Jefferson City man accused of wife’s stabbing pleads not guilty, mental defect
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
A Jefferson City man accused of stabbing his wife to death this week at their home pleaded not guilty Friday, claiming a mental disease or defect.
Malang J. Akbari, 46, was charged Tuesday with murdering his wife, Manhaz Akbari, by stabbing her to death in their home on East McCarty Street. Court documents say Malang Akbari suspected his wife of cheating. Prosecutors charged him with first-degree murder, child endangerment and armed criminal action.
An Amber Alert was issued for two of Akbari's children -- an infant and a 12-year-old. The infant was later found at Akbari's brother's house, according to court documents. The alert was canceled, stating that the children were safe, but the older child's whereabouts have not been stated publicly.
One of the Akbaris' older children, who is now an adult, found his mother stabbed after getting a call from his father, according to court documents.
Malang Akbari's lawyer, David Moen, said in court Friday that Akbari pleaded not guilty because of a mental disease or defect, claiming Akbari has PTSD from his time serving alongside American armed forces in Afghanistan. Moen said Akbari might also have lead poisoning from pieces of the metal in his body from shootings and grenade shrapnel.
Moen described Akbari as a "war hero" who spent six years in combat against the Taliban. Akbari's family was relocated to a military base in New Jersey in August 2021 before resettling in Jefferson City that December, Moen said.
Judge Joseph Shetler entered a not guilty plea, and he told Moen that he will need to file paperwork for a mental defect plea.
A preliminary hearing was scheduled for Feb. 19.
