Dad told sons they were 'the best boys ever' then executed them

Chad Doerman reached for his gun and his family ran for their lives

- GAIL SHORTLAND

There was nothing in the days leading up to the tragedy in Monroe Township, Ohio, that would have given any indication of what 32-year-old Chad Doerman was about to do. Doerman was a family man.

He lived with his wife Laura and their three fair-haired sons, Clayton, seven, Hunter, four, and Chase, three, in a ranch-style home. Doerman was also stepdad to Laura’s 14-year-old daughter, Alexis, from a previous relationship.

The house was full of laughter with the three energetic young boys. It was June 2023, and there was nothing out of the ordinary about Doerman’s behaviour. He’d been to work as an insulator, coached the boys at their baseball practice and had taken them fishing.

On the morning of 15 June, Doerman drove to work and looked up a song on YouTube called Happy In Hell by Colt Ford. The lyrics were, on reflection, sinister: “I’m in a catch twenty-two/ Damned if I don’t damned if I do/ I’m in love with another girl/ And I’ve been dreamin’ in another world/ I’ve been livin’ with the devil/ While I’m creepin’ with an angel/ All’s well that ends well/ I guess I’ll be happy in hell.”

That morning, he went to a walk-in health clinic after admitting to his mum that he was having “some confusing feelings”. But he left the clinic after two minutes without speaking to any staff members. Could there have been a different outcome if he had?

Doerman left work early and had lunch with his wife. “This will be my last good meal,” he said, casually. Laura thought the statement was strange but without context, not alarming.

It was the same when he phoned his father and commented, “Clayton is going to be the hardest one.” But this would not have given any reason to predict what was coming.

That afternoon, it was warm and sunny. Doerman worked in the garden while the children played. Then, at around 4pm, he suggested they all have a nap in the master bedroom.