Man who murdered his 11-year-old son and girlfriend with a shotgun giggled in court because he had a 'joke stuck in his head'

Background: David Huff (right) stands next to his attorney as he laughs in court on April 28 (Syracuse.com). Inset (left): Jeremiah Huff (Farone & Son Funeral Home). Inset (right): Yeraldith Tschudy (New Comer Cremations & Funerals).

A New York man admitted to fatally shooting his 11-year-old son and his girlfriend, and his behavior in court raised eyebrows.

David Huff, 44, pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder on Tuesday, just over a year after he was arrested in connection with the deaths of his 11-year-old son, Jeremiah Huff, and his 32-year-old girlfriend, Yeraldith Tschudy. As Law&Crime previously reported, Huff used a Remington 870 Express 12-gauge shotgun to kill Tschudy and then Jeremiah on March 17, 2025. Huff also allegedly fired the shotgun at his stepfather, but he ran out of bullets. Huff did not plead guilty to a charge of attempted murder in connection with the allegation involving his stepfather.

While the charges were read to him in court, Huff laughed and yawned, behavior that caught the judge's attention.

Courtroom reporting by local news outlet Syracuse.com caught the moment Huff apparently laughed as Judge Ted Limpert began reading the second charge against him, interrupting himself to ask Huff, "Do you find this funny?"

Huff responded, "No, it's a joke stuck in my head. Go on."

When asked by Limpert if he was pleading guilty to firing multiple shots at Jeremiah, "including one in the head at close range," Huff pushed back and denied that that was what happened. He then said, "Whatever you guys say I'm guilty of, I'm guilty of."

Huff's older son, who was not at the home the night of the double murder, shouted at his father in court, "You're embarrassing yourself," Syracuse.com reported.

Huff now faces 40 years to life in prison when he is sentenced on May 29.

Huff fled his stepfather's home after the fatal shootings, leading to an overnight manhunt that ended when a neighbor spotted Huff walking near the scene of the crime the following morning. Authorities said Huff had no known history of domestic violence before the double murder.

According to Syracuse.com, Huff's defense attorneys attempted to argue that their client suffered a mental break the day of the murders as a result of being under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Huff was eventually deemed competent to stand trial.

More from Law&Crime: 'Friendly' dad slaughters son and girlfriend with shotgun, found wandering around his neighborhood a day later, cops say

Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick said police responded to the home after Jeremiah called his mother "in some distress." Jeremiah had been on the phone with his mother during the incident, and she called 911 to report a possible shooting at the home. Huff's stepfather then called 911 himself to report that Huff was firing a gun and trying to kill him.

Huff's stepfather was not injured in the attack. Authorities could not immediately identify Tschudy due to her injuries.

Chris Perez contributed to this report.