OH - Pike County: 8 people from one family dead as police hunt for killer(s) - #30

[pearl]

Someone inside the trailers already would solve the dog issue and the no sign of forced entry.

 

[Betty P]

I agree, the paid murder of Dan Markel in Florida appears to have cost at least $100,000: the driver was promised $35,000, the woman who was the go-between got about $60,000, I haven't seen what the shooter was paid.

That was the classic modus operandi for a paid hit: the victim was followed driving his car, when he pulled into his somewhat secluded driveway the shooter ran up, shot point blank, ran back into his car and the driver took off. If you're willing to kill just for money, that's how you do it. Keep it simple and make sure you can get away quickly.

Even so, the killers of Dan Markel weren't 'professional' hit men, they were just guys with criminal records willing to do it for money, who were hired through personal connections. They weren't advertising themselves as hitmen for hire.

That was a risky plan for them. Not surprising they weren't professionals. The killers of the Rhoden family knew to strike in the middle of the night, when everyone would be asleep. They struck in the late hours before dawn, when most people are likely to be asleep and few people would be on the roads. They likely had experience and were called in because they could do the job without leaving evidence behind. And who better to watch the families and report to the killers than someone in local LE?

As someone else pointed out, the Rhodens were a small time grow-op. They weren't likely killed for drugs or money, but because they represented a danger to big time operators in the area. Early on, speculation was that they were working with LE (possibly Feds?). The murders were also meant to send a big message to many people that this group was in charge, they were exerting their power. Somehow the W family may be tied up with this group. I've always wondered if part of the conflict surrounding the Rhodens murders was between local/state LE & bigwigs and federal LE.

 

[Betty P]

Someone inside the trailers already would solve the dog issue and the no sign of forced entry.

Or the killers came dressed as LE. Not an unusual ploy and one that's been used in this area before. If someone comes to your door in the early morning hours with weapons drawn and dressed as an LEO or even a SWAT team, you'll call off the dogs and won't go for your weapon.

Someone powerful with lots of resources likely spared no expense in these murders.

JMO

ETA: Adding clarification that someone could have dressed as a tactical LE team, not that an acutal SWAT team showed up.

 

[Satchie]

That was a risky plan for them. Not surprising they weren't professionals. The killers of the Rhoden family knew to strike in the middle of the night, when everyone would be asleep. They struck in the late hours before dawn, when most people are likely to be asleep and few people would be on the roads. They likely had experience and were called in because they could do the job without leaving evidence behind. And who better to watch the families and report to the killers than someone in local LE?

As someone else pointed out, the Rhodens were a small time grow-op. They weren't likely killed for drugs or money, but because they represented a danger to big time operators in the area. Early on, speculation was that they were working with LE (possibly Feds?). The murders were also meant to send a big message to many people that this group was in charge, they were exerting their power. Somehow the W family may be tied up with this group. I've always wondered if part of the conflict surrounding the Rhodens murders was between local/state LE & bigwigs and federal LE.

I was citing that case because it's the one case I've read of a confirmed paid hit. Are there cases you can point to where a professional hit team has operated as you describe?

 

[Dudly]

Agree. They either called in the hit or they passed along information to people more powerful who made the call.
Those same locals probably passed along the necessary information about the families that a hit squad would need to plan the whole thing. A LOT of planning likely went into these killings. As the former DEA agent said early on, someone likely watched them in the weeks ahead, figuring out when they got up, went to bed, went to work, etc.

Even though the killings were done in 4 different homes, with multiple victims at each, not one person was able to grab their cell phone to call 911. Many of the victims were very active on social media. They slept with their cell phones nearby. Those killers got "lucky" 4 times in a row in 4 different homes, within a short period of time.

Also, as far as we know, no victim was able to shoot back. CRSr, GR, FR and KR likely slept with guns by their beds, due to the nature of the business they were in. Not one was able to return fire. CRSr fought back, was badly beaten, but where was his gun? How was he not able to get to his gun to use it?

We don't know if he did. Remember there were two types of shell casings. Maybe some were from CR1's gun. He even may have hit one of the intruders. We just do not know....

 

[Dudly]

I just do not see CR1 & KR as big threats to the drug business, nor do I see them as major growers. I think they had a bunch of seedlings, started inside, and were going to sex them as they grew, so that would take down the number that they had, in the end. Hence, start more seedlings. Look at what has been busted around them. These folks have to know these big operations are around. I never sold drugs but, in my running days, I knew who did. There was more than enough turf for everyone even in my small town. I'll admit, they did bust a couple who surprised me, but, most folks who get out and about, know or at the very least, suspect, who is at the top of the food chain. The top of the food chain isn't worrying about pot growers. It's cheap and you have a select clientele, if you deal only in pot. We've not seen slaughters of any major pot growers, but we've seen arrests.

One of my theories, still, is that, possibly, the Rs got too close to an old friend in wolf's clothing (and employer) and found out too much, and, may have pushed to get a piece of their pie (or else). The Rs ended up getting the "or esle" though. That individual has fingers in a whole bunch of pies and flaunts a s/o, while I'm pretty sure that person is married. The person is into car lots, a campground, music, other LLCs w/other folks, and seems to be other ventures. All the killers needed is some practice, driving around the countryside, if they weren't from here, and maybe a familiar face, getting inside (and the trail cams, if in fact there were actual trail cams). As for a hired killer, I doubt they'd have to look too far beyond their own contacts and/or business partners. A campground with empty cabins. :thinking: What a perfect place to have visitors drop in to enjoy the beauty of Appalachia. Dude gives off a sketchy vibe to me.

Those business you mention would be a good way to laundry money. There could be empty cabins and campsites that were paid for on the books, etc...The car lot could have been making way more money that those supplying the cars which could cause friction. Buy cheap show inflated selling prices to cover extra income, etc..
T

 

[Betty P]

I was citing that case because it's the one case I've read of a confirmed paid hit. Are there cases you can point to where a professional hit team has operated as you describe?

Well, it was a ruse used often by the Mafia in the US and in Italy.

Here's a case of two New York policemen who worked as Mafia hitmen during the 1980's and 90's

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...uble-lives-as-mafia-hitmen-jailed-481252.html

Two former New York City policemen were sentenced to life in prison yesterday by a federal judge who told the guilty pair that by moonlighting for the Mafia while wearing their shields they had committed "probably the most heinous series of crimes ever tried in this courthouse".

The St Valentine's Day Massacre in Chicago was committed by mobsters dressed as police

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Valentine's_Day_Massacre

Here's a video of Mexican policemen working for a cartel pretending to arrest men who were later assassinated

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37UXUgydfs4

Here's an article about Mexican cartels paying US servicemen to assassinate enemies

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nat...hire-u-s-soldiers-assassins-article-1.1454851

Here's a list of high profile cases where killers dressed as cops. The most recent case is one followed here where someone dressed as a cop in tactical gear killed Missy Bevers.

https://www.ranker.com/list/pretend-cops/christopher-shultz

It's not an uncommon tactic and not difficult to pull off.

 

[Nickandnora]

I agree, the paid murder of Dan Markel in Florida appears to have cost at least $100,000: the driver was promised $35,000, the woman who was the go-between got about $60,000, I haven't seen what the shooter was paid.

That was the classic modus operandi for a paid hit: the victim was followed driving his car, when he pulled into his somewhat secluded driveway the shooter ran up, shot point blank, ran back into his car and the driver took off. If you're willing to kill just for money, that's how you do it. Keep it simple and make sure you can get away quickly.

Even so, the killers of Dan Markel weren't 'professional' hit men, they were just guys with criminal records willing to do it for money, who were hired through personal connections. They weren't advertising themselves as hitmen for hire.

The Toronto one went along the same line shooter had criminal record, he parked down the st from victims office and when the victim appeared the shooter ran after him and shot. It was during his escape someone got a couple of numbers of his plate and obviously the make of car.

 

[Nickandnora]

If the murders were a hired hit, the killers did not necessarily have to get cash. If a hit, the killers could have done the murders to settle a debt of their own. I just don't think these murders were hired. What I keep coming back to is that Chris Sr's branch of the family tree, except for the 4 grandchildren, was wiped out.

It would be a huge debt to eliminate 8 people or one of a lot of hatred. I am stuck on elimination of Chris Srs branch of the family also. Hatred and revenge is the strong point in my thinking, and the family all knew what it was, that is why they all had to go. Kenneth would of known who did this that is why he had to go also
I think if and when this is solved the tentacles are going to reach a lot of people. Pain clinics, car lots, big bl, nursing homes, I keep coming back to the post office huge pkg of pot then the shatter labs. Two people were arrested but nothing ever came of it apparently 1 fellow was the son of someone high up in Piketon I guess the old it’s who you know theory works here.

 

[Betty P]

It would be a huge debt to eliminate 8 people or one of a lot of hatred. I am stuck on elimination of Chris Srs branch of the family also. Hatred and revenge is the strong point in my thinking, and the family all knew what it was, that is why they all had to go. Kenneth would of known who did this that is why he had to go also
I think if and when this is solved the tentacles are going to reach a lot of people. Pain clinics, car lots, big bl, nursing homes, I keep coming back to the post office huge pkg of pot then the shatter labs. Two people were arrested but nothing ever came of it apparently 1 fellow was the son of someone high up in Piketon I guess the old it’s who you know theory works here.

Agree. If CRSr was going to talk to LE or something similar, it was going to set off a big domino effect that would expose a lot of the underground economy and organized crime in the region. For whatever reason, he was a major threat to some very powerful people. Many would have gone to jail and seen their fortunes evaporate. Any family member who had any knowledge of CRSr & KR's connections was a threat. Someone with some power went to a great deal of time, expense and risk to get kill them. It was a very big risk that someone was willing to take, someone who knew who to call to get the job done.

 

[Betty P]

This is interesting, not sure if it's related, but... Hadsell Chemical, the bankrupt company in Waverly where PCSO originally rented space for storage of the Rhoden family trailers. They're now being sued by the SEC for falsely promising investors that they had contracts to produce cannabis oil. Another domino?

https://www.sec.gov/litigation/complaints/2017/comp23835.pdf

The SEC's complaint, filed in federal court in southern Ohio, alleges that Robert Walton, Jr. of Loveland, Ohio, and Hadsell Chemical Processing, LLC, a chemical processing company located in Waverly, Ohio, made material misrepresentations to 65 investors in connection with the offer and sale of approximately $12 million of promissory notes and also failed to register the notes with the SEC. According to the complaint, from approximately April 2012 through October 2015, Hadsell Chemical and Walton told investors that their investments were guaranteed, that Hadsell Chemical had received multi-million dollar contracts from customers, and that Hadsell Chemical was profitable. The complaint alleges that none of these statements were true. The SEC also alleges that Walton created fake purchase orders and falsified financial statements from Hadsell Chemical, which he gave to investors. And, the SEC alleges that, from January through at least August 2015, Walton told investors that $1.2 million of their money would be used to buy part of a business selling topical ointments containing cannabis. Walton allegedly provided only approximately $300,000 to that business and did not receive any ownership of the business. He allegedly used the rest of the money - $900,000 - for other business expenses.

ETA: I still think this may possibly be somehow related to some investors who were hoping MJ would be legalized in Ohio. It had recently been defeated in a referendum before the murders. Laws to pass medical MJ were quickly rushed through the Ohio legislature a few months after the murders.

Maybe some MJ investors were already investing in the illegal trade, but were pushing to make it legal.

May not be related, but some of the original investors in Hadsell were physicians from the greater Columbus, OH area. Either way, they had to have heard the promises from Hadsell that they had contracts secured to produce cannabis oil as part of their sales pitch.

 

[rsd1200]

I have thought this since this happened. An out of state, or even out of country, squad could have been given addresses, etc.. They could look them up on Google Maps and get the layout of the roads and see what the properties look like. They could get directions and drive times from house to house from there, too. They could get info from Facebook pages, also. This info could have been provided by someone in a large organization that has gotten involved in local "businesses" to give feed back to the large organization as to competition and/or possible problems that might disrupt things. The killers could have been out of state by the time anyone was discovered. They made absolutely sure no one would survive with the multiple head shots. The only exception to that was KR and I'm not convinced that was not an unrelated crime committed by someone who knew the others were going to happen, or did happen already. Remember, DS already knew the other murders had happened when he called the police to report KR was murdered.

The above are just rambling thoughts of mine and in no way based on facts.

I have a "dark" theory about the final R, who was found, but...TOS.

 

[rsd1200]

Out of town hit job was the theory of most (non Ohio) LE & professionals early in the investigation. Kind of a no-brainer considering the grow op and the prevalence of so much drug trafficking in that region. LE , most news media, etc. pushed the message that it was "locals". On social media, there's been a big push to frame the "family" network, but LE is having a difficult time selling that theory after so long.

I really think some folks thought everyone would forget about the story, but fortunately that hasn't happened. We need to push harder to see if we can get someone from outside Ohio to come in and do a story on the murders. Hard to do, I have a feeling some powerful people are warning them off, telling them it will interfere with the investigation, etc.

While it's not the mafia, nor the Mex Cartel, that's why I keep thinking of the dude from Ky., who is a poi in the murder of the Stykes girl, from OH. Folks like him, who, I'd think, would lack a conscience, can get a rep, in certain circles, for taking care of dirty deeds. It may not have been him, but I'm sure there's others within the OH, KY, and WV territories, who would.

 

[Betty P]

I have a "dark" theory about the final R, who was found, but...TOS.

Maybe the "out of towners" didn't realize they needed to kill KR, too, or their hired crew couldn't find his camper (it's pretty remote). Perhaps one of the locals was sent over to kill him.

ETA: We've tossed this theory around before here, in different scenarios. If it was an out of town hit squad, they may have been out of cell communication with anyone while the killings took place. Once they were finished, out of the area with evidence, clothes, weapons disposed of, they would have reported back. At that point, someone may have checked back with locals who said "KR needs to be killed, too". Crew is gone, so someone local goes in.

Ballistics and KR's time of death would give some indication if this were the case. Another reason for LE to keep this information secret. It could also make it easier to cherry pick evidence and make the case fit some locals instead of going after the whole enterprise.

 

[rsd1200]

Someone inside the trailers already would solve the dog issue and the no sign of forced entry.

It could be that someone knocked, and CR1 or GR, put the dogs out so they could meet with their company. I have company who are uncomfortable around my dogs, so I'll put them up. Could also be that CR1 just did so to give them a late night potty break but they never got brought back inside. KR's dog was still in his trailer (or at least I took it that way).

 

[rsd1200]

Those business you mention would be a good way to laundry money. There could be empty cabins and campsites that were paid for on the books, etc...The car lot could have been making way more money that those supplying the cars which could cause friction. Buy cheap show inflated selling prices to cover extra income, etc..
T

I don't know for sure but I think there may have been more than one car lot.

 

[Dudly]

Maybe the "out of towners" didn't realize they needed to kill KR, too, or their hired crew couldn't find his camper (it's pretty remote). Perhaps one of the locals was sent over to kill him.

ETA: We've tossed this theory around before here, in different scenarios. If it was an out of town hit squad, they may have been out of cell communication with anyone while the killings took place. Once they were finished, out of the area with evidence, clothes, weapons disposed of, they would have reported back. At that point, someone may have checked back with locals who said "KR needs to be killed, too". Crew is gone, so someone local goes in.

Ballistics and KR's time of death would give some indication if this were the case. Another reason for LE to keep this information secret. It could also make it easier to cherry pick evidence and make the case fit some locals instead of going after the whole enterprise.

An accurate time of death on all may be very telling. They may not want those known for that reason. I think they were working on making it fit some locals and it didn't work out the way they wanted it to work.

 

[Betty P]

While it's not the mafia, nor the Mex Cartel, that's why I keep thinking of the dude from Ky., who is a poi in the murder of the Stykes girl, from OH. Folks like him, who, I'd think, would lack a conscience, can get a rep, in certain circles, for taking care of dirty deeds. It may not have been him, but I'm sure there's others within the OH, KY, and WV territories, who would.

And as we've discussed before, there's the possibility of getting some team members with recent military experience.

 

[amauet1]

As i've mentioned before, could the Rhoden's have been caught up someway with one of these "Ohio Task Forces"? I think a lot of things have been going on behind the scenes for some years. I mean from the "general pubic" us. Things sure happened fast for this family! Could this have been a pro hit with local help? Again, the pro knew what was really going to happen, but the "help" didn't. Close friends or family had to be involved in order for the killer's to know were everyone would be and when. Some of us believe things were "staged". Could the actual murders have been also? Made to look like this was a very personal and vengeful act. All the trouble this family was having with "locals" sure helped the killers.
Can you imagine that you have been told your going in for a robbery, or to teach some of the Rhoden's a lesson or whatever reason it would take to get you to go. And people start to get killed? That would certainly keep any "helpers" mouth's shut!
Was the "Task Force" already going after "corruption" in Pike and surrounding counties?

 

[rsd1200]

As i've mentioned before, could the Rhoden's have been caught up someway with one of these "Ohio Task Forces"? I think a lot of things have been going on behind the scenes for some years. I mean from the "general pubic" us. Things sure happened fast for this family! Could this have been a pro hit with local help? Again, the pro knew what was really going to happen, but the "help" didn't. Close friends or family had to be involved in order for the killer's to know were everyone would be and when. Some of us believe things were "staged". Could the actual murders have been also? Made to look like this was a very personal and vengeful act. All the trouble this family was having with "locals" sure helped the killers.
Can you imagine that you have been told your going in for a robbery, or to teach some of the Rhoden's a lesson or whatever reason it would take to get you to go. And people start to get killed? That would certainly keep any "helpers" mouth's shut!
Was the "Task Force" already going after "corruption" in Pike and surrounding counties?

If they killed folks, and had a "helper" riding along, and the helper thought it was a robbery, or a beat down, b/c they were ticked at the family, is very different than consenting to what actually went down. I'd think that person would be totally freaked out. One murder would be horrible enough, but eight? One a child, and two teen mothers?! I'd be trying to remain calm to get out of there alive, but they were, according to law, guilty too, and would be put on trial if found out. If LE questioned them? They might break to save their own hide. Big liability.

Look at the Sievers case. The bf ultimately told his gf that he'd been a part of Sievers' murder. Iirc, Sievers hired his friend, to murder his wife, the friend then hired/brought the other guy to come along, and the other guy broke, and told his gf. Loose end.

In other words, the assailant(s) would have only used the "helper", so, if that person did not sign up for murder, I could visualize the assailant(s) deciding to tie up that loose end.