Judge Says Teen Who Shot Parents over Halo 3 Was Addicted to Videogames

In September 2007, 16-year-old Daniel Petric snuck out of his bedroom window to purchase the videogame Halo 3, which was forbidden by his parents due to its graphic, violent nature. When he returned home, his parents caught him with the game. His father, Mark Petric, a minister at New Life Assembly of God in Wellington, OH, put the game in a lockbox in a closet where he also kept a 9mm handgun.

About a month later, Daniel used his father’s key to open the box and removed both the game and the gun. Daniel then came up behind his parents, who were sitting on the couch, and said, “Would you guys close your eyes? I have a surprise for you.” Then he shot both of his parents in the head. His mother, Susan Petric, died instantly with wounds to her head, arms, and chest, and Mark Petric survived to tell the tragic tale.

After the shooting, Daniel placed the gun in his father’s hand and said, “Hey Dad, here’s your gun. Take it.” Shortly after, Daniel’s sister, Heidi, and her husband arrived at the house to watch an Indians game, and Mark heard his son tell them they shouldn’t come in because their parents had a big argument. Heidi testified that she heard moans coming from inside the house so they pushed their way through the door and called 911.

Mark Petric managed to tell Heidi that his son had shot him, while Daniel tried to blame his father. Daniel then fled the scene, taking the videogame with him, and was caught by police a short time later.

This week, Daniel was sentenced to life in prison with eligibility for parole in 23 years. His father asked for leniency because his son is remorseful. “I can’t count the number of times that he said, ‘Dad, I miss Mom,’” Petric said.

Judge James Burge appeared to place more blame on the videogame than on Daniel, noting that he believes Daniel was obsessed to the point that he couldn’t understand that death was real. When asked the motivation for the killing, Daniel himself didn’t understand why he shot his parents. “I firmly believe that Daniel Petric had no idea at the time he hatched this plot that if he killed his parents that they would be dead forever,” the judge said. “I think that was his state of mind when this occurred.”

Burge said Daniel’s addiction to the game altered his brain in the same way an addiction to drugs would. Daniel played the game as much as 18 hours a day at friends’ houses when he could. Daniel’s sister also testified that he was homebound for a year due to a snowboarding accident that led to a severe staph infection, and that he didn’t have much to do besides watch television and play videogames. It was during that time that he became fascinated with the Halo series, but his father forbade the games, saying that they were too violent and sexually explicit.

Daniel showed little emotion through the trial except when his mother’s autopsy photos were displayed. He bowed his head and stared at his hands for about 20 minutes while the photos were discussed. Mark Petric said that when he visited his son in jail over the past year, he apologized. “Dad, I’m so sorry for what I did to Mom, to you, and to the family. I’m so glad you are alive,” Daniel allegedly said. Mark Petric said Daniel and his wife has a very close relationship. “He was always her little boy,” he said.

Source: Stage Select, “Halo 3 Killer” Daniel Petric Gets 23 Years (to Life) in Prison, June 16, 2009