PA- 42yo Douglas Dietz murdered, son being charged as adult on his 11th birthday - Duncannon, Perry County, 13 Jan 2026

[spicyenigma]

Maybe not jump to suggestions yet, still looks a tragic accident to me, I can only hope it doesn't turn into more. Guess we'll see...

IMO this just feels so strange to me. Particularly about the 11 year old opening the safe, loading the gun, and shooting. The mom didn’t wake up with it happening beside her (assuming they slept in the same bed). The mom also says he just keeps repeating that he killed Daddy and did something bad. It’s just… not sitting right with me. I know some kids know what to do with guns early on but I guess I just feel like there’s more to the story. Of course it’s still new so I’m sure more will come out.

 

[Bounceycat]

IMO this just feels so strange to me. Particularly about the 11 year old opening the safe, loading the gun, and shooting. The mom didn’t wake up with it happening beside her (assuming they slept in the same bed). The mom also says he just keeps repeating that he killed Daddy and did something bad. It’s just… not sitting right with me. I know some kids know what to do with guns early on but I guess I just feel like there’s more to the story. Of course it’s still new so I’m sure more will come out.

The gun safe was in a closet that apparently connected their two bedrooms (the son and the parents). Mom is quoted as saying she woke up when she heard a loud noise, and then noticed she smelled what smelled like fireworks. She then shook her husband next to her in the dark to wake him and he wasn't responding. When she turned on the light she saw he was bleeding.

JMO but I know if I'm awakened by a loud noise I listen for a little bit to see if I hear it again or can figure it what it was that woke me, before shaking my spouse awake. So the timeline makes sense to me for the son to have been out of the room immediately but come back in when mom turned on the light and started yelling.

 

[spicyenigma]

The gun safe was in a closet that apparently connected their two bedrooms (the son and the parents). Mom is quoted as saying she woke up when she heard a loud noise, and then noticed she smelled what smelled like fireworks. She then shook her husband next to her in the dark to wake him and he wasn't responding. When she turned on the light she saw he was bleeding.

JMO but I know if I'm awakened by a loud noise I listen for a little bit to see if I hear it again or can figure it what it was that woke me, before shaking my spouse awake. So the timeline makes sense to me for the son to have been out of the room immediately but come back in when mom turned on the light and started yelling.

That’s true! You wouldn’t know if the sound was closer or further from you initially.

 

[tlcya]

IMHO, putting it together it reads that his Switch was taken from him earlier in the day/evening. Later, he was told to go to bed and didn't like that. Around 3am is when he was up searching for the Switch.

Could the bruise and busted lip be from gun recoil by an inexperienced user? JMO

very possible IMO

 

[Baudelaire]

What happened before he decided to go look for a game console in the middle of the night? And then he searches for said console, doesn't find it, but changes his mind 180 degrees to load aim and fire the gun into his father. Maybe I'm not well but the two acts just don't add up to me. Either he played Nintendo in his head alot and couldn't foresee the consequences of reality versus a game, a tragedy which he will pay for, for the rest of his life or he meant to kill his father and he will pay for it for the rest of his life. Either way, a tragedy all round.

 

[TwoBlueJays]

I'll wait to read more. He's not newly adopted, e.g. right out of the system, so I suspect something in the home environment.

 

[Bounceycat]

Family friend: 11-year-old accused in Perry County death has autism, close bond with family

Family friend: 11-year-old accused in Perry County death has autism, close bond with family

A close family friend, David Stuckey, as known as "Uncle David," says he supported the Dietz family for nearly a decade and had a unique bond with 11-year-old Clayton.

www.wgal.com

Stuckey says, at Doug and Jill's request, he drafted a letter to the Susquenita School District asking to move Clayton to a behavioral education center, citing rising concerns about his behavior with fellow classmates.

"In the letter, I was speaking to the tune of the school violence that we're seeing and that some of these subtle behaviors could eventually lead to a situation," Stuckey said.

(Further info on letter contents detailing issues with the son at school can be found at the link.)

<modnote: fixed link>

 

[Spectrix]

Just replying with an updated link, as the article in the link above does not seem to load for me.

Family friend: 11-year-old accused in Perry County death has autism, close bond with family

A close family friend, David Stuckey, as known as "Uncle David," says he supported the Dietz family for nearly a decade and had a unique bond with 11-year-old Clayton.

www.wgal.com

 

[ChatteringBirds]

An 11-year-old was able to find the keys to a gun safe and access a gun?
What could possibly go wrong.

Further info on letter contents detailing issues with the son at school can be found at the link

Paywalled for me, unfortunately. What's your impression after reading the article?

 

[Clearsky]

Boy, 11, Allegedly Shoots and Kills Father After Nintendo Switch Was Taken Away

An 11-year-old boy allegedly shot and killed his father after his dad took away his Nintendo Switch.

people.com

The boy, who lives in Duncannon Borough in Perry County, Penn., allegedly shot and killed his father Douglas Dietz after his dad, 42, took away his son's Nintendo Switch on Tuesday, Jan. 13, local outlet WGAL reports.

 

[iamshadow21]

Boy, 11, Allegedly Shoots and Kills Father After Nintendo Switch Was Taken Away

An 11-year-old boy allegedly shot and killed his father after his dad took away his Nintendo Switch.

people.com

The boy, who lives in Duncannon Borough in Perry County, Penn., allegedly shot and killed his father Douglas Dietz after his dad, 42, took away his son's Nintendo Switch on Tuesday, Jan. 13, local outlet WGAL reports.

Existing thread: PA - Duncannon, 42yo Douglas Dietz murdered, son being charged as adult on his 11th birthday, 13 Jan 2026

 

[Rosydecember]

To me it all comes down to the bruises on the 11 y/o.

Possible scenarios:

1. 11 y/o was being abused, shot his father (considering the accusations in the article re: his previous marriage, it is a possibility)
2. The gun recoiled and caused the injuries
3. The 11 y/o is taking the fall and the mom was a victim of domestic abuse and shot the father (no proof on this at all; but I can’t rule it out considering some of her story seemed odd.)

Moo

 

[dennistakes14theteam]

What about this strikes you as accidental? He deliberately got the gun out, loaded it, and aimed it at his father and shot.

but we dont know why yet do we so yes, it may have been deliberate but we dont know if it was an act of evil or more a case of something was happening and this little boy couldn't take any more of it

 

[Bounceycat]

Just replying with an updated link, as the article in the link above does not seem to load for me.

Family friend: 11-year-old accused in Perry County death has autism, close bond with family

A close family friend, David Stuckey, as known as "Uncle David," says he supported the Dietz family for nearly a decade and had a unique bond with 11-year-old Clayton.

www.wgal.com

Oh, thank you - it's too late to edit my post

 

[Bounceycat]

An 11-year-old was able to find the keys to a gun safe and access a gun?
What could possibly go wrong.



Paywalled for me, unfortunately. What's your impression after reading the article?

My impression is who is this guy? He lives in Mexico and is overly effusive about knowing so much about the inner workings of this apparently splendid family. It all strikes me as odd.

 

[tlcya]

To me it all comes down to the bruises on the 11 y/o.

Possible scenarios:

1. 11 y/o was being abused, shot his father (considering the accusations in the article re: his previous marriage, it is a possibility)
2. The gun recoiled and caused the injuries
3. The 11 y/o is taking the fall and the mom was a victim of domestic abuse and shot the father (no proof on this at all; but I can’t rule it out considering some of her story seemed odd.)

Moo

i and 2 are what I think are most likely. So far no evidence (aside from previous marriage allegations) to make me think 3 but I am open to it if more info arises to support that theory.

 

[tlcya]

I wonder how Jillian feels about Uncle David talking to the press? Curious how the press found him, did they seek him out or did he seek them out? If they sought him out, how did they know to reach out to this long time friend of Jillian who met the child once and lives in Mexico? Did the press find the letter first which led to him or did he lead them to the letter, which should be part of the minor child's confidential school record?

 

[DonAntonio]

JD quoted: “The day has come, another year has passed. You my sweetest, smart, brave, MOUTHY little boy are another year older. I cant believe your 11 already!” the post said. “You have been through more than most children your age and even though you struggle sometimes you have still overcome, you have still blossomed into someone GREAT.”

It’s hard for me to believe that the 11 year old boy was only diagnosed having Autism. Autism doesn’t make you a killer. I also want to know if he had already strange or violent behavior towards other children before he was adopted. What was the reason his biological parents gave him up for adoption. After he shot his father he knew he did something real bad. What I also want to know if he shot his father in the dark. How did he knew that the key he found was from a safe while the mother didn’t know what the key was for. It’s really sad to know the father is shot dead, the mother is a widow now and the child ends up in prison and always will remember that on his 11th birthday he killed his father. It could also be that the child’s injuries has been caused while he was searching. Hope that there will be more information released about more unknown details.

 

[Eli9]

An 11-year-old was able to find the keys to a gun safe and access a gun?
What could possibly go wrong.



Paywalled for me, unfortunately. What's your impression after reading the article?

David has known the mother for 30 years. And then met her husband. He reports to have supported them for 10 years. I don't take that as financial but as someone to count on although the article does not explain.

David has only met CD once when he was younger but has become known as Uncle David as the family is reportedly in regular video contact two to three times a week while David is in a MBA program in Mexico.

Apparently CD's mom and dad asked for his assistance to draft a letter to CD's school. According to the article CD's behavior towards other children was taking a turn around May 2025. They wanted to move CD to a behavioral education center. The article notes a few examples of the behavior of concern to other parents. The letter was dated Oct. 9 2025

 

[ChatteringBirds]

I wonder about the very early childhood of this boy, before he was adopted, and how he came to be adopted by this couple. Also which sort of therapies or support he was already receiving.

Regarding the gun, -- was this his first time holding and using it, or had the father taught him to use it, as some families do?