Man sentenced after admitting Akron slayings

Family of slain father, son agree to life for suspect; want to spare his mother

6/24/2014
ASSOCIATED PRESS

AKRON, Ohio — The family of a slain father and son in Ohio say they wanted to spare the suspect’s mother the heartache of possibly having him sentenced to death.

The members of the Akron family say they considered the feelings of 20-year-old Robert Pitts’ mother in agreeing to spare the man from a trial with a plea agreement Monday that saw him sentenced to life in prison with no chance for parole.

Akron Beacon Journal  reports that Pitts pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated murder in last summer’s stabbing deaths of 53-year-old Bryan May and his 20-year-old son, Jeremy Putra.

Prosecutors say Pitts had been living with the men and lashed out at them when they told him he had to leave. He was arrested after fleeing to Chicago afterward.