WAVERLY, Ohio — In the latest development of the Piketon Massacre case, Billy Wagner, the patriarch implicated in Ohio’s most notorious homicide, is set to return to Pike County for a pre-trial conference scheduled for March 21, 2025. This court appearance comes amid last-minute attempts by Wagner’s defense to relocate the trial from its current venue in Waverly, Pike County. Thus far, all such attempts have been denied.
Recent court filings outline a continuing, contentious legal battle. On February 27, a motion was filed by Morgan Galle, the attorney representing the victims, urging the court to reconsider its decision to change the trial venue. This motion will be discussed during the upcoming pre-trial conference. The defense has responded, indicating a sustained effort to move the proceedings, with their latest reply submitted on March 17.
The case, often referred to as the worst homicide in Ohio history, involves the brutal murders of eight members of the Rhoden family in April 2016. The killings, which took place across four different locations in rural Ohio, were carried out execution-style. The investigation revealed the motive stemmed from a custody dispute, leading to the arrest of four members of the Wagner family in 2018.
Edward “Jake” Wagner, Billy’s son, has already pleaded guilty to the murders, admitting his direct involvement and avoiding the death penalty by agreeing to cooperate with prosecutors. His sentence was life imprisonment with the possibility of parole. Angela Wagner, Jake’s mother, also entered a guilty plea and received a 30-year sentence. Another of Billy’s sons, George Wagner IV, was convicted in 2022 and received eight consecutive life sentences.
As Billy Wagner prepares to face the court once again, the community and the victims’ families brace for further developments in a case that has already brought profound grief and drawn intense public and media scrutiny.