Sunday, February 22 2026 - An 11-year-old boy has appeared in court in Pennsylvania, United States of America, charged as an adult with criminal homicide after allegedly shooting his adoptive father at their home earlier this year
Clayton Dietz was escorted into a courthouse by probation
officers on Thursday, February 19, for his first hearing. The child is accused
of fatally shooting 42-year-old Douglas Dietz on January 13 at the family’s
residence in Duncannon Borough.
Prosecutors allege the boy shot his stepfather in the head
while he was asleep. According to court documents, investigators say Clayton
accessed a firearm from a safe in his parents’ bedroom. Police claim the
incident followed a dispute in which the child had been upset after his
Nintendo Switch was confiscated.
An affidavit states that Clayton had gone into his parents’
room believing the safe contained his gaming console, but instead found a
revolver.
Court filings say the boy’s mother, Jillian, told officers
she awoke to a loud noise and initially believed she smelled fireworks. When
she attempted to wake her husband and received no response, she noticed liquid
dripping onto the floor, which she later realised was blood.
Police documents further allege that the child entered the
room shouting that his father was dead. Officers at the scene reportedly heard
him say, “I k!lled Daddy.”
Clayton has been charged as an adult, a move that has drawn
attention given his age. However, his defence team has asked the judge to
consider transferring the case to juvenile court. Speaking to local outlet CBS
21 after the hearing, his lawyer said the goal would be to seek jurisdiction in
the juvenile system.
The case remains ongoing as the court determines whether the
matter will proceed in adult criminal court or be reassigned to juvenile
proceedings.
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