The Council Bluffs man accused of killing his mother and grandmother was in court Thursday morning. Michael Dieckmann, 30, faces two counts of first degree murder.
Pottawattamie County Judge Charles Fagan sets Dieckmann’s bond at $1 million on Thursday, or $500,000 for each charge.
He's accused of murdering his mother, 63-year-old Jacqueline Dieckmann, and his grandmother 91-year-old Illa Pfeiffer at their home on Grace Street in Council Bluffs, Wednesday morning. Police arrested him a few hours later while he was walking about 1 1/2 miles away.
Dieckmann appeared through video conference from the jail, and looked confused for most of the hearing.
"I'm not really sure what I'm being charged with, I don't really understand the charges,” Dieckmann told the judge.
“You are charged with murder it's alleged that you did with premeditation end the life of two people,” Judge Fagan explained.
“I plead not guilty,” Dieckmann said after a long pause.
Dieckmann did not actually make a formal plea Thursday morning.
Family says his mother was trying to get him mental help for quite some time.
In 2007, Dieckmann served about 1 1/2 years in prison for choking a health care worker in a county near Sioux City, IA. He pled down from attempted murder.
The judge ordered a defense attorney to advise him going forward.
If convicted, Dieckmann faces two sentences of life in prison without parole.
His next court date is scheduled for next week.
