OH - Pike County: 8 people from one family dead as police hunt for killer(s) #2

[Lalalacasbah]

I can't say that I'm totally sold on this being a cartel connected hit, but I can't rule it out.

The scale of this action leads me away from thinking a cartel was directly involved. Too big, too "loud," too much interest by the public was inevitable on this scale.

I can't think of any comparable cartel actions within the US, but I'm looking.

On the other hand, if it was cartel directed, it would certainly send a loud message.

It is not a stretch to say that a cartel could and would perform extensive surveillance prior to taking action.

Two cartel contracted operatives go on trial tomorrow (Monday) in federal court in Fort Worth for their role in a cartel hit in Southlake, Texas. Their role was surveillance.





http://interactives.dallasnews.com/2016/chapa/

(The linked article is Part 2 of a fascinating account of how actions and counteractioms can play between cartels and US law enforcement efforts.)

That is an example of how a cartel hit took place in the US.

The target in that case was a key player in the cartels, whereas the Ohio murders would only be smaller cogs in the machine if they were cartel connected.

Considering what was said today about the planned nature of these murders, I am inclined to think they are related to the growing operation rather than a crime of passion related to personal relationships.

This was about business -- the business of money.

Shatter is a concentrated form of THC that is in fact smoked. There is a huge market for it and the product is legal in Colorado, Washington, and elsewhere. Production methods can be dicey if people are careless and/or don't know what they're doing.

It's possible that this family's operation included shatter production and that they could be the people involved in the disrupted mail delivery.

We kid ourselves when we think we are shielded from the nature of drug cartels simply because we are on this side of the border.

They operate in the US less in the open than in Mexico, and usually behind other forms of drug trafficking organizations. The easiest way to find them is to look beyond and behind every drug trafficking operation. They're almost always there.

The question for me is whether a drug cartel would go this bold over a cannabis operation. I'm inclined to think not, but they might be willing to do so to send a message to US law enforcement regarding the broader drug wars.

Similar thoughts for me... I actually questioned my spouse tonight - would Mexican cartels really be this loud over a pot grow-up?

I could see coke, heroin, the "bigger" stuff and don't get me wrong I know pot is huge coin as well but I don't know….this family just doesn't seem sophisticated enough to be tied to big-wig cartels, they seem low on the totem pole for the cartels to worry about unless *maybe* there was some CI stuff going on with the FBI, but IIRC no mention of FBI/DEA involvement.

Again, I'm not very versed in what's happening in this part of the US and as some posters have mentioned, it's a hotbed for all kinds of stuff maybe even cartel connections.

 

[PigPong]

I'm not a pot grower, but isn't it a bit too early in the season for there to be any actual plants growing outside? Especially in Ohio?

I agree. I think the wooded areas search is just to make sure nothing is missed.

 

[creepcrusher]

Does LE have to mention whether FBI/DEA is involved? I was just wondering if there are cases where they wouldn't want to mention this to the public just yet. I'm clueless on that issue.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jenves]

http://m.clevescene.com/scene-and-h...n-drug-cartels-are-running-weed-farms-in-ohio

http://www.10tv.com/content/stories...s-deputies-take-down-mexican-drug-cartel.html

http://www.10tv.com/content/stories...p-suspect-claims-to-work-for-drug-cartel.html

I believe this area of Ohio is popular with cartels because of State Route 32-JMO.
I lived and worked off of 32 for 14 years.

 

[Lalalacasbah]

http://m.clevescene.com/scene-and-h...n-drug-cartels-are-running-weed-farms-in-ohio

http://www.10tv.com/content/stories...s-deputies-take-down-mexican-drug-cartel.html

http://www.10tv.com/content/stories...p-suspect-claims-to-work-for-drug-cartel.html

I believe this area of Ohio is popular with cartels because of State Route 32-JMO.
I lived and worked off of 32 for 14 years.

It seems this does happen, but from the article it sounds like the cartels employ their trusted own maybe(?) Hard to say though, as there's isn't lots of info (BBM)

"...the powerful Mexican cartels are now sneaking in their own guys, finding rural plots of land in California, and growing the product there on site. Give the guys an AK47, tell any hikers who happen by to beat it fast"

"The state found a camp in Pike County comprised of about 1,200 plants. After raiding the site, officials say it looks like the area had been inhabited by Mexican nationals. No one was arrested."

"Keep in mind, this isn’t the small-weight mom-and-pop growers with an operation in the basement we hear about on the local news occasionally. This is serious amount of weed controlled by the big guns. "

I will eat my words if cartels are involved but this family does sound a little bit like mom-and-pop shop even though MSM described as a sophisticated grow-up. Argh, wish we knew more details!

 

[Lalalacasbah]

http://m.clevescene.com/scene-and-h...n-drug-cartels-are-running-weed-farms-in-ohio

http://www.10tv.com/content/stories...s-deputies-take-down-mexican-drug-cartel.html

http://www.10tv.com/content/stories...p-suspect-claims-to-work-for-drug-cartel.html

I believe this area of Ohio is popular with cartels because of State Route 32-JMO.
I lived and worked off of 32 for 14 years.

Just curious your insight since you're familiar with that area, did you ever notice anything out of the ordinary or who "drug related" people were? Or are things pretty quiet?

I live in a small city in Canada but have also lived in a medium sized town, and in both places people usually know the drug neighborhood/areas, and sometimes people are known even though it's "quiet".

 

[jenves]

It seems this does happen, but from the article it sounds like the cartels employ their trusted own maybe(?) Hard to say though, as there's isn't lots of info (BBM)

"...the powerful Mexican cartels are now sneaking in their own guys, finding rural plots of land in California, and growing the product there on site. Give the guys an AK47, tell any hikers who happen by to beat it fast"

"The state found a camp in Pike County comprised of about 1,200 plants. After raiding the site, officials say it looks like the area had been inhabited by Mexican nationals. No one was arrested."

"Keep in mind, this isn’t the small-weight mom-and-pop growers with an operation in the basement we hear about on the local news occasionally. This is serious amount of weed controlled by the big guns. "

I will eat my words if cartels are involved but this family does sound a little bit like mom-and-pop shop even though MSM described as a sophisticated grow-up. Argh, wish we knew more details!

Here is the thing people don't realize about growing pot. Growing it well requires A LOT of electricity. It's not uncommon for people to get caught because the electric company alerts the police to any major, not normal spike in electricity usage during non peak hours. I agree they seem to lack the sophistication to have a successful grow spot, but we have to remind ourselves...they weren't caught. Their operation was discovered after the fact. So either they are more savvy than it appears or they had outside help. JMO

 

[jenves]

Just curious your insight since you're familiar with that area, did you ever notice anything out of the ordinary or who "drug related" people were? Or are things pretty quiet?

I live in a small city in Canada but have also lived in a medium sized town, and in both places people usually know the drug neighborhood/areas, and sometimes people are known even though it's "quiet".

Heroin = major drug issue in this area. It's cheaper to get Heroin than buy a 6 pack of beer. Huge epidemic of heroin babies in a county to the west of Pike Co. They didn't have enough foster homes for all the babies being born.

I'm betting the fact that they had a grow shop will be a huge surprise to the community.

Like any small town, people will always have suspicions about so and so...they do drugs or they sell drugs. Unfortunately, it's becoming so common it is becoming harder to tell.

 

[jennapuppy]

Here is the thing people don't realize about growing pot. Growing it well requires A LOT of electricity. It's not uncommon for people to get caught because the electric company alerts the police to any major, not normal spike in electricity usage during non peak hours. I agree they seem to lack the sophistication to have a successful grow spot, but we have to remind ourselves...they weren't caught. Their operation was discovered after the fact. So either they are more savvy than it appears or they had outside help. JMO

LE described the murders as a "sophisticated operation", so that implies organized crime/career criminals were involved IMO.

 

[Starry Night]

LE described the murders as a "sophisticated operation", so that implies organized crime/career criminals were involved IMO.

Do you mind posting a link where LE said that-I am far behind in this event. Thanks.

(Wow-a Cartel without borders is a scary thing.)

 

[edithkeeler]

Do you mind posting a link where LE said that-I am far behind in this event. Thanks.

Here, for example.

"This was a pre-planned execution of eight individuals," DeWine said. "It was a sophisticated operation."

 

[Ellmau]

I wonder if cousin Gary from Kentucky was the Ohio family's link to distributors?

 

[Starry Night]

Here, for example.

Thanks EK.
Horrendous. It might take LE some time to find actual killers/hitmen.

 

[winterrose]

These killers weren't being compassionate leaving the kids. If this was preplanned they could've done it while Hanna was still in the hospital, and not even went to Frankie's. This was all done for effect and a message to other dealers and/or law enforcement. It made it worse, and more National news, because the kids were there. This would've went down as a family killed and they had a pot farm, would've faded in the media like Candy Newsome and her daughter's execution, but the media was all over it, because kids were there and esp a mother with a new baby was killed.

As the Sheriff and AG said, "This was a pre-planned execution. It was a sophisticated operation and whoever is responsible did everything they could to hinder the investigation and prosecution. This is not a case of a "mad person" who's done this." They would only know that, because they know the kind of people they're dealing with and what operation they have going on there. These killers went after a family that everyone knows in the county and surrounding area. Between Candy Newsome and her daughter being killed, and the Rhoden family they're speaking to Ohio and their competition.

Maybe this is even a message to local and Govt LE if they know there's an operation in coordinating counties to stop the cartel. JMO Actually that's something I've not thought of before today.

 

[DeDee]

Respectfully snipped for focus

It has never been stated by anyone in LE that any of the victims were beaten.

During the first 911 call, the lady caller says not once but twice that her brother-in-law looked like he had the He!! beat out him.

"In a 911 call following the shootings, a woman sounded out of breath as she frantically told a dispatcher, 'I think my brother-in-law's dead ... There's blood all over the house.'

'There's 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,' she said.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...tyle-massacre-eight-people.html#ixzz46p9s6Uqu


LEO is not going to confirm many details for us at all although I have no reason to believe the female caller did not see more a beating on her brother-in-law's body than gunshot wounds.

 

[Starry Night]

These killers weren't being compassionate leaving the kids. If this was preplanned they could've done it while Hanna was still in the hospital, and not even went to Frankie's. This was all done for effect and a message to other dealers and/or law enforcement. It made it worse, and more National news, because the kids were there. This would've went down as a family killed and they had a pot farm, would've faded in the media like Candy Newsome and her daughter's execution, but the media was all over it, because kids were there and esp a mother with a new baby was killed.

As the Sheriff and AG said, "This was a pre-planned execution. It was a sophisticated operation and whoever is responsible did everything they could to hinder the investigation and prosecution. This is not a case of a "mad person" who's done this." They would only know that, because they know the kind of people they're dealing with and what operation they have going on there. These killers went after a family that everyone knows in the county and surrounding area. Between Candy Newsome and her daughter being killed, and the Rhoden family they're speaking to Ohio and their competition.

Maybe this is even a message to local and Govt LE if they know there's an operation in coordinating counties to stop the cartel. JMO Actually that's something I've not thought of before today.

Good God Winterrose. Spoken in Plain Language massacre. What kind of evil drives the drug trade? Love of money-power-revenge-violence etc.? That is the epitome of the reason for the fight against drugs-the peripheral crimes.
I fear it is only going to become worse. Although how could it get worse than this devastation of a family of generations.

 

[Sleepyface]

Perhaps the sheriff wasn't stretching the truth about knowing the Rhodens legally - the article about the previous uncovered grow & ongoing investigation into it, stated the wife of the recipient picked up the parcel.
I'm struggling with the family dynamics, but believe the only married Rhodens named in MSM were actually divorced and living separately. I'm UK based so not sure of US postal regulations, but here, an ex wife living at a different address could not legally have taken receipt of that parcel.

 

[winterrose]

Good God Winterrose. Spoken in Plain Language massacre. What kind of evil drives the drug trade? Love of money-power-revenge-violence etc.? That is the epitome of the reason for the fight against drugs-the peripheral crimes.
I fear it is only going to become worse. Although how could it get worse than this devastation of a family of generations.

I know, and I hope this story doesn't fade, and people start speaking out all over the country. We're just reading about it, and it's not really sinking in, because we have no visual. I can't imagine family members who found them, and the officers that came onscene. When I see the Sheriff speak, I can see in his face and demeanor it's hit him to the core. I've never heard LE tell the public to arm themselves, that should be a wakeup call as to what they're dealing with there.

 

[Babyfacemagee]

The line "There's blood all over the house." also seems to support him being beaten. If it had just been a gunshot to the head you wouldn't expect there to be blood 'all over the house'. Perhaps he was the central target...and was beaten/tortured before being killed and the rest of the family taken out as payback or to send a message to the greater community. It'll be very interesting when more information is actually released about specifics at the crime scenes. There's probably a lot LE is not making public at this point that will make sense once we find out all of the crime scene details.

 

[Starry Night]

I think the local cops must be shaken to the core. This story has not really even sunken into my mind yet.
All the hallmarks of organized crime-no matter what the british rags are saying about a 3000 demolition derby car. How ridiculous. Why would the press even suggest that??? Makes the town sound redneck or whatever.
I am venting because I am scared now. I rent a room from an older woman (age 79!) who is HOOKED on Oxycontin and has Fentanyl patches, and the so-called relatives I have seen of her are all unemployed, desperate for money and I suspect sell drugs. You better believe me when I say I sleep with an open window and keep my ID in my sox.
Drug issues are local-who would think a sweet little old lady (my landlady) is hooked on drugs?