PORT HURON, Michigan — A father who spent a week planning to kill his own children said “good morning” before opening fire on them as they got ready for school.
Jeffrey Smerer was sentenced to life in prison without parole on Monday after pleading guilty to murdering his 17-year-old son, Kayleb, and shooting two of his other children in September 2025.
Kayleb was sitting on the couch with his backpack on, watching TikTok, waiting for his dad to drive him to school — when Smerer walked up and shot him in the head.
“He just woke up like every other morning,” Kayleb’s 19-year-old brother told the court. “He was on the couch with his backpack on — and he was able to point a gun at him and pull the trigger.”
13-year-old Bentley told the court the first words his father said to him that morning were “good morning” — right before shooting him in the face.
“I didn’t know a ‘good morning’ was shooting me in the face,” Bentley said.
12-year-old Kinzley, who may spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair, faced her father directly.
“You killed my brother. You crippled my sister,” she said. “You deserve everything coming to you.”
Smerer told police he had been “stressed” over an indecent exposure conviction and feared going to jail. He cut his wrist and took medication before the attack, intending to die — but survived after his gun jammed and his wife and older son disarmed him.
He pleaded guilty to murder, two counts of assault with intent to commit murder, two counts of first-degree child abuse, and five felony firearm charges.
The judge noted that Smerer’s guilty plea spared the surviving children from enduring a long, painful trial.
What words do you have for the Smerer children after the courage they showed in that courtroom? Share your thoughts in the comments.
