OH - Pike Co, 8 in Rhoden Family Murdered Over Custody Issue, 4 Members Wagner Family Arrested #71

[rebelchild]

yes. its live but Bobby Jo Manley has opted out of both video and audio recording

Watch Live: Pike County Massacre Trial - OH v. George Wagner IV Day Two

Just do not pay attention to the chatroom though. Disrespectful people on there crying about how they cant hear and see and how this is not right....blah blah blah and some in the chat there putting a rumor out there that both Jake and Angela Wagner have also opted out for both audio/video through their attorneys. heck, some of them are mad that they cannot see the death photos etc

Well I'm not in any chatroom .. but I'm crying about it too

Quoting myself because I should have made myself more clear .. I'm sad that we can't hear the audio .. I completely sympathize with BJM and the others who found the victims and don't blame them for not wanting to be on camera. What they have went through is something I wouldn't wish on anyone. With that said, I do wish we could still have audio of all the testimony. We've all been waiting a long time to hear the evidence and I for one, was looking forward to following this trial and being here when the judgment is handed down. As great as it is to have reporters give us some updates, it's never as good as actually following along..you still miss out on so much. imo

 

[Betty P]

Thank you. We still need to attribute to source.

Source for what? Angela's opening argument? It's on video.

Here's a link for Law & Crime

Law & Crime - Law and Crime News

Watch the courtroom drama unfold live and get in depth legal analysis on the day's biggest crime and legal stories.

lawandcrime.com

I was transcribing live conversation between anchor and Angenette and anchor and expert. Assume they will post the video of that later.

ETA: Here's a link to WCPO's copy of the first part of AC's opening argument yesterday. I'm going to look around to find the video of the full day in court yesterday. We'll need it for future reference.

LIVE: Opening statements begin in first Pike County massacre trial | LIVE: Pike County murder trial: George Wagner IV faces eight counts of murder with death penalty specifications for the murders of eight members of the... | By WCPO 9 | Facebook

2.9K views, 17 likes, 8 loves, 46 comments, 18 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from WCPO 9: LIVE: Pike County murder trial: George Wagner IV faces eight counts of murder with death penalty...

www.facebook.com

 

[Nanasteele]

They're re-running Angela's testimony. George was the one, IIRC who guarded Chris Jr's room.

Yeah, he shot Dana first, then Hanna May, then back to Dana and shot her again. Went back to kitchen, his dad was standing there. George was behind him still guarding little Chris's room. Went to shoot Little Chris's room. Got back in Chris Sr's truck. Went back to Chris Srs and got their car. Both cars went to Kenny's . Drove Chris's truck up to Kenneth's driveway. Kenny didn't wake up. Billy went in and shot Kenny with the 40 cal Glock. Removed cameras. He had a mini grow also removed a trail cam.

Law & Crime hosts/experts haven't done a lot of homework on this case. They don't realize the Rhoden family signed off on Jake and Angela's plea deals. The one expert did note that death penalty trials, etc. are very expensive to do. Appeals go on for many years.

I thought it took some time for them to find Chris Jr? So if he was asleep when Jake shot him how did he get down in-between the wall and bed? That is where they said they found him.

 

[iulia]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1569742199600066563

https://twitter.com/x/status/1569742513766006789

https://twitter.com/x/status/1569743015245393920

 

[iulia]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1569743248226418694

https://twitter.com/x/status/1569743470021210112

https://twitter.com/x/status/1569744051603410945

 

[iulia]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1569744430118371328

I don’t know if she misnumbered or forgot to tweet part 6/8.

 

[Berrybell]

The anchor on Law and Crime did an intro, then they replayed some of AC's testimony video. I just transcribed some of it. It was the part of her opening yesterday where she talked about what Jake said happened.

I originally watched it late last night while in bed and actually fell asleep, so I was glad to see some of it again. I need to watch it again. There's a lot of info in those 4 hours of her speech.

I did take notes last night, but didn't re-read them today.

Later, the anchor talked to the L & C expert and they discussed giving Jake LWOP in exchange for testimony. They thought that was something, considering how horrible Jake was in murdering these people. Neither of the L&C folks knew much about that part of the case and wondered if the family agreed to the plea deals (we know they did). They seemed shocked that the state gave Jake LWOP, not sure what testimony he gave them. So, no, they were just talking about things they would know if someone did homework for them.

Thank you @Betty P

 

[Betty P]

Judge is speaking. Getting ready to bring jury back in.

Witness has consented to be recorded, so we will see it. Pretty sure its James Manley.

 

[Ann99]

Yay!
James Manley, brother of Dana Rhoden, is our next witness. He is allowing us to show his face and is his voice @LawCrimeNetwork

Angenette Levy twitter

 

[Betty P]

The Week As It Happened

www.wcpo.com

 

[Betty P]

Yay!
James Manley, brother of Dana Rhoden, is our next witness. He is allowing us to show his face and is his voice @LawCrimeNetwork

Angenette Levy twitter

There's James! He looks the same. Yay, James! Good to see him. He put up with a lot.

 

[Betty P]

Says he helped Dana move in to her new place near them. Moved some beds in and helped her clean up the yard.
Had a good relationship with her children.
Said Chris and Dana had the same relationship after they divorced
Said he knew where Frankie worked. He was remodeling houses. Donny Stewart, worked at the trade school.
James son Cody also worked with Frankie
Worked on derby cars with Frankie, raced together
Frankie was around derby racing since he was little
He liked hunting, said you could tell Frankie had fighting chickens
Their cages and tied to barrels so they don't get together and fight
Doesn't know if Frankie was involved in fighting
At time of murders he was logging - Hovert Montgomery
Didn't work that day because it was raining, called in to work and said don't come in
Then went out to work on four wheeler behind his house
Usually went to work at about 7 am
Noticed when Billy Morgan pulled in, then mom and dad left behind him
Didn't hear his conversation with parents
Parents live close to him on same property, separate residence
The way his dad took off, he knew something was wrong, so he followed him
Didn't know what was wrong
Went to Frankie's house, followed parents
Cars in road didn't know what was going on
Pulled up, got out of vehicle walked up the yard and saw Frankie's baby covered in blood
Bobby Jo was holding Ruger
Still didn't know what was going on
Asked what the he__ happened, she said Chris and Gary are dead at Chris's trailer and Frankie and Hanna are dead there
Stood there for a second
Went in Frankie's house with his dad Cody and Bobby Jo, Cody drove himself there
Cody was supposed to work with Frankie that day
Saw Frankie and Hazel, blood everywhere on body on bed on walls

 

[Betty P]

Cont.

Didn't touch or move anything, no one did
Went outside got in his truck and went to Dana's house to tell her
Knocked on the door and it opened by itself
Wanted to tell Dana something was wrong with Frankie and Chris
Yelled Dana's name, no response
Kept yelling her name, went to her bedroom
No response, kept yelling her name
It was dark in her bedroom,
Felt on bed to see if she was there
Felt her there, tried to get her awake tapped her
Kept tapping toward her head, felt pillow over her head
Lifted up pillow but it was stuck, so he walked out of the house
Figured she was dead too because of where the pillow was stuck and didn't waken
Wasn't sure of her work schedule, worked crazy hours
Had only gone straight to her bedroom, went straight back out
Only thing he heard was K crying as he was walking out
Went out to truck went to his house, told his wife that Frankie and Hanna Hazel were dead and Dana was dead and Chris and Gary were dead
Told April they needed to go back and get the baby April went with him
Not even a mile to Dana's house from his
Parked by mailbox because he knew a bunch of cops would be coming. Once they got to Dana's he could go up to be with his mom and dad

 

[Betty P]

After back at Dana's with April, parked by mailbox started to go in screen door, but something told him to stay outside, went back out to the truck.
Bunch of cop cars coming, he flagged one down
Piketon cops
Said there's at least one in there dead
Didnt tell them about the baby
Did they ask who else might be there? Not then
He stayed in driveway
A bunch of other officers arrived
Once squad was there, one of them went in the house and got the baby
Didn't find out yet that others were dead
Had his wife draw a layout of the house
Police didn't tell him who else was dead in the house
Police brought the baby out, put her in squad, checked her out made sure she was all right
Took her to hospital, April rode with her
Was at Dana's hour or hour and half
Cops drove him up to Frankies
Didn't see his parents, he had to sit in the cop car
He had to give a statement
Told everything that he has told us here
They asked to take his boots and he refused. They were brand new, cost $200 Red Wing logging boots
Police took pictures of the boots
Made him leave his truck at Dana's
After done at Sheriff's office, called parents to pick him up
Later went to church with others on UHR
Also provided a written statement for police
Showing him copy of his written statement to police
Heard about Kenneth's death when he was at the church with others
Was there for quite a while, doesn't recall how long
AC is going to show him pictures to identify
Sister's place, Dana's driveway, walkway going up to her home
Home had addition and little basement
Front door of Dana's - screen and hard door
He opened hard/front door
Dana's living room, her room was to the left

 

[Pru2U]

God bless them. James Manley body language, self soothing & closing off...I can't help thinking about the shock of him and his sister discovering their family one by one. It's just more than the brain can handle all at once, not to mention the heart. The grief had to have swallowed them. Then to be not just questioned but basically hounded for years. How do you even survive that?

 

[justtrish]

There's James! He looks the same. Yay, James! Good to see him. He put up with a lot.

He's doing a great job! He has such a common, normal, country boy demeanor. I see him and think he is us.. he is the heart of the US. Hard working manual laborers/trade laborers who just want to work, earn an income, support their family, and live a quiet life. It just hits further home just how sick this was. This family was just a normal family of hard working people who valued family.

 

[Betty P]

View of Dana's living room to left, kitchen beyond,bassinett
hallway by refrigerator
photo of Dana's bedroom
Not sure if it looked that way, it was dark
(You can tell he doesn't want to look at the photos
They're not showing photos on WCPO video
James keeps looking away}
Now showing her bed, he says its Dana's bedroom
AC showing diagram of layout of house, he shows how he walked to Dana's room
More exhibit of photos
"Garage on Dana's property"
Inside garage, he had been there a couple of times, they used it for storage
Hanna used a room there for pictures, cameras,etc. She did that with Chelsea
He didn't know what they did in there other than keep cameras
Next photo - Dana's vehicle and Hannas vehicle - gray Dana's red Hanna's
Didn't recognize the red car in the forefront
Inside of garage - writing on wall Dana (hearts) Chris
Worked with Chris on derby cars
Angela rests, Judge says state may cross examine
Parker steps up
Knew Chris Sr,
How long had they been together? Dana was 16 or 17 when they got married. Didn't know how much older Chris was than Dana
At some point got a divorce, JM doesn't know why, said they did stay friendly
Chris was generous with money, helped Dana and other family members
James says he worked for himself and at BBL
Wasn't aware of his MJ grow op
Confirmed he didn't go to work that day because it had been raining
Didn't go to Chris's house that day, went to Frankie and Hannah Gilley
His dad, sister and son were in the house, at hallway and in Frankie's bedroom
No one removed anything from Frankie's house that he knew of
Went to check on Dana, door was shut, when he knocked it opened up
He went inside, straight to her bedroom
Dark in her room
Could he see Hanna May's bed, not when it was dark
If it was light could he see? James says no couldn't see it from there
Dana was covered, couldn't see her
He was in the house less than a minute
Did he go to hospital to see K? No, his wife did
He knew she had just had a baby. He hadn't met the baby yet
He knew Charlie Gilley was father
Did he know Jake Wagner - knew of him, saw him at holidays
James cell phone was out of time
He used April Manley's phone sometimes
Did he receive a text message from Jake that morning - NO
Not on his wife or his phone
He was questioned about it
Didn't know about Chris's grow op
Knew he was building a barn, knew about his pigs he had 2
Familiar with the dogs, some in barn. Not sure how many he had
Indoor dogs - Paisley, Chance, can't recall the other's name
Knew he had electronic fence around property
Dogs had electronic collars on
Had never seen Chance be mean to people - no
Frankie pets - he had chickens and dogs. He kept them in back a lot of times
Didnt see any dogs inside
Was Frankie into fighting chickens/roosters - Could be, Chris? I couldnt tell you
Did Chris Sr traveled out of town much? Couldn't tell you
Worked with his brother and Robin Waddell at BBL
Did Robin and Chris travel together? A couple times, don't know where they went
Dana had been in house about a month
Chris paid cash for part, rest was a loan
Knowed of Billy Wagner, met him once or twice at Chris's
Knew they talked, not sure if they were friends

 

[Betty P]

Chris had a big party every year, fireworks everyone looked forward to it
Everyone brought their own drinks
Good size fireworks display
Between his trailer and Frankies he had a flat bed trailer where he set them off
Do you know if Chris Sr owned rental property - Not that James knew of
No redirect from AC

James stepped down, finished with testimony
Judge says 15 min break

 

[joe jones]

it is going to be a very long trial if there is only 3 or 4 witnesses a day

 

[Betty P]

God bless them. James Manley body language, self soothing & closing off...I can't help thinking about the shock of him and his sister discovering their family one by one. It's just more than the brain can handle all at once, not to mention the heart. The grief had to have swallowed them. Then to be not just questioned but basically hounded for years. How do you even survive that?

Yes, I thought how traumatic that was to find all those dead people, including his sister, then immediately discover police are treating you like you did it. He must have been in shock, as they all were. Remember the interview with his dad that day on tv. So sad.