An Ohio man has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after confessing to the execution-style killings of his three young sons in 2023. Chad Doerman, 33, was spared the death penalty after he pleaded guilty to the murders of Clayton, 7; Hunter, 4; and Chase, 3, in exchange for the removal of the aggravating factors that could have led to a death sentence.
Clermont County Common Pleas Judge Richard Ferenc handed down three consecutive life sentences without parole, ensuring that Doerman will spend the rest of his life in prison. The plea deal was supported by the victims’ family, according to Ferenc.
Doerman also admitted to two counts of felonious assault, one of which involved shooting his wife, Laura Doerman, as she tried to protect their children. Despite her desperate efforts, Clermont County Prosecutor Mark Tekulve stated in court that there was nothing Laura could have done to save her sons.
In a poignant statement read in court, Laura Doerman expressed her anguish and anger towards her husband but stopped short of expressing hatred. “I will never in a million years ever forgive you for what you have done, and hope you pay for your actions like you deserve, but I will never hate you,” she said, as reported by the Cincinnati Enquirer.
The tragic events unfolded on June 15, 2023, at the family’s home in Monroe Township, southeast of Cincinnati. According to a detailed account provided by Prosecutor Tekulve, Chad Doerman had returned home early from work that day and napped with his three sons. Upon waking, he retrieved a rifle from a gun safe, loaded it, and fatally shot Hunter. Laura tried to render aid while Clayton attempted to escape through the back door.
Doerman chased after Clayton and shot him multiple times. Laura’s daughter, who was 14 at the time, witnessed Hunter’s killing and followed Doerman and Clayton outside. She watched in horror as Doerman shot Clayton in the head as he lay injured on the ground.
The teenager then attempted to rescue Chase, the youngest son, but was stopped by Doerman, who threatened her with the rifle. In tears, she complied, dropping the boy, while Doerman reloaded his weapon. A struggle ensued between Doerman and his wife, during which she pressed her thumb against the rifle barrel. She was shot in the thumb, and Doerman ultimately killed Chase with a single shot to the head.
Doerman later told authorities that he had been contemplating the murders for months, and his inability to sleep in the days leading up to the killings was evidence of the weight of his dark thoughts. In court, dressed in a pale blue shirt, Doerman confirmed the accuracy of the prosecutor’s account.
One of his attorneys noted that Doerman had initially pursued an insanity defense, claiming he was delusional at the time of the killings. However, this defense was ultimately abandoned in favor of the plea deal that resulted in his life sentences.
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