Newly released police interrogation footage has shed light on the statements made by an Ohio man in the hours after he killed his three young sons in 2023. Chad Doerman told investigators that he carried out the shootings “for God,” describing a belief that he was being tested in a manner similar to a biblical account of sacrifice and that the world was coming to an end.
On the afternoon of June 15, 2023, Doerman returned home earlier than usual from work to the family’s house in Monroe Township, Clermont County, Ohio. According to court records and investigators, he began walking through the home carrying a Bible and repeatedly saying, “Chad knows what’s right.” He then retrieved a rifle from a gun safe, loaded it, and sH๏τ his three sons—Clayton, age 7; Hunter, age 4; and Chase, age 3. He also fired on and injured his then-wife, Laura Doerman, and a stepdaughter. When deputies arrived, the boys’ bodies were found in the yard, and Doerman was sitting outside with the rifle nearby.
In the interrogation room later that day, Doerman was initially uncooperative, frequently answering questions with “I don’t know.” As the interview continued, he began speaking about being in Hell and believing the end of the world had arrived. He told detectives he had been seeking help for disturbing thoughts and referenced a church service he had attended in Amelia “a while ago.” He connected those thoughts to a Bible story in which God tests a father’s willingness to make a sacrifice—most closely resembling the account of Abraham and Isaac.
“He tests you and you have to do it. You can’t deny it. You have to do it. You can’t stop,” Doerman said in the recording. When a detective responded that he had done so, Doerman replied, “For God.” He expressed regret about the order in which he targeted family members, saying he believed there was a specific sequence required and that he would never shoot himself because that would send him to Hell. He also stated that he felt he was already in Hell and that Jesus was coming.
A toxicology report later indicated Doerman had alcohol in his system but no illegal drugs at the time of the killings. Defense attorneys had previously argued that he was struggling with severe mєntal illness, though a detailed motive was not presented in open court before the case was resolved through a plea agreement.
In August 2024, Doerman pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated murder and two counts of felonious ᴀssault. As part of a deal that removed the possibility of the dєatᩚh penalty, a Clermont County judge sentenced him to three consecutive life prison terms without the possibility of parole, along with an additional 16 years on the ᴀssault charges. Prosecutor Mark Tekulve said the agreement was reached in consideration of the continuing trauma experienced by the surviving family members.
Laura Doerman, the boys’ mother, addressed the court through a victim impact statement. She described a life that had been completely altered and the lasting weight of grief, saying she would give anything to experience ordinary moments with her sons again. In a statement released after the sentencing, she expressed agreement with the outcome, noting that no sentence could restore her children and that a guaranteed life term was the best resolution for her family. She asked the public to remember Clayton, Hunter, and Chase as active, affectionate boys who loved fishing, swimming, go-karting, playing outdoors, and spending time together.
The interrogation video, obtained and reported by local media in August 2026, offers the most detailed public account to date of the explanations Doerman gave detectives in the immediate aftermath of the shootings. He remains incarcerated under the life sentences imposed in 2024.
Sources : FOX19 / WXIX
