Teen cleared by insanity in death of foster brother, 5

LOGAN, Iowa — A judge ruled Friday that an 18-year-old was not guilty by reason of insanity in the beating and drowning death of his 5-year-old foster brother.
Harrison County District Court Judge Kathleen Kilnoski's ruling clearing Cody Metzker-Madsen came immediately after closing arguments by attorneys.
"This is a young man who has never been mentally normal," Kilnoski said. "Cody is a poor liar. His attempts to deflect blame are unsophisticated; his inner fantasy life is rich."
As Kilnoski issued her ruling, Metzker-Madsen was either drawing or writing in a notebook.
Barbara Kunch, the biological mother of Dominic Elkins, the boy Metzker-Madsen killed, ran out of the courtroom in tears after the judge delivered her decision.
Metzker-Madsen will go to the Iowa Medical and Classification Center, also known as Oakdale prison. The teen was led by two sheriff's deputies from the Harrison County Courthouse on Friday.

Dominic Elkins , 5, is shown in Omaha weeks before his death. The murder trial for the teen accused of killing him, Cody Metzker-Madsen, begins Oct. 28, 2014.

The judge's ruling does not mean Metzker-Madsen will be released because he was found not guilty by reason of insanity. Instead, he will be taken into state custody for a psychiatric evaluation. He'll remain in a facility until officials determine he's no longer a threat to himself or the public.
Metzker-Madsen and Elkins, the boy who died, were in foster care together with a Logan-area family. Metzker-Madsen testified this week that he enjoyed playing games with the younger boy.
"I loved the little guy, I would never hurt him," Metzker-Madsen testified. "Not even a hair on his fricken' little head."
The teen told the court that he believed he was using a sword and brick to defeat a goblin army leader when instead he was actually beating and drowning Elkins. The incident occurred on Aug. 31, 2013.