Prosecutors revealed in opening statements that months before the killings, the mother refused to sign custody documents, writing they will have to kill me first, which led to the Pike County Massacre, which resulted in the deaths of eight family members after a contentious custody dispute with another family.
George Wagner IV, 30, who is one of many suspects charged in connection with the April 22, 2016, murders of eight members of the Rhoden family in Pike County, Ohio, opened the first trial in the 2016 crimes on Monday.
The tragic killings shocked locals in a remote area of Ohio and sparked one of the biggest criminal investigations in the country, which eventually resulted in the arrest of the Wagners more than two years later.
The Wagners planned the murders for months, according to the special prosecutor Angela Canepa, and targeted some of the victims, but others regrettably were slain because they happened to be there, she said in her opening remarks on Monday.
While George Wagner IV is not thought to have murdered anybody, he is claimed to have taken part in the murders by casting a vote in support of them, according to the prosecution. Four members of the Wagner family are accused of carrying out the killings.
The killings, which were reportedly organized so that his brother Edward Jake Wagner and their mother would be granted exclusive custody of Jakes daughter, who is shared with Hanna Rhoden, have been admitted guilt by both.
Jake Wagner attempted to persuade Hanna, 19, to agree to split custody of their kid, but she refused, and he shot her many times as she slept close to their infant.
I wont sign papers ever,Rhoden wrote in a private Facebook message in 2015, months before the killings. They will have to kill me first.
The trial of Jakes brother, George Wagner IV, began Monday and is expected to last six to eight weeks.
The first trial in the 2016 killings began Monday with George Wagner IV, who is one of suspects accused of killing eight members of the Rhoden family in Pike County on April 22, 2016
George Wagner IV arrived at the courthouse on Monday for opening statements
Hanna Rhoden, 19, was killed as she slept after Jake Wagner tried to convince her to agree to share custody. Jakes brother George Wagner IV is the first person on trial Monday
Four people in the Wagner family have been accused of taking part in the brutal murders.
Defense attorneys for George IV insist that he had nothing to do with the murders, saying he did not shoot or kill anyone on that night in 2016.
His mother, Angela Jo Wagner, and his younger brother, Edward Jake Wagner, pleaded guilty last year to their roles in the killings.
Jake Wagner was convicted of eight counts of murder and 15 other charges including gun specifications, conspiracy, burglary, possession of dangerous ordnance and tampering with evidence.
The father, George Billy Wagner III, is expected to stand trial at a later date. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.
Wagner IV has also pleaded not guilty, and his lawyers argued the confessions of his brother and mother last year prove he didnt shoot and kill anyone.
Special Prosecutor Angela Canepa agreed with the defense in a December 2021 hearing that Wagner IV did not kill anyone.
But in the state of Ohio, a person can be sentenced to death for an aggravated murder conviction if they help plan it or cover it up.
Jake himself was handed eight full life sentenced without the option of parole in 2021 after agreeing to a plea deal with no possibility of the death penalty for himself and his family members.
He pleaded guilty to 23 felony charges, including eight of murder, while his mother pleaded guilty to several counts of aggravated burglary, tampering with evidence and other charges.
Both Jake and his mother agreed to testify against the other defendants and are expected to be involved in the upcoming trial.
All of the victims were shot in the head multiple times while they slept with Jake saying he was personally responsible for five of the deaths.
Hannas fatherChristopher Rhoden Sr, 40, mother Dana Rhoden, 37, and brothers Clarence, 20, and Christopher Jr, 16, were also killed in the massacre.
Clarence Rhodens fiance, Hannah Gilley, 20, Christopher Sr.s brother, Kenneth Rhoden, 44, and cousin Gary Rhoden, 38, were also shot dead across four different homes across rural Ohio.
Edward Jake Wagner, (right) previously pleaded guilty to the murder of Hanna Rhoden, with whom he had a daughter with, and seven of her family members. He has been sentenced to eight life terms. His brother, George Wagner IV, is on trial Monday. He has pleaded not guilty
Three children that were at the scene of the slaying were spared, Clarences sons Brentley, 4, and Ruger Lee, six months, and Hannas daughter Kyle who was five days old at the time.
It took investigators six years to get to the bottom of the cold-blooded plot, which was organized to execute anyone who might stand in the way of Jake getting custody of his daughter.
He dated Hanna when she was 13, and got her pregnant at 15, but the relationship ended, and she had a second child with another man.
Jake then began to pressure her about the custody of their daughter, and he had been taking care of Sophia at the time of the murders.
Investigators claim the family bought ammunition, a magazine clip, brass catchers and a bug detector to prepare for the crimes.
It is claimed that they constructed a homemade silencer that was used in the shootings and used counter-surveillance devices on the properties as well as tampering with phones, cameras and parts of a home security system.
Forged documents were found on the computer purporting that Hanna Rhoden had agreed to share custody.
The Wagners took phones from six of the victims, as well as a recording device and trail cameras.
The Wagner family fled to Alaska after the murders. From left to right: Edward Jake Wagner, Angela Wagner and George Wagner IV are pictured outside a supermarket in 2017
Clarence Frankie Rhoden, 20, and hisfiance, Hannah Gilley, 20, were shot dead while sleeping with their child
Christopher Sr is the only victim who was believed to have been awake when they were shot, suffering nine gunshot wounds in his forearm, torso and cheek.
His brother Gary was shot twice in the head and a third time in the face, with an autopsy report saying a muzzle stain was left on his head, suggesting at one point a shot was fired while the gun was pressed against him.
Dana Rhoden was carefully shot four times around her head and a fifth time from under her chin.
She was sharing a trailer with Christopher Jr and Hanna who were both shot in the head multiple times.
Frankie Rhoden and Hannah Gilley were also shot in the head, but their six-month-old child, who was sleeping between the couple, was spared.
Hannah was shot five times in total, with one shot hitting her left eye and Kenneth Rhoden was shot only once, with the bullet entering his right eye.
The Wagner family lived near the scenes of the killings at the time, but moved 4,000 miles away in June 2021 to a home (pictured above) in Kenai, Alaska
In a 911 call following the shootings, a woman sounded out of breath as she frantically told a dispatcher: I think my brother-in-laws dead Theres blood all over the house.
Theres blood all over the house. My brother-in-law is in the bedroom and it looks like someone has beat the hell out of him.
Crime scene investigators were first called to Union Hill Road at 8.21am, when seven of the victims were found shot to death in the head execution style.
The first three homes where bodies were found are located within a couple miles of one another on a sparsely populated stretch of road, while the eighth body a man was found in a house within 30 miles just before 2pm.
The Wagner family moved to Kenai, Alaska, after the killings, with Jake Wagner taking his daughter with them, but returned to Ohio in 2018 when they ran out of money. They were arrested in November of that year.
At the time, the family said they were moving to escape what they claimed was unfair speculation that were responsible for the murders.
See original here:
Massacre in Pike County Suspect is escorted by security as they enter court on the first day of the trial. - TDPel Media
- Amazon just slashed the price of our favorite budget home security camera - Tom's Guide - March 14th, 2024 [March 14th, 2024]
- Los Angeles Police Department warning home owners to hard-wire home security systems as organized theft rings ... - Notebookcheck.net - March 14th, 2024 [March 14th, 2024]
- Mesa family upping home security as burglaries increase - Yahoo! Voices - March 14th, 2024 [March 14th, 2024]
- An attempted kidnapping in Glendale is caught on camera - The Arizona Republic - March 14th, 2024 [March 14th, 2024]
- Best Security Systems For Apartments Of 2024 Forbes Home - Forbes - March 14th, 2024 [March 14th, 2024]
- Airbnb's Unexpected Home Security Ban Sets A New Standard For Rental Property Owners - House Digest - March 14th, 2024 [March 14th, 2024]
- Wayward 450-pound pig named Kevin Bacon hams it up for home security camera - The Associated Press - March 14th, 2024 [March 14th, 2024]
- The Best Home Security Cameras According To Rigorous, Hands-On Testing - Forbes - March 14th, 2024 [March 14th, 2024]
- Best home security deal: Get the Arlo Essential Wired Video Doorbell for just $49.99 at Amazon. - Mashable - March 14th, 2024 [March 14th, 2024]
- The 6 Hottest Outdoor Design Trends You'll See Everywhere This Spring and Summer - SFGATE - March 14th, 2024 [March 14th, 2024]
- This smart security camera impressed me in the most unexpected way - ZDNet - March 14th, 2024 [March 14th, 2024]
- Lithe Audio and Lilin integrate AI for home security - HiddenWires - March 14th, 2024 [March 14th, 2024]
- Why Airbnb Is Banning Cameras in Rentals - TIME - March 14th, 2024 [March 14th, 2024]
- PC students gift overnight security guard trip home to Nigeria - WPRI.com - March 14th, 2024 [March 14th, 2024]
- Influencer suing Tyreek Hill for 'breaking her leg' DEMANDS he hand over his private texts and home security f - Daily Mail - March 14th, 2024 [March 14th, 2024]
- Ring's Battery Doorbell Pro is one of the best security systems I've tested (but there's a catch) - ZDNet - March 14th, 2024 [March 14th, 2024]
- Ring Spotlight Cam Pro Review: Compact, Reliable And Long Battery Life - Forbes - March 14th, 2024 [March 14th, 2024]
- Home security video catch person taking mail that results in $8,000 worth of fraudulent checks - AOL - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- Best Home Security Cameras of 2024 - CNET - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- Ring sale: Save on Ring doorbells and home security cameras today - Digital Trends - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- Blink's video doorbell just crashed to $44 and it doesn't require a subscription - Tom's Guide - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- Snag Up to 43% off These Blink Security Cameras and Doorbells - CNET - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- U.S. House Republicans impeach Homeland Security chief Mayorkas on second try Oregon Capital Chronicle - Oregon Capital Chronicle - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- Wi-Fi jamming to knock out cameras suspected in nine Minnesota burglaries -- smart security systems vulnerable as ... - Tom's Hardware - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- The 4 Best Security Cameras for Your Home of 2024 | Reviews by Wirecutter - The New York Times - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- Security guard shoots man allegedly trying to run people over in Home Depot parking lot - CBS Los Angeles - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- The 4 Best Smart Doorbell Cameras of 2024 | Reviews by Wirecutter - The New York Times - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- Everything you need to know about the Ring Protect price hike - Digital Trends - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- Vory Threatens To 'Kill' Girlfriend In Alleged Footage Of Domestic Abuse - HipHopDX - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- Angry Airbnb host sent guest's wife security photo of him with another woman, lawsuit claims - New York Post - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- Best Smart Locks of 2024 - CNET - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- Bear tries to enter Washington home through doggie door - UPI News - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- The Ring Battery Doorbell Pro has 3D motion detection - Gadget Flow - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- We test some of the latest home security cameras to see how far the technology has come - Nottinghamshire Live - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- Ring Is Raising Rates on Some Plans by 25% in March - PCMag Middle East - February 16th, 2024 [February 16th, 2024]
- The 12 Best Home Security Cameras of 2023 - Security.org - December 11th, 2023 [December 11th, 2023]
- Traveling for the holidays? Keep an eye on your home with the Blink Mini security camera, now just $20 - Gwinnettdailypost.com - December 11th, 2023 [December 11th, 2023]
- Gangs from South America use security jammers to break in to expensive homes across country: police - WLS-TV - December 11th, 2023 [December 11th, 2023]
- Best Home Security Companies Of 2023 Forbes Home - Forbes - December 11th, 2023 [December 11th, 2023]
- Best Wireless Security Cameras Of December 2023 Forbes Home - Forbes - December 11th, 2023 [December 11th, 2023]
- Best Outdoor Security Lights With Cameras Of 2023 - Forbes - December 11th, 2023 [December 11th, 2023]
- Wireless CCTV camera for home security? Here are top 10 options to choose from | Mint - Mint - December 11th, 2023 [December 11th, 2023]
- Cougar struck and killed near Minneapolis likely the one seen in home security video, expert says - Drgnews - December 11th, 2023 [December 11th, 2023]
- Cougar living in Lowry Hill neighborhood of Minneapolis, city, DNR warn - Star Tribune - December 11th, 2023 [December 11th, 2023]
- FAIR Applauds Senate Republicans for Holding Firm and Demanding that National Security Starts at Home - StreetInsider.com - December 11th, 2023 [December 11th, 2023]
- Prevent Burglaries With ADT's Tips For Property Security | Security News - SecurityInformed - December 11th, 2023 [December 11th, 2023]
- Prince Harry Says His Security Removal Had One Glaring Error - Newsweek - December 11th, 2023 [December 11th, 2023]
- Save $50 on the Ring Alarm home security system from Amazon - SFGATE - September 13th, 2022 [September 13th, 2022]
- An Indian Security System That Is Being Transformed By Technology - Inventiva - September 13th, 2022 [September 13th, 2022]
- Home Security Systems Market | expected to reach $96.5 billion | growth of 9.1% CAGR | 200 pages report - Taiwan News - September 13th, 2022 [September 13th, 2022]
- VP Harris wishes lawmakers treated domestic threats as 'Americans' - Business Insider - September 13th, 2022 [September 13th, 2022]
- Axis Communications Unveils Latest Solutions for Integrating Sight, Sound, Analytics and More at the 2022 Global Security Exchange - Business Wire - September 13th, 2022 [September 13th, 2022]
- Tomorrow.io Delivers First Radar for Weather Satellite Constellation Backed by U.S. Air Force - Benzinga - September 13th, 2022 [September 13th, 2022]
- The 2 Stocks Everyone's Talking About Tuesday - The Motley Fool - September 13th, 2022 [September 13th, 2022]
- What To Do With Old Smartphones? 15 Genius Reuse Ideas - TechPP - September 13th, 2022 [September 13th, 2022]
- Broken Arrow Man Arrested, Accused Of Hiding Cameras To Record Minors - News On 6 - September 13th, 2022 [September 13th, 2022]
- Department of Homeland Security PAL-Home - November 4th, 2021 [November 4th, 2021]
- Native Sun Home Accents, Inc. - Arizona Security Doors ... - November 4th, 2021 [November 4th, 2021]
- Ring Alarm Pro review: A giant leap for home security - CNET - November 4th, 2021 [November 4th, 2021]
- The Top Reasons You Should Not Ignore Installing a Home Security System - Southeast Missourian - November 4th, 2021 [November 4th, 2021]
- Where is the best place to install my home security cameras? - TechRadar - November 4th, 2021 [November 4th, 2021]
- Wyze announces new camera features and a new Wyze Smart Switch and Smart Bulb - The Verge - November 4th, 2021 [November 4th, 2021]
- Connected Home Security Market 2021: Global Analysis, Share, Trends, Application Analysis and Forecast To 2027 Bolivar Commercial - Bolivar... - November 4th, 2021 [November 4th, 2021]
- Amazon Black Friday deal takes $250 off the Arlo Pro 3 Spotlight 4 camera system - T3 - November 4th, 2021 [November 4th, 2021]
- Frontpoint Security Expands Executive Team with the Announcement of its First Chief Commercial Officer - PRNewswire - November 4th, 2021 [November 4th, 2021]
- Xiaomi Smart Door Lock Xhome security with face recognition and a sleek design - Gadget Flow - November 4th, 2021 [November 4th, 2021]
- US Blacklists Israeli Spyware Companies Over Threat to National Security - The Daily Beast - November 4th, 2021 [November 4th, 2021]
- Remote Work Security: Handling Setbacks in the Time of COVID-19 - Security Intelligence - November 4th, 2021 [November 4th, 2021]
- World Series 2021 - The inside story of where Jorge Soler's home run went once it left Minute Maid Park - ESPN - November 4th, 2021 [November 4th, 2021]
- Ask a Broker: The importance of smart-home technology - Aspen Daily News - November 4th, 2021 [November 4th, 2021]
- Apple's Craig Federighi defends App Store in face of looming regulation - Mashable - November 4th, 2021 [November 4th, 2021]
- The eufy Floodlight Video Camera II provides 360 degrees of security coverage without breaking the bank - TechHive - November 4th, 2021 [November 4th, 2021]
- Worldwide Automotive Software Industry to 2026 - Safety and Security Software is Expected to Witness Faster Growth Rate - ResearchAndMarkets.com -... - November 4th, 2021 [November 4th, 2021]
- She would never just leave: Investigators look into if Mid-City moms disappearance related to financial investigation - KTLA Los Angeles - November 4th, 2021 [November 4th, 2021]
- Bring Alexa support to your home security with 54% off wansviews 1080p outdoor cam from $18 - 9to5Toys - July 2nd, 2021 [July 2nd, 2021]
- Members of Congress Are Spending More Than Ever on Security Mother Jones - Mother Jones - July 2nd, 2021 [July 2nd, 2021]
- Google Nest to Strengthen Its Commitment to Security by Testing Devices Against the ioXt Alliance's Global Security Standards - Business Wire - July 2nd, 2021 [July 2nd, 2021]
- Summer Wells investigators receive more than 700 tips about missing Tennessee girl - Fox News - July 2nd, 2021 [July 2nd, 2021]
- DIY Home Security Solutions Market Analytical Overview, Growth Factors, Demand and Trends Forecast to 2027 The Courier - The Courier - July 2nd, 2021 [July 2nd, 2021]
- Scant evidence that cyber insurance boom is leading to better security SC Magazine - SC Magazine - July 2nd, 2021 [July 2nd, 2021]