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An 11-year-old boy accused of fatally shooting his father inside their Pennsylvania home made his first court appearance Thursday, about a month after the deadly incident.
Clayton Dietz, 11, is charged as an adult with criminal homicide in the Jan. 13 shooting death of his adoptive father, 42-year-old Douglas Dietz. The shooting happened in the family’s Duncannon home on the child’s birthday.
According to a Perry County criminal docket, Dietz waived his preliminary hearing on Feb. 19, and the case was marked “waived for court,” meaning it will proceed to the Court of Common Pleas.
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The docket shows bail was denied Jan. 13, and Dietz remains confined at the Perry County Prison.
Local outlet WHP reported that Dietz arrived at the Perry County Courthouse in New Bloomfield just after noon for his scheduled 1:30 p.m. preliminary hearing. He was handcuffed and surrounded by probation officers as he entered the courtroom, the outlet noted.
Family members declined to comment after the proceeding, WHP reported. However, defense attorney Dave Wilson said he plans to seek a transfer of the case to juvenile court.
“My goal is going to be to try to get him into juvenile court,” Wilson said, according to the outlet.
Court records cited by WHP outline what investigators say led up to the shooting.
Authorities were called to the home shortly after 3 a.m. Jan. 13, and Douglas Dietz was found on his back with an apparent gunshot wound to the head, according to the affidavit referenced by the outlet.
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Jillian Dietz, Douglas’ wife and Clayton’s mother, told investigators she and her husband had gone to bed shortly after midnight after singing “Happy Birthday” to Clayton. A loud noise woke her from her sleep, and after attempting to wake her husband, she realized he was unresponsive and discovered blood on the bed, according to court documents cited by WHP.
When Clayton entered the room, Jillian yelled words to the effect of “Daddy’s dead,” the outlet reported. The boy allegedly ran downstairs shouting, “My dad’s dead.”
While speaking with Jillian and Clayton in the kitchen, a state trooper reported hearing Clayton say, “I killed Daddy,” according to the outlet.
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Investigators allege Clayton told authorities he had been searching for his Nintendo Switch, which had previously been taken away from him, when he found the keys to a gun safe. Believing the gaming console might be inside, he opened the safe and retrieved a revolver, WHP reported.
During questioning, Clayton allegedly said he became upset after being told to go to bed. When asked what he thought would happen when he fired the gun, he reportedly said he was angry and did not consider the consequences, according to the outlet.
Court records cited by WHP state Clayton admitted that “he had someone in mind who he was going to shoot” and that he loaded the revolver, pulled back the hammer and shot his father while he was sleeping.
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Authorities also noted Clayton had a “large contusion” above his left eye and a small laceration on his lower lip, the outlet reported.
In a news release issued the day of the shooting, the Perry County District Attorney’s Office said Pennsylvania State Police responded to the home at approximately 3 a.m. for a report of a male with a gunshot wound. Upon arrival, troopers found Douglas Dietz deceased from an apparent gunshot wound.
Clayton remains charged as an adult with criminal homicide. Further proceedings are expected as the defense seeks to move the case to juvenile court.
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The investigation remains ongoing.
Fox News Digital reached out to Dietz’s lawyer for comment.
Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to [email protected].
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