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

[arielilane]

Prosecutor Canepa: agrees some of things in George's trial won't come into Billy's trial. Says premature to ruling on all this until offered in trial.


Also prosecution trying to prove conspiracy and RICO case - so other act evidence needed to understand relationship and trust between parties.

@jamespilcher

 

[INfisherman]

Such a travesty. Hein is a disgrace for a judge. He was pompous & obviously enjoys hearing himself talk & pats himself on the back talking about how he is a savior for OH in moving along stalled trials. Save money, let murderers get out early was the only message here.

JMO

 

[arielilane]

@ToddDykesWLWT


Billy Wagner doesn’t want jurors to hear evidence about his family’s life of lawlessness well before detectives say he, his wife & their 2 sons killed 8 members of the Rhoden family in 2016 in Pike Co., OH.


1:16 PM · Jan 3, 2025

 

[arielilane]

@ToddDykesWLWT


The prosecution is arguing that certain patterns of behavior are important to the State’s case against Billy Wagner - while acknowledging certain pieces of evidence may not need to be introduced; arguing it’s too early to rule chunks of evidence out..


1:22 PM · Jan 3, 2025

 

[CIA Team Member]

Can anything be done legally at this point to deal with the mess this judge is making? Is there any option now to remove him from this case? What a horrible career choice for a person with no empathy or respect towards the law or victims.

I just don't understand how the only one (GW4) that apparently didn't plan or kill gets a longer sentence than those that did. Insanity.

I'm sure this will open Pandora's box for George's appeals. IMO

 

[Betty P]

Prosecutor Canepa: agrees some of things in George's trial won't come into Billy's trial. Says premature to ruling on all this until offered in trial.


Also prosecution trying to prove conspiracy and RICO case - so other act evidence needed to understand relationship and trust between parties.

@jamespilcher

She's right about all of this. The RICO charges applied, with evidence of pre-planning and later evidence of the Wagner family's attempts to cover up the crime and cover for each other.

 

[arielilane]

@jamespilcher


Canepa brings up the infamous FB message from Hanna May Rhoden saying "they'll have to kill me first" that started wheels in motion for the entire Wagner family.
@local12


1:21 PM · Jan 3, 2025

 

[arielilane]

@pattinewberry


Canepa said Billy Wagner's role in his family will be relevant in his trial. "They have a definite playbook when it comes to dealing with the women," she said. That included victim Hanna Rhoden, who shared a child with Jake Wagner that the Wagners wanted custody of.


1:24 PM · Jan 3, 2025

 

[Betty P]

I'm sure this will open Pandora's box for appeals. IMO

It makes a prevaricator of the judge when he claims his derailing of Billy's trial is being done to make get the process finished, to save the state money. The endless opportunities for appeals he's generated with this dog and pony show will cost the county and state millions more, for many years to come. JMO All of the killers will appeal.

ETA:

He's back to attacking Canepa again because she appealed his decision to drop the DP against Billy. It's him and all the defense attorneys against AC. All these cases are doomed. JMO. They won't stop until all of the killers are walking free, living it up out at Flying W Farm.

 

[arielilane]

@pattinewberry


On the question of death penalty, should #BillyWagner be convicted in the #PikeCountymassacre case, Hein said he took it off the table earlier because the attorneys indicated they were negotiating to that. Canepa appealed that decision to the Ohio Supreme Court.


1:30 PM · Jan 3, 2025

 

[arielilane]

@pattinewberry


Hein invited Canepa to offer comment on why she wants death penalty to remain under consideration. But co-attorney Ron O'Brien said he did not believe the prosecution could offer more argument since the matter is now before the Court of Appeals.


1:31 PM · Jan 3, 2025

 

[arielilane]

@jamespilcher


Prosecutors don't want to engage much on death penalty given the previous decision to remove it is in appeals court. Defense argues it's not fair to start a case as death penalty then remove it later.



1:38 PM · Jan 3, 2025

 

[arielilane]

@pattinewberry


On the "other acts" question, Hein said those decisions will be largely be made at trial. He noted several times that he wants the case forward to "move the trains on time."


1:40 PM · Jan 3, 2025

 

[arielilane]

@Angenette5


Billy Wagner's hearing now underway @LawCrimeNetwork




Appears JW is surprisedly shocked too. His expression says it all and apparently he had no issue hearing it. moo



@Angenette5

He certainly wasn't expecting that. It's important to note: he will be eligible for parole. Doesn't mean he'll get it. We'll find out in 32 years.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1875248037133771056

 

[arielilane]

@jamespilcher


Defense now asking for guidance on when trial might be given other upcoming trials. Hein says he will have guidance "shortly" - defense also has submitted a jury questionaire



1:42 PM · Jan 3, 2025

 

[arielilane]

@pattinewberry


When Hein gets a decision from the Ohio Court of Appeals on the death penalty question, "I don't expect to give you a lot of time" to start #BillyWagner's criminal trial. Collins asked for a timeline, as he has another large case in March. Hein did not provide.

Hein did not reveal a venue or date for #BillyWagner trial.

 

[Betty P]

@jamespilcher


Defense now asking for guidance on when trial might be given other upcoming trials. Hein says he will have guidance "shortly" - defense also has submitted a jury questionaire



1:42 PM · Jan 3, 2025

I think he's going to keep making mistakes, giving AC more reasons to have him removed before Billy's trial begins.

 

[justtrish]

@jamespilcher


Prosecutors don't want to engage much on death penalty given the previous decision to remove it is in appeals court. Defense argues it's not fair to start a case as death penalty then remove it later.



1:38 PM · Jan 3, 2025

Seems it's also not fair that a deal was made and the judge chose to override it and disregard it even though those that entered into the deal followed the rules for the deal and now it's nothing..

 

[CIA Team Member]

I'm a bit confused: Has Jakes sentencing concluded?

 

[arielilane]

@pattinewberry


.#BillyWagner sat at the defense table as attorneys talked about scheduling matters, off the official record, with Hein.


1:51 PM · Jan 3, 2025