Ohio father sentenced to life for the brutal murder of his three sons
Chilling details emerge from the horrific June 2023 crime
In a heart-wrenching crime that shocked a community, an Ohio father, Chad Doerman, was sentenced to three consecutive life terms in prison after pleading guilty to the brutal murder of his three young sons. The Independent reported that Doerman, 33, read from the Bible, expressed his love for his children, and made a cryptic phone call to his own father before committing the heinous act.
A premeditated act of violence
On June 15, 2023, in Monroe Township, about 75 miles west of Columbus, Doerman shot and killed his sons Clayton, 7, Hunter, 4, and Chase, 3. Disturbing details have since emerged about Doerman’s actions leading up to the murders and the final hours of the boys’ lives.
Clermont County Prosecuting Attorney Mark Tekulve revealed in a Monday press briefing that on the day of the shootings, Doerman had lunch with his wife, Laura, ominously telling her, “This will be my last good meal.” Despite this unsettling statement, Laura did not perceive an immediate threat, and Doerman spent the afternoon doing yard work and playing with his children.
The final moments
Around 3:30 to 3:45 p.m., Doerman began reading the Bible to Hunter. “He was walking around the house with the Bible, mumbling ‘Chad knows what’s right. Chad knows what’s right,'” Tekulve said.
Shortly before 4 p.m., Doerman asked his family to join him for a nap in the master bedroom. His wife and three sons entered the room with him while his 12-year-old stepdaughter watched television in another room. When Doerman opened the gun safe, his wife grew alarmed and told him, “You’re scaring me.”
A horrific scene
What followed were events so harrowing that they brought experienced officers to tears. Tekulve told reporters that Doerman told his family he loved them and called his sons the “best boys ever.” He then jumped up from the bed and grabbed a .22 rifle from the safe, and his family initially feared for his safety, thinking he would kill himself.
“Laura is screaming, the boys are screaming, Laura is frightened that he’s about to kill himself,” Tekulve recounted. “They’re all trying to discourage him, telling him that they love him and begging him not to kill himself.”
Aftermath and arrest
According to a press release from the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office, Ohio, the mother of the boys was also shot in the hand while trying to take the gun away from Doerman. She was transported to University Hospital in Cincinnati with non-life-threatening injuries. The age and extent of the stepdaughter’s injuries remain unknown.
After the shooting, Doerman was found sitting on a porch outside his residence. During a subsequent interview with authorities, he admitted to lining the boys up in the yard and shooting them, stating he had been planning the killings for several months.
This tragic case underscores the need for vigilance and support for mental health issues, as well as the devastating impact of such violent acts on families and communities.