BATAVIA TWP., Ohio (Scripps News Cincinnati) — Amendments made to a court document that detailed the course of events the day Chad Doerman allegedly murdered his three sons could shed further light on Doerman’s recent plea change.
The bill of particulars initially disclosed last year detailed the allegations against Doerman down to his movements on June 15, 2023; a new copy with amendments was filed on April 23, 2024.
Chad Doerman, wearing a protective vest, appeared in court. Doerman is accused of killing his three sons, ages 3, 4 and 7. (Scripps News Cincinnati)
In that new copy, a paragraph has been added that details more of Doerman’s alleged actions in the moments before police say he fired the first shots.
According to the document, Doerman returned home early from work and, after being home for “a little while,” he picked up a Bible and began walking around the house with it.
“Chad knows what’s right,” the document says Doerman mumbled while walking with the Bible.
Doerman then went to get into his gun safe in the master bedroom.
The documents say Doerman’s wife intervened and told Doerman that he was scaring her, that she didn’t like what he was doing and that she was going to call his parents.
Doerman responded that he was “just kidding” and “playing around,” according to the document.
After that, Doerman decided to lie down in the bedroom; because of his behavior, Doerman’s wife did not want him to be alone, the documents say, so she and one of the children went into the bedroom with him.
From there, the narrative of events is the same as the initial version released in 2023, with the document detailing Doerman removing a Marlin Model .22 rifle with a loaded magazine from the gun safe in the bedroom and opening fire on his family, including chasing his children through the yard of the home.
The amended bill of particulars was filed just over one month after a Clermont County judge determined Doerman’s Miranda Rights had been violated by the officers who interrogated him. That interrogation, including an alleged confession from Doerman the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office said it contained, will no longer be admissible as evidence in Doerman’s trial.
Then, the following week, Doerman appeared in court and entered a new plea to the charges against him: not guilty by reason of insanity. His attorneys filed the plea more than nine months after his arrest and his first plea of not guilty.
Doerman faces 21 separate charges tied to the allegations that he shot and killed 4-year-old Hunter, 7-year-old Clayton and 3-year-old Chase execution-style on June 15, 2023. He is charged with nine counts of aggravated murder, eight counts of kidnapping and four counts of felonious assault.
Doerman has been held in the Clermont County jail since his arrest; Clermont County Judge Richard P. Ferenc ordered a psychiatric examination be completed on Doerman by April 26. It’s unclear when the results of that examination may be released, but Ferenc ruled Doerman must remain behind bars, including for the evaluation.
This story was originally published by Scripps News Cincinnati, an E.W. Scripps Company.
