WILMINGTON — On Monday, Greg Pitzer filed a civil suit against the City of Wilmington in order to obtain access to public records related to the investigation of his daughter’s death.
According to the filed suit, in 2013 Pitzer and his attorney at the time received “incomplete/partial records” from the City. The documents indicate that in 2013, Pitzer made “numerous requests and phone calls seeking answers about the lack of investigation and missing key biological evidence.”
In March 2013, the body of Casey L. Pitzer, 32, was discovered in a retention pond around SR 73 and US 22/SR3 about a week after she went missing. Her body was sent to the Miami Valley Crime Lab for an autopsy, and authorities determined the cause of death was drowning.
The document in the civil suit references being “hung up on” by the City’s investigator — Gary Garrison of the Clinton County Coroner’s Office — in regards to “missing key evidence (clothing and grass)” after being told it was released to him from the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office.
On Oct. 1, 2022, Pitzer made requests for any detective notes and every possible form or paper relating to the case, “all the videos that were obtained, Uncle Louie’s, Walmart, etc,” all photos “obtained on scene throughout the investigation, the autopsy, etc,” and any information that came from Montgomery County, according to the suit.
The document notes in regards to the video request: “I (Pitzer) was originally given several discs that were blank and I’ve never seen the footage from some of the video still to this day.”
On Oct. 28, the document indicates Pitzer received “only a partial fulfillment of the records requested.” He claims there were multiple security videos he didn’t receive, photos taken on scene by former Chief Detective Josh Riley, “Chain of Custody Records for Biological Evidence showing the whereabouts” of clothing Casey was wearing and the grass she was holding, all autopsy photos, interview videos of the suspect, related sonar imaging records, coroner investigation reports from both Clinton and Montgomery counties, rape kit/DNA profile information, and forensic analysis results/report.
The suit claims that Pitzer received documents from Wilmington Police Chief Ron Fithen he believes to be false, or that the chief didn’t provide the information he wanted — particularly security footage showing Casey Pitzer.
The suit also references other attempts to get information from city officials, county personnel in both Clinton and Montgomery counties, and communications between city officials/personnel and news media. The suit indicates Pitzer believes officials have not been transparent throughout the investigation.
According to the suit, Pitzer hopes to get access to the requested documents and that the judge grants statutory money damages. The document states Pitzer is entitled to “statutory damages in the amount of $100 per day that Respondent improperly denied Relator access to the public records he sought.”
Brad Reynolds, city administrator, told the News Journal the city has no comment on the case at this time. No one from the Wilmington Police Department was available for comment Tuesday.
In January, Cravens told the News Journal that the Casey Pitzer case has been forwarded to the FBI for review.
