An initial report of a 69-year-old Caro man who was allegedly missing has turned into a murder investigation involving the man's son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter's boyfriend. The Greene County Sheriff's Department took over the investigation after the Cairo Police Department and the sheriff's department discovered inconsistencies in the story about Roger Pitt of 34 Old State Route 145 in Cairo.
Pitt's family first reported him missing on November 18. On Wednesday, Greene County Sheriff Peter Kusminsky said Wednesday his agency is now investigating a murder:
“Early this morning, we proceeded to the property with the New York State Police Forensic Identification unit, and we conducted a search where we recovered the remains of Mr. Pitt on the grounds of the home where they all lived," Kusminsky said. "We also recovered the vehicle that he was reported driving when he allegedly left. We recovered that they had disposed of that at a local scrap yard, and we've also recovered that vehicle.”
The Sheriff's Department said Pitt's son, Rodney Pitt, 46, and his granddaughter's boyfriend, Drew White, 23, each have been charged with murder conspiracy and tampering with physical concealment of a corpse. The Department also said Pitt's daughter-in-law, Tania Pitt, 43 also of Cairo, was charged with tampering with physical evidence and conspiracy.
Police said the family first reported that the elder Pitt had packed his belongings and left in his 1987 Mercedes Benz. All three individuals were arraigned before Judge Wanda Dorpfeld in Coxsackie Town court. Rodney Pitt and White were sent to the Greene County jail without bail. Tonia Pitt was released and is scheduled to appear in court at a later date. For WAMC, Cailin Brown.
