An 11-year-old Pennsylvania boy faces criminal homicide charges after fatally shooting his father this week. According to law enforcement, the boy told his mother “I killed Dad” after the killing, which was allegedly motivated by his parents confiscating his Nintendo Switch.
WGAL News 8 reports that Pennsylvania State Police have arrested and charged an 11-year-old boy with criminal homicide following the fatal shooting of his father in the early morning hours of January 13, 2026. The incident occurred at a residence on South Market Street in Duncannon Borough, Perry County.
Officers arrived at the home around 3:20 a.m. after receiving a call about an unresponsive man. When they arrived, they found Douglas Dietz, 42, deceased from a gunshot wound to the head. The victim was found in his bed, in the bedroom he shared with his wife, where he was allegedly shot while sleeping.
According to an affidavit obtained by local media, Douglas Dietz’s wife said she was sleeping when a loud noise woke her up. She noticed a smell similar to fireworks in the air. When she tried to wake her husband by nudging him, he did not respond. At first, she heard what sounded like running water, but when she turned on the bedroom light, she discovered it was blood.
The couple’s 11-year-old son, identified as Clayton Dietz, then came into the bedroom and screamed that his father was dead. State troopers at the scene reported hearing Clayton tell his mother, “I killed Dad.” Court records indicate Douglas and his wife adopted Clayton in 2018.
The murder is all the more shocking because it happened on the boy’s birthday. According to court documents, the couple went to bed shortly after midnight, after singing happy birthday to Clayton. When investigators interviewed the 11-year-old, he said he had a good day with his parents. However, documents state that when his father told him it was time to go to bed, he became angry.
During police questioning, Clayton admitted to shooting someone and identified his father as the intended target. He told investigators he had a specific person in mind when he decided to use the gun.
The wife informed police that a gun safe was in the bedroom, but claimed she did not know where the key was kept. Clayton told investigators he found the key in his father’s drawer. According to his statement, he unlocked the safe while trying to locate his Nintendo Switch gaming console, which had already been confiscated by his parents as a disciplinary measure.
The affidavit details that Clayton admitted to removing the gun from the safe, loading bullets into the gun and walking to his father’s side of the bed. He said he pulled out the hammer and shot his father while he slept. When investigators asked Clayton what he thought would happen when he fired the gun, he responded that he was angry and had not thought about the consequences of his actions.
As a result of the investigation, Pennsylvania State Police arrested Clayton and formally charged him with criminal homicide. He was denied bail and is currently being held in the Perry County Jail. A hearing is scheduled for January 22, 2026.
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