Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


An Oceola Township man responsible for brutally murdering his grandparents will spend the rest of his life behind bars.

23-year-old Chance Hallam was given a mandatory sentence of life in prison on Thursday in Livingston County Circuit Court. He was convicted by a jury this past December on two counts of 1st degree murder for the deaths of his grandparents; 75-year-old Dale Dormanen and his wife, 79-year-old Joan Dormanen. Their bodies were found on November 19th of 2021 inside of their home by Michigan State Police troopers, who had responded to a complaint call from Hallam. He was still on the phone with 911 at the time and was taken into custody.

Hallam apologized during Thursday’s court hearing but asserted he was sexually assaulted by his grandparents.

Hallam was earlier ordered to undergo competency and criminal responsibility exams at the state’s forensic center and was found competent to stand trial. A psychiatrist offered testimony that Hallam experienced delusions of being abused by his grandparents.

He had been jailed without bond since the double homicide at the request of prosecutors, who stated the nature of the murders was “extremely disturbing”. No specific details were ever released about how they died but well-placed sources earlier told WHMI that once inside the home, first responders found both of the victims dead from stab wounds. One of the victims was reportedly found in a bathtub and the other in a bedroom.