OH - Pike Co - 8 in Rhoden Family Murdered Over Custody Issue - 4 Members Wagner Family Arrested #79

[sunshineray]

(continued p 2)

He told jurors he chose a Colt 1911/22 and Glock 40. The 1911 was his and the glock was his dad's. he tested out George's SKS but said it failed during silencer testing.

he then told jurors he bought his great uncle's vehicle. He said George was with him when he bought that vehicle. They got in April 2016. He said he killed the Rhodens on April 22, 2016.

Then, the judge let jurors go on lunch break.

Some of my other notes taken during court: George walked in before his brother. the courtroom was full of family members. George did not look at any person in the crowd. He kept his eyes down until his brother came out.

Jake came out handcuffed, wearing a tan jail jumpsuit. His hair was in a slicked back ponytail. He had a goatee.

He and his brother locked eyes. He smiled when he told the jury he loves his brother and would love nothing more than to see his brother go home.

He started out by telling jurors he and his brother and father often committed crimes together. He said he and his family intentionally burnt down two of their homes and a semi. and they intentionally wrecked George's truck all to collect insurance money.

He said the Peterson Rd. property where they lived in 2016 was in his and his brother's names because they had the clear insurance record. He said he and his brother would poach deer by spotlighting them.

He said spotlighting is what you do so the "animal has no chance"

He said his family shared finances and helped one another pay off debts. He and George had bank accounts together. He said he and his family held family meetings where they would voice their opinions or vote on the outcome of choices. Those meetings took place in the kitchen.

He said he, his brother and father stole things like fuel, lumber, appliances, tools, fencing, livestock. He said they would steal from businesses with insurance to try to avoid hurting the working class person.

(more)

"He smiled when he told the jury he loves his brother and would love nothing more than to see his brother go home.

He said they would steal from businesses with insurance to try to avoid hurting the working class person."

Such a caring murderer, arson and thief.

 

[sunshineray]

@Angenette5 also has lots of tweets, some things that I haven’t seen from other reporters. I am on my tablet so I can’t copy paste more than 3 tweets, so if anyone wants to do that..

https://twitter.com/x/status/1584576380783988736

ETA Billy suggested they kill SW?

What kind if human says this, what a black hearted, soulless slug

"Billy said the only option would be to kill Hanna May or Sophia."

 

[Pru2U]

^^rsbm

Not a chance in lleh!

The burden of proof to find GW4 guilty as charged is on the state. The state was going to try this case with or without Jake's confession but when he decided to cooperate, his confession helped answer questions that the prosecution had about their own evidence, and no doubt helped with their strategy on how to present their case at trial. And then the state was able to add Angela's cooperation -- a bonus.

The defense's job is not to prove their client is innocent but to give the jury reason to doubt the state's evidence including evidence supported by Jake and Angela. GW4's defense is working to give the jurors reasonable doubt that his participation or role in the murders went down as presented by the state.

To my knowledge, the recorded confession by Jake was played for the Judge but not admitted into evidence, and can't imagine it would.

IMO, that 12-hour recording is the state's deal with the devil (same as Angela's confession) and a true pandora's box never to see the light of day.

I believe the statement by Jake (the proffer), the covertly recorded conversations collected by BCI, and possibly Jake and Angela's interrogation videos after their arrests have already been admitted but I can't recall a trial where the prosecution's recorded interaction with a confessing witness such as Jake was ever admitted as evidence. That makes no sense to me.

IMO, whatever the defense desires to challenge or discredit about any of the evidence used during the trial that's being supported by Jake (or Angela) will be handled when the defense gets to cross-examine the state's key witnesses, Jake and Angela.

And when it's the defense's turn, they always have the opportunity to call GW4 and any other witnesses they believe will impeach the credibility of ANY state evidence-- including evidence supported by Jake (or Angela) as presented by the state.

If they are doing their job, the defense will take every opportunity to plant reasonable doubt about the state's case to the very end. And it seems that some here are thinking there might be cause for reasonable doubt. IMO, that's the risk the state takes every time they charge a passive defendant that did not actively pull the trigger with Murder-1.

Whether we agree or not, that's the law of the land (Ohio) for felony murder, and where I find it typically becomes more clear to both viewers and jurors s during jury instructions which I trust will be played for the public.

For consideration, I'm thinking of the recent Florida trial where similar to the Wagners, 3 defendants each faced the Murder-1, Conspiracy, and Solicitation charges for killing FSU Professor Dan Markel:

In Markel's murder case, two of the defendants drove from Miami to Tallahassee to shoot Markel dead, and the 3rd defendant never met the victim or set foot in Tallahassee -- she was pretty much the broker of this murder for hire. Initially, all 3 defendants entered not-guilty pleas and were expected to be tried together.

However, before the trial, one of the defendants, like Jake, took a deal to cooperate and testify against the other two defendants headed to trial.

After the case presented for the remaining two defendants, the jury found the trigger man (per the cooperating witness) guilty of Murder and related Conspiracy charges but could not unanimously agree to convict the 3rd defendant (a woman, not present at the murder) and her case was declared a mistrial.

The state retried the 3rd defendant's case earlier this year and this time she was found guilty of all charges including first-degree murder and the related conspiracy and solicitation charges. The Circuit Court Judge sentenced the 3rd defendant here to life in prison plus two 30-year sentences for her role in the murder of FSU Professor Markel!

And just to be clear, it's undisputed that the defendant was in Miami at the time of the murder, and never stepped foot on the crime scene.

MOO

Excellent contribution, Seattle1. Thank you!

 

[Pru2U]

ChrisGraves has some tweets.
TheDocket does also @chasingpaper89
AngenetteLevy @angenette5 Extensive info.

The Docket's humor cracks me up.

 

[scapa]

Courtney Francisco
@CFranciscoWCPO
·
36m
Okay- we are on break... Jake opted out of letting press record his testimony. So, I had to write his information and quotes in the courtroom. He got as far as the day of the homicide when the judge allowed the jury to break.

The prosecution is asking questions that could show his brother, George, knew about the crime.

Jake told jurors he met Hanna Rhoden when she was 13 and he was 17. They were in the 4-H building at the Pike Co. Fair. He started dating her with her parents' permission. She birthed their baby, Sophia, when she was 16.

They broke up in Feb. 2015. He said his custody concerns began around that time. "I was concerned that Hanna was going to let my daughter be molested."
He said Hanna was dismissive of his concerns.

By the end of 2015, he said she was stalling shared custody paperwork. He said George would be with him during drop offs and pickups sometimes. His mother was monitoring Hanna's Facebook messages.

He said his mother brought to his attention a conversation Hanna had on facebook with George's ex-wife's mother. He read it and told jurors it said Hanna had said that "If he wants custody of Sophia, it would be over my dead body, or something similar to that."

He said he, his mom and dad talked about it. He told jurors. "To be frank, I had decided I felt I had no other choice than to kill Hanna."

He said it was his dad's idea first, and he said no way. But then Jake changed his mind. Jake told jurors he told his dad they could kill Hanna and her new boyfriend, Corey, and make it look like Corey killed her then killed himself.

He said his dad didn't like that idea. Jake told jurors, "Ultimately, the plan would be that we would kill Hanna, Chris Sr. and Kenneth." He said his dad told him to collect the firearms, prepare a silencer and get a vehicle that was not his.

(more)

Many thanks to all who are tracking and posting these tweets -- it's a great service for the rest of us trying to follow this often-interrupted trial.

Also, as I read today's testimony it seems clear that this massacre was driven by the Wagner's ongoing family obsession with child molestation and with the extension of their enmeshed mindset over an extended family of new babies and isolated "spouses."

I really wonder to what extent AW transmuted and stage-managed this psychodrama of corruption and purity into the massacre, in which the Rhodens seem almost to have been proxies for real abusers, underwritten by the custody angle.

It really reminds me of some of the more bizarre "fear of grooming" moral panics we've seen in recent years from fringe groups. And the whole family seems to have ignored their own abusive practices in the process of "saving" others. It's just horrific.

 

[RAISINISBACK]

Courtney Francisco
@CFranciscoWCPO
·
36m
Okay- we are on break... Jake opted out of letting press record his testimony. So, I had to write his information and quotes in the courtroom. He got as far as the day of the homicide when the judge allowed the jury to break.

The prosecution is asking questions that could show his brother, George, knew about the crime.

Jake told jurors he met Hanna Rhoden when she was 13 and he was 17. They were in the 4-H building at the Pike Co. Fair. He started dating her with her parents' permission. She birthed their baby, Sophia, when she was 16.

They broke up in Feb. 2015. He said his custody concerns began around that time. "I was concerned that Hanna was going to let my daughter be molested."
He said Hanna was dismissive of his concerns.

By the end of 2015, he said she was stalling shared custody paperwork. He said George would be with him during drop offs and pickups sometimes. His mother was monitoring Hanna's Facebook messages.

He said his mother brought to his attention a conversation Hanna had on facebook with George's ex-wife's mother. He read it and told jurors it said Hanna had said that "If he wants custody of Sophia, it would be over my dead body, or something similar to that."

He said he, his mom and dad talked about it. He told jurors. "To be frank, I had decided I felt I had no other choice than to kill Hanna."

He said it was his dad's idea first, and he said no way. But then Jake changed his mind. Jake told jurors he told his dad they could kill Hanna and her new boyfriend, Corey, and make it look like Corey killed her then killed himself.

He said his dad didn't like that idea. Jake told jurors, "Ultimately, the plan would be that we would kill Hanna, Chris Sr. and Kenneth." He said his dad told him to collect the firearms, prepare a silencer and get a vehicle that was not his.

(more)

He said he, his mom and dad talked about it
He said it was his dad's idea first, and he said no way. But then Jake changed his mind.
He said his dad told him to collect the firearms, prepare a silencer and get a vehicle that was not his.

Where is George in all this? Jake is a freaking coward. He is too big of a coward to even say George was in on it. What's he think George is going to do. hit him?
I have a feeling this is going to be another day of Jake and Angie with a few mentions of Billy.
JMO

 

[iulia]

They are back from the break.

 

[Tillicum]

Who thinks they would've killed again if they hadn't got caught?

 

[arielilane]

Jake Wagner entering the Pike Co. Courthouse this morning after his brother George. Heavy security. Brother will face brother today.

Lunch break in OH v. #GeorgeWagnerIV as Jake Wagner, who opted OUT, testifies against his brother. Jake is wearing a tan jail shirt marked INMATE on the back and blue plans. Shacked at wrists and ankles.

Jake sits at the stand. Looks at his brother, GW4. I am sitting behind George so I can't tell whether George looked back or not. But, Jake has looked him several times. Sometimes George's head is down

Angie Canepa asks him how long he's been incarcerated. He says nearly 4 years. He describes how the family intentionally burned down buildings at the Bethel Hill Rd. property where they'd lived for 20 years.

When they bought the farm at Peterson Rd., they put it in George and Jake's name because their insurance history and credit was "clean." He said everyone at knew he Bethel Hill Rd. fires were set intentionally. Moved items out of the house and stored at Chris Rhoden Sr.’s

property and elsewhere. He said after the murders, he volunteered to intentionally wreck GW4's truck for the insurance $$$ b/c it was going to be too expensive to repair the engine. He said his uncle, Chris Newcomb,

knew the wreck was going to happen. Chris N. had testified the wreck wasn't intentional "on my part." He said he nearly died during the wreck. Jake said he went to public school for a month otherwise was home-schooled

Jake is asked if he loves his brother. He says yes. He said it's difficult for him to be here today when asked. When he said he loves GW4, he looks at him. He said he believes GW4 loves him. Would love nothing more than

his brother, mom and dad to be able to go home. He said he was close to his mom, Angela, but closer to George. Closeish to his dad, Billy. He said he and GW4 would go hunting, fishing, ride ATV’s.

GW4 was more the avid hunter because it was "more of a science for him", food plots, migration, etc. He said they poached deer and did spotlighting, shining a light the eyes of deer to stun them and kill them.

Family shopped mostly at Wal-Mart, Kroger, Bass Pro Shops and Cabella's. He would buy items at BassPro because he got points on his credit card. They helped each other pay off debts and he and GW4 shared a bank account

Each member of he family could use the others' account even if they weren't a co-signer. They had family meetings where decisions were made, took votes in the kitchen. If it related to Jake, he had the final say.

Jake said he,George and Billy stole things but they would do it in a way that it hurt someone as little as possible. They would steel from a truck transporting goods for a big company rather than an individual b/c items were insured and driver wouldn't be hurt

They stole fuel, lumber, appliances, things to use on the farm. First met Hanna May at the 4-H barn of the Pike Co. Fair in 2013. Hanna asked him if he wanted to pet her bunny. It was black and white.

Hanna was 13. Jake was 17. Jake asked her parents, Dana and Chris Sr. for permission to date her. Sophia was born on November 18, 2013 at 2:30 p.m., he said.

Hanna May lived with them more after Sophia was born. He was asked about an incident where he choked Hanna May. He said he didn't choke her. She didn't want to do her chore of mowing the lawn. She stormed off and he held his arm on her collar bone.

Jake says "She was lazy in her responsibilities." She was acting like my brother's ex-wife" (Tabitha). He said he held Hanna May with his arm on her collar bone until she calmed down. Said it lasted less than 5 minutes.

Jake didn't want their relationship to end but it did in Feb. 2015. Hanna May started dating Charlie Gilley and later Corey Holdren. He said Sophia told him about them looking her in their bedroom with them for hours.

He said Sophia told him that Corey locked her in a bedroom for hours and she screamed and no one rescued her. He said S screamed for him and he never came to "rescue" her." Sophia would cling to his leg and Dana said "She's just being a brat.”

Jake said there was a history of rape in his mother's family, Hanna May's family and Tabitha's. Jake said he was worried Sophia would be molested. He confronted Hanna May about it and he said she responded "if it happens we'll deal with it.”

Jake says he consulted a lawyer about a custody arrangements and wanting something drawn up but Hanna May was stalling and claimed she was consulting her dad's lawyer in Columbus. Jake didn't believe her.

End of 2015, his mom made him aware of the convo between Hanna May and Tabi's mom where Hanna said she would only sign custody papers "over my dead body" according to Jake.

Angela told him about this in private. He knew Angela was monitoring Tabi and her mom's Facebook accounts to see if Tabi was going to try to get custody of Bulvine.

"I felt I had, I had decided I had no other choice but to kill Hanna," Jake said. However, Billy first made the suggestion and he said he would never do that b/c she was the mother of his child and stormed off.

Billy said the only option would be to kill Hanna May or Sophia. That was January 2016. Jake said he was still hesitant but Hanna May saying "we'll deal with it" if S was molested was "my tipping point."

Jake said his suggestion was to kill Corey and Hanna May and make it look like a murder-suicide - as if Corey killed H and then took his own life. Billy said "if you kill Hanna you have to kill Chris Sr., Frankie and Kenneth" b/c "they'll come after you like
a sniper on a hill. They'd have to kill HANNAH Hazel Gilley and Gary Rhoden, he said b/c they lived in the same houses as the others and they could have "witnesses, would be the proper word.”

Jake said Billy said he would take care of the timing and surrounding events of the homicide. Jake was supposed to get a vehicle and silencers. A vehicle not their own.

Initially, Jake was going to use a Ruger 1022 and Billy would use a Baretta 92. But, in trial and error with the silencer, the Ruger 1022 was destroyed. The SKS belonged to George.

Jake tried to make silencers out of two flashlights - an off-brand ordered off Amazon and then a Maglite. The off-brand flash lights aluminum was too thin. Jake believes they were blue. On Baretta, silencer malfunctioned in final stage of construction

Tossed Maglite in the burn barrel and the other items thrown in a dumpster. (This is odd b/c Maglite found in cistern). Jake then decided to use Colt 1911.22 And Billy a 40 Glock.

The Baretta was given back to Billy. Jake says he is not aware of grips purchased for the Baretta. Jake then decided to use standard oil filters to make silencers. Weld it to SKS and screws on with standard threading?

Jake says he ordered drill bits, taps and dyes to help build a silencer. Also bought freeze plugs. These items purchased in March 2016. Bought a Chevy pick-up, late 90's and early 2000's for $1,500-$2K from Uncle Todd.

The sale happened in the driveway of Peterson Rd. Uncle Todd, Uncle Gus, Jake and GW4 were all there for the transaction. 3 weeks before murders.

Lunch break called after this. Jake looked over at George several times throughout testimony. He also asked Angie Canepa to repeat some question. He awkwardly fumbled around with a small bottle of water to get a sip while handcuffed.

Also before the break, an exhibit was displayed showing the family's list of guns found on Jake's phone. He said it was last modified in May 2015.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1055241380493225985

 

[RAISINISBACK]

@Angenette5 also has lots of tweets, some things that I haven’t seen from other reporters. I am on my tablet so I can’t copy paste more than 3 tweets, so if anyone wants to do that..

https://twitter.com/x/status/1584576380783988736

ETA Billy suggested they kill SW?

Kill Sophia?????? Sick effing .

JMO

 

[Ann99]

The Docket's humor cracks me up.

It’s a little different….

 

[rescuemom]

It was part of a sentence clipped from a comment I made and used out of context.

What George did not do: George did NOT defend, intervene or protect the young girls living in his household. Not even his own wife.

Oh I got what you meant and agree!! I was just saying that some won't believe George did anything unless they can see it for themselves. He is guilty as sin!!!

 

[justtrish]

Who thinks they would've killed again if they hadn't got caught?

I think Beth 100% believes that. (well I do also)

They kept burning things down to get insurance money because they didn't get caught. They kept stealing from businesses because they didn't get caught.

 

[Betty P]

What kind if human says this, what a black hearted, soulless slug

"Billy said the only option would be to kill Hanna May or Sophia."

I can't wait until Billy comes to trial. Should be short.

 

[RAISINISBACK]

What kind if human says this, what a black hearted, soulless slug

"Billy said the only option would be to kill Hanna May or Sophia."

Truly sick. That's it for me. Fry all their azzes. Put some extra fizzle in for jake and Billy. What man stand and listens when his father wants to kill his 2 year old daughter. Man, this is hard to even read. I can't even imagine what the R's are feeling.

JMO

 

[Betty P]

Who thinks they would've killed again if they hadn't got caught?

I do, definitely. They seem the type that, once they've tried and succeeded, they'd be willing to do it again. JMO, EA might have been next. Also add in any business competitors or even LE.

 

[RAISINISBACK]

The Docket's humor cracks me up.

Can you post it for those of us who do not have twitter?

JMO

 

[ohioexpat63]

I predict BW will ultimately take a plea. Jmo

 

[Betty P]

Truly sick. That's it for me. Fry all their azzes. Put some extra fizzle in for jake and Billy. What man stand and listens when his father wants to kill his 2 year old daughter. Man, this is hard to even read. I can't even imagine what the R's are feeling.

JMO

They certainly had reason to be terrified after the murders. I wonder how many of the attempted break ins, creepers, etc. were really the Wags? Maybe Jake will say.

 

[Betty P]

I predict BW will ultimately take a plea. Jmo

He should, but he may not. He's a Wagner, so is better than the rest of us and above the law.