Newly released police interview footage has renewed attention on the case of Chad Doerman, the Ohio father who pleaded guilty to killing his three young sons in June 2023.

In the footage released by the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office and reported by FOX19 in August 2026, Doerman told investigators that he acted “for God” and described beliefs about the end of the world.

The recordings provide a disturbing glimpse into his statements following the deaths of Clayton, 7, Hunter, 4, and Chase, 3.

Doerman’s case, however, is no longer awaiting trial. He pleaded guilty in August 2024 and received a sentence that will keep him in prison for the rest of his life.

NEWLY RELEASED FOOTAGE SHOWS HIS INTERVIEW WITH DETECTIVES
The videos show detectives questioning Doerman after the June 15, 2023, incident at the family’s home in Monroe Township, Clermont County, Ohio.

During the interview, Doerman initially gave limited responses and repeatedly indicated that he did not know the answers to investigators’ questions.

As the questioning continued, he began discussing religious ideas and his belief that the world was approaching its end.

At one point, he asked detectives whether he was in hell. He also spoke about being afraid of what he believed was happening around him.

Investigators attempted to understand what he had been thinking before the incident and why he believed his actions were necessary.

The footage offers insight into what Doerman told investigators, but his statements should be understood in the context of the interview rather than treated as an independent explanation of every aspect of the case.

HE REFERENCED RELIGIOUS BELIEFS
During the interview, Doerman referred to a biblical story about sacrifice that his father had told him when he was younger.

He said the story came back to him after attending a church service with his family sometime before the incident.

Although he did not identify the passage by name, his description resembled the biblical account of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22.

In that story, Abraham is tested through a command involving his son, but an angel intervenes before the child is harmed.

Doerman told detectives that he believed he was being tested and said he thought he had to follow what he understood to be God’s will.

When a detective asked whether he had acted on that belief, Doerman replied, “For God.”

These were statements made by Doerman during the interview. They do not establish a religious justification for the crimes, and the available evidence does not support attributing his actions to any broader religious community.

HE ALSO SPOKE ABOUT THE END OF THE WORLD
The recording shows Doerman repeatedly returning to the idea that the world was ending.

He told detectives that he believed he and others were in hell and spoke about the possibility of a coming catastrophe.

He also described feeling frightened and said he had been seeking help because of the thoughts occupying his mind.

Investigators questioned him about when those ideas began and what he believed would happen if he did not act.

The footage does not provide a complete answer to every question about his state of mind before the incident.

While the statements are relevant to understanding what he told detectives, they should not be treated as a formal psychiatric diagnosis.

 

THE INCIDENT LEFT THREE CHILDREN DEAD AND TWO FAMILY MEMBERS INJURED
The events occurred on June 15, 2023, after Doerman returned home earlier than usual.

According to investigators and prosecutors, he took a firearm from the home and shot his three sons.

The boys’ mother was injured while trying to protect the children, and Doerman’s teenage stepdaughter also survived the incident.

When deputies arrived, they found the children outside the residence and took Doerman into custody.

The deaths devastated the family and shocked the surrounding community.

The three brothers were Clayton, 7, Hunter, 4, and Chase, 3.

Their ages and the circumstances of the incident made the case particularly distressing for residents across Clermont County and beyond.

A JUDGE HAD PREVIOUSLY RULED THAT THE INTERROGATION COULD NOT BE USED AT TRIAL
One important legal detail accompanies the newly released video.

In March 2024, Clermont County Common Pleas Judge Richard Ferenc ruled that Doerman’s rights under the Miranda decision had been violated during a police interrogation.

The judge found that detectives had not fully advised Doerman of his rights and continued questioning after he had requested a lawyer.

As a result, statements from that interrogation were ruled inadmissible at trial.

That ruling concerned whether the statements could be used as evidence in court. It did not prevent authorities from later releasing footage to the public under applicable records procedures.

The distinction matters because the public release of a recording does not automatically make its contents admissible in a criminal proceeding.

Doerman later pleaded guilty, meaning the case did not proceed through a full trial in which a jury would have evaluated the excluded interrogation statements.

DOERMAN PLEADED GUILTY IN AUGUST 2024
On August 2, 2024, Doerman pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated murder and two counts of felonious assault.

The plea agreement allowed him to avoid the death penalty.

The court sentenced him to three consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole, along with additional prison time for the assault convictions.

The sentence means he will remain incarcerated for the rest of his life.

The guilty plea also brought an end to the criminal trial proceedings that had been scheduled to examine the case.

THE FAMILY’S LOSS REMAINS CENTRAL
The case is not only defined by the criminal proceedings or the newly released footage.

It also represents the loss of three young children and the lasting impact on the family members who survived.

During the sentencing proceedings, the boys’ mother spoke about her sons as children who loved spending time together and enjoying ordinary activities.

Her words focused on remembering their lives beyond the circumstances of their deaths.

The case has continued to attract attention as new recordings and investigative materials become public, but the family’s loss remains at its center.

WHAT THE NEW VIDEO CHANGES — AND WHAT IT DOES NOT
The release of the interview footage offers additional material for the public to examine, particularly regarding the statements Doerman made to detectives after the incident.

It does not change his convictions or sentence.

Doerman has already admitted guilt in court, and the judge has imposed life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

The video also does not establish every aspect of his motive. Although he referred to religious beliefs and the end of the world, investigators did not publicly establish a complete explanation that resolves every question about why the incident occurred.

The earlier Miranda ruling remains an important part of the legal history surrounding the recording.

A CASE THAT REMAINS IN THE PUBLIC SPOTLIGHT
More than three years after the deaths of Clayton, Hunter and Chase, the release of additional footage has brought renewed attention to the case.

For the public, the recordings provide another look at the investigation. For the family, the case remains a devastating loss that cannot be undone.

The legal outcome is settled: Doerman pleaded guilty and is serving life in prison without the possibility of parole.

The newly released footage adds context to what he told investigators, but it does not alter that outcome.

SOURCES
FOX19 — Chad Doerman says he killed his three sons “for God” in newly released Clermont County sheriff’s video