OH - Pike County: 8 people from one family dead as police hunt for killer(s) #1

[JanetElaine]

What scenario? Figuring out where people lived? The is where the post was about. At this point, there is nothing saying anything was taken.

bbm

A poster suggested a scenario where the Rhoden's towed a broken down car that had drugs or a lot of money in it, and the owners of the car came to find these goods and found the car empty, and killed these 8 members of the Rhoden family because of it.

 

[carbuff]

No they go to pick up the vehicle from the tow yard. Cops tell them where and how to get it back. Just like anybody else who has ever broken down or wrecked a car. They get it back and pop off the dash or drop the gas tank and their stash is gone. At that point the ball is rolling. I would expect they might "ask" for their money or drugs back. You would be talking about major criminal outfits and not a small time dealer.

There are certainly less plausible theories that have been mentioned. I'm not sure why they'd go after more people than just the ones who lived here, though.

 

[KKearns]

bbm

A poster suggested a scenario where the Rhoden's towed a broken down car that had drugs or a lot of money in it, and the owners of the car came to find these goods and found the car empty, and killed these 8 members of the Rhoden family because of it.

Oh, the finding someone easily these days was the quoted post so that was confusing.

 

[JanetElaine]

Oh, the finding someone easily these days was the quoted post so that was confusing.

Yes that was later in the string of conversation about the 'stash' scenario.

 

[Tillicum]

Okay, I opened the photo in its own tab and I was able to expand it and get some better detail. I will tentatively concede that's a trailer for residence, though it doesn't show any signs of kids in the yard or anything like that.

I don't think that tow truck has moved recently -- not since the grass started growing this spring, anyway.

There are also some lines that look like crime scene tape running beside the road and across the driveway. It also seems to run back toward the trailer, hooking over to the trees on the left and then back in front of the trailer. Some of it might be marks in the dirt; it's hard to make out for sure.

Can anybody tell what that funny pinkish-orange thing on the grass between the red racer stripe car and the tow truck is?

Maybe a bush hog or walk behind?

 

[JanetElaine]

I've been meaning to ask about the festival that's going on in town this weekend. Do any more or less locals have any information about the scale of this festival (what's it called again... will have to backtrack for that) or anything related to it?

ETA Pike County Dogwood Festival, from April 21-24.

ETA2 It's easy to find info about it online but I was specifically thinking of someone who could possibly describe more of the background atmosphere.

 

[photojoumatt]

Yea. Like I said it's a stretch. I really had this pegged for a direct family member because it fits the profile of this type of crime but that does not seem like the case here.

 

[Noddy]

AP has a photo up that shows the area better. http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/Ohio-Shootings/78ebc0e2c48b4c348e17691a5a4a1320/2/0

I couldn't open your link photojoumatt so I'm not sure the image is the same as the Google Earth shot of the location jimbo1984 was asking about. I think the residence is the building on the very right with the two vehicles in the driveway.

 

[Storm]

Here's the news story on it...

http://www.chillicothegazette.com/s...ers-25k-arrest-pike-co-mass-shooter/83432754/

...quite a creepy twitter post from JR at the end...

I don't know what you're referring to when you say "creepy Twitter posts from JR". Jeff Ruby is a very respected and admired man here in Cincinnati who truly feels compassion for people. In this case he mentions the mother was breast-feeding her baby and obviously felt that killing her was unthinkable. I was born and raised just north of the area and have family that is from that area but I have been in Cincinnati for years. Let's not forget that this area is Appalachian country and in this economy I am sure a lot of them are deprived of jobs that they may have had before the economy fell. It is extremely rural and I cannot imagine who could do this, it seems most likely they knew the family very well. I also think that in this area there are other people who know who it probably is. ^|^

 

[VicVixvi]

I don't know what you're referring to when you say "creepy Twitter posts from JR". Jeff Ruby is a very respected and admired man here in Cincinnati who truly feels compassion for people. In this case he mentions the mother was breast-feeding her baby and obviously found that unthinkable. I was born and raised just north of the area and have family that is from that area but I have been in Cincinnati for years. Let's not forget that this area is Appalachian country and in this economy I am sure a lot of them are deprived of jobs that they may have had before the economy fell. It is extremely rural and I cannot imagine who could do this, it seems most likely they knew the family very well. I also think that in this area there are other people who know who it probably is. ^|^

As I said back on page 22 or so ....

I didn't mean JR was creepy. I found it creepy that the perp shot the mother while she was breastfeeding. Creepy above shooting a mother while she lays beside her newborn even. JR was the first source of that information as it was not released in either the sheriff's nor AG's statements.

 

[VicVixvi]

Maybe a bush hog or walk behind?

I agree, I thought it looked like a belly mower from a Kubota.

 

[JanetElaine]

As I said back on page 22 or so ....

I didn't mean JR was creepy. I found it creepy that the perp shot the mother while she was breastfeeding. Creepy above shooting a mother while she lays beside her newborn even. JR was the first source of that information as it was not released in either the sheriff's nor AG's statements.

Breastfeeding moms routinely refer to themselves as "I am breastfeeding" when they have a child they feed by nursing them - not necessarily meaning they are breastfeeding at that exact moment. I really think the tweet did not mean she was breastfeeding at the exact moment that she was shot, just that she was "a nursing mom". Although it could be possible obviously, but since this kind of detail has not been released by anyone (like you note), at this point I doubt that's what JR meant.

 

[VicVixvi]

I couldn't open your link photojoumatt so I'm not sure the image is the same as the Google Earth shot of the location jimbo1984 was asking about. I think the residence is the building on the very right with the two vehicles in the driveway.

View attachment 92507

No, actually, it would be the building in the middle. Here's a google earth with Jimo1984's picture inset.

 

[Tillicum]

I've been meaning to ask about the festival that's going on in town this weekend. Do any more or less locals have any information about the scale of this festival (what's it called again... will have to backtrack for that) or anything related to it?

ETA Pike County Dogwood Festival, from April 21-24.

ETA2 It's easy to find info about it online but I was specifically thinking of someone who could possibly describe more of the background atmosphere.

Most of the small Appalachian communities get very involved in their festivals. Because of economic conditions there isn't a lot locally for people to do for entertainment so almost everyone looks forward to attending and being a part of the events. At times it almost seems like one big family rather than a community.

 

[Tillicum]

No, actually, it would be the building in the middle. Here's a google earth with Jimo1984's picture inset.

There are two mobile homes in the image. One in the middle and one on the far right.

 

[Lalalacasbah]

Yea. Like I said it's a stretch. I really had this pegged for a direct family member because it fits the profile of this type of crime but that does not seem like the case here.

I feel like it's someone who knows the family or a family member or drugs/bad business.

As much as it's described as "execution style" (which sounds almost impersonal) it seems to be personal as well since whoever did this must have been familiar with the habits of the family and know the geographical locations of who was in what home. The fact that children were spared is either a conscience, they knew them or code.

 

[KKearns]

I've been meaning to ask about the festival that's going on in town this weekend. Do any more or less locals have any information about the scale of this festival (what's it called again... will have to backtrack for that) or anything related to it?

ETA Pike County Dogwood Festival, from April 21-24.

ETA2 It's easy to find info about it online but I was specifically thinking of someone who could possibly describe more of the background atmosphere.

I know someone is selling bottled water to raise money for the family.

Since there are so many Rhoden's still in the community and a killer loose, seems odd to me they would still have this festival today.

 

[Lindadanette]

Hmm - the NBC Columbus article focuses on Dana Rhoden and how three of her kids (and one boy's finance) were murdered. If you add Her ex, the other 2 were either the reason or collateral damage. Wish we knew more about Dana and Chris's "complicated" relationship. I'm sure LE is doing what I am tonight, going through the likes on her photo's to see if anyone sticks out.

 

[Dr. Know?]

Thanks! I had no idea the culture or background of this area and the people. I thought if some people ran businesses from their property or had farms they might have set up surveillance, but if the community is struggling makes sense this wouldn't be a priority.

They may have some businesses ran from their homes. If you search Peebles, Oh, it says a struggling Appalachia County. Very interesting.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appalachia

 

[Lalalacasbah]

Hmm - the NBC Columbus article focuses on Dana Rhoden and how three of her kids (and one boy's finance) were murdered. If you add Her ex, the other 2 were either the reason or collateral damage. Wish we knew more about Dana and Chris's "complicated" relationship. I'm sure LE is doing what I am tonight, going through the likes on her photo's to see if anyone sticks out.

Going off your post, I can't remember if it's been discussed….do we know if Dana had a BF/new love interest recently or since her divorce? Did she recently just move close to her ex?