WAVERLY, Ohio — A Pike County judge ordered one of the suspects charged with killing eight people in the
Pike County massacre to have no contact with her co-defendants.
During a brief pretrial hearing Monday, Judge Randy Deering ordered that Angela Wagner have no contact, direct or indirect, with her co-defendants. That means she won't be able to communicate with her husband, two adult sons, mother or mother-in-law.
Wagner, her husband and their two sons are charged with conspiring to kill eight members of the Rhoden family and carrying out the plan on April 22, 2016 in rural Pike County.
Defense attorney Robert Krapenc said he had already told Wagner not to communicate with any of the other suspects.
Angela Wagner
pleaded not guilty to the 22 charges during a hearing in late November. Deering ordered that she be held without bond
PIKE COUNTY, OH (FOX19) - The eldest of the Wagner sons made his second appearance in court Wednesday afternoon.
George Wagner IV, 27, not to be confused with his namesake father George “Billy” Wagner III, appeared in a Pike County courtroom for his first pretrial hearing.
The hearing was brief and discussed the same motions and filings as Monday’s pretrial hearing for Wagner’s mother Angela:
- The defense is still waiting for a Bill of Particulars and they’re OK with the time it’s taking to get it
- They’d like more time to file motions relating to the case
- Wagner is not to have any contact with his family who are his co-defendants
Wagner appeared in court wearing jeans, a black button-up dress shirt, black vest and red and black tie. His appearance in plain clothes was noted by both his defense attorneys Charles Knight and Richard Nash, Jr., and prosecuting attorneys Rob Junk and Angela Canepa.
All attorneys wanted the change in clothing noted and said police inspected the outfit before court began.
Wagner’s next court appearance is scheduled for March 22 at 1:30 p.m.
He stayed mostly silent during Wednesday’s hearing, only speaking when give a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to the judge. He also gave no indication of emotion as he listened to the day’s proceedings.
Wagner also showed little emotion throughout his initial court appearance where he pleaded not guilty Nov. 28 to killing eight members of the Rhoden family in April 2016.
He faces 22 charges including eight charges of capital murder.
READ MORE: Wagner brother pleads not guilty for role in Rhoden family massacre
Wagner brother pleads not guilty for role in Rhoden family massacre
Wagner’s mother Angela Wagner was in court Monday afternoon for her first pretrial hearing. She was ordered to have no contact with her family members.
READ MORE: Mother charged in Rhoden family murders to have no contact with family members
George Wagner IV, his mother Angela, 48, his father Billy, 47, and his brother Edward “Jake," 26, are all charged with the brutal murders of the Rhoden family.