Chad Doerman will not face the death penalty for the horrific murders of his three young sons, Clermont County Common Pleas Court Judge Richard Ferenc announced on Friday.
Instead, Doerman, now 33, will spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole after pleading guilty to three counts of aggravated murder, Fox 19 reported.
In June 2023, Chad Doerman committed an unthinkable act, confessing to the execution-style killing of his three young sons with a rifle.
The Clermont County Sheriff’s Office received a chilling 911 call from the children’s mother, Laura, who was screaming that her “babies had been shot.”
Shortly after, another 911 call was made by a passerby who reported a young girl running down the street, hysterically claiming that her father was “killing everyone.”
According to KPLCTV and WXIX reports, 4-year-old Hunter was inside the master bedroom with his mom when Doerman grabbed a gun and shot him twice. Doerman’s teenage stepdaughter heard the gunshots, ran into the bedroom, and witnessed Hunter’s death. She then ran out of the home seeking help as Doerman chased after 7-year-old Clayton, who was shot multiple times. The stepdaughter returned to the home, picked up 3-year-old Chase to try and protect him, but Doerman threatened to shoot her if she did not drop Chase. She complied, and Doerman aimed the gun at his 3-year-old son, pulling the trigger; the gun misfired initially, but Doerman fired again, killing Chase.
All three boys died at the scene, and their mother was injured trying to intervene.
Doerman initially pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, claiming he was delusional at the time of the killings. According to NBC, Doerman later told authorities he had been contemplating killing the boys for months and had not slept in days due to the stress.
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 the deaths of his sons. While Doerman will not face the death penalty, Clermont County Prosecutor Mark Tekulve stated, “He will die in prison.”
During a hearing on Friday, prosecutors said they agreed to drop the aggravating factors that made Doerman eligible for the death penalty if he pleaded guilty to three counts of murder. Ferenc noted that the victims’ families approved the plea agreement.
Doerman also pleaded guilty to two counts of felonious assault, including the shooting of his wife, Laura Doerman, who pressed her thumb over the barrel of her husband’s rifle in an effort to protect one of their children. “Despite desperately fighting to save the lives of her boys, there was really nothing that Laura Doerman could have done,” Prosecutor Tekulve said in court.
In a statement read in court, Laura Doerman said she “will never in a million years ever forgive [Doerman] for what [he has] done,” but she will never hate him. She also expressed her agreement with the plea and sentencing, saying it brings some finality to the court case for her and her daughter. She emphasized that no punishment will ever bring her boys back, but having a guarantee that Doerman will spend the rest of his life behind bars is best for her family.
Laura Doerman’s statement read:
“Good afternoon. My name is Laura Doerman and I am the mother of Alexis, Clayton, Hunter, and Chase. On June 15, 2023, my children and I went through a nightmare that most people cannot even begin to imagine. We grieve every day for my boys, and we miss them so much.
I understand that the plea and sentencing today may have come as a surprise to some people, and that many people still have questions about what happened to Clayton, Hunter, and Chase. I know the prosecutor’s office will be answering some of those questions at the press conference on Monday.
I am in full agreement with how the criminal case was resolved, and the decision to end this criminal case with a plea and multiple life sentences brings some finality to the court case for my daughter and me. No punishment will ever bring my boys back. Having a guarantee that he will spend the rest of his life behind bars is what is best for my family.
I would like to thank the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office for all of their work on this case, especially Detectives Mike Ross and Sean Schubert. I’d like to thank all of the first responding officers and firefighters/paramedics who were there that day and did what they could for my boys and my family. Finally, I’d like to thank the prosecution team for their support and assistance through the court process.
I have two requests from everyone here and everyone watching this. First, please respect my family’s privacy. We do not want media or individuals to try to contact us about this case. My daughter and I are real people who have to wake up every day and try to go on with our lives after losing the boys. We may just be a news story to you, but this is our reality. If you have any questions, please direct them to the prosecutor’s office.
My second request is for everyone to remember and talk about Clayton, Hunter, and Chase for who they were before the events of June 15, 2023. Remember them as the three little boys who loved fishing, go-carting, and swimming. Remember them as the little boys who were always at the baseball fields or running around outside. Remember them as the boys who loved to have fun and were inseparable from one another. Their lives are not only about what happened to them — they are so much more than that.
I love you Clayton, Hunter, and Chase.”