Two men sentenced to prison for brutal Cairo murder

CATSKILL―Two men who killed 69-year-old Roger Pitt at his Cairo home last fall were each sentenced Tuesday to 19 years to life in prison.

Rodney Pitt, 46, who admitted to killing his father, and Drew Tyler White, 24, the boyfriend of the victim's granddaughter, previously pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, second-degree conspiracy, tampering with physical evidence and concealment of a human corpse.

Greene County Court Judge Charles Tailleur imposed the sentences following a hearing in a packed courtroom.

Greene County District Attorney Joseph Stanzione recounted the circumstances of the killing and the elaborate efforts to conceal the crime.

“This is a horrific crime in which Mr. Rodney Pitt and Drew White conspired to lure the victim, Rodney's father Roger, to Rodney's home where they would work together to restrain him and cut his throat to cause his death,” Stanzione said.

“But it didn't stop there,” he added.

The killing occurred between October 16 and October 18, 2025, following a dispute over unpaid bills. Roger Pitt also disapproved of White's relationship with his minor granddaughter, prosecutors said.

Roger Pitt was initially reported missing to the Town of Cairo Police Department after his sister repeatedly inquired about his whereabouts.

According to the Greene County Sheriff’s Office, which took over the case, statements given by Rodney Pitt and his wife Tania Pitt during the missing person investigation conflicted with information obtained by investigators.

“They went on to allege that he drove away in his Mercedes and hadn't been seen since—when in fact they knew that they drove his Mercedes to a scrap yard themselves to have it destroyed in order to conceal the evidence,” said Stanzione.

Stanzione detailed how the men went about eliminating anything that might connect them to the victim's disappearance.

“They further destroyed Roger Pitt's ID cards, SS card, license and other cards,” he said. “Drew White then took the Mercedes license plates as a souvenir by hiding them in a hole in a wall.”

The men also took steps to conceal Roger Pitt's remains on the property.

“They dug a shallow hole and dumped Roger Pitt's body in the hole, burying it and placing a boat trailer above it,” Stanzione said.

His remains were discovered November 26, 2025, when the sheriff’s office executed a search warrant at the property.

“At our taxpayer's expense they sent our law enforcement officers on a wild goose chase looking for Roger Pitt as they alleged that he went missing and needed to be found,” Stanzione said.

Rodney Pitt and White were arrested the day Roger Pitt's remains were discovered, along with Tania Pitt, 43, who authorities do not believe actively participated in the murder.

Tania Pitt was accused of helping transport her father-in-law's Mercedes to Calvetta's scrapyard in Catskill. She pleaded not guilty to charges of tampering with physical evidence, sixth-degree conspiracy and third-degree perjury. She was subsequently released pending further proceedings and is scheduled to appear in Greene County Court on November 24 for a possible plea.

During Tuesday's sentencing, victim impact statements were delivered by Roger Pitt's family, including his niece and nephew, who described the profound toll the murder has taken on their family.

Stanzione credited the Greene County Sheriff's Office, Town of Cairo Police Department, State Police and his own staff for their work investigating the murder and bringing the case to a conclusion.