Neversink Man Sentenced to 25 Years to Life in Father’s Killing

MONTICELLO, N.Y. — Sullivan County District Attorney Brian P. Conaty announced May 15, 2026, that Drew Botsford, 49, of Neversink, was sentenced to 25 years to life in state prison following his conviction for second-degree murder, a Class A-I felony, in the killing of his father.

Botsford was sentenced by Sullivan County Court Judge James R. Farrell after a five-day jury trial.

Prosecutors said the conviction stemmed from an Oct. 8, 2023, incident at approximately 6 p.m. at 39 Bradley Road in Liberty, in the Town of Neversink, where Botsford and his father, 71-year-old Lloyd Botsford, argued. Authorities said that immediately after the argument, Botsford took a .22 rifle from his father’s bedroom closet, loaded a .22 caliber round he located in a drawer, walked down a hallway, squatted near a bathroom door and fired one shot, striking his father in the head while the victim was seated on a living room loveseat watching football.

Family members found Lloyd Botsford on the couch and called emergency services. Responding personnel attempted life-saving measures, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The case was prosecuted by Chief Assistant District Attorney Michael J. Puma. Botsford was represented by Tim Havas, Esq., executive director of the Sullivan County Legal Aid Society.

Conaty said: “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. I commend the investigators, prosecutors, and support staff whose tireless efforts secured justice for the victim in this case. Their professionalism and dedication ensured that the defendant was held fully accountable for his horrific crime.”

Image Credit: American Courthouses/John Deacon