Editorial Note—Real Change Wilmington believes it is good to address difficult topics in a way that is positive, constructive, and lighthearted. This article is not investigative journalism, it is simply an attempt to go through Greg Pitzer and Darrell Petry’s “fire hose” of evidence and emotions to understand why the two continue to seek more answers about Casey Pitzer’s death, and what exactly would bring them a sense of peace and justice.
Who are Greg Pitzer and Darrell Petrey?
Greg Pitzer is the father of four children, one of whom is Casey Pitzer. Casey was a 32 year old, single mother of two when she was found deceased in the retention pond near the by-pass north of Walmart in 2013. Growing up, Casey was a straight-A student, described by her family as a “fun girl” who “never got in trouble”. So, when the determined cause of Casey’s death was an “accidental drowning” due to an overconsumption of alcohol, Casey’s family was confused. Due to this and additional confusing evidence, Greg began fighting for his daughter’s case to be reinvestigated.
Darrell Petrey grew up locally, had rebellious years, but was thankful to his mother for pulling him out of it and teaching him that “right is right and wrong is wrong”. As an adult, he worked a union job until transitioning to buying and selling items full-time. Greg lived a “rough lifestyle” where he used to drink heavily, which led to him getting shot and losing his right arm. This would eventually lead the two to meet, as Greg needed additional help sharing Casey’s story. After Darrell learned about several cases that he believed were not handled properly by local law enforcement, he started a local Facebook group focused on crime, which eventually led to connecting with Greg and the creation of the Facebook group, Justice for Casey Pitzer. The two have been insistently fighting for more information about the case.
What evidence do they claim to have for sure about the night Casey passed away?
Bowling Ally Footage: Greg and Darrell have videos that show Casey at Uncle Louie’s Lounge dancing. They also have videos of Casey leaving the bowling alley heading towards Walmart.
Walmart Footage: Greg and Darrell have footage of Casey’s designated drivers’ car and the suspects’ car meeting at Walmart. The suspects’ car entered and exited the parking lot several times—however, it is unconfirmed that it is the same vehicle.
Witness Testimony: There was a female witness who claims to have driven past Casey on the bypass—however, after Darrell spoke to her again, exact details have changed.
What evidence they claim is missing or confusing about the night Casey passed?
Injuries and Defensive Wounds: Greg and Darrell believe that Casey had many undocumented injuries and defensive wounds—these include neck markings that resemble rope burn, hand injuries, and a broken leg.
Lack of Photographs: No direct photographs of the injuries were taken, in addition to a lack of many other photos that Greg and Darrell believe are customary of autopsys.
Rope and Milk Crate: A sonar image of Casey’s body in the pond shows a rope tied to a milk crate. These items were not mentioned in any reports besides the sonar image and were not retrieved from the pond.
Condition of the Body: When Casey’s body was recovered from the pond, Greg and Darrell believe that she appeared to be in a state of rigamortis rather than bloated from seven days in the water. She was also found with items clenched in her hands, which Greg and Darrell believe to be inconsistent among drowning victims.
Intact Makeup: Despite Casey wearing “cheap makeup”, her makeup was still intact when her body was recovered 7 days later.
Boots: Casey’s boots were also removed and set by the pond. Greg and Darrell also find this odd, as they believe she would not intentionally remove her boots, which were hard to remove, to go swimming in March.
Destroyed Evidence: Those boots, Casey’s clothing, biological evidence, and her rape kit were destroyed just over 5 years after the original investigation.
Coroner’s Report: The coroner’s report was allegedly filled out by the coroner’s secretary, which the two also find disturbing. In that report, the secretary mentions that Casey had 16 shots and 8 beers–a claim that Greg and Darrell dispute due to Casey’s demeanor in the videos they received of her.
Phone Records: Greg has only received Casey’s phone records, rather than those of all of the suspects subpoenaed by the sheriff.
Lie Detector Results: Of the two suspects, one received inconclusive results on a lie detector test and the other received a “deceptive” result. Despite this, the two were not questioned again, according to Greg.
Suspects’ Car Sold: The vehicle was sold a few weeks after Casey was found dead and the inside was never photographed.
What is Greg’s current theory of what happened the night Casey passed away?
Greg and Darrell believe that Casey had a “normal night of having fun, drinking responsibly” and estimate that she only consumed 6 drinks in a 6 hour period. Then, they believe Casey was possibly picked up by the suspects, raped, murdered, and then dumped in the pond—or then extracted from the pond and placed back in the pond later.
Why the aggression and character accusations at City Council meetings?
In regards to Greg and Darrell’s approach at City Council meetings, Darrell defended their actions, claiming that they have never “started off being mean or aggressive” but that “the aggression only comes out after being lied to, manipulated, or when intimidation is brought [upon them].” Darrell even argued that any parent in Greg’s shoes may react in the same manner, due to such an enormous loss.
Was it their plan all along to sue the City for $300k over “free speech” violations?
Darrell’s answer when asked if it was in his plan to sue the city all along was simple, “If I wanted money, I’d be working my full-time job.” After the costs of legal aid and the cost of his involvement over the years, Darrell explained that the money from the lawsuit was less than that he could have received from his full-time job. He argues that he was not seeking money, but accountability for public officials.
What information and action would give Greg a sense of peace and justice?
According to Greg, peace will only be possible if he receives a complete file of the records investigators collected, an answer to all of his questions, and all of his concerns addressed. Additionally, Greg wants all of the phone records subpoenaed by the sheriff from the night Casey passed away, including those of all the suspects, in order to learn the full story. Greg said, “I won’t give up. Until the day I die, I’ll be fighting... Her kids do deserve to know the truth.”
Listen to Greg Pitzer and Darrell Petrey’s full story and details of the case on episode 53 of the Real Change Podcast. If you have tips about the case or want to learn more, join the Facebook Group, ‘Justice for Casey Pitzer’.
Listen to episode 53 of the Real Change Wilmington Podcast, 'The Story of Casey Pitzer - Beyond the Spectacle' with Greg Pitzer & Darrell Petrey, on your favorite podcast player below:
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