NEVERSINK, N.Y. — A 49-year-old man has been sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for the fatal shooting of his father, officials announced Friday.
Drew Botsford was convicted in March of second-degree murder in the slaying of 71-year-old Lloyd Botsford, which occurred on October 8, 2023, at a residence on Bradley Road in Neversink.
The Fatal Attack
According to prosecutors, the evening began with a verbal altercation between father and son. Following the argument, Drew Botsford retrieved a .22-caliber rifle from his father’s bedroom closet, loaded a single round he found in the top drawer, and shot Lloyd Botsford in the head while he sat on a loveseat watching a football game.
Family members discovered the victim unresponsive and called 911, but attempts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful.
Aftermath and Attempted Escape
Authorities said Drew Botsford then stole approximately $1,668 in cash and fled the home. In a series of bizarre events, he loaded groceries into his aunt’s car, attempted to hide in the vehicle’s hatch, and later shattered the rear window to escape before finally being apprehended by New York State Police the following morning.
During a post-arrest interrogation, Botsford admitted to the shooting, and forensic evidence confirmed his DNA on the rifle’s forearm, stock, bolt, and trigger, consistent with the position of a shooter. The victim’s DNA was excluded from these parts of the firearm.
Official Statements
Sullivan County District Attorney Brian P. Conaty emphasized the severity of the sentence, noting the importance of protecting the community from a repeat violent offender influenced by substance abuse and addiction:
“This was a shocking and deeply disturbing act of violence in which a son intentionally took the life of the man who raised him. No parent should ever have to fear harm at the hands of their own child, and no family should have to endure this kind of unimaginable tragedy.
Today’s sentence ensures that this defendant will spend the remainder of his life paying the price for this senseless and irreversible act.”
Botsford’s attorney, Tim Havas, told the Times Herald-Record that they plan to appeal the jury’s verdict.
