PIKE COUNTY, Ohio — A verdict has been reached in Ohio’s worst homicide case, which has caught the attention of an entire country. George Wagner IV has been found guilty of the murder of eight members of the Rhoden family.
The jury considered 22 original counts against Wagner, which included eight for aggravated murder, plus counts on conspiracy, burglary, tampering, forgery, and obstruction.
The convictions are:
- Counts 1-8: Aggravated murder – GUILTY
- Count 9: Conspiracy – GUILTY
- Counts 10-13: Aggravated burglary – GUILTY
- Count 14: Unlawful possession of a dangerous ordnance – GUILTY
- Counts 15-17: Tampering with evidence – GUILTY
- Count 18: Forgery – GUILTY
- Count 19: Unauthorized Use of Property – GUILTY
- Count 20: Interception of Wire, Oral, or Electronic Communications – GUILTY
- Count 21: Obstructing Justice – GUILTY
- Count 22: Engaging in a Pattern of Corrupt Activity – GUILTY
It took the jury less than a day to deliberate. They started deliberations at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday and a verdict was reached at around 3:45 p.m., so a little more than seven hours.
It has been 6 years since the slaughter of Dana Manley Rhoden, 37; her ex-husband, Christopher Rhoden Sr., 40; their sons, Christopher Rhoden Jr., 16, and Clarence “Frankie” Rhoden, 20; their daughter, Hanna Rhoden, 19, the mother of Jake Wagner’s daughter; Frankie’s fiancée, Hannah Gilley, 20; Kenneth Rhoden, 44, a brother to Chris Sr; and Gary Rhoden, 38, a cousin to Kenneth and Chris Sr.
Authorities say the murders stemmed from a dispute over custody of a child that George Wagner’s brother, Jake Wagner, had with Hanna Rhoden, one of the victims. George Wagner’s parents and brother were also charged. The Wagners spent months planning the killings, motivated by a custody dispute, prosecutors said.
Two of the Wagners, Jake and Angela, pleaded guilty last year to their roles in the slayings and testified for the state against George as part of their plea deal.
The state, in this case, said the intended target was Chris Rhoden, Sr., who was involved in alleged drug deals with Billy Wagner. Gary Rhoden was killed simply because he was present, and the rest of the family was murdered because they “knew” things. All of the victims, except for three—Dana, Gary, and Chris Sr.—were killed in their sleep, according to the state. The state said that the idea to kill Hanna came from Billy Wagner and that Jake initially said “no” but was encouraged by his parents. Originally, they were going to kill Hanna and make it look like her boyfriend did it, the state said.
In September 2021, Jake Wagner entered a guilty plea to the murders. As part of a plea deal and in order to take the death penalty off the table for his family, Jake would have to testify against his brother George. He did so satisfactorily, the state said, and the death penalty was taken off the table for the entire family.
The matriarch in the case, the mother, Angela Wagner, also pleaded guilty to her part in the homicides. She would later take the stand, implicating George in the crimes.
The case against the father, Billy Wagner, is expected to go to trial next year.
A sentencing date for Wagner has not been set. Victims’ families are permitted to address convicted people at sentencing hearings. Judge Randy Deering likely will want to give the relatives time for that opportunity.
