# Rhoden family killings **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 26, 2016, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhoden-family-killings/769811 "2016-10-26T22:33:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhoden-family-killings/769811/21 "2016-10-28T23:50:22Z")
> [@Crazyhorse](#): > > But law enforcement has stated…They believe it was done by local people (more than one) I wonder how they know local people and more than one. ---
**Author:** ![Crazyhorse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazyhorse/32/31_2.png) [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhoden-family-killings/769811/22 "2016-10-28T23:56:10Z")
I tend to think the investigators familiar with the details of the case know a lot more than they are willing to reveal to the public. They were worried enough about someone returning to the crime scenes to destroy evidence that they had all the houses literally picked up and moved to a secure location elsewhere. That indicates to me that they believe the killers would be able to come and go at the properties and remove evidence if they didn’t take those measures, which can really only mean the family or close circle of friends and neighbors. The ‘drug dealing’ connection seems very weak. They apparently had a couple hundred pot plants in a barn and marijuana growing is pretty common in the area as a way to make ends meet. Drug cartels don’t murder entire families over a couple of hundred pot plants. Some local gang of lowlife small time dealers? Perhaps, but that isn’t the direction investigators seem to be going with what details they have released. Then again, they could be deliberately leaking false information in order to keep the real line of investigation a secret. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2016, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhoden-family-killings/769811/23 "2016-10-29T00:22:08Z")
My guess is that they were murdered by clowns lurking in the woods. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2016, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhoden-family-killings/769811/24 "2016-10-29T02:06:53Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > My guess is that they were murdered by clowns lurking in the woods. By G-d, that’s it! ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2016, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhoden-family-killings/769811/25 "2016-10-29T02:40:48Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I wonder how they know local people and more than one. “more than one”: probably forensic evidence; for example if different guns used to kill different people it would suggest more than one–if it were just one person why would he switch guns? ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2016, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhoden-family-killings/769811/26 "2016-10-29T03:20:45Z")
IIRC, wasn’t the hypothesis that multiple assailants were involved due to there being four separate homes where the killings occurred? Even if you discount that three of the houses were right next to each other, you still have multiple victims, most of whom had multiple gunshot wounds, and none of them were able to warn either authorities or the other members of the family. ---
**Author:** ![bubba001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f17d59/32.png) [@bubba001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bubba001)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2016, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhoden-family-killings/769811/27 "2016-10-31T07:25:37Z")
> [@Gray\_Ghost](#): > > IIRC, wasn’t the hypothesis that multiple assailants were involved due to there being four separate homes where the killings occurred? Even if you discount that three of the houses were right next to each other, you still have multiple victims, most of whom had multiple gunshot wounds, and none of them were able to warn either authorities or the other members of the family. I thought a couple of the victims were also beaten? ---
**Author:** ![bubba001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f17d59/32.png) [@bubba001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bubba001)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2016, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhoden-family-killings/769811/28 "2016-11-03T02:45:22Z")
The local police say that they are looking for a local killer. But no arrests Yet? ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2018, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhoden-family-killings/769811/29 "2018-11-13T23:45:05Z")
Update: [four members of the Wagner family arrested for the murders](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6385897/Four-people-arrested-murder-eight-Ohio-family-members.html). ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2018, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhoden-family-killings/769811/30 "2018-11-14T00:26:30Z")
“The Wagner family, who lived nearby and whose son fathered one of the victim’s children, moved to Alaska after being questioned over the killings multiple times.” Why is it that even in the 21st century, people think that by going to Alaska, nobody will ever find them? I would have bet money these yahoos were either in Wasilla or somewhere very close to there, but it turns out they went to Kenai, which is sort of Wasilla South. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2018, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhoden-family-killings/769811/31 "2018-11-14T01:49:09Z")
Looks like it comes down to custody of the child. WTF is wrong with people? And **Crazyhorse** was pretty on point in this thread concerning who was likely to have done this and even to the motive. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2018, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhoden-family-killings/769811/32 "2018-11-14T06:21:09Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > “The Wagner family, who lived nearby and whose son fathered one of the victim’s children, moved to Alaska after being questioned over the killings multiple times.” > > Why is it that even in the 21st century, people think that by going to Alaska, nobody will ever find them? I would have bet money these yahoos were either in Wasilla or somewhere very close to there, but it turns out they went to Kenai, which is sort of Wasilla South. Chefguy: the Daily Mail is not considered to be a highly reliable newspaper. > [@](#): > > Billy Wagner was arrested on Georgetown Road near Spur Road Tuesday afternoon by Lexington, Kentucky, police assisted by the FBI. Angela Wagner was arrested at her home in Scioto County. Jake and George Wagner were arrested in Ross County during a traffic stop. > **[What we know now about the Pike County massacre](https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2018/11/13/pike-county-what-we-know-arrests-made-rhoden-family-massacre/1989698002/)** > > Arrests have been made in the 2016 killings of eight members of the Rhoden family. Here is what we know so far. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2018, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhoden-family-killings/769811/33 "2018-11-14T06:34:01Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Why is it that even in the 21st century, people think that by going to Alaska, nobody will ever find them? Depends on what part, I guess. I can tell you, when, urm, I mean “if” I decide to disappear, you can bet you’ll never see me again. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2018, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhoden-family-killings/769811/34 "2018-11-14T06:51:17Z")
We never stopped discussing this case on that other website, and are not surprised at the identity of the people arrested. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2018, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhoden-family-killings/769811/35 "2018-11-14T10:25:02Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > We never stopped discussing this case on that other website, and are not surprised at the identity of the people arrested. Can I ask why? I can’t find any page on this at justice net. It just seems really strange to kill an entire family over the custody of one child. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2018, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhoden-family-killings/769811/36 "2018-11-14T14:16:53Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > Chefguy: the Daily Mail is not considered to be a highly reliable newspaper. > [Rhoden family massacre: What we know now](https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2018/11/13/pike-county-what-we-know-arrests-made-rhoden-family-massacre/1989698002/) There’s no dispute that the Wagner family moved to Alaska. Cincinnati media [reported](https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2017/07/09/corner-alaska-looks-and-feel-little-like-pike-county/456572001/) on it at the time. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2018, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhoden-family-killings/769811/37 "2018-11-14T14:43:21Z")
On the news last night: [**Prosecutor: Suspects charged in 2016 killings of 8 Ohio family members planned crimes for months**](https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/13/us/ohio-piketon-killings-arrests/index.html) > [@](#): > > (CNN)An Ohio family carefully studied the habits of members of another family – learning their routines, the layouts of their homes, and where they slept – before planning a deadly massacre that stunned a rural town, a prosecutor said Tuesday. > > The eight victims – who ranged in age from 16 to 44 – were found shot to death at four crime scenes in and around the small town of Piketon on April 22, 2016. At one crime scene, police found a 4-day-old baby lying next to his slain mother. That child, along with a 6-month-old and a 3-year-old, survived the killings. > > The suspects “spent months planning the crime,” Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said. But they made mistakes, DeWine said. > > More than two years later, authorities arrested four members of the Wagner family on Tuesday in connection with killing the members of the Rhoden family. Two grandmothers of the Wagner family were also charged in the alleged cover-up of the crime, DeWine said. > > He declined to identify a motive, but said custody of a child “plays a role in this case.” Almost beyond belief! ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2018, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhoden-family-killings/769811/38 "2018-11-14T15:37:04Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > And **Crazyhorse** was pretty on point in this thread concerning who was likely to have done this and even to the motive. He should probably be brought in for questioning…😃 ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2021, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhoden-family-killings/769811/39 "2021-09-11T16:01:27Z")
Finally some guilty pleas are starting to happen. > **[Woman is 2nd to admit role in death of 8 members of a family](https://apnews.com/article/crime-ohio-bd1fb3134b5efb39ca7ef47bff55428d)** > > COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — An Ohio woman pleaded guilty Friday to helping plan the killings of eight members of a family, becoming the second member of her own family to admit to a role in a shocking crime prosecutors say stemmed from a dispute over... [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rhoden-family-killings/769811.md?page=1)