Dad Laughs as He Admits to Killing Girlfriend and 11-Year-Old Son: 'Joke Stuck in My Head'

NEED TO KNOW

• David Huff pleaded guilty to murdering his girlfriend Yeraldith Tschudy and his 11-year-old son, Jeremiah, in March 2025

• His son managed to call his mother after he was shot and died while on the phone with her

• Tschudy is remembered for her generosity and as a devoted mom to her two children; Jeremiah is remembered as a curious sixth-grader who had a passion for rocks

A New York father smirked and laughed as he appeared in court and pleaded guilty to murdering his girlfriend and 11-year-old son.

The victims — Jeremiah Huff, 11, and Yeraldith Tschudy, 32 — were fatally shot by David Huff in Syracuse, N.Y., in March 2025, PEOPLE previously reported, citing a criminal complaint.

David pleaded guilty to two counts of murder on Tuesday, April 28, Onondaga County Assistant District Attorney Robert Moran confirmed to PEOPLE.

On March 17, 2025, David repeatedly shot his son Jeremiah, who died from a gunshot wound to the head.

Tschudy, who had been dating David for about six months at that time, was shot so many times authorities initially struggled to identify her , Syracuse Police Chief Joseph L. Cecile previously said.

After being shot, Jeremiah managed to call his mom, who called 911 as he died on the phone.

"To be on the phone listening to your son murdered, she'll never get over that. Ever," Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick said at the time, according to 13 WHAM .

David also allegedly pulled a gun on his stepfather Charles O'Donnel and shot at him, but the gun malfunctioned, saving the man's life, Moran said in court in May 2025.

At his court appearance Tuesday, David was seen smirking and smiling, at times shaking his head dismissively while smiling, as the judge read out the charges, according to courtroom footage streamed online by Syracuse.com .

On one occasion, when the judge asked him if he found the matter funny ,David shook his head while laughing and said, "It's just a joke stuck in my head, go ahead."

David continued laughing to himself, at times cartoonishly raising his eyebrows while shaking his head up and down, per the footage.

Moran reiterated to PEOPLE what he previously told WHAM 13 — that he is devoting his energy and focus on Jeremiah and Tschudy and he "could not care less" about David's reaction.

Tschudy was a social worker and mom of two kids, ages 4 and 11. She worked at a facility that helps people battling addiction and mental health issues.

"She had a passion for working with children, always striving to make a difference in their lives," read an obituary posted soon after her death.

Jeremiah had a unique "joy in finding unique rocks during his adventures," according to a GoFundMe set up to help his mother navigate the loss.

"His curiosity about the world and people made him a joy to be around," read an online obituary.

Soon after his killing, the sixth-grader's mother told Syracuse.com that he "loved his father."

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It's not clear what led David to kill Jeremiah and Tschudy.

He will be sentenced on May 29 to 20 years to life for each of the murders, to be served consecutively, Moran tells PEOPLE.

At the sentencing, David's remaining charges of attempted murder and criminal possession of a weapon — both of which he pleaded not guilty to — will be dropped, according to Moran.

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 , or go to thehotline.org . All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

Read the original article on People