BATAVIA, Ohio - The case of Chad Doerman, who pleaded guilty to the aggravated murder of his three sons, Clayton, Hunter, and Chase, has sent shockwaves through Clermont County, Ohio. The details of the crime and the events leading up to it paint a disturbing picture of a family tragedy. This article delves into the chilling details that have emerged, shedding light on the events of June 15, 2023, and the subsequent legal proceedings.
Chad Doerman, now 33, pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated murder for the killings of his sons - Clayton, 7; Hunter, 4, and Chase, 3 - and two counts of felonious assault for injuries caused to his now ex-wife, Laura Doerman, and his former 14-year-old stepdaughter.
Chad Doerman. Source: qconline.com
The Family Dynamic
To understand what happened, prosecutors outlined Chad’s behavior in the five days leading up to the killings. Chad and Laura Doerman were married, with Chad working as an insulator and Laura as a stay-at-home mom. Laura had plans to home-school the kids. They shared three sons: Clayton, Chase and Hunter, who were described as “active little boys.” They loved baseball and fishing. Laura’s 14-year-old was Chad’s stepdaughter and is described as an “outstanding student” and “softball star.”
Clermont County Prosecutor Mark Tekulve says the graphic nature of the triple murder of the three young boys made people in the community wonder if there were ever any other disturbances within the family. Prosecutor Tekulve says there were no reports or calls to law enforcement regarding an issue involving the Doerman family before June 15, 2023 - the day of the shooting. “This was just a normal family that seemed very happy,” Tekulve said Monday, Aug. 5.
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The Days Leading Up to the Tragedy
The following narrative was laid out by prosecutors:
- June 10: It was a normal day. Chad and his sons had a “boys’ day” together while Laura and her daughter had a “girls’ day.” There was “no indication of any trouble,” Tekulve said.
- June 11: Chad takes the boys fishing. It is just another normal day. No reports of abnormal behavior however, during his interview with detectives, Chad gave conflicting statements about his sleep.
- June 12: Nothing seemed out of the ordinary according to his co-workers. Conflicting statements about his sleep were given to detectives.
- June 13: Chad had issues with his truck’s headlights, so he had to fix those himself. He apologized for anything that he had done to hurt her. His co-workers did not notice anything unusual about him. After work, he went to coach his son’s baseball game. Other parents said he seemed a little distracted but nothing strange. The boys ran up excitedly and greeted their father in the yard, while Laura prepared lunch.
While she is in the kitchen, Chad tells her, “This will be my last good meal.” Tekulve says Laura believed he was contemplating suicide. Moments later, Chad called his dad. “Clayton is going to be the hardest one,” Doerman said over the phone, according to Tekulve. It was an unusual statement especially without context. Chad spent the rest of the day playing with the kids and doing yard work. He then started reading the Bible to Hunter.
The Day of the Shooting: June 15, 2023
Cop Calls 911 After Discovering Son's Horrifying Secret
According to the bill of particulars, on June 15, 2023, Chad Doerman returned home early from work and requested his three sons, Clayton, Hunter, and Chase, and his wife, Laura, join him in the primary bedroom for a nap. Sometime after they had lain down on the bed, Doerman opened his gun safe and retrieved a Marlin Model 70HC .22 rifle. Doerman shot Hunter twice, killing him. Laura began trying to help Hunter while telling the other two sons to run. The 14-year-old stepdaughter, Alexis, who had been watching television, had entered the bedroom and witnessed the first shots. She ran after Clayton, telling him to keep running. Doerman chased him into a nearby field, shot him from behind, and then again point-blank in the head. Alexis reentered the house, picked up Chase, and escaped to the road. Doerman followed her and aimed the rifle at her, telling her to put Chase down. He tried to fire but was out of ammunition. Chase ran to his mother, who was now outside in the yard trying to render aid to Clayton. Doerman went inside and carried Hunter's body outside, laying him in the yard. He tried to wrestle Chase from Laura, reportedly biting her in the process. When she managed to grab the rifle, Doerman fired, shooting Laura in the thumb.
All of them are pleading for him to put the weapon down and reminded him that they all love him, Tekulve explained. When Laura tried to call 911, Chad grabbed her phone out of her hands and said, “It’s too late.” He lifted the rifle and pointed it at Hunter first, firing several times at the four-year-old, the prosecutor said. Laura screamed at the kids to start running while she tried to help Hunter and called 911. In the background of the phone calls, Chad is heard screaming at Laura to get up - to stop trying to help Hunter. The other three children are heard screaming in the background as well.
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Laura managed to move Hunter out of the house and into the field where she continued to yell for help. Clayton and Doerman’s stepdaughter ran outside while Chase was still in the house. Tekulve says as Clayton escaped from the back door, Chad spotted him and shot his son. The 7-year-old fell to the ground. According to the prosecutor, Chad then walked up to his son “calmly” and shot him twice in the head. The 14-year-old stepdaughter ran back into the house to save Chase, her 3-year-old brother. She took him with her as they headed toward the firehouse, but Chad caught up to them. As he pointed the rifle at her, she is heard saying on Ring camera video, “Please don’t shoot me,” Tekulve said. Chad forced the 14-year-old to put Chase down.
As Chase ran toward the trash cans to hide from his father, Chad attempted to shoot him, but the magazine was empty. After he got the rifle reloaded, Laura placed her thumb over the barrel to save Chase. Tekulve says Chad fired the gun and then executed Chase right in front of her. Five minutes after the initial 911 call, Laura calls again. “My children are shot, my children are not breathing, and no one is helping me,” she told the dispatcher. Tekulve said the first 911 call somehow got disconnected.
Once Clermont County sheriff’s deputies arrived at the scene, they spotted Chad and demanded that he put his hands up and walk slowly toward them. The officers wrestled Chad to the ground without incident and handcuffed him. “He took my life from me,” Laura screamed, and which was captured on the officer’s body cam video. While on the ground, Chad told the officers that he was not going to hurt them while his three sons lay lifeless in the yard. Deputies placed Chad in a cruiser, where he is heard on body cam video, “Tell them I did it. Take me to jail.”
Chad Doerman after his arrest. Source: wlwt.com
The Investigation and Interrogation
When Chad arrived at the Clermont County Jail, two detectives, Mike Ross and Mike Green, asked him about the events that took place at his home on Laurel-Lindale Road. Tekulve says Chad acted like he had no idea that his children were dead. “It was like a game [to him,]” the prosecutor said. The detectives asked who his kids were. He listed them in this order: Hunter, Clayton and Chase - the same order in which he killed them. Chad told the detectives that he had trouble sleeping leading up to the murders. He also told the detectives that he should have killed Laura first.
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Legal Proceedings
In March, Chad pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity due to serious mental illness. These are the illnesses that are covered under that provision: Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, Delusional Disorder. Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Lara Allen requested a psychiatric evaluation for Chad at the Central Clinic Behavioral Health Center. Chad was not found to have any sort of serious mental illness that completely blocked his judgment between right and wrong, Allen said. While he may have exhibited some symptoms of mental illness, he knew what he did was wrong overall.
Other issues with filing a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity: Prior to June 15, 2023, the defendant was never prescribed or diagnosed for any mental health issues, Allen explained. The defendant denied being the shooter. “Why would you deny doing an act unless you knew it was wrong?” Allen asked rhetorically. Chad’s interviews with officers proved he knew it was wrong.
Phone Calls from Jail
According to Tekulve, Chad explained what happened on June 15 to his mother on a recorded phone call from the Clermont County Jail. His statements in the call and to detectives were also conflicting, but prosecutors did not explain what those statements were. Additionally, Chad told his mother he did not want to meet with a psychiatrist because it would not get him anything, Allen said. When asked if he felt bad about what he did, Chad replied no, the chief prosecuting attorney added. Two weeks after the killings, Chad made a phone call to his brother. Prosecutors say Chad compared himself to Adolf Hitler because Hitler made news across the world, and so has he.
The Plea Deal and Sentencing
As part of a plea agreement, Chad will spend the rest of his life in jail without the possibility of parole, Clermont County Common Pleas Court Judge Richard Ferenc said. Originally, Chad faced nine counts of aggravated murder and other charges of kidnapping and felonious assault in a total 21-count indictment. He pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated murder and two counts of felonious assault. The plea deal was agreed upon by the surviving victims. “The decision was made to prevent further harm to the family,” Tekulve explained. He says Laura and her daughter are “grievously injured.”
In a letter that was read in court, Laura had a message for those who may be struggling with their mental health or know someone who is. She encouraged others to call a crisis hotline, dial 988, or ask for help if someone is considering hurting themselves or others. “Violence is never the answer,” she wrote.
While Chad admitted to the crimes and has been sentenced, one thing still remains a mystery: Why did he do it? Prosecutors say they are still unsure.
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