Murders of Clayton, Hunter, and Chase Doerman

On June 15, 2023, Chad Doerman shot and killed his three sons — seven-year-old Clayton, four-year-old Hunter, and three-year-old Chase — at the family's home in Monroe Township, Clermont County, Ohio. His wife, Laura, was wounded by gunfire, and his 14-year-old stepdaughter, Alexis, was held at gunpoint before escaping unharmed.

According to a bill of particulars filed in the case, Doerman returned home from work early that day and asked his sons and Laura to join him for a nap in the primary bedroom. After they lay down, he opened a gun safe, retrieved a rifle, and shot Hunter twice, killing him. Laura tried to help Hunter while telling her other sons to run. Alexis, who had witnessed the shooting, followed Clayton and urged him to keep running; Doerman chased Clayton into a nearby field and shot him. Alexis then picked up Chase and ran toward the road; Doerman pursued them and aimed the rifle at Alexis, but it was out of ammunition. Chase ran to Laura, who was in the yard attempting to help Clayton. When Doerman tried to take Chase from her, Laura grabbed the rifle; Doerman fired, wounding her hand, then shot and killed Chase. Alexis escaped, alerted a passerby, and continued on to the local fire department. Doerman remained at the house and was taken into custody when police arrived.

Two of the boys, Clayton and Hunter, were each shot four times; Chase was shot once. Laura was treated for a gunshot wound to her hand.

Doerman was arrested at the scene and initially charged with murder, felonious assault, and kidnapping. He was later indicted on nine counts of aggravated murder — one for each shot that struck the children — along with additional kidnapping and felonious assault charges. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment on June 23, 2023, and changed his plea to not guilty by reason of insanity in March 2024. Prosecutors sought the death penalty, and a trial was scheduled for July 2024 before being delayed.

On August 2, 2024, Doerman pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated murder and two counts of felonious assault under an agreement that took the death penalty off the table. He was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole and was incarcerated at the Correctional Reception Center in Orient, Ohio, on August 7, 2024.

Court records showed Doerman had one prior criminal charge, for domestic violence, which was dismissed after the complaining witness — his father — did not appear in court. According to reports of his statements to investigators, Doerman said he had been planning to shoot his sons since October 2022. A neighbor said Doerman had treated his family poorly and seemed angry daily.

In the shooting's aftermath, a crisis team was stationed at a nearby elementary school for students and families needing support, and two fundraising campaigns were organized to benefit Alexis and Laura. At Doerman's sentencing, a prosecutor read statements from Laura and Alexis; Alexis's statement described conflicting grief and anger, saying she would never forgive Doerman for what he had done but would also hold onto happy memories of him and her brothers.