CAIRO, NY – A 24-year-old man has admitted in court that he helped kill his girlfriend’s grandfather and conceal the crime for weeks, as investigators unraveled a story initially presented as a voluntary disappearance in rural Greene County. The case, centered on a family property in Cairo, exposed a series of actions prosecutors say were aimed at erasing evidence and misleading authorities.
Drew White pleaded guilty Wednesday in Greene County Court to second-degree murder in the October 2025 killing of 69-year-old Roger Pitt Sr. Court records show White also pleaded guilty to second-degree conspiracy, tampering with physical evidence, and concealment of a human corpse. He now faces a sentence of 19 years to life in state prison, with sentencing scheduled for Sept. 8.
Investigation shifts from missing person to homicide
The case began when Roger Pitt’s sister reported him missing on Nov. 18 after repeated attempts to contact him failed. Family members told investigators Pitt had packed his belongings and left his home following an argument, driving away in his 1987 Mercedes-Benz.
Those claims quickly unraveled. Investigators with the Greene County Sheriff’s Office determined the accounts did not match evidence gathered during the early stages of the case. Search warrants executed at the Cairo property led to the discovery of Pitt’s remains buried in a shallow grave in the backyard.
Authorities later determined Pitt had been dead for about a month. His death was ruled a homicide caused by sharp-force trauma to the neck.
Alleged plot and efforts to conceal the crime
According to the indictment, White and Pitt’s son, Rodney Pitt, planned the killing amid disputes over household bills and objections from the victim about White moving into the home with Rodney Pitt’s underage daughter. Prosecutors allege Pitt’s throat was slashed with a box-cutter-type blade between Oct. 16 and Oct. 18.
After the killing, White and Rodney Pitt buried the body, cleaned blood from inside the residence, and destroyed identifying documents including the victim’s Social Security card and driver’s license. Investigators allege the license plate from Pitt’s Mercedes was hidden inside a wall of the home.
Tania Pitt, the victim’s daughter-in-law, is accused of helping dispose of the Mercedes by taking it to a scrapyard. She has not been charged in connection with the killing itself.
Court proceedings continue for co-defendants
White admitted his role during the plea hearing, detailing the killing, burial, and disposal of evidence, including the destruction of the vehicle. Prosecutors are considering whether to call him as a witness in the cases against the other defendants.
Rodney Pitt has pleaded not guilty to charges including second-degree murder and remains jailed without bail. Tania Pitt has also pleaded not guilty and is free pending trial. Both cases remain in the discovery phase.
