GUILTY OH - Pike Co - 8 in Rhoden Family Murdered - 4 Wagner Family Members Arrested #86
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BBM.
This concise statement from AC sums it up nicely. The Wagners were very intertwined and moved in lockstep. They were also very protective, I don't believe Angela and Jake would "throw George under the bus" if he had no involvement.
JMO.
James' tweets from the am.
Good morning from Pike Co. Wagner murder trial. Hoping this is the final stretch. Lawyers to finalize jury instructions today and then closing arguments are expected this morning. Jury will get instructions late today or early tomorrow. Deliberations could start Tuesday
We're on the record with Judge Deering taking the bench.
Judge has given draft of jury instructions to both sides as well as verdict forms to review tonight and finalize before giving them to jury tomorrow.
Judge Deering telling jury that the death penalty is "no longer possible in this case" and that they will not be sequestered. (It was lifted as part of plea deal with Jake Wagner if he testified)
Canepa starts by thanking jury for their time - saying it was the longest a jury has ever sat for a criminal case (in Ohio).
Apologizes for enourmous amount of evidence.
Canepa says jury should rely on their memories of what was presented in trial, especially if it doesn't match what she says in closings. Evidence will be on hand for them to look at whatever they want.
Canepa "eight innocent victims were slaughtered" for no good reason. Showing slides of victims starting with Frankie. "on brink of living the rest of his life”
Reason Frankie got death penalty? Kissing his niece on the lips and his possibility of figuring out the crime and getting revenge. They show a shot of him on screen dead in his bed.
Leads to another sidebar at the bench with defense objecting to showing his dead face on screen.
Now on to Hannah Hazel Gilley. Again shows her dead in bed. Only crime was being there that night
Canepa talking about Chris Sr. Lot to say about him. He was killed because he was patriarch of family - marijuana had nothing to do with it although it did distract the initial investigation.
Not showing the pictures on screen any more. Gary Rhoden was only one with drugs in system. "Again his crime was simply being there.”
We know why Kenneth was killed - the closeness had with brother Chris Sr and was very strong.
Going through all the victims - they waited until Dana Rhoden was home before going in. Now onto Hanna Rhoden - she refused to be manipulated by the wagners and sign paperwork. Little Chris - 16 years old.
Chris Jr - was killed in his sleep because Angela Wagner suspected he was abusing 2 year old "for bubble gum”
Canepa talking about women in Wagners' world and how they would try to manipulate them. Judge Deering calls both sides to bench for conference.
Now talking about the night Tabitha ran away. Recalling Hannah Rhoden's call to Chelsea and how she told Chelsea the Wagners threatened to cut her legs off if she ran away.
Leading up to the arrests, Wagners still working as a family to make sure Tabitha never gets visitation of her son with George Wagner.
Moving on to Hanna Rhoden's relationship with the Wagners as she lived with Jake and afterward.
Canepa: According to Wagners, if you're abused or molested and don't do anything about it, you're a danger to the young kids (George and Jake's son and daughter)
Now on timeline building up to the murders - starting with Facebook message from Hanna to Tabitha's mother "They'll have to kill me first" - soon after, purchases started planning for the crimes.
Canepa: "It's hard to imagine that eight people would lose their lives over such a flimsy reason. But it's true," and you heard it from the people who did it.
George "loses his mind" over getting Jake's new wife Beth Ann out of the house. Referring to the wiretaps in the truck. Tells jury to go back and listen to it saying "is it the demeanor or voice of anyone who would sit one out"
George even says he would protect Jake's daughter from Jake and Beth Ann himself. "They whip themselves into a frenzy"
Canepa painting George as part of the Wagners and quoting him "the family has spoken" when it came to Jake and Beth Ann's marriage.
Canepa: "There is nothing that happens in that household that isn't a family decision.”
Reminds jury hacking the Faceboook accounts of Tabitha and her mother was a crime - says jury will see it in the indictments. Says Wagners will rely on crime when necessary - talking about calling state police on Tabitha with a false report.
Another objection from defense to Canepa's use of "they and them" - overruled. Canepa says Jake George and Angela working together at the Peterson Rd. on everything "It was a family affair”
Canepa reminds jury they can use "other acts" evidence about "the awful way" to raise children - how they were taught to commit crimes and steal.
Shows behaviorial fingerprint - "operating as criminal enterprise" - another objection and another bench conference.
Canepa discusses complicity and how George can be found guilty of murder even if he didn't pull a trigger. Knew what was going to happen, aided and abetted and helped cover it up.
Discussing shoes as "strong circumstantial evidence." How BCI figured out what shoes they were, and that they had two different sizes.
"Thank goodness they wore two different size shoes that day" then they found the Walmart receipt in the Wagner trailers
Found 12 shell casings matching those at crime scene at Peterson Road. That gun killed five of the victims. Property deeded to both Jake and George
Canepa reviewing the photo of that gun 1911 Walther Colt .22 found on Jake's phone and gun list. And that George was a Glock guy. Now going on break for 15 minutes.
Starting a new thread for second morning session and prosecution closing arguments for Wagner Pike County murder trial
False stories told to lead investigators astray can be used as circumstantial evidence. How Wagners said relationship b/w Jake and Hanna were great when they weren't
Tattoos can be used as circumstantial evidence. All three men get them June 2016 - Billy got scorpion on trigger finger. Boonedocks movie clip as well
Canepa says it's "suspicious" a tattoo with 8 ball (8 victims) as well as skull and crossbones and just three aces.
Also strong circumstantial - the silencer recovered at the Peterson Rd farm with all the parts BCI found the Wagners bought before the murders
Burned up DVR also strong circumstantial evidence - why put it up for just a month and get a 3-year warranty for it and then later burn it up?
Canepa also says forged custody documents that were backdated also strong circumstantial evidence, as well as surveillance video of the roads in the area of crime scene showing vehicles passing in night.
Now onto direct evidence - specifically testimony from those who were there. But they need to be treated as accomplices. Brings out the pirate analogy again but need to regard testimony with "grave suspicion"
Jake was telling them the truth about something - led them to concrete buckets with the murder weapons inside - also gave them truck that was used
Talks about how Billy Wagner showed up at his brother's house the morning of murders before sunrise to give his niece the truck.
Angela corroborates what Jake said even though she was not provided her son's statements. Still doesn't have it.
Reminds jury of when Angela testified George told her one of the bloody footprints was his and that he wanted to smear it out but father Billy said don't worry about it and come on.
George also wanted Angela to have the best lawyer so she can get out and take care of kids.
Canepa: "The reason they both say the same thing is because they are both telling the truth." And that this isn't the "deal of the century" - the Rhoden family agreed to deal because they wanted to know what happened and hold everyone accountable
Jake wasn't telling us what we wanted to hear. Told us much more than we knew at the time. Including the order of the killings. Made all the pieces make sense.
"Yes, take what he said with grave suspicion. We did." But everything he said was corroborated by evidence in hand and new evidence gathered
Another strong point so far talking about Angela: "George was her son ... why would you say George was involved if George wasn't involved?" Same thing for Jake
Canepa says prosecution agreed to deal after consulting with victims' family including removing death penalty if Jake testified. Asks why would he do that? Wanted to get his family out of trouble not into ... and wanted one last hug from his family before going to prison
Jake and Angela answered all the questions, but "I got a whole lot of I don't remembers out of George Wagner"
Canepa: What did Jake give us regarding George's involvement? George helped make false bed in truck. Billy told George to shoot Chris Sr in the head from a distance. George got into the bed to go up to Union Hill Rd as well
Canepa says it makes sense George would have SKS rifle - Jake found it unreliable. And that George didn't shoot when supposed to - Jake still doesn't know why.
Walking through the killings now. And how Billy was having "nervous breakdown"
Both Jake and George's prints were in Chris Sr's house and Billy's back was injured. And somehow bodies were moved inside - George was best candidate for making that happen
Jake testified George was in Crime Scene 3 as well ... shoeprint in that house too size 11 - pointed toward Chris Jr room. George was lookout.
On to how George and Jake would try to mislead agents on while being listened to on wiretaps. Called the gun inventory "wish list”
George told people not to talk to BCI, and had an alibi at the border that matched everyone else’s
Corroborated by Angela and Jake as well. Also talked about how George went along with the fake custody documents - on lunch break until 1:30.
Good morning from Pike Co. Wagner murder trial. Hoping this is the final stretch. Lawyers to finalize jury instructions today and then closing arguments are expected this morning. Jury will get instructions late today or early tomorrow. Deliberations could start Tuesday
We're on the record with Judge Deering taking the bench.
Judge has given draft of jury instructions to both sides as well as verdict forms to review tonight and finalize before giving them to jury tomorrow.
Judge Deering telling jury that the death penalty is "no longer possible in this case" and that they will not be sequestered. (It was lifted as part of plea deal with Jake Wagner if he testified)
Canepa starts by thanking jury for their time - saying it was the longest a jury has ever sat for a criminal case (in Ohio).
Apologizes for enourmous amount of evidence.
Canepa says jury should rely on their memories of what was presented in trial, especially if it doesn't match what she says in closings. Evidence will be on hand for them to look at whatever they want.
Canepa "eight innocent victims were slaughtered" for no good reason. Showing slides of victims starting with Frankie. "on brink of living the rest of his life”
Reason Frankie got death penalty? Kissing his niece on the lips and his possibility of figuring out the crime and getting revenge. They show a shot of him on screen dead in his bed.
Leads to another sidebar at the bench with defense objecting to showing his dead face on screen.
Now on to Hannah Hazel Gilley. Again shows her dead in bed. Only crime was being there that night
Canepa talking about Chris Sr. Lot to say about him. He was killed because he was patriarch of family - marijuana had nothing to do with it although it did distract the initial investigation.
Not showing the pictures on screen any more. Gary Rhoden was only one with drugs in system. "Again his crime was simply being there.”
We know why Kenneth was killed - the closeness had with brother Chris Sr and was very strong.
Going through all the victims - they waited until Dana Rhoden was home before going in. Now onto Hanna Rhoden - she refused to be manipulated by the wagners and sign paperwork. Little Chris - 16 years old.
Chris Jr - was killed in his sleep because Angela Wagner suspected he was abusing 2 year old "for bubble gum”
Canepa talking about women in Wagners' world and how they would try to manipulate them. Judge Deering calls both sides to bench for conference.
Now talking about the night Tabitha ran away. Recalling Hannah Rhoden's call to Chelsea and how she told Chelsea the Wagners threatened to cut her legs off if she ran away.
Leading up to the arrests, Wagners still working as a family to make sure Tabitha never gets visitation of her son with George Wagner.
Moving on to Hanna Rhoden's relationship with the Wagners as she lived with Jake and afterward.
Canepa: According to Wagners, if you're abused or molested and don't do anything about it, you're a danger to the young kids (George and Jake's son and daughter)
Now on timeline building up to the murders - starting with Facebook message from Hanna to Tabitha's mother "They'll have to kill me first" - soon after, purchases started planning for the crimes.
Canepa: "It's hard to imagine that eight people would lose their lives over such a flimsy reason. But it's true," and you heard it from the people who did it.
George "loses his mind" over getting Jake's new wife Beth Ann out of the house. Referring to the wiretaps in the truck. Tells jury to go back and listen to it saying "is it the demeanor or voice of anyone who would sit one out"
George even says he would protect Jake's daughter from Jake and Beth Ann himself. "They whip themselves into a frenzy"
Canepa painting George as part of the Wagners and quoting him "the family has spoken" when it came to Jake and Beth Ann's marriage.
Canepa: "There is nothing that happens in that household that isn't a family decision.”
Reminds jury hacking the Faceboook accounts of Tabitha and her mother was a crime - says jury will see it in the indictments. Says Wagners will rely on crime when necessary - talking about calling state police on Tabitha with a false report.
Another objection from defense to Canepa's use of "they and them" - overruled. Canepa says Jake George and Angela working together at the Peterson Rd. on everything "It was a family affair”
Canepa reminds jury they can use "other acts" evidence about "the awful way" to raise children - how they were taught to commit crimes and steal.
Shows behaviorial fingerprint - "operating as criminal enterprise" - another objection and another bench conference.
Canepa discusses complicity and how George can be found guilty of murder even if he didn't pull a trigger. Knew what was going to happen, aided and abetted and helped cover it up.
Discussing shoes as "strong circumstantial evidence." How BCI figured out what shoes they were, and that they had two different sizes.
"Thank goodness they wore two different size shoes that day" then they found the Walmart receipt in the Wagner trailers
Found 12 shell casings matching those at crime scene at Peterson Road. That gun killed five of the victims. Property deeded to both Jake and George
Canepa reviewing the photo of that gun 1911 Walther Colt .22 found on Jake's phone and gun list. And that George was a Glock guy. Now going on break for 15 minutes.
Starting a new thread for second morning session and prosecution closing arguments for Wagner Pike County murder trial
False stories told to lead investigators astray can be used as circumstantial evidence. How Wagners said relationship b/w Jake and Hanna were great when they weren't
Tattoos can be used as circumstantial evidence. All three men get them June 2016 - Billy got scorpion on trigger finger. Boonedocks movie clip as well
Canepa says it's "suspicious" a tattoo with 8 ball (8 victims) as well as skull and crossbones and just three aces.
Also strong circumstantial - the silencer recovered at the Peterson Rd farm with all the parts BCI found the Wagners bought before the murders
Burned up DVR also strong circumstantial evidence - why put it up for just a month and get a 3-year warranty for it and then later burn it up?
Canepa also says forged custody documents that were backdated also strong circumstantial evidence, as well as surveillance video of the roads in the area of crime scene showing vehicles passing in night.
Now onto direct evidence - specifically testimony from those who were there. But they need to be treated as accomplices. Brings out the pirate analogy again but need to regard testimony with "grave suspicion"
Jake was telling them the truth about something - led them to concrete buckets with the murder weapons inside - also gave them truck that was used
Talks about how Billy Wagner showed up at his brother's house the morning of murders before sunrise to give his niece the truck.
Angela corroborates what Jake said even though she was not provided her son's statements. Still doesn't have it.
Reminds jury of when Angela testified George told her one of the bloody footprints was his and that he wanted to smear it out but father Billy said don't worry about it and come on.
George also wanted Angela to have the best lawyer so she can get out and take care of kids.
Canepa: "The reason they both say the same thing is because they are both telling the truth." And that this isn't the "deal of the century" - the Rhoden family agreed to deal because they wanted to know what happened and hold everyone accountable
Jake wasn't telling us what we wanted to hear. Told us much more than we knew at the time. Including the order of the killings. Made all the pieces make sense.
"Yes, take what he said with grave suspicion. We did." But everything he said was corroborated by evidence in hand and new evidence gathered
Another strong point so far talking about Angela: "George was her son ... why would you say George was involved if George wasn't involved?" Same thing for Jake
Canepa says prosecution agreed to deal after consulting with victims' family including removing death penalty if Jake testified. Asks why would he do that? Wanted to get his family out of trouble not into ... and wanted one last hug from his family before going to prison
Jake and Angela answered all the questions, but "I got a whole lot of I don't remembers out of George Wagner"
Canepa: What did Jake give us regarding George's involvement? George helped make false bed in truck. Billy told George to shoot Chris Sr in the head from a distance. George got into the bed to go up to Union Hill Rd as well
Canepa says it makes sense George would have SKS rifle - Jake found it unreliable. And that George didn't shoot when supposed to - Jake still doesn't know why.
Walking through the killings now. And how Billy was having "nervous breakdown"
Both Jake and George's prints were in Chris Sr's house and Billy's back was injured. And somehow bodies were moved inside - George was best candidate for making that happen
Jake testified George was in Crime Scene 3 as well ... shoeprint in that house too size 11 - pointed toward Chris Jr room. George was lookout.
On to how George and Jake would try to mislead agents on while being listened to on wiretaps. Called the gun inventory "wish list”
George told people not to talk to BCI, and had an alibi at the border that matched everyone else’s
Corroborated by Angela and Jake as well. Also talked about how George went along with the fake custody documents - on lunch break until 1:30.
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Back in session. Bringing jury up.
New thread for Wagner murder trial closing arguments. Canepa says jury should regard George's testimony with grave suspicion. Says death penalty lifted because Jake lived up to his end of bargain. Leads to objection and another bench conference
Thus far, AC is doing super job, IMO.
There are permanent homes for them in OH now, IMO.
The prosecution continued presenting its closing arguments before lunchbreak in the #PikeCountyMassacre trial of #GeorgeWagnerIV today. Special Prosecutor Angela Canepa put both circumstantial and direct evidence in front of jurors in quick succession. 1/10
In the category of circumstantial evidence: The Wagners aimed to control all the women and children in their lives, including monitoring the social media of their wives/girlfriends. 2/10
Additionally, they bought parts for homemade gun silencers, got tattoos with ties to the homicides and watched a clip from "Boondock Saints" four hours before the first victims were shot to death the night of April 21, 2016. 3/10
The film depicts 2 brothers who hide, then spring out to shoot their adversaries while wearing ski masks & dark clothing. Their father kills his best friend in the film. The Wagners replicated those actions and outfits in killing the Rhoden family, according to prosecutors. 4/10
Other circumstantial evidence that ties Wagners to the homicides: Surveillance video of vehicles travelling roadways near the four crime scenes that night; forged custody documents related to the children of Wagner IV and his brother; and familiarity with Rhodens' homes. 5/10
Direct evidence of note, according to the prosecution: Testimony from Angela and Jake Wagner, the defendant's mother and brother. "What motive would she have to say George was involved if your son was not involved?" Canepa said, referring to Angela Wagner's testimony. 6/10
Additionally, shoeprint evidence from two of the crime scenes matches shoes that Angela Wagner said she bought her sons for the night of the homicides. Both shoeprints included Walmart Athletic Works prints in sizes 10 1/2 and 11, the sizes Jake and George wore. 7/10
Canepa reminded jurors that Jake and Angela Wagner testified as part of a 2021 agreement with the state. That's when they changed their pleas to guilty and agreed to testify truthfully in Wagner IV's trial, with the state agreeing to take death penalty off the table. 8/10
Wagner IV was evasive when he took the stand in his own defense on Nov. 16-17, Canepa said. "I got a whole lot of 'I don't remembers,' " she said. He could remember details about minutia, but "he said he didn't remember a whole lot of things that mattered." 9/10
Court resumes at 1:30 p.m. When Canepa concludes, Wagner IV's defense begins. The prosecution then gets the last word, with rebuttal, before the judge provides jury instruction. Those proceedings are likely to spill into tomorrow. 10/10
New thread for Wagner murder trial closing arguments. Canepa says jury should regard George's testimony with grave suspicion. Says death penalty lifted because Jake lived up to his end of bargain. Leads to objection and another bench conference
Canepa asks jury to consider why George is lying. Says he lied about Frankie Rhoden being his best friend.
Calls his defense that he was trying to get away "malarkey" - says the family stuck together after the murders and they worked together in Alaska and moved all over country together.
Going through what she called the lies and inconsistencies he said at the border.
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Agree. Wished for Clark Kent as he's precise, to the point, and no ummms.
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They are provided, except for the few days the judge states to them "you are on your own." This allows them to go out of the courthouse if they choose.
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Now AC is talking about the problems, untruths in GW4's testimony.
Talked about the many inconsistencies in his various claims at the time he went to bed the night of the murders.
Admits he lied at the border. Says he did it to protect the victims. He didn't say Rhodens weren't involved in drugs, he said he and his dad didn't know about the Wagner family involvement in drugs, but that was because he knew the BCI had been involved in searches at Peterson Rd farm.
Biggest lie was about the gun show. Jan 31, 2015 was the gun show. He had to admit he was there at the gun show because BCI has receipt showing he was. Says he remembers buying the gun for his dad there. Says he doesn't remember Jake was also there buying the Walther colt gun. But GW4 doesn't remember it.
Talked about the many inconsistencies in his various claims at the time he went to bed the night of the murders.
Admits he lied at the border. Says he did it to protect the victims. He didn't say Rhodens weren't involved in drugs, he said he and his dad didn't know about the Wagner family involvement in drugs, but that was because he knew the BCI had been involved in searches at Peterson Rd farm.
Biggest lie was about the gun show. Jan 31, 2015 was the gun show. He had to admit he was there at the gun show because BCI has receipt showing he was. Says he remembers buying the gun for his dad there. Says he doesn't remember Jake was also there buying the Walther colt gun. But GW4 doesn't remember it.
Now talking about the difference in when he went to bed at the border (12:30 a.m.) and then on the stand (10 p.m.) - and how he normally would operate on 2 hours of sleep a night. Also said at border no way anyone could leave without him knowing
Canepa: Boy is Angela a lucky guesser - she knew about truck without knowing Jake's testimony. George had said he didn't know where it went - never saw it after first day.
Biggest lie he told you - about that gun show in Columbus. Jan. 31 2015 when it happened. Why that lie? Because he cannot admit he was there with Jake when Jake bought the 1911. George also said on tape he never saw 1911 ever.
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All very important in showing AW and Jake were telling the truth and GW4 was lying about key evidence.
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Maybe it's my own deficiency, but I process the info better when it's concise. When the words come a few at a time, long pauses, ummm, etc., I have to start replaying and reconstructing the sentence in my mind so I can understand it. I get lots of practice with that watching my local newscasters attempting to read.
I still think she's getting it said, and done.
I feel like Wilson's style of presentation may have been able to shorten deliberations.
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Defense hasn't been able to prove that anything Jake or Angela has said is a lie.
Never heard what GW4 thought when Jake confessed.
He never said anything from the stand about being upset about Jake or his mom telling lies about him.
Never heard what GW4 thought when Jake confessed.
He never said anything from the stand about being upset about Jake or his mom telling lies about him.
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I actually think she's doing a great job, very personable, easy going, and step by step going through the crimes and aftermath.
I also like her pace - this jury had heard A LOT over the past 6 weeks, I'm sure some are taking notes. She has a small town feel, which I'm thinking the jury may appreciate. (I spent half of my childhood in a very small town, and I would)
I actually think she's doing a great job, very personable, easy going, and step by step going through the crimes and aftermath.
I also like her pace - this jury had heard A LOT over the past 6 weeks, I'm sure some are taking notes. She has a small town feel, which I'm thinking the jury may appreciate. (I spent half of my childhood in a very small town, and I would)
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Prosecution pointing out inconsistencies in GW4's testimony and asking "Why that lie?". Agree AC doing great job connecting the dots.
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