One of the grandmothers charged in connection to the killing of eight members of the Rhoden family has plead guilty to a charge in a plea deal.
Rita Newcomb plead guilty Tuesday afternoon to a second degree charge of obstruction of official business in exchange for the felony charges of perjury and forgery are dismissed. It remains to be seen what the sentence will be.
Newcomb was charged in connection to the 2016 murders of eight members of the Rhoden family.
George “Billy” Wagner III (47), his wife Angela Wagner (48) and their sons Jake Wagner (26) and George Wagner IV (27) were arrested in November and charged with planning and carrying out the eight murders at three homes in Pike County, authorities said. Each is facing eight charges of aggravated murder with death penalty specifications and other crimes.
Jake Wagner had a child with one of the victims, 19-year-old Hanna Rhoden, and their custody fight “played a role” in the murders, then-Attorney General Mike DeWine said.