Report: Cedar Rapids Man Says He Killed His Mother With Crowbar (Homicide Update)

Cedar Rapids police say a man charged with first-degree murder told authorities he used a crowbar to kill his mother on Friday night after she pulled a gun on him.

Police took Edward Cusic, 44, into custody at the scene and charged with him with first-degree murder in the death of his mother, Anita Jean Labkon, 68, of Cedar Rapids. He is being held in jail on a $1 million bond.

Police said they were called to a disturbance involving a weapon at 11:03 p.m. on Friday at a residence at 624 Old Marion Road NE in Cedar Rapids. When they arrived they found Labkon dead in the home.

“I was shocked,” neighbor Jeff Ray said, according to WHO-TV.  “I put the dogs away and they were barking and I come outside and come out to the front and here’s Ed in my yard doing circles for the police department and they cuffed him and hauled him away right in front of our window.”

Ray said he was surprised that a crime happened in their home and that he expected to have them over for Christmas dinner.

The Gazette reports that the mother and son lived together, and that Cusic called 911 and told dispatchers that he used a crowbar after his mother pulled a gun on him in their home.

The Gazette report includes additional interviews with a family member, which you can view here: Go to Gazette report.

Cusic-Labkon died of blunt force trauma, the Gazette and WHO report.

The case remains under investigation.