A man has been sentenced to life imprisonment without parole for the shooting deaths of his three young sons at their Ohio home last year.
Chad Doerman, 33, received three consecutive life terms from a Clermont County judge on Friday after pleading guilty to aggravated murder charges. Additionally, he was sentenced to 16 more years for two felonious assault charges related to injuries inflicted on his former wife and stepdaughter.
Prosecutor Mark Tekulve initially sought the death penalty for the murders of Clayton Doerman, 7, Hunter Doerman, 4, and Chase Doerman, 3, which occurred on June 15, 2023, in Monroe Township, approximately 75 miles west of Columbus. However, he ultimately decided against it, citing the ongoing trauma experienced by the surviving family members.
“My role this week was to spare them further agony,” Tekulve stated to reporters on Friday.
Authorities previously reported that Doerman, found sitting on a stoop at the home, admitted to planning the killings and chasing down one of his sons in a field when the child tried to escape. His defense argued that Doerman was suffering from severe mental illness.
In court, Laura Doerman, the children’s mother and Chad Doerman’s ex-wife, tearfully shared a statement expressing her profound grief. “My life has been ripped apart and destroyed,” she said. “I would give anything to push them on the swing, tuck them in one more time, and hear them say, ‘I love you.’ … I am filled with anger, frustration, and deep sadness. Grief remains because it is the love that has nowhere to go.”
After the sentencing, Laura Doerman issued another statement through prosecutors, expressing her agreement with the outcome. “No punishment will bring my boys back,” she wrote. “Knowing he will spend the rest of his life behind bars is best for my family.”
Prosecutor Tekulve announced plans to disclose more details about the case at a news conference on Monday. Laura Doerman extended her gratitude to prosecutors and first responders and requested privacy as the family continues to grieve. She also urged people to remember her sons for the joy they brought.
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“Remember them as the boys who loved fishing, go-carting, and swimming,” she said. “Remember them as the kids always at the baseball fields or playing outside. Remember them as the inseparable trio who loved having fun.”
