In a chilling turn of events, 32-year-old father Chad Doerman from Monroe Township in Ohio has confessed to the execution-style killing of his three young sons with a rifle.
The gruesome event unfolded on a Thursday afternoon in Monroe Township, in the neighborhood of Laurel Lindale Road. The Clermont County Sheriff’s Office received a chilling 911 call from the children’s mother, who was screaming that her “babies had been shot.”
Shortly after, another 911 call was made by a passerby who reported a young girl running down the street, hysterically claiming that her father was “killing everyone.”
The slain boys, aged 3, 4, and 7, were reportedly lined up in their home before being shot by their father. Prosecutors revealed during Doerman’s Friday morning arraignment that one of the kids attempted to escape into a nearby field, only to be ruthlessly chased down by Doerman, dragged back to the house, and then shot dead.
The dispatched deputies arrived at the scene to find the three young boys, aged 3, 4, and 7, lying outside their home, unresponsive with gunshot wounds. Despite the deputies’ immediate life-saving attempts, all three boys succumbed to their injuries on the spot.
The mother of the slain children, who remains unidentified, was found outside the home with a gunshot wound to her hand. It is believed that she sustained this injury while attempting to protect her sons from their father.
She was immediately transported to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, and her injuries are not considered life-threatening.
Doerman was sitting outside their home with a rifle next to him.
WATCH: (Graphic Video)
Chad’s father, Keith Doerman spoke out about the horrific incident. He said he was both angered and stunned by his son’s alleged actions, yet he also defended his character, believing something tragic had happened to him.
In a phone interview with WCPO 9, Keith expressed his disbelief at the character of the man presented in the arraignment.
“This is completely out of character for Chad,” he said, adding that his son isn’t a violent person. “I don’t know what went on in his personal life. It’s a shocker to us. We didn’t see it coming. He just snapped.”
“I could tell in his eyes he’s hollow inside,” Keith continued, as he struggled to reconcile the image of his son with the crime he is accused of committing. “That wasn’t Chad standing at the arraignment. I mean, that was not him.”
Contradicting Keith Doerman’s description of his son, Assistant Clermont County Prosecutor David Gass offered a differing perspective in court on Friday.
The motive was not released due to an ongoing investigation.
During Doeman’s court hearing, the prosecution asked for a $20 million bond, the highest ever sought in Clermont County. The request was granted by Judge J.C. Nagel, reflecting the severity of the crime committed.
Clermont County Prosecutor Mark Tekulve expressed his disgust at the crime, stating, “This is by far the most sickening, horrifying crime I have seen. I can only imagine the terror these little boys felt and experienced as their father — their protector — was murdering them,” as reported by WKRC-TV.
As the legal proceedings continue, the prosecution is reviewing all possible charges, vowing to ensure that Doerman never sees the light of day again.
A fundraising campaign was created by the mother’s sister, Rachel Brown to help the family financially. Nearly $171,000 has been donated to the cause as of this writing.
You can donate here.
RIP to the little angels.
