court proceedings against him.
Last week, Matz pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder. His trial is scheduled to begin Jan. 23. He remains in Cerro Gordo County Jail, pending $1 million bail.
Authorities say he killed 61-year-old Kenneth Hackbart and 64-year-old Kathleen Hackbart. Officers found their bodies Nov. 7.
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Information from: KIMT-TV, http://www.kimt.com
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