42-year-old man died after his 11-year-old adopted son walked into his bedroom and shot him in the head while sleeping just because his father took away his gaming console; son charged

Pennsylvania – In a shocking act of domestic violence that has stunned Pennsylvania residents, an 11-year-old boy, identified as Clayton D., has been charged with criminal homicide after shooting his 42-year-old adoptive father, identified as Douglas D., in the head while he slept—an act that investigators say was triggered simply because his father took away his gaming console. According to reports, the child used a revolver he found in his father’s safe to kill Douglas, just hours after the family celebrated the boy’s birthday.

The criminal homicide charge automatically places Clayton in Pennsylvania’s adult criminal justice system, despite his young age. He is currently being held without bond at the county prison, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for January 22.

The violence unfolded in the early morning hours of January 16, inside the family’s home. Just a few hours before the killing, the family had stayed up past midnight to sing “Happy Birthday” to Clayton, who had just turned 11. Not long after, Douglas told his son it was time for bed and removed the boy’s gaming console, a decision that would have deadly consequences. According to court documents, Clayton grew angry. After his parents fell asleep, the boy began searching for the gaming device, believing it may have been locked inside his father’s safe. He found the key inside a drawer, opened the safe, and instead discovered a revolver. Authorities say Clayton then loaded bullets into the gun, pulled back the hammer, and walked over to his sleeping father. He pointed the gun at Douglas’s head and fired.

Douglas’s wife, Jill D., awoke to the sound of the gunshot and a smell she described as similar to fireworks. When she reached to nudge her husband, he didn’t move. At first, she thought she heard water dripping. But when she turned on the light, she saw the blood. Just moments later, Clayton entered the room and shouted, “Daddy’s dead.” He later admitted to police, “I killed Daddy,” and cried out, “I hate myself,” as he ran from the room. Police responded around 3 a.m. and found Douglas dead from a gunshot wound to the head. Officers arrested Clayton on the scene. During questioning, he confessed to the shooting and admitted he hadn’t considered the outcome—he was just angry. He also reportedly told police he had someone “in mind” to shoot even before entering the room.

The couple adopted Clayton in 2018, when he was three years old. Over the years, the boy had shown troubling signs: antisocial behavior, theft, physical aggression, and even se-ual harassment. Despite repeated attempts by Douglas and Jill to get him into a specialized behavioral program, their requests were rejected. In a letter written to the school district in October 2025, the parents begged for Clayton to be referred to the educational center, warning that denying help could have dangerous consequences. But school officials reportedly said Clayton “didn’t meet the criteria.”

A family friend later confirmed that Clayton had autism, and said his condition escalated in 2025. The family had only recently moved to their home in Duncannon in 2023. Digital evidence gathered by investigators painted an even clearer picture. Clayton admitted to deliberately seeking out the key to the safe. Police say his actions were premeditated—though not fully understood by the boy himself. When asked what he thought would happen when he pulled the trigger, he simply said, “he was mad, and he had not thought about that.”

Clayton remains in custody, facing one of the most serious charges in the justice system—criminal homicide—at only 11 years old. Under Pennsylvania law, the severity of the crime requires adult court proceedings, even for a child. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for January 22, where more details are expected to emerge. But for now, a family has been torn apart, and a community is left trying to comprehend how an unresolved call for help ended in irreversible tragedy.