A Greene County man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murders of two Waynesburg residents. Attorney General Dave Sunday announced that Cortland Rogers, aged 31, will serve two mandatory life sentences after pleading guilty to first-degree murder charges. The victims, Kevin Williford and Judy Hunter, were killed on February 1, 2022. The investigation was conducted by the Waynesburg Borough Police Department.
In addition to the murder charges, Rogers received a concurrent prison sentence ranging from 15 to 60 years for kidnapping and assaulting two other individuals in a separate incident around the time of the murders. "The defendant’s actions were senseless and cruel," stated Attorney General Sunday. "I commend the investigators and prosecutors whose hard work ensured that Cortland Rogers will no longer be a threat to our communities."
Shawna Smith, who was Rogers’ girlfriend during the time of these incidents, faces similar charges with her case still pending.
The investigation revealed that on February 1, 2022, Rogers and Smith confronted Williford and Hunter over money they believed was owed to them. According to reports, Rogers shot Williford first followed by Hunter to eliminate witnesses.
Two weeks later, the bodies were discovered on the same day that Rogers and Smith committed a kidnapping. Those victims were lured under false pretenses and held at gunpoint.
The prosecution of this case was handled by Senior Deputy Attorneys General Kara M. Rice and Alicia S. Werner.