Parenting is often called the hardest job in the world. It tests patience, strength, and even sanity. Parents are trusted with the lives and well-being of their children, providing everything from food to comfort. Most parents take this responsibility seriously, but sadly, some betray that trust in unimaginable ways.
A Michigan father recently admitted to a shocking crime, confessing that he shot two of his children and killed a third.
Father Confesses to Shooting Children
On May 26, 2026, 45-year-old Jeffery Smerer pleaded guilty to multiple charges stemming from a September 2025 shooting. According to reports by Law & Crime, Smerer had been facing an indecent exposure case from 2020 and, a week before the shootings, he reportedly planned to kill his children and himself. He later cited stress and fear of going to jail as reasons for his actions.
“He woke up, woke the kids up to go to school, and it was a regular day. Then something just happened,” said Victoria Frazer, Smerer’s sister, in an interview with WXYZ.
The Shooting Incident
Court records show that on the morning of the attack, Smerer woke up at 6 a.m., grabbed a handgun, and went to the bedrooms of his 13-year-old son, Bentley Smerer, and 12-year-old daughter, Kinzley Smerer.
Before acting, he reportedly questioned himself in the mirror, asking if he was really going to do it. Smerer then attempted to harm himself by slitting his wrist and taking medication, but survived.
He shot at Bentley, who was under a blanket looking at his phone. As Kinzley got up, he aimed the gun at her throat. In the living room, he fatally shot his 17-year-old son, Kayleb Smerer.
When Smerer attempted to take his own life with the gun, it jammed. His wife and 19-year-old son, Ayden, were able to disarm him. According to authorities, Smerer told police that he targeted the children he was closest to—Kinzley and Kayleb—because of their bond with each other and with him.
Charges and Sentencing
Jeffery Smerer pleaded guilty to:
- One count of open murder
- Two counts of assault with intent to commit murder
- Two counts of first-degree child ab*se
- Five counts of felony firearm use
He now faces five life sentences and is scheduled to be officially sentenced on June 29, 2026.
