GUILTY OH Pike Co., 8 in Rhoden Family Murdered Over Custody Issue, 4 Members Wagner Family Arrested #62

[rescuemom]

I feel a bit drained now after 5 years of intensely following this case. Was it a mistake to study it so closely? Why does it bother me so much now? The emotion of it?

I thought there would be this huge relief but I find myself struggling for closure. Am I selfish to feel like this since I am not their family? Jake's confession blew me away and I'm still processing it.

I think it is because there is still a lot that is left unknown.. about that night, about the remaining trials if any and where and what's going on with AW

 

[Ann99]

Has anyone listened to the IHeartradio New Podcast the keeps getting advertised on the radio? I just listened to it. It was pretty good. Some Rhoden family members spoke.

I listened to the one Pru2U posted a few pages back. Is it the same one?

I meant to drop this link in my previous post - I hope it is allowed here. The iHeart podcast series The Piketon Massacre season 2 was released yesterday. It does include JW confession/plea.

‎The Piketon Massacre: Ties that Bind on Apple Podcasts

This one was very good. Sad.
I could not locate the photo they referred to.
If anyone can post a link to the photo it would be helpful.
Apparently a photo of the wedding of Geo4 and his wife and all Rhodens were there. Altogether in one photo R's and W's - supposedly taken by DR.

 

[IType]

I listened to the one Pru2U posted a few pages back. Is it the same one?



This one was very good. Sad.
I could not locate the photo they referred to.
If anyone can post a link to the photo it would be helpful.
Apparently a photo of the wedding of Geo4 and his wife and all Rhodens were there. Altogether in one photo R's and W's - supposedly taken by DR.

I believe I have seen the photo you are referring to. I remember AW was kind of stooped down in the front row so that HR could be seen in the photo. GW was wearing a dark vest, white shirt and jeans, if I recall correctly. It was posted here on WS quite some time ago, but I have no idea what thread it was in. It may have been removed, though. It was copied from Facebook--possibly against TOS to post the photo here? I don't recall for sure if it was removed or not. JMO

I haven't watched the podcast you mentioned, but I read the description at the link you posted above. Part of it mentioned "Episode 1 dives into the theories surrounding the bombshell reveal". Was the bombshell reveal JW's confession/plea? If so, what theories did it mention?

 

[Ann99]

I believe I have seen the photo you are referring to. I remember AW was kind of stooped down in the front row so that HR could be seen in the photo. GW was wearing a dark vest, white shirt and jeans, if I recall correctly. It was posted here on WS quite some time ago, but I have no idea what thread it was in. It may have been removed, though. It was copied from Facebook--possibly against TOS to post the photo here? I don't recall for sure if it was removed or not. JMO

I haven't watched the podcast you mentioned, but I read the description at the link you posted above. Part of it mentioned "Episode 1 dives into the theories surrounding the bombshell reveal". Was the bombshell reveal JW's confession/plea? If so, what theories did it mention?

I was drifting off to sleep as I listened, so my memory is fuzzy, but there were no big revelations. Yes, the bombshell was Jake.
Nothing we haven' t talked about, and they seemed to skim through it.
The attorney on the show didn't elaborate on legal points other than to express surprise at Jakes confession, saying most people he talked with thought Geo4 would be the one to talk first.
The more worthwhile parts were the local and or family member interviews. It was very heart wrenching.
I wish we could see the photo. I wonder if it is still against TOS now that it is published other than FB.
Thinking more...the big repeated line regarding the photo...(not a quote ) Two families in this photo, one entire family killed by the members of the other family in this wedding photo.

 

[Norrmajean]

Dudly - If I was there that night things would be different... Very different....

And your opinion is as good as mine...let's get that straight....My opinions are no more better than anyone else's on here....I tend to speak my point of view often, as all of us can do on here.

I'm no different than anyone else.

I have alot of strong feelings about this case, it is hard after this much time to not have these strong almost overwhelmingly feelings.

It's almost like we need a support group or something. 5 years. I'm telling you, this case, what we've been through, is different from the normal stuff on Websleuths.

No one will understand this except for posters on here. Which is why I keep posting here even though I was going to stop. Nope. Posters on here understand. I appreciate it. In my real life, no, no one gets it.

I could not agree more regarding strong feelings that everyone posting along with those like myself who remained silent searching for answers. And I think this sort of qualifies as a support group. Since deciding to finally start talking I feel much better just knowing you all feel the same way I do. Thanks to all of you for taking me in and listening to me. Wish I had started talking sooner but better late than never!

 

[Covert Operative]

I listened to the one Pru2U posted a few pages back. Is it the same one?



This one was very good. Sad.
I could not locate the photo they referred to.
If anyone can post a link to the photo it would be helpful.
Apparently a photo of the wedding of Geo4 and his wife and all Rhodens were there. Altogether in one photo R's and W's - supposedly taken by DR.

I have that photo but do not think we are allowed to post it.

 

[Betty P]

I was drifting off to sleep as I listened, so my memory is fuzzy, but there were no big revelations. Yes, the bombshell was Jake.
Nothing we haven' t talked about, and they seemed to skim through it.
The attorney on the show didn't elaborate on legal points other than to express surprise at Jakes confession, saying most people he talked with thought Geo4 would be the one to talk first.
The more worthwhile parts were the local and or family member interviews. It was very heart wrenching.
I wish we could see the photo. I wonder if it is still against TOS now that it is published other than FB.
Thinking more...the big repeated line regarding the photo...(not a quote ) Two families in this photo, one entire family killed by the members of the other family in this wedding photo.

Pretty funny that the attorney on that show was surprised that Jake confessed. My impression from that podcast (only listened to a little) was they were trying to find a reason to not blame the Wagners. Oops. It was some of the usual approach that outsiders took regarding the case - a sort of soft bigotry towards the victims because they were poor and the brothers were growing some pot. Alternate approach was to think that "good Christians" like the Wagners wouldn't do anything like that.

I hope Jake's confession makes some people reconsider their POV.

 

[Betty P]

I have that photo but do not think we are allowed to post it.

I think it's ok. It's been posted here before. Since it's been on the podcast, it should be ok.

 

[Pru2U]

I listened to the one Pru2U posted a few pages back. Is it the same one?

This one was very good. Sad.
I could not locate the photo they referred to.
If anyone can post a link to the photo it would be helpful.
Apparently a photo of the wedding of Geo4 and his wife and all Rhodens were there. Altogether in one photo R's and W's - supposedly taken by DR.

They posted the photo on their FB page which is the same name as the podcast: The Piketon Massacre

Hope this helps.

Again, thank you all for your perseverance and input. I've been catching up on my reading since I posted yesterday & can understand the mixed emotions. It's hard to let go after so much time & personal investment. As much as I would like to know what really happened, I pray they can glean everything from JW & the remaining 3 will spare the families the pain and anguish of 3 separate trials. I can't imagine anything worse than reliving that over and over again. I would hold out for no future opportunities for parole, just let it end.

Best to all,
Pru

 

[ohioexpat63]

PODCAST....MOO

They lost me as soon as I heard yet another reference to the "Hatfield and McCoy's to the enth degree". It is an attempt to dumb down the region, her people and to sensationalize the murders.

Some should use their vivid imagination and come up with something more original.

The murders weren't over pot, chickens, cars, land, moonshine or anything else. The murders were most likely committed because of power and control over another.

Outside the comments from some family members there wasn't anything new or revealing, IMO.

 

[Betty P]

I was drifting off to sleep as I listened, so my memory is fuzzy, but there were no big revelations. Yes, the bombshell was Jake.
Nothing we haven' t talked about, and they seemed to skim through it.
The attorney on the show didn't elaborate on legal points other than to express surprise at Jakes confession, saying most people he talked with thought Geo4 would be the one to talk first.
The more worthwhile parts were the local and or family member interviews. It was very heart wrenching.
I wish we could see the photo. I wonder if it is still against TOS now that it is published other than FB.
Thinking more...the big repeated line regarding the photo...(not a quote ) Two families in this photo, one entire family killed by the members of the other family in this wedding photo.

Fortunately, one of the Websleuths verified attorneys exchanged some messages with us about this case. They explained the strategies prosecutors use to set up and negotiate plea deals successfully and how the process works. We had this discussion here back when it looked like AW's mom, Rita N, was going to make a plea deal.

Once RN made her deal, things were looking grim for the rest of the 4 Wagners. As the evidence piled up, the taped conversations AW had with her mom and brother were added. One can only imagine there was damning evidence in those hours of phone conversations.

According to @PrairieWind's tutorial, scheduling Jake's trial first was an important move.
Exposing all the evidence in the strongest case at trial would put pressure on the rest of the defendants to bargain. That also meant Jake would likely be found guilty and sentenced to death. He had to make the first deal in order to save his own life.

The fact the defense teams submitted zero evidence to exonerate their clients, then announced they would challenge the scientific validity of ballistic and shoe print evidence was another bad omen. By the time they got around to Agent Scheiderer's testimony at GW4's hearing and the "Other Acts" evidence, the outlook was grim. The "Other Acts" painted a horrifying picture of the Wagner family and their history of abusive, twisted behavior.

The only part of Jake's plea deal that surprised me was that he capitulated so quickly. His trial wasn't scheduled until August 2021.

ETA: Our WS verified attorney member had nothing to do with the 4 Wagners' cases nor had any inside information. They simply read what was linked to here at WS and gave us a textbook description of why, how and when plea bargains are negotiated and managed by prosecution and the court in murder cases.

 

[Caylee Advocate]

You are unique...stay that way.......Good advice, which you have always given me, including in our PM's...

Hopefully we will get some new news and we can all at that point get some idea of what's what.

We have 3 cases to go.

I cannot see any of them pleading. Why plea? DP is off the table!

Stay tuned...

Aww, I'm unique for sure. When someone I consider a friend is hurting, I want to take 3/4 of their pain from them... you're on your own for the other 1/4 though.




Feel better????

 

[Betty P]

Considering the information Jake has given to prosecutors, including helping them recover vehicles and guns used in the murders, I'd say "good luck" to any of the Wagners who still want to go to trial. There's probably still money in the budget to try them and more where that came from.

 

[ohioexpat63]

So, the remaining 3 have an option to plea out for A potential sentence of LWOP and lose all appeals.once it is done you are done. No remedy from the courts.

Or go to trial receive the same fate LWOP while maintaining ur innocence but retain your ability to appeal ur case.

These cases are a long way from over. I wanna see aw up next with JW calling her out in public

 

[Johnny B Bad]

I wonder if FW or RW was there at court the day JW confessed, JMO

 

[ohioexpat63]

I'd be surprised if they were. Jake took a hard left from the narrative they were espousing

 

[GoBuckeyes]

I remember that as well but have no link. JMO

Same.

 

[molly1255]

So, the remaining 3 have an option to plea out for A potential sentence of LWOP and lose all appeals.once it is done you are done. No remedy from the courts.

Or go to trial receive the same fate LWOP while maintaining ur innocence but retain your ability to appeal ur case.

These cases are a long way from over. I wanna see aw up next with JW calling her out in public

This is the way that I see it. The remaining three really have nothing to lose by going to trial, unless they just don't want to have JW testify against them. Worse case scenario by going to trial and convicted is the ability to appeal. It will be interesting to see what happens. All JMO

 

[gizmobtj]

I would love to know how the Wagners got into the homes and shot each individual without the others knowing, JMO

Two shooters in each location firing simultaneous first shots might have worked. But it could also be that they didn't always. It seems like Chris Jr. woke up. He was shot twice in the top of the head while hiding between the bed and the wall, I believe, according to the autopsies. Chris Sr. had a shattered arm, which suggests a defensive wound. Kenneth was shot in the eye by someone with a gun in front of him. Gary had stippling on the side of his head (he could have been caught and executed while awake). So, there is a version of events -- and we just don't know -- where a good chunk of them were wide awake. My bet is Hannah Gilley and Frankie were sleeping; perhaps Hanna and Dana were; but I am not sure about the latter two and I am dubious about the others.

JMO for the most part.

Autopsy information:

Final Reports
Supreme Court orders release of full autopsies from Pike County murders

Redacted Reports
https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov...BCI/Pike-County-Final-Autopsies-REDACTED.aspx

 

[gizmobtj]

I listened to the one Pru2U posted a few pages back. Is it the same one?



This one was very good. Sad.
I could not locate the photo they referred to.
If anyone can post a link to the photo it would be helpful.
Apparently a photo of the wedding of Geo4 and his wife and all Rhodens were there. Altogether in one photo R's and W's - supposedly taken by DR.

Here's a link to the photo:
Login • Instagram