GUILTY OH Pike Co., 8 in Rhoden Family Murdered Over Custody Issue, 4 Members Wagner Family Arrested #63

[Betty P]

I was under the impression that JW was at the funeral/visitation.

Not sure about that, but he did file for custody on April 28, the day of Gary Rhoden's funeral. There have been rumors and discussions of him attending the Rhoden family funerals on May 3, but I haven't seen anything official.

So, yes, technically Jake filed for custody 4 days before the Rhoden family's funeral. Obviously, it was at a time when the family was in shock and grieving, being questioned by LE, etc.

Court docs: Suspect filed for custody of child at heart of Pike County investigation days after slayings

Family honors first of 8 Pike County victims at service

WLWT obtained court documents that show Jake Wagner filed for custody of their daughter, Sophia, on April 28, 2016, six days after the murders. Sophia was two years old at the time and the only child belonging to any of the victims who was not present during the slayings.

ETA: I think JW helped stir up some of the suspicion against the Rhoden Family in the early days to help his custody case. JMO

 

[Betty P]

I think LE probably had been told about the issues between them and the R's at that point but I doubt there was anything they could legally do to stop him from filing or getting custody at that time.
I think he also filed it so soon after while everyone else was still planning funerals and grieving to beat anyone else to causing an issue for him. Someone may have tried to bring up the underage sexual misconduct against him or try to get custody themselves. LE probably did not have evidence at that time to stop JW. It was done very soon after the murders.

Looking back at the news stories around the time of the funerals, LE was concerned about looking for signs of criminal activity at the crime scenes, e.g. towing all the cars from Chris Sr's and Frankie's property the day of the family's funeral. But LM had told LE about the fight over custody in the first days after the murders.

Rhoden family 'beyond devastation' as funeral held for 6 slain members

Ohio AG's office: Vehicles towed 'part of investigation' in Pike Co.

PIKE COUNTY - Only hours after five of the remaining six members of the Rhoden family were buried Tuesday, tow trucks hauled away at least three vehicles from family property where the April 22 shootings occurred.

“They were taken as part of our investigation of the Rhoden murders," Attorney General spokeswoman Lisa Hackley said.

The most recent haul of evidence comes after another spokeswoman for the Attorney General's Office last Sunday told The Associated Press evidence collection at Union Hill Road had been completed.

...

Leonard Manley, the father of shooting victim Dana Rhoden and father-in-law to her ex-husband and victim Christopher Rhoden, Sr., said officers have been taking vehicles from “Chris’s property, and some of them aren’t even his.’'

Manley voiced frustration with the investigation and said he thinks authorities are looking unfairly at his family, a sentiment he had expressed to The Enquirer early last week.

He said investigators still have not released his own son’s pickup truck, or the tools carried in it. He said he doesn’t know what authorities wanted with James Manley’s truck or his tools.

Leonard Manley said he and his family feel targeted by the investigation. He spoke during a lunch after the funeral and burial of his daughter, her three children and her ex-husband, with whom she was reconciling. Services for a sixth Rhoden -- Christopher Rhoden Sr.'s brother Kenneth -- also took place; he is to be buried separately Wednesday."

I assume Len was talking about taking cars from Chris's property that he was in the process of repairing for friends. Later, the AG's office had to admit that none of the vehicles were stolen.

End of the article, well written:

The surviving members of the family sat in front of the five caskets, under blue tents meant for rain that never came. The Rhoden children were positioned in the middle with their parents at either end.

Friends and family walked past the caskets. Several took roses, carnations and lilies from the coffins.

Most left shortly after that. Then, the hearses pulled away, and the sheriff's deputies stationed at the bottom of the hill left.

The service lasted less than 10 minutes, but some family and friends remained there for several hours.

This was their final goodbye.

BBM


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[Betty P]

It makes me so sad that, while the surviving Rhoden and Manley family members and friends were sitting for hours on that hill in the cemetery, mourning Chris, Dana, Hanna, Frankie and Chris, Jr, little S was in the home of the family who murdered them. She was being cared for by the woman <modnsip - opinion stated as fact> who wanted her to forget that Hanna was ever her mother.

Sometimes the sadness of those horrible murders comes back, as if they happened yesterday. Those times when it felt like there was no merciful God on Union Hill Rd that night, or in the weeks and months after. The Rhodens, Manleys and Gilleys are amazing, strong people to have lived through the last 5 years.

I hope and pray they don't have to suffer through trials and more pain inflicted on them by the Wagner family.

<modsnip - no url link in post to source for photos/copyright>

 

[Covert Operative]

Looking back at the news stories around the time of the funerals, LE was concerned about looking for signs of criminal activity at the crime scenes, e.g. towing all the cars from Chris Sr's and Frankie's property the day of the family's funeral. But LM had told LE about the fight over custody in the first days after the murders.

Rhoden family 'beyond devastation' as funeral held for 6 slain members

Ohio AG's office: Vehicles towed 'part of investigation' in Pike Co.



...

Leonard Manley, the father of shooting victim Dana Rhoden and father-in-law to her ex-husband and victim Christopher Rhoden, Sr., said officers have been taking vehicles from “Chris’s property, and some of them aren’t even his.’'

Manley voiced frustration with the investigation and said he thinks authorities are looking unfairly at his family, a sentiment he had expressed to The Enquirer early last week.

He said investigators still have not released his own son’s pickup truck, or the tools carried in it. He said he doesn’t know what authorities wanted with James Manley’s truck or his tools.

Leonard Manley said he and his family feel targeted by the investigation. He spoke during a lunch after the funeral and burial of his daughter, her three children and her ex-husband, with whom she was reconciling. Services for a sixth Rhoden -- Christopher Rhoden Sr.'s brother Kenneth -- also took place; he is to be buried separately Wednesday."

I assume Len was talking about taking cars from Chris's property that he was in the process of repairing for friends. Later, the AG's office had to admit that none of the vehicles were stolen.

End of the article, well written:

The surviving members of the family sat in front of the five caskets, under blue tents meant for rain that never came. The Rhoden children were positioned in the middle with their parents at either end.

Friends and family walked past the caskets. Several took roses, carnations and lilies from the coffins.

Most left shortly after that. Then, the hearses pulled away, and the sheriff's deputies stationed at the bottom of the hill left.

The service lasted less than 10 minutes, but some family and friends remained there for several hours.

This was their final goodbye.

BBM


​

I am sure LM had told LE about the issues early on but without any reason or evidence LE or a court could not stop JW from filing for and getting custody. There would have to be a legal reason brought up in court at that point and I do not think they had one. I believe it was strategic on the part of the W's to file soon while everyone was distracted.

 

[Betty P]

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<modsnip - discussion of a minor>

What kind of sick, twisted person buys a Captain America mask to wear into a home where small children are sleeping as they shoot their parents to death in bed? GW4 knew he would be entering a mobile home where two small kids lived and were sleeping near the parents he planned to shoot. Do you really think he thought he could hide the act from the kids? Do you think he cared? He thought the Captain America mask was funny? He thought it was some kind of a joke.

It's a sick, twisted, very cold sociopath who does something like that knowing children are nearby. Certainly not the kind of person who should ever be allowed out of prison <modsnip - discussion of a minor>

JMO

 

[Cool Cats]

I think LE probably had been told about the issues between them and the R's at that point but I doubt there was anything they could legally do to stop him from filing or getting custody at that time.
I think he also filed it so soon after while everyone else was still planning funerals and grieving to beat anyone else to causing an issue for him. Someone may have tried to bring up the underage sexual misconduct against him or try to get custody themselves. LE probably did not have evidence at that time to stop JW. It was done very soon after the murders.

BCI did not suspect the Wagners for quite awhile. In the Bond Hearing Canepa asked Scheiderer if they were looking at the Wagners and he said no.

I think it would be good for me to pin point when this was said in the Bond Hearing.

 

[Betty P]

<modsnip - quoted post removed>

How do you know? Why did George Wagner IV think it was funny to buy the Captain America mask, knowing he was going into that home to shoot 2 parents with their children sleeping nearby?

If he didn't think the children would wake and see him during the massacre of their parents, why did he bother with a mask? Intent tells us a lot about George Wagner 4.

 

[Betty P]

BCI did not suspect the Wagners for quite awhile. In the Bond Hearing Canepa asked Scheiderer if they were looking at the Wagners and he said no.

I think it would be good for me to pin point when this was said in the Bond Hearing.

Yes, that's true. The Wagners were very lucky for quite a while. They nearly got away with it. Mike DeWine said in his interview after Jake's confession that it was Sheriff Reader who kept pushing them to go after the "locals", the Wagners.

 

[altojack]

How do you know? Why did George Wagner IV think it was funny to buy the Captain America mask, knowing he was going into that home to shoot 2 parents with their children sleeping nearby?

If he didn't think the children would wake and see him during the massacre of their parents, why did he bother with a mask? Intent tells us a lot about George Wagner 4.

BW was dropped off late that night, nobody knew he would be there. So George didn't buy the mask to scare the child.

 

[Cool Cats]

How do you know? Why did he think it was funny to buy the Captain America mask, knowing he was going into that home to shoot 2 parents with their children sleeping nearby?

What are you even talking about?

He never thought it was funny.

BCI simply has him on recording in conversations saying he bought a night scope for raccoon hunting.

And he said he bought a Captain America mask. The prosecution makes it clear they did not celebrate Halloween. This shows that George did not buy the mask for Halloween.

Implying it was for nefarious reasons that Gearge bought the mask.

 

[Betty P]

I obviously missed the bit where Frankies son saw Captain America murdering his father and Hannah Gilley.

As my mind has it stuck in my head that the little boy didn't see Frankie as it was assumed he was asleep on a sofa. Yes he saw Frankie, after the murders
I think he picked up his hand and it flopped down.

Going off track now. Do you have a link for the above.

No, its JMO.

 

[Betty P]

George is definitely NOT out of the picture. He's in jail, preparing to stand trial for helping plan, execute and cover up the murders of 8 innocent people. He is such a monster, he even chose to wear a Captain America mask while helping with the murders.

Imagine the nightmares George 4 gave to Frankie Rhoden's son when he saw Captain America murdering his father and Hanna Gilley, leaving his baby brother screaming in a pool of their blood. I guess some folks don't consider the trauma and damage done to the Rhoden children, who through no fault of their parents, are left to live without them.

The state has a huge amount of very clear evidence linking George to these crimes. If he cared at all about his child, he would accept the plea deal, serve his sentence and ask for forgiveness from the Rhoden, Manley and Gilley families. Instead, he wants a show trial, where all the gory details of the murders and George's involvement in them, will be displayed to a national audience.

No judge in their right mind will ever give GW4 custody of his child. JMO

Repeat: This is all JMO

 

[Betty P]

Implying it was for nefarious reasons that Gearge bought the mask.

Given that he purchased the mask along with other equipment used the night of the murders, its easy to assume it was for nefarious purposes.

Can you provide some evidence that he would purchase such a mask for hunting?

 

[Betty P]

It makes me so sad that, while the surviving Rhoden and Manley family members and friends were sitting for hours on that hill in the cemetery, mourning Chris, Dana, Hanna, Frankie and Chris, Jr, little S was in the home of the family who murdered them. She was being cared for by the woman <modnsip - opinion stated as fact> who wanted her to forget that Hanna was ever her mother.

Sometimes the sadness of those horrible murders comes back, as if they happened yesterday. Those times when it felt like there was no merciful God on Union Hill Rd that night, or in the weeks and months after. The Rhodens, Manleys and Gilleys are amazing, strong people to have lived through the last 5 years.

I hope and pray they don't have to suffer through trials and more pain inflicted on them by the Wagner family.

<modsnip - no url link in post to source for photos/copyright>

Apologies in advance if some people find these discussions about the Rhoden murders, funerals and S living with the Wagners upsetting. It's difficult to discuss what happened without it causing sadness and frustration. JMO

That said, the victims deserve to be remembered as we move through the process of obtaining justice for them. It's a tremendous relief that Jake has finally confessed to the murders, provided missing evidence to the state and has agreed to testify against his brother and parents, who also participated in the planning, execution and cover up of these murders.

With all the focus on the killers, let's not forget the Wagner family's victims and the horrible, indelible damage inflicted on the Rhoden's family and friends, not to mention the entire community.

May justice be served very soon.

 

[altojack]

When the murders took place there was mentions of BBL here and there in newspapers. As I found out that CRsnr did a lot of work there I took a closer look at BBL. seems it was THE place to be at. All sorts of scuffles reported in papers. So that was the place I thought the killers would be linked to (not the owners though).

No links as newspaper reports are no longer there.

 

[ohioexpat63]

I grew up near FWF farms, in Lucasville, and never knew it existed until these murders. I'm not sure how popular this family was outside the boundaries of the farm and their dealings in real estate. Maybe if someone was looking for a specific breed of animal they sold they were aware of the Ws farm but certainly not because they were the pillar of the community or society.

<modsnip - discussion of minor>

 

[Betty P]

<modsnip - reference removed>

Pike County 3-year-old: 'I picked up daddy's hand, and it just fell'

The photo of him lying on his father's grave always brings tears to my eyes.

 

[Betty P]

When the murders took place there was mentions of BBL here and there in newspapers. As I found out that CRsnr did a lot of work there I took a closer look at BBL. seems it was THE place to be at. All sorts of scuffles reported in papers. So that was the place I thought the killers would be linked to (not the owners though).

No links as newspaper reports are no longer there.

Discovery evidence to Billy Wagner mentioned BBL regarding cell phone records that were gathered relating to the murders. It seems possible, though not known at this time, that Billy did spend some time at BBL. These are details we may find out in the near future.

Pike County massacre: Wagners arrested week after ATF report filed

"Included in the evidence list in Billy Wagner's case is an entry named "Custody Messages (1 excel sheet with 519 entries)."

Also in the list of evidence being handed to defense attorneys for Billy Wagner are cell tower records from his phone.

The document shows records for March 2016 and April 2016. Listed under those records is "Big Bear Lake (1 excel sheet)."

Previous Enquirer reporting indicates Christopher Rhoden Sr., 40, and Christopher Rhoden Jr., 16, worked at the resort doing odd jobs or construction up until a week before they were found dead, killed "execution style" in their Pike County homes."

BBM, JMO

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[ohioexpat63]

I agree, Betty. It is absolutely pathetic the extent of emotional damage caused by the Ws. It is generational and life-long. LWOP seems so inadequate, IMO

 

[Betty P]

Did the subject of masks come up between the Wagners because of their favorite movie, "Boondock Saints"?

It appears the killers in the movie wore masks in some scenes.


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Was this part of the gear they planned to wear the night of the murders? It seems logical, considering they were at risk of being seen by victims, survivors, neighbors or passersby.

Is there some connection to the Captain America mask and the Boondock Saints or some other movie?