• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / Crime / Courts / Man pleads guilty to beating his mother to death

Man pleads guilty to beating his mother to death

February 29, 2016 By Radio Iowa Contributor

Jonathan Neunaber

Jonathan Neunaber

A northwest Iowa man may serve up to 50 years in prison for killing his mother.

Forty-six-year-old Jonathan Neunaber of Akron pleaded guilty to second degree murder and willful injury this afternoon. He spoke in court about his crime.

“I struck my mother more times than I wanted to,” Neunaber said. “But it took me many more times than I wanted to.”

Neunaber was originally charged with first degree murder for the beating death of his 80-year-old mother, Esther in June of 2014. Neunaber told the court the crime was his response to finding his father dead in the home they all shared.

“When dad died, I did not know what to do next,” Neunaber said. “I was not prepared to be the man of the house, to do household repairs, land leases, file taxes — things like that.”

An autopsy indicated Donald Neunaber died of natural causes. Jonathan Neunaber said he attempted suicide after he beat his mother.

“I took some pills with the idea we could all be buried together,” he said. “Obviously that did not work. I’m still here.”

Neunaber was brought into court in a wheelchair and he was wearing a large neck brace.

Authorities say the federal health care privacy law does not allow them to disclose how he was injured. The plea agreement calls for Neunaber to serve to up 50 years for second degree murder and 10 years for willful injury. The sentences would be served consecutively, however, and he might be eligible for parole in 35 years. Neunaber will stay in the Plymouth County Jail until he’s sent to state prison. His sentencing hearing will likely be held in about three weeks.

(Reporting by Woody Gottburg, KSCJ, Sioux City/ Media Pool photo/Sioux City Journal by Justin Wan)

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Crime / Courts, News, Top Story

Featured Stories

Testing finds 21 new CWD cases in deer

It may become a crime in Iowa to use fake urine in workplace drug tests

February trending 18 degrees below average temperature

Iowa House Education Committee votes to end tenure at UI, ISU, UNI

Man convicted of two Muscatine County murders dies in prison

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

Key stretch begins for #9 Iowa

Drake’s Roman Penn lost for the season

Drake’s DeVries named to Naismith watch list

State wrestling opens with limited attendance

Iowa’s Wieskamp is B1G Player of the Week

More Sports

eNews and Updates

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Archives

Copyright © 2021 · Learfield News & Ag, LLC