Chad Doerman, 33, was sentenced to life in prison without parole for the shooting deaths of his three young sons in Ohio last year.
He received three consecutive life terms after pleading guilty to aggravated murder charges and an additional 16 years for felonious assault related to injuries inflicted on his former wife and stepdaughter.
Prosecutor Mark Tekulve had initially sought the death penalty but decided against it to lessen the trauma for the surviving family members.
A man has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in the shooting deaths of his three young sons at their Ohio home last year.
A Clermont County judge sentenced Chad Doerman, 33, on Friday to three consecutive life terms after he pleaded guilty to aggravated murder charges. He was also sentenced to another 16 years on two felonious assault charges for injuring his former wife and his stepdaughter.
Prosecutor Mark Tekulve had originally vowed to seek the death penalty in the June 15, 2023, murders of Clayton Doerman, 7, Hunter Doerman, 4, and Chase Doerman, 3, in Monroe Township, about 75 miles west of Columbus.
JUDGE SAYS OHIO DAD’S CONFESSION TO KILLING 3 YOUNG SONS CANNOT BE USED IN COURT
But on Friday he cited the trauma that the surviving family members “experienced that day and continue to experience on a daily basis.”
Chad Doerman, shown in each of these images from bodycam video and a booking photo, has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in the shooting deaths of his three young sons at their Ohio home last year.(Clermont County Sheriff’s Office, AP Newsroom)
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“My job, as I saw it this week, was to relieve them of that additional agony,” he told reporters Friday.
Prosecutors earlier said that Doerman, who was taken into custody after he was found sitting on a stoop at the home, admitted to having planned the killings and chased down one of the boys in a field after the child tried to flee. Defense attorneys had argued that he was struggling with severe mental illness.
OHIO DAD ACCUSED OF EXECUTING SONS ‘IN COLD BLOOD’ INDICTED ON 21 COUNTS AFTER TWISTED TRIPLE MURDER
Laura Doerman, the children’s mother and the ex-wife of the defendant, wept as a prosecutor read a statement in court from her saying her life had been “ripped away from me and destroyed.”
“I would do anything to push them on the swing, cover them up one more time and hear their little ways of saying, ‘I love you,’” she said. “… I have anger, frustration and so much sadness. Grief will never go away because it is all the love that is left with no place to go.”
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In another statement issued through prosecutors after the sentencing, she said that she was in “full agreement” with the resolution of the case.
“No punishment will ever bring my boys back,” she wrote. “Having a guarantee that he will spend the rest of his life behind bars is what is best for my family.”
The prosecutor said he plans to reveal more details about the case at a news conference Monday. Laura Doerman thanked prosecutors and first responders and asked for privacy, saying she and the family “grieve every day” for the boys. She also asked, however, that people remember the children as they were before the events of that day.
“Remember them as the three little boys who loved fishing, go-carting, and swimming,” she said. “Remember them as the little boys who were always at the baseball fields or running around outside. Remember them as the boys who love to have fun and were inseparable from one another.”
In a wooded site along the west shore of the Missouri River, an engineering marvel was taking shape one afternoon in March that will eventually help provide fresh water to hundreds of thousands of people.
Contractors hired by the Lewis & Clark Regional Water System had positioned 16-foot concrete rings above a structure known as a Ranney well that will draw water from an aquifer 140 feet below the surface. To form the sides of the giant well, workers jam several of the sleeves into the caisson structure that collects water through a series of pipes that extend outward at the bottom.
The new well is part of a $150 million expansion of the Lewis & Clark system that provides 44 million gallons of treated Missouri River water each day to 350,000 people in 20 communities in eastern South Dakota and parts of Iowa and Minnesota.
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The construction is part of a wide-scale increase in water service capacity now underway in South Dakota, where water managers of several systems are implementing plans to serve the state for the next 40 to 50 years.
GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) – The Green Bay Packers are boosting support for girls flag football in Wisconsin high schools, awarding $100,000 in grants to help schools launch new teams.
The team said 20 schools across the state were selected to receive $5,000 each to start girls flag football programs.
Six of the grant recipients are in our area: Freedom High School, Green Bay East, Kimberly, Little Chute, Neenah and Southern Door.
Along with the funding, the Packers are also providing participating schools with protective headbands and a flag football equipment starter kit to help new programs get started.
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The goal is to build momentum for girls flag football as participation grows, with the long-term aim of the sport becoming a sanctioned Wisconsin high school sport.
Applications are already open for next year’s round of grants.
For generations of Detroiters, the Dakota Inn Rathskeller has been more than a bar—it’s been a ritual. A place where communal tables, steins raised high, and the familiar sound of German folk songs have created a sense of belonging that transcends time. Now, as the city continues its cultural resurgence, the Dakota Inn is entering a bold new chapter—one that honors its storied past while opening the doors to an entirely new kind of experience.
This summer, the transformation is unmistakable.
At the heart of the revival is a sprawling outdoor Biergarten—an ambitious expansion that reimagines the Dakota Inn as both a neighborhood anchor and a destination venue. Designed to evoke the charm of traditional European beer gardens while embracing Detroit’s gritty, creative energy, the space invites guests to linger. Long wooden tables stretch beneath open skies, string lights glow into the evening, and the hum of conversation blends with live music and clinking glasses. It’s communal, celebratory, and distinctly Detroit.
But the evolution doesn’t stop with beer.
The Dakota Inn is broadening its cultural reach with a thoughtfully curated lineup of events that extend far beyond its traditional roots. Jazz & Film Nights promise to turn warm evenings into immersive experiences, pairing live performances with classic and contemporary cinema. The concept feels both nostalgic and fresh—an echo of Detroit’s rich musical heritage layered with a modern, cinematic sensibility.
Photo Courtesy of the Dakota Inn
Wine tastings, too, are joining the calendar, signaling a more expansive approach to hospitality. These events aim to attract a wider audience while maintaining the venue’s approachable, convivial spirit. Whether you’re a seasoned enthusiast or simply curious, the goal is the same: bring people together around shared experiences.
And then there’s soccer.
With World Cup excitement on the horizon, the Dakota Inn is positioning itself as one of the city’s premier gathering spots for international watch parties. The Biergarten will come alive with fans from all backgrounds, united by the universal language of the game. Large screens, cold drinks, and a festival-like atmosphere will transform match days into something closer to a civic celebration than a simple viewing.
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What makes this moment particularly compelling is the balance being struck. The Dakota Inn isn’t abandoning its identity—it’s expanding it. The familiar sing-alongs, the old-world décor, the sense of history etched into the walls—all of that remains. But now, it exists alongside new programming that reflects the diversity and dynamism of Detroit itself.
Photo Courtesy of the Dakota Inn
This is not a reinvention for reinvention’s sake. It’s a thoughtful evolution, rooted in the belief that historic spaces can—and should—adapt to the communities they serve.
On any given summer night, you might find a table of old friends singing a German drinking song, a couple discovering the space for the first time over a glass of wine, or a crowd gathered around a screen, erupting in cheers as a goal is scored thousands of miles away. Different scenes, different energies—but all part of the same story.
A new day has arrived at the Dakota Inn Rathskeller, and if this summer is any indication, its next chapter may be its most vibrant yet.
