OH - Pike Co, 8 in Rhoden Family Murdered Over Custody Issue, 4 Members Wagner Family Arrested #70

[Marysmith]

Again, you all have probably discussed the fact that George Jr. claims he was only present at the end of the killings to protect his brother, Jake, from their dad, Billy. IMO, Billy was going to kill Jake to make it look like this was a murder suicide committed by Jake. The Wagner's would be off the hook and Angela would have full custody of her granddaughter. A nice clean ending, wrapped up in a bow.

Thank you @Cool Cats for the Podcast links. They are very informative.

I didn’t know that was George Jr.’s claim as I am late to the thread. Wow. So do people think that’s a reason why Jake plead guilty?

 

[Seattle1]

After Angela accepted pleading guilty in exchange for 30 years, I was admittedly shocked to read George Jr heading to trial! Snooze you lose.

Trial set for man accused of helping kill eight members of a family in Pike County

The most complex and perhaps most notorious murder trial in Ohio history is about to get underway in Pike County.

dayton247now.com

8/26/22

And the defense is expected to argue George only went along with his father and brother the night of the murders to keep father, Billy, from killing Jake.

Another key defense point will be that Jake apparently said George did not actually kill anyone as part of his previous confession.

But the prosecution will argue someone can still be convicted of aggravated murder even if they didn’t actually kill anyone if they helped plan the crime and covered it up afterward.

The actual trial is expected to take between six to eight weeks.

 

[Marysmith]

After Angela accepted pleading guilty in exchange for 30 years, I was admittedly shocked to read George Jr heading to trial! Snooze you lose.

Trial set for man accused of helping kill eight members of a family in Pike County

The most complex and perhaps most notorious murder trial in Ohio history is about to get underway in Pike County.

dayton247now.com

8/26/22

And the defense is expected to argue George only went along with his father and brother the night of the murders to keep father, Billy, from killing Jake.

Another key defense point will be that Jake apparently said George did not actually kill anyone as part of his previous confession.

But the prosecution will argue someone can still be convicted of aggravated murder even if they didn’t actually kill anyone if they helped plan the crime and covered it up afterward.

The actual trial is expected to take between six to eight weeks.

So Jake said that the 3 people of the 8 that he did not murder were murdered by Billy?
Sorry I’m so behind y’all.

 

[Seattle1]

So Jake said that the 3 people of the 8 that he did not murder were murdered by Billy?
Sorry I’m so behind y’all.

Sorry, it's been too long! I only recall Jake admitting to personally being responsible for 5 of the deaths but don't know if he accused Billy of killing the other 3 victims.

Wagner admitted he was personally responsible for five of the deaths, special prosecutor Angela Canepa said. He gave prosecutors a full account of what happened that morning, along with information that led to them to additional evidence. She did not say what that evidence was.

Ohio man accused in killings of his ex and 7 of her family members: "I am guilty, your honor"

Edward "Jake" Wagner agreed to cooperate in the cases against his parents and brother, who are also charged in the Rhoden family slayings.

www.cbsnews.com

 

[Marysmith]

Sorry, it's been too long! I only recall Jake admitting to personally being responsible for 5 of the deaths but don't know if he accused Billy of killing the other 3 victims.

Wagner admitted he was personally responsible for five of the deaths, special prosecutor Angela Canepa said. He gave prosecutors a full account of what happened that morning, along with information that led to them to additional evidence. She did not say what that evidence was.

Ohio man accused in killings of his ex and 7 of her family members: "I am guilty, your honor"

Edward "Jake" Wagner agreed to cooperate in the cases against his parents and brother, who are also charged in the Rhoden family slayings.

www.cbsnews.com

Ok thank you! That’s all I saw as well and was wondering if I missed something. If Jake said that it wasn’t George Jr. who murdered the other 3 I’m now assuming that he said that Billy murdered the other 3.

 

[Seattle1]

Ok thank you! That’s all I saw as well and was wondering if I missed something. If Jake said that it wasn’t George Jr. who murdered the other 3 I’m now assuming that he said that Billy murdered the other 3.

I believe prosecutors have been cautious reporting what they learned from Jake and what was corroborated from the evidence since it's not necessary to pull the trigger to be charged and convicted of the murders. JMO

 

[LMDlong]

by WKRC LOCAL 12
Wednesday, March 20th 2019

ANGELA WAGNER MILITARY SERVICE

Angela Wagner to return to court for the Rhoden family murders

Local 12 has also learned Wagner served in the U.S. Air Force in her late teens.

"Wagner served in the U.S. Air Force from November 1988 to November 1989. She attained the rank of Airman E-2 and was an Inventory Management Specialist stationed at Homestead Air Force Base in Florida, according to records obtained by Local 12. Air Force officials would not comment on why Wagner only served a little more than a year and what type of discharge she received."

Do you know when BW and AW got married , and when was GW born ?

 

[Marysmith]

I believe prosecutors have been cautious reporting what they learned from Jake and what was corroborated from the evidence since it's not necessary to pull the trigger to be charged and convicted of the murders. JMO

For sure. That makes sense. It will come out when necessary.

 

[Cool Cats]

Do you know when BW and AW got married , and when was GW born ?

BILLY AND ANGELA WAGNER'S Chillicothe Gazette Newspaper WEDDING LICENSE ANNOUNCEMENT - January 1991
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/attachments/img_0659-jpg.226722/

Marriage Licenses
Pike County

CARTER - WAGNER
Angela Jo Carter, 20, of 2492 Loys Run Road, Piketon, self-employed,
and George Washington Wagner III, 19, of 2495 Loys Run Road, Piketon,
self-employed.

George IV

• DOB
• 10/06/1991

 

[LMDlong]

BILLY AND ANGELA WAGNER'S NEWSPAPER WEDDING LICENSE ANNOUNCEMENT - January 1991

From

Chillicothe Gazette​

https://www.websleuths.com/forums/attachments/img_0659-jpg.226722/

Marriage Licenses
Pike County

CARTER - WAGNER
Angela Jo Carter, 20, of 2492 Loys Run Road, Piketon, self-employed,
and George Washington Wagner III, 19, of 2495 Loys Run Road, Piketon,
self-employed.

George IV

• DOB
• 10/06/1991

Thank you.

 

[LMDlong]

The clock is counting down . I honestly thought August 29th would never get here. What will we see?

 

[LMDlong]

Thank you.

Have you ever read anything about AW leaving the military, then having a child before she and BW got married ?

 

[SuziQ]

I didn’t know that was George Jr.’s claim as I am late to the thread. Wow. So do people think that’s a reason why Jake plead guilty?

Could be. I'm thinking Prosecutors may have schooled Jake on mom and dad's plan to make him the sacrificial lamb, and take the fall.

Admittedly, I am not completely knowledgeable about this case. But am I remembering correctly that Angela, as part of the planning of the murders, have her son's sign papers giving her custody of the grandkids? Supposedly in case they were killed while committing the murders? How convenient. JMO.

 

[Chelly]

Whether GW pulled a trigger or not, will it matter to his verdict? Won't he still most likely be sentenced to LWOP?

 

[Marysmith]

Could be. I'm thinking Prosecutors may have schooled Jake on mom and dad's plan to make him the sacrificial lamb, and take the fall.

Admittedly, I am not completely knowledgeable about this case. But am I remembering correctly that Angela, as part of the planning of the murders, have her son's sign papers giving her custody of the grandkids? Supposedly in case they were killed while committing the murders? How convenient. JMO.

What an unreal story… and parent’s… this is unbelievable that this could be conceived and occur…

 

[SuziQ]

Whether GW pulled a trigger or not, will it matter to his verdict? Won't he still most likely to be sentenced to LWOP?

Imo, yes.

 

[Cool Cats]

Whether GW pulled a trigger or not, will it matter to his verdict? Won't he still most likely be sentenced to LWOP?

My opinion is the jury will convict him of murder, in Ohio you DO NOT have to pull the trigger to be convicted of murder. George meets the definition of committing murder in Ohio.

What matters is if the jury convicts him of murder. The jury could believe George did not shoot anybody but still convict him of the 8 murders, or of some of the murders.

The defense wants the jury to acquit George of the 8 murders because they say he wasn't involved with it and tried to talk his family out of it and wasn't suppose to go along and only went at the last minute to protect Jake from Billy and that George didn't shoot anyone.

Yet Angela said George voted for it and when she asked him if he wanted to go through with it he said yes.

Jake says George bought the truck for the murders and helped modify it. George was hiding in the truck with Jake so Chris wouldn't see him when Billy went up to Chris's door.

There is a bloody shoe print matching the size and style of shoe Angie admits she bought for George at Chris Sr's house.

Why buy shoes for George to use for the murders if George is just some innocent bystander?

I could go on and on. What George did that night and in the entire murder conspiracy is enough for him to be convicted of murder. And then get sentenced to LWOP.

The only possible way for George to be found innocent of murder is if he had not gone to the murder scenes that night. Everyone places George at the murder scenes that night. Angie, Jake, even his own attorneys admit he was there.

All in my own opinion, the jury will convict him of - at the very least - some of the murders. Just being convicted of one murder is enough for LWOP.

That shoe print places him smack dab in the middle of the murders of Chris and Gary. You can understand why the defense had the Daubert Hearing trying to get the expert shoe print evidence thrown out.

 

[Cool Cats]

Ok thank you! That’s all I saw as well and was wondering if I missed something. If Jake said that it wasn’t George Jr. who murdered the other 3 I’m now assuming that he said that Billy murdered the other 3.

Jake is saying he doesn't know who murdered who.

So how can Jake say this but at the same time also say George shot nobody?

This is a contradiction that Jake will have to explain on the stand. I am hoping it comes out who shot Gary, Chris and Kenny. Alot of information is missing that I hope becomes clearer during Jake's testimony. A clearer picture.

 

[SuziQ]

Let me apologize for my ignorance. Did Chris Sr. Answer the door for Billy? And where in his house was he killed?

It must be annoying to the Case regulars to suddenly have people hop in and play 20 questions.

 

[Marysmith]

Let me apologize for my ignorance. Did Chris Sr. Answer the door for Billy? And where in his house was he killed?

It must be annoying to the Case regulars to suddenly have people hop in and play 20 questions.

I am doing the same thing! It’s all good I think.