OH - Pike Co - 8 in Rhoden Family Murdered Over Custody Issue - 4 Members Wagner Family Arrested #82

[Betty P]

This trial is unusual in that the prosecution hasn't rested its case and the defense now is calling its witnesses to the stand

How does that work?

JMO, its because the prosecution hasn't finished its case yet. Defense kicked up a big argument about the OTR truck wiretaps last week. As mentioned previously, they've had those tapes and transcripts for at least 3 years now.

This is how the defense team operates - by sowing chaos - shock and awe - to confuse jurors, distract from the evidence and use a lot of ad hom to falsely imply the judge and prosecution are being dishonest.

In this case, they're trying to distract attention from the truck tapes, which apparently aren't helpful to GW4.

 

[arielilane]

https://twitter.com/jamespilcher


Back on tweet thread as Kelly Cinereski - the pastor in Alaska who was friends with Wagners. He originally from Minford. He is opting in

Rev Cinereski says he was called to be a pastor at 13

He says Wagners were "a good family in our church" in Minford - he was at their house once a week early on as part of their discipleship program. Says Billy had a desire to turn his life around and have kids to live a different life.

The other witnesses so far were Andrew Carson - who knew Hanna Rhoden and Jake through her. He called Jake morning of murders, says Jake started screaming and ended the call.

Next was Shawn Fisher - tattoo artist from Portsmouth. He covered up diesel tattoo on George with a skull and 8 ball and 3 aces. Said they came up with design on fly and it was mostly his (Shawn's) idea. Also did scorpion on Billy's hand, and diesel tattoo for Jake.

 

[dgfred]

Pastor says 'nicest murderers I have ever met'

Just kidding... what the heck is he going to say bad?

 

[arielilane]

https://twitter.com/Angenette5

WATCH: Pastor Kelly Cinereski, from the Wagners' church in Seward, Alaska, takes the stand in #GeorgeWagnerIV's defense case

Cinereski knew the Wagners in Ohio when he worked as a pastor and the Wagners attended his church in Alaska when they moved there. He said they met the Wagners in 2002, 2003

He met Fredericka, Billy, Angela, George and Jake. GW4 was still a young teen when he met him. Cinereski said they were very active in his church in Ohio. He said the Wagners worked hard. "Anything a church does, they were there.”

Wagners went through discipleship program for 16 weeks. He said Billy wanted to turn his life around and live a different life.

When asked about the differences between Jake and George: "In short, George was smart and Jake was trouble.”

Cinereski said he flew in from Alaska to perform the wedding ceremony between George and Tabi.

Cinereski said he was shocked when he heard Jake and Angela entered guilty pleas. "It was a horrible crime."

Cinereski didn't like that Hanna May and Tabi were living at Bethel Hill Rd. with the Wagners. "Billy, this isn't good. Things happen between boys and girls.”

Cinereski said he wasn't aware of criminal activity on Bethel Hill Rd. He said he sent his son to the property.

 

[justtrish]

Pastor says 'nicest murderers I have ever met'

Just kidding... what the heck is he going to say bad?

I have typed and erased so many comments because I just can't even.. goodness.

I understand a pastors heart is to see the good and lead people that are often troubled (I mean aren't we all a little troubled in our own ways?), but he's painting them out to be the good little church people that he had no idea did so wrong.

 

[arielilane]

https://twitter.com/jamespilcher

Third defense witness was Michael Walters Jr. - shop foreman at Buddy's Garage who was supervisor for both George and Jake.

Prosecution stresses George and Jake were hired together, and left the garage for a different job together. Walters said George superior employee, but the owner offered them both more money to stay. Both left for another job.

Back to Rev. Cinereski. Says George was smart, but Jake struggled in school. Says his reaction to Jake guilty plea "shock ... it was unbelieveable a horrible crime." Angela plea "it didn't make sense."

 

[rescuemom]

Thanks!

you're welcome -- it was posted before I posted mine

 

[justtrish]

WOW so the defense brought this witness from Alaska to tell them how wonderful the Wagner's were from 2000-2006, then to say George was smart and Jake struggled, then to say he was in disbelief that this crime happened and the defense only asked him about Angela being involved and were you surprised? He said yes, then the defense has no more questions? WTH!?

 

[rescuemom]

@RAISINISBACK flew up for the trial. Said she was attending. Wonder if she's writing a book for us?

When the site that won't be named was active, someone was thinking of writing a book but don't know if that is still in the works or not

 

[Betty P]

Pastor wired the electricity in the Wagner house they burned down for insurance money. He was in AK when the house was burned.

Billy told him (pastor) he "had some girls to raise up" to be wives for his sons. JMO Wagners thought of wives as brood mares, just as they bred their own horses. Pastor told him that wasn't the best way to handle that situation.

Going into recess for break.

As defense witnesses, they're not helping GW4 much. It's not their fault, it's just that there isn't much evidence to show GW4 wasn't involved in the murders. JMO

 

[arielilane]

15 min break

 

[FrankieT]

So what was the benefit of the pastor's testimony?

 

[arielilane]

https://twitter.com/jamespilcher


On to cross examination by state - he knew the Wagners well between 2000-2006. That was before he moved to Alaska. Said the Wagners and kids helped at Lucasville mission serving food etc.

Spent more time with Billy than anyone. Aware of some criminal behaviors prior to him coming to the church. He remembers that Billy did time for burglary. "Very unaware" of any criminal activity at the time.

He had left Ohio before house burned down - they told him it was wiring issues, which is ironic because Rev Cinereski did the wiring on the house as journeyman electrician.

He was concerned about Tabby and Hanna living with Wagners - "You rub two sticks together you get fire." Billy told him he was raising them to be wives for his sons.

If he had been aware of criminal activity, he would not have allowed his sons to be around them.

Cinereski says he never saw them in Alaska while they were on vacation in 2008. Saw Sophia, Jake, Bulvine and Angela while he was preaching at his son's church after they had moved there.

Says crimes and guilty pleas were "unbelieveable because 8 people lost their lives ... It doesn't make sense”

Now on morning break. 15 minutes.

 

[Betty P]

So what was the benefit of the pastor's testimony?

He wasn't too helpful, though it wasn't his fault. He said something about GW4 being a nice guy.

 

[justtrish]

So far the defense witnesses haven't really said much or shown a defense of any kind that I can see. We are already have 3 of their witnesses is there more? It sounds like the defense is going to call another after break? I really am not clear on why so many witnesses are being called for defense, I thought it was simply a schedule thing they needed to call someone from Alaska today.

 

[pcrum12]

https://twitter.com/Angenette5

WATCH: Pastor Kelly Cinereski, from the Wagners' church in Seward, Alaska, takes the stand in #GeorgeWagnerIV's defense case

Cinereski knew the Wagners in Ohio when he worked as a pastor and the Wagners attended his church in Alaska when they moved there. He said they met the Wagners in 2002, 2003

He met Fredericka, Billy, Angela, George and Jake. GW4 was still a young teen when he met him. Cinereski said they were very active in his church in Ohio. He said the Wagners worked hard. "Anything a church does, they were there.”

Wagners went through discipleship program for 16 weeks. He said Billy wanted to turn his life around and live a different life.

When asked about the differences between Jake and George: "In short, George was smart and Jake was trouble.”

Cinereski said he flew in from Alaska to perform the wedding ceremony between George and Tabi.

Cinereski said he was shocked when he heard Jake and Angela entered guilty pleas. "It was a horrible crime."

I didn't hear that - that Jake was Trouble -- I heard him trying to explain that Jake would have needed to have an IEP for school - and that George was smart - Jake struggled.

 

[justtrish]

He wasn't too helpful, though it wasn't his fault. He said something about GW4 being a nice guy.

It seemed his interactions were when they were much younger. Funny for being close friends they didn't make effort to go see them in Alaska. So his son was actually the pastor of the church the Wagner's went to and his guy pastors a church about 90 miles away, but was there preaching when Angela, Jake, the kids were there. Didn't sound like they made too much effort to reconnect with their old buddy.

 

[Skully67]

So what was the benefit of the pastor's testimony?

I yelled out....That was a waste of time.

 

[arielilane]

I didn't hear that - that Jake was Trouble -- I heard him trying to explain that Jake would have needed to have an IEP for school - and that George was smart - Jake wasn't.

I didn't catch that either. fyi: I've edited to include two more tweets.

 

[justtrish]

I think the defense ended that pastors testimony quickly. They asked about finding out Angela was involved.. then no more questions. Wish the prosecution would have said and now how do you feel knowing your son spent the night there and that they burned that house done for $$.

I wish they would have highlighted the George is smart and Jake needed help some more and the George looked out for Jake. If Jake isn't so smart maybe it was George that helped daddy plan? It's also odd that Jake and Angela are better at computers, but George is the one that is so smart?