OH - Pike Co - 8 in Rhoden Family Murdered - 4 Wagner Family Members Arrested #88

[Cool Cats]

A hearing today?

@Betty P I demand.....just kidding.....that you transcribe these for us. Something you have literally been doing for 8 years.

I will go up and check because I bet you did.

@arielilane .... I see you are busy with this case too. I was hoping to get the ole gang back plus new posters for Billy's Motions and trial....then for the 3 sentencings.

 

[Betty P]

A hearing today?

@Betty P I demand.....just kidding.....that you transcribe these for us. Something you have literally been doing for 8 years.

I will go up and check because I bet you did.

@arielilane .... I see you are busy with this case too. I was hoping to get the ole gang back plus new posters for Billy's Motions and trial....then for the 3 sentencings.

If I remember to watch for them, I'll do it. @Puzzles8 posted a reminder, so we tuned in just in time. It helps if someone else watches because I only focus on the audio when I'm writing commentary.

Most memorable hearing: Transcribing as Jake said testified he would plead guilty and assist the state.

 

[Covert Operative]

This has the video of the hearing onn 8-2-24 for Billy Wagner.

Pike County massacre: George ‘Billy’ Wagner III appears before new visiting judge

www.13abc.com

 

[Covert Operative]

Thank you @Betty P and @arielilane for the great coverage of today's hearing. I watched the hearing but the feed kept buffering and I missed half of what was said.

From what I saw, here are my impressions.

Billy was in Jailhouse Orange/Butler County Jail Uniform clothing, clearly marked on his back. It also looked like he had handcuffs on. At the beginning, all of the defense attorneys were so adamant about the W4 being in civilian clothing and the physical restraints not shown to the public. I wonder why the change? I can't imagine it was his attorney's choice. It makes me wonder if Billy has psychologically given up and is waiting for the best Plea Deal he can get?

I really like the new judge. IMO he made it a point to recognize Billy's right to a fair trial as well as to acknowledge the grief of the Rhoden/Manley and Gilley Familys.

I do think the Court should have removed the nameplate of Rob Junk sitting in front of the Judge. It's confusing.

I like the fact that Judge Hein is making it clear, he will accommodate as many hearings as are necessary to facilitate the January 2025 Trial date.

I'm still marking the January 2025 Trial date on my calendar.....in pencil....

JMO

I also wondered why he had cuffs and orange suit on. Could be that he declined to change into street clothes and vest or maybe there is another reason and those options were taken from him. He may have had on vest also, its hard to tell.
This has the video of the hearing.

Pike County massacre: George ‘Billy’ Wagner III appears before new visiting judge

www.13abc.com

 

[arielilane]

Watched the short 14 minute video.Noticed his butt crack at the end as he is getting up to leave. A second of my life I will never get back. Ugh! Sure got dark for a second. moo

 

[SBMonsterFighter]

I have followed this case from the beginning. This whole case seems to be a disservice to the victims and their families. I cannot believe it's been allowed to drag out as long as it has. Is this normal for Ohio? Is this normal for murder cases in general?

 

[KentuckyMama]

What is the chance this trial will go ahead come January? Pretty good? I feel a bit hopeful for the 1st time in a while concerning this trial. Dead snails crawl faster than this entire sad case. I feel so very badly for the family of the victims. Anyone see any hope for a plea deal before then? I just don't think Mommy Dearest would ever allow him to admit guilt. And maybe AC isn't offering. I hope she takes a real long vacation after the prison cell doors finally close on them all.
I do look forward to visiting with you all for the duration.
Jillian

 

[Cool Cats]

I have followed this case from the beginning. This whole case seems to be a disservice to the victims and their families. I cannot believe it's been allowed to drag out as long as it has. Is this normal for Ohio? Is this normal for murder cases in general?

Taking long for various reasons.......My take on it......

1.) Death Penalty Cases are different and require death penalty Motions and mitigation experts, higher standards.

2.) Death Penalty attorneys have to plan for, file Motiobs for, and hire investigators for the Penalty Phase Trial. If found guilty there is a second trial to see if the defendant gets LWOP or the DP.

3.) There are 4 defendants and it can take years just for one DP defendant.

4.) George wanted a Bond Hearing and it required preparation and witnessess.

5.) Covid

6.) Judge retired

7.) That judge retired.

8.) Now a new judge.

9.) It took awhile to depose Jake and Angela when they decided to plead guilty. Then search Warrants were issued and divers and detectives secured to get the evidence out of the FWF pond. They also had to find and impound the murder vehicle the Wagner Crime Family bought just for that night. Then the state forensics lab had to process all of this new evidence including the ballistics with the 3 guns found. I think they got all 3 from the pond....hard to remember so many details.

10.) I forgot, there were originally 6 defendants and those 2 grandmothers took up alot of court time with hearings and Motions and both of them almost had trials. One case dismissed and one was a plea deal.

11.) Angela's phone calls were transcribed and her and her mother had to have court hearings for violating the family gag order. The 6 defendants were not allowed to communicate but Angela did anyway.

12.) An extreme amount of evidence that had the judge almost hire some outside source to sort it all out but he never did as far as I know. The defense and prosecutors met at BCI to go over evidence together.

... My take on it ...

 

[Seattle1]

I have followed this case from the beginning. This whole case seems to be a disservice to the victims and their families. I cannot believe it's been allowed to drag out as long as it has. Is this normal for Ohio? Is this normal for murder cases in general?

IMO, this 2016 massacre of 8 individuals was extraordinary so probably not the best criminal case to gauge Ohio Criminal Courts by.

We know GW III, the remaining defendant charged here and awaiting trial was first jailed in 2018, and his trial date has been pushed out to January 2025 as of this date.

There are several outstanding Motions by the Defense to be heard before his trial and one does not know how the State will respond to those Motions so probably safe to say January is a pending date.

That said, the retired Judge (Darke County Judge Jonathan Hein) assigned to this trial is no novice so I think there's room for optimism to finally get GW III convicted and sent to the big house in early 2025.

In comparison, I'm following another family massacre in Colts Neck, NJ of a husband, wife, and their two children, allegedly murdered by the victims brother, Paul Caneiro. In this case, there is only one defendant and the trial date continues to be pushed out with minimal if any info shared with the public. There's also scant MSM reporting for the case. Adding salt to the wound is criminal cases and criminal court calendars are not available for viewing on the public portal for NJ Courts!

So in my opinion, OH Courts really stepped up to the plate for the victims here.

 

[Betty P]

What is the chance this trial will go ahead come January? Pretty good? I feel a bit hopeful for the 1st time in a while concerning this trial. Dead snails crawl faster than this entire sad case. I feel so very badly for the family of the victims. Anyone see any hope for a plea deal before then? I just don't think Mommy Dearest would ever allow him to admit guilt. And maybe AC isn't offering. I hope she takes a real long vacation after the prison cell doors finally close on them all.
I do look forward to visiting with you all for the duration.
Jillian

It's taken quite a while to get to this point, so there really aren't many more reasons to delay it. The second judge appointed didn't last very long, so hopefully this judge will stay until this trial is completed.

The judicial process for these crimes will probably continue for years to come. Once Billy's trial ends , Jake and Angela Wagner have to be sentenced. GW4 is already appealing, Billy will probably be convicted, followed by an appeal.

 

[SBMonsterFighter]

I understand. I just am frustrated with the progress.
Also am I the only one who thinks JW was not the one to use the high powered rifle at night because of his eyesight or that the time off evens given for that night seems off?

 

[Cool Cats]

I understand. I just am frustrated with the progress.
Also am I the only one who thinks JW was not the one to use the high powered rifle at night because of his eyesight or that the time off evens given for that night seems off?

Jake has bad eyesight? He wears glasses. Also, maybe the Wagners used lazer sites on the SKS?

The story is that George was suppose to shoot Chris Sr but froze so Jake grabbed the SKS rifle and shot Chris, missing him then hitting him.

Because Jake said that George did not shoot anyone, George's attorneys mentioned it in a Motion and it made headlines and we had discussions about it.

There is certainly the possibility that Jake is lying and making it seem like George did not shoot anyone. This did not help George in the least.

I do not know what you mean about the time of events of that night being off. Jake's version is that it started before midnight and ended after midnight and included waiting for Dana to get home. I think she left work at 11:30pm.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think they got Chris Sr's truck keys and drove his truck past Dana's, didn't see her car then went to kill Kenny then went back to kill Dana when she was home, also murderering HR and CR.

2 Cents

 

[Puzzles8]

Jake has bad eyesight? He wears glasses. Also, maybe the Wagners used lazer sites on the SKS?

The story is that George was suppose to shoot Chris Sr but froze so Jake grabbed the SKS rifle and shot Chris, missing him then hitting him.

Because Jake said that George did not shoot anyone, George's attorneys mentioned it in a Motion and it made headlines and we had discussions about it.

There is certainly the possibility that Jake is lying and making it seem like George did not shoot anyone. This did not help George in the least.

I do not know what you mean about the time of events of that

Jake has bad eyesight? He wears glasses. Also, maybe the Wagners used lazer sites on the SKS?

The story is that George was suppose to shoot Chris Sr but froze so Jake grabbed the SKS rifle and shot Chris, missing him then hitting him.

Because Jake said that George did not shoot anyone, George's attorneys mentioned it in a Motion and it made headlines and we had discussions about it.

There is certainly the possibility that Jake is lying and making it seem like George did not shoot anyone. This did not help George in the least.

I do not know what you mean about the time of events of that night being off. Jake's version is that it started before midnight and ended after midnight and included waiting for Dana to get home. I think she left work at 11:30pm.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think they got Chris Sr's truck keys and drove his truck past Dana's, didn't see her car then went to kill Kenny then went back to kill Dana when she was home, also murderering HR and CR.

2 Cents

IMO, Jake has only worn glasses (thick ones) since he was incarcerated.

JMO

 

[Cool Cats]

IMO, Jake has only worn glasses (thick ones) since he was incarcerated.

JMO

But was there some problem with his eye site that would affect him shooting...per above post?

I have never heard of this.

Maybe there actually was some problem and he got an eye exam in jail and corrective lenses.

 

[Puzzles8]

But was there some problem with his eye site that would affect him shooting...per above post?

I have never heard of this.

Maybe there actually was some problem and he got an eye exam in jail and corrective lenses.

I think truly George took the initial shots, as initially planned from under the truck. I also think it was a combination of George's obesity (flexibility) and probably being further downhill and under a truck than planned that caused the errant shots. It is always harder to shoot accurately from a downhill position.
We'll never know if it was any of George's shots that actually killed Chris Sr., we only have Jake's confession.

JMO

 

[SBMonsterFighter]

Jake has bad eyesight? He wears glasses. Also, maybe the Wagners used lazer sites on the SKS?

The story is that George was suppose to shoot Chris Sr but froze so Jake grabbed the SKS rifle and shot Chris, missing him then hitting him.

Because Jake said that George did not shoot anyone, George's attorneys mentioned it in a Motion and it made headlines and we had discussions about it.

There is certainly the possibility that Jake is lying and making it seem like George did not shoot anyone. This did not help George in the least.

I do not know what you mean about the time of events of that night being off. Jake's version is that it started before midnight and ended after midnight and included waiting for Dana to get home. I think she left work at 11:30pm.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think they got Chris Sr's truck keys and drove his truck past Dana's, didn't see her car then went to kill Kenny then went back to kill Dana when she was home, also murderering HR and CR.

2 Cents

You got it right. I just don't believe anything that flows out of JW mouth.

 

[Cool Cats]

You got it right. I just don't believe anything that flows out of JW mouth.

Well he was right about where they hid the evidence and about buying a vehical for that night. Some of his stories matched evidence. There were weird inconsistencies with Dana and Hannah Gilley.

Aside from Billy, Jake and Angela, Rita Newcomb will be sentenced also. I believe Billy will get convicted.

2 Cents

 

[Covert Operative]

But was there some problem with his eye site that would affect him shooting...per above post?

I have never heard of this.

Maybe there actually was some problem and he got an eye exam in jail and corrective lenses.

I thought it was said in court at some time that Jake could not see how to drive good at night. I think that is why they said Jake drove during the day and George drove at night on their trucking job. I could be remembering incorrectly.
The poster may mean that if he had a problem seeing at night to drive then maybe he also could not see good enough to shoot at night, just a guess.

 

[Betty P]

Just recalling from Jake's testimony how his dad was the one who planned the attacks, once they decided who had to be killed.

Jake Wagner describes massacre: ‘She looked up and made a gasping noise and then I shot her’

Jake Wagner appeared to mouth the words 'I'm sorry' at the victims' relatives during a sidebar

www.fox19.com

Billy insisted they kill the Rhoden family on a cloudy night so LE couldn't see anything on satellite images.

Jake testified that at Dana Rhoden's home, Billy gave Jake his gun, then Jake did the shooting. Could it have been Billy who did the shooting at Dana's? Just wondering. If Jake couldn't see well in the dark, it will be important to know how he could see well enough in the dark bedroom to shoot Chris Rhoden, Jr. in the back of the head.

 

[rescuemom]

I can't for the life of me understand this being drug out any longer. What am I missing?? What is going to change after all of this time that BW hopes to save him from prosecution??? I for one who has followed this case literally from Day 1 do not understand the constant delay. What is going to be new and different??