OH - Pike Co - 8 in Rhoden Family Murdered - 4 Wagner Family Members Arrested #89

[Covert Operative]

Docket updates

for Jake:
Date Docket Text
12/23/2024 JUDGMENT ENTRY AND DECISION OF THE SUPREME COURT OF OHIO -- THE AFFIDAVIT OF DISQUALIFICATION IS DENIED; THE CASES SHALL PROCEED BEFORE JUDGE HEIN

12/23/2024 """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Judge: JUNK, ROBERT
Event: SENTENCING
Date: 01/03/2025 Time: 10:00 AM

12/23/2024 COSTS FOR NOTICES MAILED

12/23/2024 JUDGMENT ENTRY DENYING VICTIM'S MOTION FOR CONTINUANCE FILED

12/23/2024 JOURNAL ENTRY - RESCHEDULING SENTENCING SUA SPONTE - IT IS ORDERED THAT THIS MATTER IS SCHEDULED FOR SENTENCING ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 3, 2025 AT 10:00AM

12/23/2024 WARRANT FOR REMOVAL FROM GALLIA COUNTY JAIL ON JANUARY 3, 2025 AT 10:00AM

Date Event Event Judge
01/03/2025 10:00 AM SENTENCING JUNK, ROBERT


for Angela
Date Docket Text
12/23/2024 JUDGMENT ENTRY AND DECISION OF THE SUPREME COURT OF OHIO -- THE AFFIDAVIT OF DISQUALIFICATION IS DENIED; THE CASES SHALL PROCEED BEFORE JUDGE HEIN

12/23/2024 """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Judge: JUNK, ROBERT
Event: SENTENCING
Date: 01/03/2025 Time: 10:00 AM

12/23/2024 COSTS FOR NOTICES MAILED

12/23/2024 JUDGMENT ENTRY DENYING VICTIM'S MOTION FOR CONTINUANCE FILED

12/23/2024 JOURNAL ENTRY - RESCHEDULING SENTENCING SUA SPONTE - IT IS ORDERED THAT THIS MATTER IS SCHEDULED FOR SENTENCING ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 3, 2025 AT 10:00AM

12/23/2024 WARRANT FOR REMOVAL FROM DELAWARE COUNTY JAIL ON JANUARY 3, 2025 AT 10:00AM


Date Event Event Judge
01/03/2025 10:00 AM SENTENCING JUNK, ROBERT

link: https://cpcourt.pikecounty.oh.gov/eservices/search.page.3.4?x=zbrI9XyN0hsJY9OeiMesKQ

It does also look like Billy's pretrial for Jan 3rd is still on at 1pm.

 

[Niner]

It does also look like Billy's pretrial for Jan 3rd is still on at 1pm.

Actually I had him at 9am - thanks for that update on the docket!
Date Type Event Judge
01/03/2025 09:00 AM PRE-TRIAL JUNK, ROBERT

Docket
Date Docket Text
12/27/2024 ENTRY SCHEDULING EVIDENTIARY HEARING ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 3, 2025 AT 1:00PM
12/27/2024 WARRANT FOR REMOVAL FROM PICKAWAY COUNTY JAIL ON JANUARY 3, 2025 AT 1:00PM

link: https://cpcourt.pikecounty.oh.gov/e...NROUplnf8iagZomMaIbz7nSOFsfKslmMVCznobxRQ0hMw

and Jake & Angela at 10am, Rita at 11am.

 

[Covert Operative]

Actually I had him at 9am - thanks for that update on the docket!
Date Type Event Judge
01/03/2025 09:00 AM PRE-TRIAL JUNK, ROBERT

Docket
Date Docket Text
12/27/2024 ENTRY SCHEDULING EVIDENTIARY HEARING ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 3, 2025 AT 1:00PM
12/27/2024 WARRANT FOR REMOVAL FROM PICKAWAY COUNTY JAIL ON JANUARY 3, 2025 AT 1:00PM

link: https://cpcourt.pikecounty.oh.gov/e...NROUplnf8iagZomMaIbz7nSOFsfKslmMVCznobxRQ0hMw

and Jake & Angela at 10am, Rita at 11am.

Yeah I think it got changed.

 

[Niner]

My mistake - just looked - Rita is also at 10am.

 

[Puzzles8]

Actually I had him at 9am - thanks for that update on the docket!
Date Type Event Judge
01/03/2025 09:00 AM PRE-TRIAL JUNK, ROBERT

Docket
Date Docket Text
12/27/2024 ENTRY SCHEDULING EVIDENTIARY HEARING ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 3, 2025 AT 1:00PM
12/27/2024 WARRANT FOR REMOVAL FROM PICKAWAY COUNTY JAIL ON JANUARY 3, 2025 AT 1:00PM

link: https://cpcourt.pikecounty.oh.gov/e...NROUplnf8iagZomMaIbz7nSOFsfKslmMVCznobxRQ0hMw

and Jake & Angela at 10am, Rita at 11am.

Does this meaning Jake and Angela will be in the courtroom together and get to see each other?

JMO

 

[Niner]

Does this meaning Jake and Angela will be in the courtroom together and get to see each other?

JMO

I would "think" so - not too sure though. Rita will also be there at 10am. Maybe they will "space" them out - I guess we shall see, eh?!

 

[lisette]

This expedited sentencing makes me absolutely sick. Judge Hein is a disgrace to circumvent the hard work LE and the prosecution has put in. I just hope and pray it doesn’t prevent Billy getting a guilty verdict.

 

[Caylee Advocate]

Pike County Murder Trial Update: Sentencing Set for Wagner Family Members Ahead of Patriarch's Trial - Scioto Post

Pike County, OH — Edward “Jake” Wagner, his mother Angela, and grandmother Rita Newcomb are scheduled for sentencing on January 3, 2024, just days before the trial of Wagner patriarch Billy, according to court records. The sentencing is set for 10 a.m., following a series of recent court filings...

www.sciotopost.com

 

[Betty P]

It does also look like Billy's pretrial for Jan 3rd is still on at 1pm.

How does he plan to have all the killers and accomplices in the courtroom, with their attorneys, to settle these cases? Does he run it like a courtroom conveyor belt or a 3 ring circus?

 

[arielilane]

For anyone who may have missed this like me

@pattinewberry


NEW NEWS IN #PIKECOUNTYMASSACRE case: Three co-defendants of #BillyWagner will be sentenced at 10 a.m. Jan. 3 in Pike County Common Pleas Court in Waverly, per notations added to their cases today. 1/7

Billy Wagner's young son, Jake, 32, pleaded guilty to eight counts of aggravated murder and 15 other charges in the 2016 eight-person homicide in April 2021. He is jailed in Gallia County. 2/7


Billy Wagner's wife, Angela, 54, pleaded guilty to conspiracy, obstructing justice, tampering with evidence, aggravated burglary and other charges in September 2021. She is jailed in Delaware County. 3/7


Wagner's mother-in-law Rita Newcomb, 71, pleaded guilty to obstructing official business in December 2019. She resides in South Webster, Ohio. 4/7


Jake and Angela Wagner had been scheduled for sentencing Dec. 17 and Newcomb today. Visiting Judge Jonathan Hein canceled the proceedings after Special Prosecutor Angela Canepa sought to have him disqualified from all the Wagner cases. She lost that effort last week. 5/7


Still to be revealed: where Billy Wagner will be tried, with Hein's decision to grant a change of venue, and when the trial will begin. 6/7


The scheduled Jan. 6 start of Wagner's trial is highly unlikely given the change of venue and Canepa's challenge in the Ohio Court of Appeals to Hein's decision to remove death as a possible penalty for Wagner. 7/7


4:32 PM · Dec 23, 2024

 

[arielilane]

@pattinewberry


NEW in #BillyWagner #PikeCountyMassacre case: A Friday hearing for George "Billy" Wagner III will go forward despite uncertainty about where his trial on aggravated murder charges will be and when it will start. (Photo by
@ldufour@Enquirer) 1/8

The Friday proceeding will be an "evidentiary hearing" at 1 p.m. in the Pike County Common Pleas Court in Waverly, Ohio, according to the docket in Wagner's case. 2/8


The hearing was earlier set for 9 a.m. Friday, with his trial to start Jan. 6. Visiting Judge Jonathan Hein subsequently added sentencing hearings for Wagner's wife, younger son and mother-in-law for Friday at 10 a.m. in the same courtroom -- and moved Wagner's hearing time. 3/8


Son Jake Wagner has admitted to killing five of the eight victims in the 2016 Pike County case. Wife Angela Wagner has admitted to helping prepare for and cover up the crimes. Mother-in-law Rita Newcomb pleaded guilty to obstructing official business in the case. 4/8


Special Prosecutor Angela Canepa on Friday filed requests to postpone the three sentencing hearings. Hein denied the motions. 5/8


Still to be revealed: Where Hein will move Billy Wagner's trial, after earlier agreeing to move it out of Pike County, and when it will start. 6/8

Also lingering: Canepa's filing in the Ohio Court of Appeals, opposing Hein's decision to remove death as a possible penalty if Billy Wagner is convicted. He is facing 8 counts of aggravated homicide + 14 more charges in the shooting deaths of 7 Rhodens & 1 one future Rhoden. 7/8


Read more about the case from our Dec. 11 Wagner profile (no longer behind the paywall): 8/8

10:27 AM · Dec 30, 2024

The Patriarch: The head of an Ohio clan will soon go to trial in the Pike County massacre

Updated 12/17/2024

 

[Betty P]

Eight long years of stress from continually working to prevent corruption and special interests from allowing four cold blooded psychopaths who murdered a family of 8 innocent people to be set free.

First, the killers were allowed to escape to Alaska with the traumatized child whose parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins were murdered. In the meantime, LE shifted the focus by falsely accusing the victims’ surviving family members of the murders, but public pressure and worldwide media coverage didn’t wane.

Convictions followed from evidence presented and detailed confessions from 2 of the 4 killers. With one last killer to try, the new judge, a Supreme Court Justice and others begin pulling at the threads of the case trying to unravel it again.

Once more, the public is told not to believe their lying eyes that see a new judge trying to undermine the case, including reversing the plea agreements of the killers who confessed. Nothing to see here, move along. They tell us the judge isn’t trying to prevent the killers who pleaded guilty from testifying against the final killer who left evidence all around.

Just appalling. JMO

 

[Covert Operative]

A 2nd Affadavit for Disqualifcation has been filed with the Supreme Court of Ohio to remove Judge Hein. Case number is 24AP198. I was told that only the first filing would stop proceedings, not any subsequent filing. The first filing was ruled on already.
Not sure if a ruling would come on the 2nd filing in the States Favor before Friday proceedings.
I will try to post the 2nd disqualification,but when there is a big file,many times I am unable to do so.

 

[Covert Operative]

Duplicate deleted

 

[rescuemom]

How does he plan to have all the killers and accomplices in the courtroom, with their attorneys, to settle these cases? Does he run it like a courtroom conveyor belt or a 3 ring circus?

This has really been a gut-punch. I can't believe that there is nothing to be done about this ruling. I saw Junk's name somewhere and I don't trust him one bit. He's got his thumb on this somewhere and maybe from FW. IMO.

 

[Betty P]

This has really been a gut-punch. I can't believe that there is nothing to be done about this ruling. I saw Junk's name somewhere and I don't trust him one bit. He's got his thumb on this somewhere and maybe from FW. IMO.

Yes, agree to all of that.

 

[Seattle1]

I'm curious how the State will introduce evidence by Angela & Jake if these witnesses suddenly refuse to testify for the State pursuant to Hein's premature sentencing actions....

First and foremost, long before AW & JW turned witnesses, investigators took several years to build their case against the killer family so I trust using the witnesses was plan B.

Seems to me that if AW & JW do not personally appear in Court, the proffers and depositions by each witness can still be used as evidence at trial given Team Billy would have had the opportunity to confront/cross examine them at that time.

I'd think the State would have a plan for this in the event something happened to JW or AW before trial. In other words, we'd be in the same situation if either witness died unexpectedly.

Does the defense really think they can sell the jury on Billy was home alone doing laundry while Jake & George alone massacred the victims? Rubbish!

JMO

 

[Seattle1]

Pike County murder trial: Jake, Angela to be sentenced days before final murder trial scheduled to begin

Court records show Billy's trial is still scheduled to begin on January 6, though it's unclear whether this is still a date the court can meet.

www.wcpo.com

Dec 30, 2024

Edward "Jake" Wagner, his mother, Angela, and his grandmother, Rita Newcomb, are all scheduled to be sentenced at 10 a.m. on Jan. 3.

[..]

That request [to disqualify Judge Hein] was denied on December 23, court records show.

The same day, Hein re-scheduled Jake and Angela's sentencing hearings for Jan. 3. There will also be a hearing in George "Billy" Wagner III's case that same day, scheduled for 1 p.m., court records show.

Court records show Billy's trial is still scheduled to begin on January 6, though it's unclear whether this is still a date the court can meet.

[..]

 

[Seattle1]

11/25/24

Billy Wagner trial will not be held in Pike County, judge rules​

 

[Covert Operative]

I'm curious how the State will introduce evidence by Angela & Jake if these witnesses suddenly refuse to testify for the State pursuant to Hein's premature sentencing actions....

First and foremost, long before AW & JW turned witnesses, investigators took several years to build their case against the killer family so I trust using the witnesses was plan B.

Seems to me that if AW & JW do not personally appear in Court, the proffers and depositions by each witness can still be used as evidence at trial given Team Billy would have had the opportunity to confront/cross examine them at that time.

I'd think the State would have a plan for this in the event something happened to JW or AW before trial. In other words, we'd be in the same situation if either witness died unexpectedly.

Does the defense really think they can sell the jury on Billy was home alone doing laundry while Jake & George alone massacred the victims? Rubbish!

JMO

I have thought the proffers could not be used in court in Billy's trial if Angela or Jake do not testify becuse there could be no cross examination in court. There is cross examination when depositions are taking place which is why I believe they can be used in trials. I was not sure that AW or JW had depositions done. If the proffer is not allowed does that also mean that any evidence that they came into due to Jakes confession could not be used in Billy's trial?