PIKE COUNTY, Ohio — A jury was impaneled last week in what prosecutors have billed as “Ohio’s worst homicide” and opening arguments were slated to begin tomorrow; that was until a last-minute announcement came down from the Judge today.
It was announced early-Monday afternoon that Judge Randy Deering had granted a request for a continuance, postponing the start of the trial of George Wagner IV one week from Tuesday, September 6 to Monday, September 12. According to the court docket, “Due to the illness of a person involved with the trial, and upon the agreement of counsel for each party, and for good cause shown,” the case was pushed another week. The bombshell development comes less than 24 hours before opening arguments were slated to begin the day after Labor Day.
A jury has been chosen, along with six alternates who were sworn in last week. The group spent two days touring the crime scenes, and while the jury has been impaneled and they have toured areas of interest, the actual trial, itself, was not scheduled until Tuesday for opening statements. Defense counsel and the prosecutors are barred from speaking to the media and the bailiff, who delivered the news to journalists on Monday did not elaborate on who was sick or what they were sick from.
Wagner is accused of killing eight members of the Rhoden family in 2016. He remains behind bars awaiting trial with his father, Billy Wagner, whose trial has yet to be scheduled. George’s mother, Angela, and brother Jake have taken plea deals in the case. Angela is serving a thirty-year sentence after prosecutors dropped eight counts of murder when she pleaded to accessory to committing the killings. Jake took a deal for life in prison — pleading guilty as charged — if the death penalty was removed from his and the family’s possible sentencing. In each plea deal, the mother and brother must testify against the other two who await trial. Jake has told prosecutors that his brother, George, “did not kill anyone” the night of the murders. Defense attorneys for the man have unsuccessfully argued that in light of the confession the charges should be dropped against the 30-year-old.
It was not announced on Monday who made the motion — either the state or the defense, or even if the order came down from the Court, itself. In addition to the time extension being granted on Monday, a motion by the media was filed on Friday to allow the audio recording of proceedings after the Judge issued an order banning video and audio recordings in some instances. So far, the Judge has not ruled on the media’s motion.