The Piketon Massacre: New Trials, New Sentences—An Update on the Rhoden Family Murders

We are revisiting one of the most brutal and complex crimes we have ever covered: The Pike County Massacre, also known as the Rhoden Family Murders.

Six years ago, we first discussed the shocking event where eight members of the Rhoden family—four adults, three young men, and a teenage boy—were executed at four different homes in rural Ohio on the same night. At the time of our original episode in 2019, the Wagner family had just been arrested.

Now, years later, the trials and sentencing of the four members of the Wagner family are complete, and we are bringing you a comprehensive update on the fate of George Wagner IV, Jake Wagner, Angela Wagner, and Billy Wagner.

In this update, we detail the chilling motive that led to the execution-style murders:

• Custody and Obsession: The motive was centered on a heated custody battle over a young child shared by killer Jake Wagner and victim Hanna May Rhoden.

• The Plea Deals: We discuss the shocking plea deal struck by Jake Wagner, who pled guilty to all eight murders to spare his mother and father from the death penalty.

• The Sentences: We cover the emotional and tense courtroom proceedings that led to the sentences for all four family members, including the life without parole sentences handed down.

• The Unanswered Questions: While justice has been served in the eyes of the law, we still explore the lingering questions surrounding the planning, the execution, and the sheer ruthlessness required to wipe out an entire family.

Join us as we close the chapter on this dark episode in Ohio's history, examining the convictions, the sentences, and the final search for peace for the surviving Rhoden family members.

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