AN 11-year-old accused of murdering his father in a blind rage after he was told to go to bed without his Nintendo Switch has made his first appearance in court.
Clayton Dietz kept a straight face as he walked into the Pennsylvania courthouse on Thursday, where he’s being tried as an adult for the death of his dad, Douglas Dietz, 42.
Clayton Dietz, 11, is accused of fatally shooting his dad
Douglas Dietz, 42, was killed in his Duncannon, Pennsylvania, home, outside Harrisburg, as he slept on January 13
Dietz allegedly killed his dad in a blind rage because his Nintendo Switch was taken away (stock)
The baby-faced suspect told troopers he was searching for his Switch on his birthday, January 13, when he found keys to his dad’s gun safe, court documents seen by CBS affiliate WHP allege.
He then allegedly fired shots into Douglas’ head as he slept, later telling his mom, “I killed my dad. I hate myself,” his mom told cops in an interview.
Dietz appeared in the New Bloomfield courthouse, just 30 minutes outside Harrisburg, for just a few minutes as he waived his right to a preliminary hearing.
The bespectacled preteen was filmed walking into the courthouse and keeping his eyes fixed as he ignored questions from reporters.
Dressed in a black hoodie with restraints and handcuffs, Dietz appeared to trip over himself as he walked in the center of a crowd of probation officers.
During proceedings, Dietz said little but at one point complained to his mom about his handcuffs hurting, the local outlet reported.
After the hearing, the 11-year-old’s lawyer Dave Wilson said it was his goal to get him in juvenile court, but Pennsylvania law mandates homicides charges are handled in the adult criminal justice system.
Cops rushed to the home at around 3:20am and found Dietz shrieking at the top of his lungs and Douglas fatally wounded.
Police heard the boy screaming “Daddy’s dead” and “I killed daddy,” while he was in the kitchen with his mother, the affidavit alleges.
Dietz, who was adopted in 2018, told cops he didn’t think about what would happen when he pulled the trigger because he was so angry, an affidavit alleges.
Douglas’ wife said she was woken up the night of January 13 by a loud noise and someone that smelled like fireworks.
She nudged her husband to try and wake him up but he didn’t move, she told cops.
The heartbroken wife remembered hearing what sounded like dripping water before she realized his blood was seeping through the sheets.
Dietz has been hit with homicide related charges and he remains in the Perry County Prison.
Although another hearing hasn’t been scheduled, the suspect’s attorney anticipates they’ll be back in court in May.
He could face life in prison without the possibility of parole.