George Wagner, IV stood trial for the April 2016 murders of eight members of the Rhoden and Gilley families. Wagner IV faces 22 counts including eight counts of aggravated murder with death penalty specifications, aggravated burglary, conspiracy, tampering with evidence and forgery.
Wagner’s brother, Edward “Jake” Wagner, and his mother, Angela Wagner, have already pleaded guilty to taking part in the conspiracy to murder the eight Rhoden and Gilley family members over their desire to obtain full custody of the then two-year-old daughter Jake shared with victim Hanna May Rhoden. Angela and Jake Wagner have agreed to testify against their family members.
George “Billy” Wagner, the father of Jake and George, faces the same 22 counts.
On the morning of April 22, 2016, family members found Chris Rhoden, Sr., 40, and his cousin, Gary Rhoden, 38, dead in Chris’ mobile home on Union Hill Rd. Chris Sr.’s ex-wife, Dana Manley Rhoden, 37, and their children, Hanna May Rhoden, 19, and Chris Rhoden Jr., 16, were found shot in the head in their sleep in their mobile home down the road. Hanna May had given birth days earlier to a baby girl who was not harmed. Clarence “Frankie” Rhoden, 20 and his fiancee, Hannah “Hazel” Gilley, 20, were also found shot to death in their sleep. Their six-month-old son was in between them covered in blood but unharmed. Frankie’s four-year-old son was unharmed in the home as well.
Kenneth Rhoden, 44, was found shot once in the eye in his camper on Left Fork Rd. more than seven miles away.
Angela Wagner’s mother, Rita Newcomb, pleaded guilty in 2019 to a misdemeanor count of obstruction. She had been charged with forgery and obstruction of justice for lying about signing and notarizing custody documents related to Hanna May, Jake and George’s children. Newcomb has agreed to testify against her family members.
Billy Wagner’s mother, Fredericka Wagner, was initially charged with obstruction of justice and forgery for allegedly lying about purchasing a bullet-resistant vest for Billy. The charges were dropped after it was discovered a plate in the vest was manufactured after the homicides. Prosecutors have said they may refile the charges at a later date. Fredericka has been subpoenaed to testify.
The victims:
Christopher Rhoden Sr., 40
his ex-wife Dana Manley Rhoden, 38,
their children Christopher Rhoden Jr., 16, Hanna May Rhoden, 19, and Clarence “Frankie” Rhoden, 20,
Christopher Sr.’s cousin Gary Rhoden, 38,
Sr.’s brother Kenneth Rhoden, 44,
and Frankie’s fiancée Hannah “Hazel” Gilley, 20
The Wagners did it so they could get custody of the young daughter Jake had with his ex Hanna Rhoden, prosecutors said. Jake indeed won sole custody of the child, now 8, after the murders. The Wagners moved to Alaska. That all changed after authorities arrested them in November 2018, sparking a legal battle lasting almost four years.
#PikeCountyMassacre #GeorgeWagnerIV #LawAndCrime
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Mrs. Rhodes (Geniva) bless her heart.
Enjoy your new digs you big baby hewey, mamas boy!!!!!
Prayers for all of the family members left to grieve. Hannah Hazels mom had me in tears; they all did actually.
IMO they all should have gotten the dp
Did I misunderstand something in regards to Law & Crime keeping their trial coverage free for everyone to watch. I remember Addi addressing this issue during the Pike County Massacre Trial, and she specifically said that the trial coverage would remain free to the public. Now I find that if you want to watch live trial coverage…you must pay to do so. What did I miss?
1:02:45 -First Victim Impact Statement Begins
I couldn’t hear a word
This was heartbreaking.
Jail time credit WTF. It’s over ! BS formalities 😡😡😡🤬🤬
Tony may God bless y'all 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
THIS has been one of the most heartbreaking, unbelievable, confusing, and just purely emotional situations and story I have EVER followed or tried to understand. I can’t imagine or comprehend this entire situation STILL to this day. I dont have words or a comprehension of HOW THIS can happen or how ANYONE can do what the Wagner family has done. I cried with these family members and I can NEVER understand or feel what they feel every day. My heart feels so much sadness about EVERYONE, including George. He had a beautiful son and life and he chose to throw it all away, for 2:01:01 WHAT? It’s just sickening and none understandable… Nothing really brings justice to this situation. Teach your children empathy, compassion, and love so that NO FAMILY WILL EVER FEEL OR BE IN THIS SITUATION. 💔💔💔💔💔💔💔
Don't mess with people's kids!!!!!!!! Not everyone is to be played with
Lived not far from the crime scene in 2016. This family was evil!!! My condolences to all the victim's family members and friends. My grandchildren went to school with the 2 youngest victims. My husband passed away in 2018 and I have since moved away. These people deserve nothing less than a death sentence. Evil!!!
Surprised the Judge didn’t say anything personal to him.
One reason I would never be a Judge is because I cannot handle the boredom of reading those charges and judgements…..arrrrrh
This Judge has a voice that kinda stays emotionless…I’m sure he’s a good man but so cut and dry!
Another reason is because I’m not wise enough nor intelligent enough.
Thanks for your service Judge!
Well Angie still hasn't fixed her UM problem. It's the only word that comes through OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
Does this judge know how to speak into a microphone so it can be heard. The audio in this courtroom has sucked since day one
SP Canepa will at some stage of her working life become the Ohio Attorney General. She is a brilliant attorney
The victims: Christopher Rhoden Sr., 40🧡his ex-wife Dana Manley Rhoden, 38🧡,their children Christopher Rhoden Jr., 16🧡, Hanna May Rhoden, 19🧡, and Clarence “Frankie” Rhoden, 20🧡, Christopher Sr.’s cousin Gary Rhoden, 38🧡, Sr.’s brother Kenneth Rhoden, 44🧡, and Frankie’s fiancée Hannah “Hazel” Gilley, 20🧡
Just what you deserve for Christmas Georgie….a new home! I hope it's all you ever imagined it would be
My heart goes out to the victim's family you are in my prayers and I hope you are able to heal someday I understand the loss of someone I still haven't healed from it so I do understand it may never go away as for the Wagner's they are all narcissistic selfish people who deserve everything that the justice system gives them and if George did not want to go to jail and ruin his life he could have stopped this he could have called the police and told him what was going on so then none of these murders had ever happened but like the selfish person he is and he listened to his narcissistic mother who was the ringleader of all of this now he has to suffer in jail for the rest of his life away from his son away from his freedom because he let three other people decide his fate by going along right with them so people think they can do whatever they want when they want to do it they also got to remember there's consequences to those actions
These people deserve all the peace and comfort in the world. So many lives ruined and for what? It’s so astounding that they thought they could get away with it. I don’t know any of them personally but when I found a documentary on this case a few years back it was so shocking and I’ve followed it ever since. Probably the most insane murder case I’ve ever seen. I want the Rhoden/Gilley/Manley family to know so many people think about you and pray for all of you and will always remember your loved ones. After hearing so many stories of all of them I wish I had gotten to meet them.
No matter who, anyone that murders people should be held accountable.
To all those that lost loved ones to any murderer out there I can only express my condolences.
I can't even imagine the pain these people are going through. I believe an eye for an eye, or the electric chair 💺. Breathing is too good for this MONSTER
The audio is so terrible that even at full blast, I can't here anything. So annoying.
I home the families find some comfort knowing that George will be eating " mystery meat" instead of eating his favorite deer meat tat least twice a day.
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
🙏 to the families of the victims for healing and peace.
The impact statements were so sad to hear. I cried through all of them. The loss of 8 people has effected so many and will for.t the rest oftheir lives. An unfathomable crime!
The prosecution does not get a break as Billy's trial is coming up. They have spent so much h time on this case over the years with BCI, special agents, police and the Rhoden family.
When Tony Rhoden gave his impact statement who was the young man that stood with him?
Why is he wearing this outfit again?
Open your eyes
She broke my heart prayers to her she was powerful
I doubt Billy Wagner will want to go to trial after this.
She is speaking the truth I would want the same eye for an eye
This is over
Did the father do a plea deal?
Soooo; not one time did this horrible prosecution prove anything of him being there during or after the murders , jury finds him guilty without any evidence most likely because they know who he is since the trial was held in Pike County and he gets life sentences.. what ever happen to innocent until proven guilty? At the very least it should’ve been a hung jury. This trial was all about Jake not George.. not saying he didn’t have any involvement but there was ZERO PROOF he was involved. Mother and Jake both said they were told to lie in this trial. Smh
I'm so glad this finally is getting what they deserve, he was lucky the death penalty was removed. Bc I honestly believe there wouldn't have been a more appropriate sentence, Considering the 8 lives that were took. 8 tragedies. Again. he got lucky!!!! Praise God, Justice is being served!!!
Where do these people from Ohio get those Southern accents? Pike County is only one county up from Kentucky. It’s only 2 counties up from West Virginia. I can usually figure out those accents easily. I can’t figure these people out. And I’ve heard so many of them. Some don’t have a Southern accent and sound like they come from Northern Ohio or Western Pennsylvania.
Why tf does it matter if GW is registered in a violent offender database if he’s never eligible for release?
Why tf does it matter if GW is registered in a violent offender database if he’s never eligible for release?
So sick of hearing Canepa’s voice.
Good riddance to bad rubbish! May he think about all the victims every day and every night of his living life while behind bars / and even if he does, he is still breathing and they are not therefore the death penalty would have been so fitting for such a monster as himself!