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

[Niner]

Just a docket update... for BW

Docket update
Date Docket Text
08/02/2024 WARRANT FOR REMOVAL FROM BUTLER COUNTY JAIL ON SEPTEMBER 5, 2024 AT 1:00PM FOR PRE-TRIAL HEARING

Events:
Date Type Event Judge
09/05/2024 01:00 PM PRE-TRIAL JUNK, ROBERT

10/07/2024 01:00 PM PRE-TRIAL JUNK, ROBERT

11/06/2024 01:00 PM PRE-TRIAL JUNK, ROBERT

12/16/2024 01:00 PM PRE-TRIAL JUNK, ROBERT

01/03/2025 09:00 AM PRE-TRIAL JUNK, ROBERT

01/06/2025 09:00 AM JURY TRIAL JUNK, ROBERT

link: https://cpcourt.pikecounty.oh.gov/eservices/searchresults.page?x=idsY1KV8WL1B7J7TD2Hoiw

 

[SBMonsterFighter]

I wonder why the uncle will talk to George, but he won't talk to Jake?

Maybe he knows if it were for Jake none of this would have happened.

 

[Betty P]

Maybe he knows if it were for Jake none of this would have happened.

Or he thinks Jake will talk to others, but George won't.

 

[Seattle1]

Perhaps his relatives in Lawrence County played a part in him being housed in Gallia. Much closer to visit with ailing Grandparents.

Jake Wagner's Jailhouse Letter | Oxygen Official Site

Season 1 Preview: Chris Newcomb reveals a letter written by Jake Wagner in jail.

www.oxygen.com

Make no mistake, Jake is Angela's son! JMO

 

[Caylee Advocate]

I wonder why the uncle will talk to George, but he won't talk to Jake?

CN was never as close to Jake as he was to George. Jake was more of a girly sissy type mommas boy, where George and Chris did guy things such as hunting and fishing and working on vehicles. He (CN) puts blame mostly on JW and AW. IMO.

 

[Covert Operative]

It seems Billy Wagner will not be at his pretrial hearing on Sept 5th.

08/02/2024

WARRANT FOR REMOVAL FROM BUTLER COUNTY JAIL ON SEPTEMBER 5, 2024 AT 1:00PM FOR PRE-TRIAL HEARING

08/29/2024

ENTRY WITHDRAWING WARRANT TO CONVEY -- UPON COURT'S OWN MOTION, AFTER CONSULTATION WITH COUNSEL, THERE IS NO NEED FOR THE WARRANT FOR REMOVAL ISSUED ON AUGUST 2, 2024, FOR THE DEFENDANT; THE PRE-TRIAL DOES NOT REQUIRE THE DEFENDANT'S ATTENDANCE; THEREFORE, THE WARRANT SHALL BE WITHDRAWN

 

[Seattle1]

CN was never as close to Jake as he was to George. Jake was more of a girly sissy type mommas boy, where George and Chris did guy things such as hunting and fishing and working on vehicles. He (CN) puts blame mostly on JW and AW. IMO.

And isn't CN Angela's brother? If so, I think even Angela's mother would agree here! JMO

 

[Cool Cats]

And isn't CN Angela's brother? If so, I think even Angela's mother would agree here! JMO

Yes, CN is Angela's younger brother who was Jake and George's uncle but because they are so close in age CN was like a brother to them, and there is a photo in MSM of the 3 together I will try to find.

Yup. CN and George were close and even did some sneaky things together according to CN at trial. And CN went with Jake to meet a person from Facebook on the side of a hwy to buy Jake's 22 Colt gun. Most likely Jake used this gun that night.

2 Cents

 

[Cool Cats]

Angela Wagner's Role in the Tragic Murders | Oxygen Official Site

Season 1 Preview: Chris Newcomb and his fiancée discuss the complex role Angela Wagner played.

www.oxygen.com

Jake Wagner’s Secretive Home Life | Oxygen Official Site

Season 1 Episode 3 Exclusive: Chris Newcomb reveals Jake Wagner's private life, highlighting his controlling nature and secret marriage.

www.oxygen.com

Photos 2,3,4, are Jake, George and CN.

 

[GoBuckeyes]

And isn't CN Angela's brother? If so, I think even Angela's mother would agree here! JMO

I think they're all seriously messed up and responsible.jmoo We're not talking about scrapping stolen copper or something. They massacred 8 sleeping people at close range. If George felt uneasy, he could have stopped the whole thing by telling Fred W or even LE. jmoo

 

[Cool Cats]

I think they're all seriously messed up and responsible.jmoo We're not talking about scrapping stolen copper or something. They massacred 8 sleeping people at close range. If George felt uneasy, he could have stopped the whole thing by telling Fred W or even LE. jmoo

He says he did not know about the murder plan and if he had known he would have stopped it.

12 jurors thought otherwise.

2 Cents

 

[GoBuckeyes]

He says he did not know about the murder plan and if he had known he would have stopped it.

12 jurors thought otherwise.

2 Cents

Wonder how he explains going out in the middle of the night with 2 armed men then?

 

[Cool Cats]

Wonder how he explains going out in the middle of the night with 2 armed men then?

He said in Montana he went to bed at Midnight and in court he said he went to bed at 10:00pm with headphones on and did not hear them go out. He did not go.

12 jurors didn't buy it.... 2 Cents

 

[Seattle1]

Wonder how he explains going out in the middle of the night with 2 armed men then?

Seems to me that George IV's involvement especially inured nont only his own family (Newcombs) but also the family of the victims because of the deceit by somebody they believed in and trusted. Deceit is very difficult to overcome.

And even if IV could not bring himself to rat out his family and prevent the carnage, he had the opportunity to stay in bed with the blankets over his head-- as alleged in the Montana issue. He joined Jake and Papa.

In other words, as of this date, it's still not a crime to exercise your right to remain silent, don't ask, don't tell. MOO

 

[Covert Operative]

09/03/2024

DEFENDANT'S AMENDED MOTION FOR CHANGE OF VENUE FILEDAttorney: COLLINS, MARK C

I did not compare the older motion and this newest one word for word. They seemed about the same, but he now mentions the docuseries in there also.

 

[Niner]

Thursday, Sept. 5th:
*Pretrial Hearing (@ 1pm ET) – OH – Pike County 8 people dead: Christopher Rhoden, Sr. (40), his ex-wife, Dana Manley Rhoden (37), their three children, Clarence “Frankie” Rhoden (20), Christopher Jr. (16), Hanna Mae (19); Frankie’s fiancée, Hannah Hazel Gilley (20), Christopher Rhoden Sr.’s brother, Kenneth Rhoden (44), & a cousin, Gary Rhoden (37). Hanna Rhoden’s baby girl (5 days old), another baby (6 mos.) and a young child (3) were unharmed. (April 21-22, 2016, Pebbles) - *George Washington “Billy” Wagner III (47/now 53) (name changed [11/5/86] from William Emmanuel) [Jake’s father] indicted (11/12/18), arrested (11/13/18), charged (11/15/18) & arraigned (12/4/18) with 8 counts of aggravated murder, (plus gun specifications on each), 1 count of 1st degree conspiracy, 4 counts of 1st degree aggravated burglary, 1 count of 5th degree unlawful possession of dangerous ordnance, 3 counts of 3rd degree evidence tampering, 1 count of 5th degree forgery, 1 count of 5th degree unauthorized use of computer or telecommunications, 1 count of 4th degree interception of wire, oral or electronic communication, 1 count of 4th degree obstructing justice & 1 count of 1st degree engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity. Plead not guilty. Held without bond. DA will seek the DP. *Pike County (Butler County jail).
Trial set to begin on 1/6/25. @ 9am (should last 8 weeks).
Presiding Judge Jonathan P. Hein replaced (on 5/29/24) Judge R. Alan Corbin [health reasons]. Prosecutor Angela R. Canepa & defense attorneys Mark C. Collins & Thomas F, Hayes.
Case & court information from 12/4/18 thru 6/3/24 reference post #687 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...ner-family-members-arrested-88.674961/page-35
6/17/24 Update: Pretrial hearings on 8/2/24, 9/5/24, 10/7/24, 11/6/24 & 12/16/24 all at 1pm & final pretrial hearing on 1/3/25 @ 9am. 7/31/24 Docket update: Warrant for removal of defendant from Butler County jail on 8/2/24 for pretrial hearing.
8/2/24 Update: Defense & prosecution attorneys met in chambers with visiting Judge Jonathan Hein beginning at 10am. Judge Hein reminded Wagner, lawyers & Rhoden family in the gallery that he has scheduled monthly hearings in the case through its Jan. 6, 2025 anticipated start. "It's going to take something every month to get ready," he said. More pretrial hearings will be added as needed, he said. Hein says he doesn't have a lot of knowledge about evidence to be introduced ... on purpose so he can be impartial. Judge also says he & lawyers talked about 404B evidence; using evidence from prior crimes to show possible character flaws, etc. It was a big part of George IV trial. He wants the lawyers to work on 404B issues, what gets scheduled first. DA Angela Canepa says it sounds fair. Next pretrial hearing on 9/5/24 @ 1pm. 8/2/24 Docket update: Warrant for removal from Butler County Jail on 9/5/24.
8/29/24 Docket update: Entry withdrawing warrant to convey-upon Court's own motion, after consultation with Counsel, there is no need for the warrant for removal issued on 8/2/24 for the defendant; the pretrial does not require the defendant's attendance; therefore, the warrant shall be withdrawn.
9/3/24 Docket update: To Judge Hein. Defendant's Amended Motion for Change of Venue filed by Mark C. Collins for GWIII.
*George Washington Wagner IV (27/now 32) – Guilty of all charges on 11/30/22 & sentenced on 12/19/22 to 8 Life sentences without the possibility of parole to run consecutively for the murders plus 121 years on other charges. Appeal filed 1/26/23.
*Angela Jo Wagner (48/now 53) – 9/10/21: Plead guilty to a plea deal to Counts 9 thru 22; Counts 1-8 were dismissed. Will be sentenced to 30 years in prison with no early release & has to testify against others at trial.
*Edward Jacob “Jake” Wagner (26/now 31) – Plead guilty (4/22/21) to all charges & will testify at the trials & will be sentenced after GW3 trial.
*Rita Jo Newcomb (65/now 71) – Motion hearing on 12/2/19 entered a plea of guilty to all charges. Will testify at the trials.
*Fredericka Carol Wagner (76/now 82) – 6/26/19: Charges were dismissed without prejudice.

 

[arielilane]

Wednesday, September 4, 2024

@pattinewberry

George “Billy” Wagner III is once again asking for his case in the #PikeCountyMassacre case to be moved. The last defendant in the 2016 killings of a Pike County family argues he needs to be tried outside Pike County to seat "a jury untainted by pre-trial publicity.” 1/10



Publicity in the case is “so pervasive and prejudicial that an attempt to seat a jury would be a vain act,” a motion filed Tuesday in Pike County's Common Pleas Court says. A Google search on “George Billy Wagner” yields close to 1.9 million results, the filing says. 2/10


The change of venue motion suggests Columbus as a better site for Wagner’s trial, with a larger population as a jury pool and potential jurors “far-removed from the pervasive media coverage” of Wagner’s case and that of his family. 3/10


Pike County visiting Judge R. Alan Corbin rejected Wagner’s earlier change of venue motion in November 2023. Visiting Judge Jonathan P. Hein took the case this May, becoming the third judge in the case. 4/10


Hein will oversee the 18th hearing in Wagner’s case on Thursday in Pike County. Last month, he said he would soon begin dealing with pending motions. 5/10


Wagner, who has been held in the Butler County jail since his arrest in 2018, will not attend this week hearing, per order of the judge. “The pre-trial does not require the defendant’s attendance,” he said in a motion of his own. 6/10


In a related matter, Wagner’s youngest son, Edward “Jake” Wagner is now jailed in Ohio’s Gallia County, located on the West Virginia border. He was moved there from Franklin County Aug. 15. 7/10


A Franklin County booking/release document notes that the younger Wagner was to be kept separate from fellow inmate David Keith Rhoden. Seven members of Rhoden’s extended family and one future member were killed in the 2016 Pike County crimes. 8/10


The younger Wagner admitted to killing five of the eight 2016 victims and will be sentenced to an Ohio prison after his father’s trial. Billy Wagner’s older son, George Wagner IV, was convicted on the same 22 counts Billy Wagner will face in a trial set to start Jan. 6. 9/10


Billy Wagner photo by Liz Dufour, @Enquirer, who will join me for Thursday's hearing. 10/10

 

[Niner]

well - I am not coming up with any current articles on what happened yesterday.... And no court docket update either.
Anyone know if he got his change of venue granted? TIA!

 

[Seattle1]

well - I am not coming up with any current articles on what happened yesterday.... And no court docket update either.
Anyone know if he got his change of venue granted? TIA!

I found a few comments made after the hearing which at the Court's discretion, GW3 did not attend (Judge cited costs and safety). Judge Hein met with the attorneys privately for 90 mins and the public hearing only lasted about 10 minutes. Sounds like housekeeping stuff to be ready for trial. JMO

https://twitter.com/x/status/1831788743407370663

Collins said he’d also like the court to remove death as a possible penalty early in the case, in the event that Wagner is convicted. “We’re always trying to take it off the table early,” he said. 6/10
1:17 PM · Sep 5, 2024

After the hearing, Wagner attorney Mark Collins said his client remains opposed to the use of “other acts” at trial. “What’s relevant is what happened, what happened right before and what happened right after.” 5/10
1:17 PM · Sep 5, 2024

Hein has set monthly hearings in the case through the anticipated Jan. 6 start. 10/10
1:17 PM · Sep 5, 2024

Hein also wants prosecution and defense attorneys to work together on questions they will put to potential jurors in the case, and both sides to winnow motions to the most “substantive and necessary.” 4/10
1:17 PM · Sep 5, 2024

1.) What evidence of “other acts” (meaning other crimes or wrongdoing) they want to use in trial; 2.) who they want to testify; 3.) how many trial days they anticipate and 4.) their POV on moving the trial to another venue, which Wagner requested this week. 3/10
1:17 PM · Sep 5, 2024

Visiting Pike County Common Pleas Judge Jonathan P. Hein met privately with attorneys in the case for 90 minutes to review pending motions. In a public hearing of less than 10 minutes, he asked prosecutors to return to court Oct. 7 with information on four key topics: 2/10
1:17 PM · Sep 5, 2024

 

[rescuemom]

Having followed this case from day 1 and being addicted to anything I could find through the couple of years until the arrests, the GW4 trial, et all, what are your general thoughts of what can/will be different? What is defense strategy? Will the other 3 testify? Will cameras be allowed and will we see the testimony of the other 3 this time? What is your opinion of this judge? It's time to be over and done!!