Good morning from Pike Co. - Jake Wagner is here in the courthouse and we're expecting him to testify against his brother George in the murder trial here. Do not yet know if he is opting in for video yet - stay tuned.
Here he is coming into the courthouse credit pool photographer Liz Dufour of Cincinnati Enquirer
Just back for lunch break - they are breaking until 12:30. So far, prosecutor Canepa is running through the initial background and we've gotten up to the point when at least Jake and his father decide to kill the Rhodens. He walked through the silencer purchases etc.
Jake testified that it was father's idea initially to kill the Rhodens. He disagreed saying Hanna was the mother of his daughter and that he still loved her. But he expressed concern over possible abuse of Sophia to Hanna, and she said "we'll just have to deal with it”
Jake says that "was the tipping point for me" - he told his father "we have to do it." This was early 2016 and preparations began. His job was to get firearms with silencers and a separate vehicle. No mention of George yet - but he was there when he bought the truck.
Other key points - Jake looked at George several times, but the older brother kept his eyes down most of the time at the defense table. Jake said he destroyed two guns while trying to make silencers out of flashlights - eventually settled on oil filters.
We haven't gotten to the actual day of the killings. Jake appears composed. Early on he is asked if he loved his brother "yes" does his brother love him "yes" and that he wished more than anything that George could go home
Afternoon session from Jake Wagner's testimony against his brother George Wagner IV's in George's murder trial. We've gotten through the events leading up to the murders and then the first murder site of Chris Rhoden Sr. and his cousin Gary Rhoden.
On a 15 minute break. Jake testified that George helped build the fake bottom for the truck bed, and tagged along and was dressed with ski mask gloves and the shoes his mother bought just like he was.
The plan was for Billy Wagner to lure Chris Sr. outside to the grow shed, and shoot him when they walked back. But George froze while carrying the SKS rifle. Billy went inside with Chris and Gary. When Chris came back to door, Jake shot him multiple times with SKS
He got the keys to the grow shed from Chris' body, then went and grabbed surveillance hard drive and put it in truck. Went back inside the house to grab cell phones of victims and saw the bodies had been moved and dragged into the bedroom. Covered them with blanket.
That's as far as we've gotten thus far. The Wagners are about to walk to Frankie Rhoden's trailer. The entire family knew the plan - Angela Wagner was supposed to browse Facebook on Jake's phone left behind at home to make it appear he was still at Petersen Road.
Headed back up for the rest of testimony - remember no phones or anything in courtroom
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