The tragic story of Chad Doerman, who killed his three young sons in Ohio, has shocked communities and raised questions about the events leading up to the horrific act. This article delves into the planned details of the crime, the court proceedings, and the aftermath.
Location of the tragedy in Ohio
The Crime
On June 15, 2023, Clayton, Hunter, and Chase Doerman, aged seven, four, and three respectively, were shot and killed at their home in Monroe Township, Clermont County, Ohio. Deputies swarmed the home in the 1900 block of Laurel Lindale Road in Monroe Township and found the three boys in the front yard.
According to court records and prosecutors, Chad Doerman confessed to planning and carrying out the deaths of his sons. Prosecutors said Doerman had lined his children up and executed them with a rifle. When one of the boys tried to flee, he "hunted" him down, brought him back to the house and killed him, the prosecutor said.
According to authorities, Doerman shot one son while he slept, another while he was trying to run away and the youngest while he was laying on the ground after his mother and sister tried to save him. The boy's mother was shot in the hand trying to stop Doerman, officials said. She called 911 and screamed her “babies had been shot,” sheriff’s officials wrote in a news release.
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The Chilling Sequence of Events
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.
Upon their arrival, the police instructed Doerman to show his hands and walk towards them, but Doerman disobeyed and remained sitting. Three children were killed in the incident: Clayton, Hunter and Chase.
Chad Doerman
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The Investigation and Legal Proceedings
Responding deputies found Doerman, who county records list as the owner of the home, sitting on a step outside. The deputies also found the three boys unresponsive in the yard with gunshot wounds, officials said. They tried life-saving measures until paramedics arrived, but the boys died at the scene. The boys’ 34-year-old mother was also found outside the home when deputies arrived. She had a gunshot wound to the hand and was transported to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center for treatment.
Deputies detained Doerman without incident. A motive for the tragic killings has not been released, and a large portion of both the affidavit and criminal complaints in his new court filings are blacked out. Sheriff Steve Leahy said Friday morning they can’t release a motive at this time to ensure nothing they say or do impacts the prosecution.
Clermont County Municipal Court Judge Jason Nagel set a $20 million bond for Chad Doerman, 32. "In an act of incomprehensible cruelty, the father that stands before you lined up his three young boys and executed them in his own home with a rifle," Assistant Prosecutor David Gast told the judge.
Originally, Doerman 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. 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.
Chad Doerman | 911 Call | 'If you have to shoot him ,shoot him'
On August 2, 2024, Doerman pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated murder and two counts of felonious assault as part of a plea agreement that allowed him to avoid the death penalty.
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Doerman's Confession and Mental State
Doerman “confessed to planning and carrying out the deaths of victims involved for several months,” a detective with the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office wrote in a criminal complaint.
In March, Chad pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity due to serious mental illness. 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.
According to Tekulve, Chad explained what happened on June 15 to his mother on a recorded phone call from the Clermont County Jail. 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.
Prosecutors say Chad compared himself to Adolf Hitler because Hitler made news across the world, and so has he.
The Victims and Their Family
Three children were killed in the incident: Clayton, Hunter and Chase. The boys were described as “active little boys” who loved baseball and fishing.
Laura, the mother of the three boys, had her statement read in court as Doerman sat with his defense team. She said while the announcement might surprise some, the decision to end the case with a plea and multiple life sentences brings some closure for her family. 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.
Community Response
At least two prayer events were hosted by New Richmond area churches over the weekend. A third event is planned for Sunday, June 25 and is meant to remember both the slain children and honor first responders. Residents have said the killings have left them shaken. This is the second family shooting in the community. The New Richmond Exempted School District offered grief counselors to the community on Friday.
Shortly after the shooting, a crisis team was stationed at Monroe Elementary School for those who needed aid. A GoFundMe campaign to help the surviving mother and daughter has raised over $200,000.
Timeline of Events Leading to the Killings
Prosecutors outlined Chad’s behavior in the five days leading up to the killings:
- June 10: Normal day. Chad and his sons had a “boys’ day” together while Laura and her daughter had a “girls’ day.”
- June 11: Chad takes the boys fishing. Conflicting statements about his sleep were given to detectives.
- 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. After work, he went to coach his son’s baseball game. Other parents said he seemed a little distracted but nothing strange.
- June 14: Chad tells Laura, “This will be my last good meal.” Moments later, Chad called his dad and said, “Clayton is going to be the hardest one.” Chad spent the rest of the day playing with the kids and doing yard work. He then started reading the Bible to Hunter.
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.”
Aftermath and Sentencing
On Friday, 33-year-old Chad Doerman was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after pleading guilty to three counts of aggravated murder for killing his sons, 7-year-old Clayton, 4-year-old Hunter and 3-year-old Chase at their home in June 2023. Doerman will not face the death penalty, however Clermont County Prosecutor Mark Tekulve said ‘he will die in prison.”
He also pleaded guilty to two counts of felonious assault for injuries caused to his ex-wife and his former stepdaughter.
Laura, the mother of the three boys, had her statement read in court as Doerman sat with his defense team. She said while the announcement might surprise some, the decision to end the case with a plea and multiple life sentences brings some closure for her family.
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