Father who killed 3 sons execution-style ‘will die in prison,’ prosecutor says

BATAVIA, Ohio. (WXIX/Gray News) - An Ohio man who killed his three sons execution-style ‘will die in prison,’ according to the prosecutor.

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.

Originally, Doerman faced nine counts of aggravated murder and other charges of kidnapping and felonious assault in a total 21-count indictment.

The plea agreement was agreed upon by the surviving victims in the case, the judge explained.

“My position became very clear to me throughout this process and most recently Wednesday when we discussed this plea offer with Laura that doing anything further would be actually an act of cruelty toward her,” Prosecutor Tekulve said. “The trauma that these two have experienced that day and continue to experience, my job as I saw it this week is to relieve them of that additional agony and that is why we are here today.”

It all happened on June 15, 2023.

WXIX reported thar 4-year-old Hunter was inside the master bedroom with his mom when Doerman grabbed a gun and shot Hunter twice.

Doerman’s teenage stepdaughter heard the gunshots and ran into the bedroom, where she witnessed Hunter’s death.

The teen took off running out of the home seeking help as Doerman chased after 7-year-old Clayton, the prosecutor explained.

Clayton was shot “numerous” times.

The stepdaughter ran back to the home and picked up three-year-old Chase to try and protect him.

Doerman saw the two and began chasing while threatening to shoot his stepdaughter if she did not drop Chase.

She put Chase down, and according to the prosecutor, Doerman aimed the gun at his 3-year-old son, and pulled the trigger, but the gun misfired.

Doerman then pointed the gun at Chase again and killed him.

All three boys died at the scene and their mother was injured after trying to intervene. When deputies arrived at the family’s home, they found Doerman sitting on the steps with a rifle sitting next to him, WXIX previously reported.

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.

There is no punishment that will bring back Clayton, Hunter and Chase, she stated.

However, the guarantee that Doerman will be in prison for the rest of his life is what is best for her family, she said.

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