According to a report by Law and Crime on Monday, August 5, 2024, days after Chad Doerman admitted to murdering his three young sons and was sentenced to life without parole, Ohio prosecutors revealed additional shocking evidence about the case, once described as the “worst crime” a prosecutor had ever seen.
Clermont County Prosecuting Attorney Mark Tekulve detailed events leading up to the June 15, 2023, murders of Clayton (7), Hunter (4), and Chase Doerman (3). Days before the killings, Doerman took his sons on a “boys day” to a dirt racing track and went fishing with them. The day before the murders, he woke his 14-year-old stepdaughter, Alexis, to apologize for any past hurt, a notably unusual act. That night, he coached third base at his son Clayton’s baseball game.
On the day of the murders, Doerman searched YouTube for the song “Happy in Hell.” After returning home from work early, he told his then-wife Laura, “This will be my last good meal,” during lunch, hinting at a suicidal state. Despite appearing normal at work, Doerman expressed to his mother that he was experiencing confusing feelings. Instead of seeking urgent help, his mother suggested visiting The Little Clinic at Kroger.
Security footage from that day shows Doerman walking through Kroger, looking at products but not taking anything, and briefly waiting at the clinic desk before leaving. After returning home, Doerman’s family came back from errands, and the children happily played together. During lunch, he reiterated his ominous statement about his last meal. He later called his father, saying, “Clayton’s going to be the hardest.”
Doerman then read the Bible to Hunter, mumbled to himself, and reassured his sons of his love. The family went for an afternoon nap, during which Doerman jumped out of bed, grabbed a rifle from the safe, and prevented Laura from calling 911, telling her “it’s too late.” Distressing audio from Laura’s 911 call captured her screams and gunshots. Bodycam footage showed Doerman calmly waiting for deputies with the rifle beside him.
When deputies arrived, they asked Doerman, “What are you doing, man?” He responded calmly, asking to roll over and expressing discomfort, showing no remorse. Post-arrest footage showed him banging his head against a wall.
Initially, prosecutors sought the death penalty, but a judge ruled that Doerman’s confession had to be suppressed due to a Miranda rights violation. Doerman then pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, claiming psychosis at the time of the murders. Eventually, he pleaded guilty to aggravated murder and felonious assault, avoiding the death penalty in exchange for life without parole.
During victim impact statements, stepdaughter Alexis directly addressed Doerman through a prosecutor’s reading: “Nothing will ever be the same again because of you.” She mentioned how Doerman’s actions affected her life, from softball to Christmas mornings. Laura Doerman, expressing her grief, said, “I grieve the loss of Clayton, Hunter, and Chase every day. I grieve the life they never got to live.”
Laura agreed with the plea resolution, stating it brought some finality for her and her daughter. She asked for privacy and for people to remember her sons for how they lived: “Remember them as the little boys who were always at the baseball fields or running outside… Their lives are not only about what happened to them—they are so much more than that.”