OH - Pike County: 8 people from one family dead as police hunt for killer(s) #2

[AmyPond]

I'm not allowed to post it. But the truck belongs to a victim according to the post I saw from a friend of the victim. I believe it's against the rules to post the link on here. You may find it if you research one of the male victims profiles. Hint hint.

You cannot link to the friend's FB page.

But can you link me to the victim's page?

 

[creepcrusher]

You cannot link to the friend's FB page.

But can you link me to the victim's page?

Okay give me a minute to find it again.

 

[sumzero]

That the sheriff lied about the family and knowing them through legal issues. Also maybe why he lied was they were part of that bust at the post office and that bust could have had something to do with their murder.

Wouldn't it be more reasonable to believe he was telling the truth and that the drug bust had nothing to do with the Rhodens?

 

[K.L.Puyallup]

Originally Posted by birpu
So, do you find a building on the Rhoden property that resembles the one in the photo from that link? I haven't seen one -

Bah. I said I was going to bed. I'm addicted! The property is large, and it's hard to find a good picture of all of the buildings. This partial picture provides one possible building. The right color, height, and he same flat roof.


Then there's this building, towards the back of the property. Also a possible match, but perhaps too much foliage. It's hard to tell, since the google earth image is likely from the spring/summer, and the picture on of the shatter house is from the late winter months.

 

[KKearns]

Wouldn't it be more reasonable to believe he was telling the truth and that the drug bust had nothing to do with the Rhodens?

I don't recall him saying that, just that he didn't know them through legal issues and he did.

 

[Ohio Worrier]

Assuming the grow-ops are connected which it seems so - I either have to think they owe someone huge cash or burned someone in a deal or they have competition and the competition didn't want anyone else growing/dealing if they wanted control of the 'turf'.

I have a hard time imagining a Mexican drug cartel would do this for some reason. Maybe I've watched too many movies but I would think the Mexican cartel would deal with more business savvy people to do their dirty work. Three grow-ops spread over more than one property involves a lot of people it seems, too risky and too many hands in the cookie jar for Mexican cartel maybe? Or maybe I'm just unaware of how the cartel really works.

This still smells semi-local to me as this might've been hard to plan for outsiders unless they seriously surveilled the family first to know their exact habits/movements. JMO.

We had a neighbor involved in drug runs from Arizona. He asked for help from the local police when he and his family were threatened. I don't know if they were Mexican drug cartels, but I know there are links between the SW US and Ohio--unfortunately. I'm not disagreeing with you, Lalala, just wondering out loud and praying this is solved soon.

 

[MirnaMinkoff]

I also think whoever killed them did so because they thought or feared they had turned state's evidence or CI. The cartels and other drug networks do not hesitate to kill people (even entire families) if they are thought to have turned informant - it's the unforgivable sin in the criminal world. It is done to neutralize the threat of the actual CIs and to send a very strong message to anyone else who might be thinking of cooperating with LE.

I will say that killing entire families is usually more indicative of a cartel OR people copying cartel tactics.

I think LE is a loss dealing with the professional level they are dealing with here. Calling out a SWAT team was dramatic, but then it was just to search the woods? Seems more like theatrics to pacify the public demanding arrests, because anyone who could ruthlessly carry out eight murders is long, long gone. Seems like they are hoping some evidence might be found discarded in the woods because so little was left at the actual murder scenes. If this truly was a hit by a Mexican cartel the local and state LE are way out of the league and will not be making any real arrests any time soon. I just hope due the pressure and attention they don't rush to pin it to some innocent parties. In situations like this, all too often, the wrong people are put away because the media attention makes LE panic and rush to judgement/arrests.

 

[creepcrusher]

You cannot link to the friend's FB page.

But can you link me to the victim's page?

https://m.facebook.com/frankie.rhoden.7?pn_ref=friends_search

 

[K.L.Puyallup]

Wouldn't it be more reasonable to believe he was telling the truth and that the drug bust had nothing to do with the Rhodens?

Drug trafficking across state lines would land this as a federal case. As it's an open investigation spanning multiple states and a large number of people, I highly doubt he's at liberty to say "Yep, it was the Rhodens, alright."
It's not possible that he's been completely honest. Dana has a prior arrest for domestic violence. So we know that is being untruthful when he says he's never dealt with the Rhodens in a criminal capacity.
So, why lie?

 

[creepcrusher]

You cannot link to the friend's FB page.

But can you link me to the victim's page?

I'm having issues posting the link. Check Frankie Rhoden's profile. Sorry. I'm new here!

 

[KKearns]

Drug trafficking across state lines would land this as a federal case. As it's an open investigation spanning multiple states and a large number of people, I highly doubt he's at liberty to say "Yep, it was the Rhodens, alright."
It's not possible that he's been completely honest. Dana has a prior arrest for domestic violence. So we know that is being untruthful when he says he's never dealt with the Rhodens in a criminal capacity.
So, why lie?

Exactly.. An area that small, he knows them and not just from Sunday School, especially with that entire Criminal Record link. If this was a place of 300K people, he could be telling the truth.

 

[birpu]

Drug trafficking across state lines would land this as a federal case. As it's an open investigation spanning multiple states and a large number of people, I highly doubt he's at liberty to say "Yep, it was the Rhodens, alright."
It's not possible that he's been completely honest. Dana has a prior arrest for domestic violence. So we know that is being untruthful when he says he's never dealt with the Rhodens in a criminal capacity.
So, why lie?

CYA. If he suspects drug cartel involvement and he convinced the family to cooperate - then, LE had a big hand in the deaths of eight people.

Or, on a less cynical note, if he admits they were helping LE it could tip off the bad guys as to what they might know.

 

[K.L.Puyallup]

CYA. If he suspects drug cartel involvement and he convinced the family to cooperate - then, LE had a big hand in the deaths of eight people.

That was my thought, but I think that this would be a failure on the DEA/FBI/whoever else may have been involved in this drug investigation. It is not typically upon the shoulders of local LE to arrange for protection of informants in federal cases, is it?

 

[Ohio Worrier]

He may be lying out of sheer fear. This is clearly a very dangerous situation. Or do you think he means, technically, HE never actually cuffed someone from that family and he is playing on technicalities to protect himself?

 

[birpu]

Bah. I said I was going to bed. I'm addicted! The property is large, and it's hard to find a good picture of all of the buildings. This partial picture provides one possible building. The right color, height, and he same flat roof.
View attachment 92548

Then there's this building, towards the back of the property. Also a possible match, but perhaps too much foliage. It's hard to tell, since the google earth image is likely from the spring/summer, and the picture on of the shatter house is from the late winter months.
View attachment 92549

I guess I was hoping for a side view because those big windows were distinctive. Unfortunately this is one area where the Google cars haven't made it yet. We'll have to keep a sharp eye out for news footage.

 

[K.L.Puyallup]

Or, on a less cynical note, if he admits they were helping LE it could tip off the bad guys as to what they might know.

I think this is the case. He's steering clear of any public connection tying this family to any sort of crime, lest anyone start to connect the dots.
I think the weird lying and hesitation is being done to prevent the federal investigation from being compromised.

 

[KKearns]

That was my thought, but I think that this would be a failure on the DEA/FBI/whoever else may have been involved in this drug investigation. It is not typically upon the shoulders of local LE to arrange for protection of informants in federal cases, is it?

He is lying for a reason, could be a good reason. I was just surprised more didn't pick up on that lie.

 

[Ray_of_hope]

Looking at the victims profiles on sm is heartbreaking. How could anyone take one life, never mind eight??!!! I truly hope there was a slip up and solid evidence is found and soon. And for the surviving children... I wish it had never happened. And what a beautiful area. fftobed: Good night ws'ers and hope we wake to news that this has been solved.

 

[cujenn81]

I'm having issues posting the link. Check Frankie Rhoden's profile. Sorry. I'm new here!

He and his fiancé were like the cutest things ever and it's obvious from his FB photos that they really loved each other a lot... it makes me super sad.

 

[birpu]

That was my thought, but I think that this would be a failure on the DEA/FBI/whoever else may have been involved in this drug investigation. It is not typically upon the shoulders of local LE to arrange for protection of informants in federal cases, is it?

I don't know but I would guess not. There hasn't been much mention of the FBI though, has there? I wonder why not. I would have expected them to be swarming all over the place if this is the same operation because Rearden did mention they were assisting in the prior case -
"We are working with federal employees and federal investigators on the case due to the drugs being shipped in the mail and possibly flights to other states."