Swartz

Marshalltown man Scott Swartz will spend the next 50 years in prison.

Swartz, 47, was sentenced for second-degree murder by Judge John Haney on Monday. He appeared in the Marshall County Courthouse with his defense attorneys Ted Fisher and Aaron Siebrecht for the sentencing.

In August, Haney found Swartz guilty of murdering his father, 78-year-old Paul Swartz, at the conclusion of a bench trial.

On Jan. 7, 2023, the Marshalltown Police Department (MPD) was dispatched to the residence where Scott Swartz was living with his father and found Paul Swartz lying bloodied and wounded on the bathroom floor. Paul Swartz was transported via ambulance to UnityPoint Hospital and was later transferred to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City. He died Jan. 22.

In October 2023, Siebrecht filed an intent to claim insanity as the defense. During the bench trial, psychologists Dr. Luis Rosell — on behalf of the defense — and Dr. Rosanna Jones-Thurman — on behalf of the state — provided conflicting testimonies as to whether or not Scott Swartz was insane at the time of the crime.

Rosell determined Scott Swartz was schizophrenic. Jones-Thurman said he had symptoms of antisocial personality disorder and an unspecified mood disorder, but was sane when the crime occurred.

During the trial, Haney said the evidence showed Scott Swartz beat Paul Swartz with a shotgun and left his elderly father on the floor for four hours. He lied to his mother and MPD officers about what happened. After Scott Swartz’s arrest, he made a statement about Paul Swartz filled with vulgarities.

The extent of Paul Swartz’s injuries ranged from visible wounds on his face and head to broken bones including his hip, ribs and femur. Scott Swartz admitted to the police that he pushed Paul Swartz twice, but added he did not know how his father got so injured and bloody. Scott Swartz also said Paul Swartz got hurt from falling down the stairs and that his father started the altercation.

Contact Lana Bradstream at 641-753-6611 ext. 210 or lbradstream@timesrepublican.com.