Pike County massacre: Wagner family arraignment dates set
A family of four accused in the massacre of an Ohio family will appear before a judge in coming weeks, each with their own arraignment date in a Pike County courtroom.
Four members of the Wagner family are accused of meticulously plotting and killing eight members of the Rhoden family on the night of April 21-22, 2016.
George "Billy" Wagner III, the patriarch of the family, is due in court on Dec. 4. His wife, Angela Wagner, 48, will appear in court Nov. 29.
Their sons, Edward "Jake" Wagner, 26, and George Wagner IV, 27, will appear in court for their arraignments on Nov. 27 and Nov. 28 respectively.
All four Wagners face a slew of charges, including eight counts each of aggravated murder, as well as charges of conspiracy, tampering with evidence and aggravated burglary.
They're accused in the "execution-style" slayings of Christopher Rhoden Sr., 40; Clarence "Frankie" Rhoden, 20; Dana Lynn Rhoden, 37; Gary Rhoden, 38; Hanna May Rhoden, 19; Hannah Gilley, 20; Kenneth Rhoden, 44; and Christopher Rhoden Jr., 16, were shot and killed.
Investigators said a custody dispute was at the center of the killings.
Edward "Jake" Wagner was the ex-boyfriend of Hannah Rhoden -- one of the eight dead -- and the father of her 2-year-old child. The pair were in a custody dispute at the time of the killings.
Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said that custody dispute is at the center of the case.
"Because this is an open prosecution, we won't be able to say much about motive. But you'll see from the indictment that custody of that young child plays a role in this case," DeWine said.
Two others have been arrested in the case.
Rita Newcomb, 65, the mother of Angela Wagner, and Fredericka Wagner, 76, the mother of George Wagner, are accused of misleading authorities in the cover-up of the Rhoden slayings .
Both faced judges earlier this week, and both were released on house arrest with electronic monitoring.
The Wagner family released a statement last week, saying in part that the family members "eagerly look forward to their trials, and to have their day in court so they can vindicate their names."