1 00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:03,680 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Pike to Massacre Season two returned to 2 00:00:03,760 --> 00:00:10,520 Speaker 1: Pike County, a production of iHeartRadio and Katie Studios. Heavenly Father, 3 00:00:11,160 --> 00:00:14,960 Speaker 1: we are gathered here today. Let us now our heads. 4 00:00:15,760 --> 00:00:19,279 Speaker 1: It was a really good wedding. She had a camouflage 5 00:00:19,360 --> 00:00:27,080 Speaker 1: dress and Fata Camo tugs. Eight bodies have been discovered 6 00:00:27,120 --> 00:00:31,360 Speaker 1: in all members of the Rodent family, the largest case 7 00:00:31,440 --> 00:00:35,800 Speaker 1: Ohio's state investigators have ever seen. I told her, I said, listen, 8 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:38,920 Speaker 1: you don't want to marry him, and she said, well, 9 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:43,120 Speaker 1: whying on? I said, because his mom is very control waying. 10 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:48,199 Speaker 1: Please join hands. From what we hear, the relationship was intense. 11 00:00:48,479 --> 00:00:51,400 Speaker 1: It sounded like the half fields of numbercois taken to 12 00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:55,880 Speaker 1: the nth degree. So long as you both shouted. Four 13 00:00:55,920 --> 00:00:58,480 Speaker 1: members of the Wagner family have been charged with eight 14 00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:01,640 Speaker 1: counts of aggravated murder. I have never encountered queer an 15 00:01:01,760 --> 00:01:05,600 Speaker 1: entire family is accused of the mass murder of another family. 16 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:10,800 Speaker 1: Is something so horrific has occurred, and it's almost beyond explanation. 17 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:15,160 Speaker 1: When I look at one particular picture from the wedding day, 18 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:18,560 Speaker 1: it's impossible to believe that nearly half of the people 19 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:25,480 Speaker 1: are dead and half are accused of their murders. This 20 00:01:25,600 --> 00:01:29,640 Speaker 1: is the piked in Massacre. Season two returned to Pike County. 21 00:01:30,200 --> 00:01:40,960 Speaker 1: Episode one, Ties That Bind. I'm Courtney Armstrong, a television 22 00:01:40,959 --> 00:01:44,479 Speaker 1: producer at Katie Studios with Stephanie Lydecker and Jeff Shane. 23 00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:48,160 Speaker 1: On the morning of April twenty second, twenty sixteen, authorities 24 00:01:48,160 --> 00:01:51,160 Speaker 1: found eight members of the Rodent family brutally gunned down 25 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:54,880 Speaker 1: across four different crime scenes in Pike County, Ohio. Two 26 00:01:54,960 --> 00:01:58,200 Speaker 1: years later, in November of twenty eighteen, four members of 27 00:01:58,240 --> 00:02:01,280 Speaker 1: the Wagner family were arrested for murders. It was a 28 00:02:01,320 --> 00:02:04,800 Speaker 1: gruesome crime that shocked the nation. We've been following the 29 00:02:04,880 --> 00:02:07,680 Speaker 1: Roden family murder case since we made a documentary about 30 00:02:07,680 --> 00:02:09,920 Speaker 1: it a few years ago. We were in the middle 31 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:12,960 Speaker 1: of producing season two of this podcast when we suddenly 32 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:16,160 Speaker 1: learned of a shocking development that none of us were expecting. 33 00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:19,919 Speaker 1: The fifth anniversary of the murders, our social media folks 34 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:23,120 Speaker 1: started hearing people posting, Hey, there's a hearing fan. You 35 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:25,040 Speaker 1: got to be there. There might be something big going down. 36 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:27,239 Speaker 1: BCI has told the Roden family to be at the 37 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:29,919 Speaker 1: Pike County Courthouse at one thirty for a hearing breaking 38 00:02:29,960 --> 00:02:32,679 Speaker 1: news to night shocking new developments from Pike County. On 39 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:36,040 Speaker 1: April twenty second, of two and sixteen, eight members of 40 00:02:36,040 --> 00:02:39,120 Speaker 1: the Roden family were found dead at four different properties. 41 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:43,240 Speaker 1: Investigation lasted nearly two years before authorities arrested Jane Wagner 42 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:45,280 Speaker 1: along with several members of his fan A lot of 43 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:47,360 Speaker 1: people care about it, a lot of people know about it, 44 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:49,320 Speaker 1: and a lot of people are talking about it. Today, 45 00:02:50,680 --> 00:02:53,799 Speaker 1: on Thursday, April twenty second, twenty twenty one, the five 46 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:56,440 Speaker 1: year anniversary of the murders, we sat at our computers 47 00:02:56,440 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 1: watching a live stream from the Pike County Courthouse, and 48 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:02,880 Speaker 1: there he was, Jake Wagner, flanked by his two attorneys, 49 00:03:02,919 --> 00:03:12,880 Speaker 1: as Judge Randy Deering entered the courtroom. Thank you for 50 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:16,919 Speaker 1: the record. Identify myself with Rob Pike Canty, crossecutor. I'm 51 00:03:16,919 --> 00:03:19,160 Speaker 1: here on behalf of the State of Ohio. On State 52 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:21,880 Speaker 1: of Ohio versus Edward J. Wager, and that would be 53 00:03:21,919 --> 00:03:25,359 Speaker 1: Pike County Common Police School's case twenty eighteen CR. I 54 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:27,400 Speaker 1: wanted to be four if you want. The court ra 55 00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:31,240 Speaker 1: noted Dave marks the fifth anniversary of the homicides of 56 00:03:31,240 --> 00:03:34,800 Speaker 1: eight members of the roots manilies and Gilly families, and 57 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:37,480 Speaker 1: as it is the fifth anniversary, this is a periory 58 00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:40,680 Speaker 1: ton of horse that we have preached an agreement with 59 00:03:40,840 --> 00:03:46,760 Speaker 1: this defendant, Edward D. Wagner, to resolve this case. Prosecutor 60 00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:49,760 Speaker 1: Rob Junk listed off the names of each Slane member 61 00:03:49,880 --> 00:03:54,560 Speaker 1: of the Ruden family, Christopher Rudden, Scene, Gary Ruden, Clarence 62 00:03:54,600 --> 00:04:00,880 Speaker 1: Frankie Ruden, Kenneth Ruden, Hannah Gilly, Dana Manley, Hannah Rud 63 00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:05,360 Speaker 1: and Christopher ridden Junior. When Judge Deering asked Jake how 64 00:04:05,400 --> 00:04:08,400 Speaker 1: he pled to each aggravated murder charge, he replied with 65 00:04:08,480 --> 00:04:20,159 Speaker 1: one simple phrase, I am jilt. We've realized that this 66 00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:22,279 Speaker 1: whole case had blown open and we'd be following in 67 00:04:22,360 --> 00:04:24,800 Speaker 1: real time. We immediately got on the phone with some 68 00:04:24,839 --> 00:04:27,320 Speaker 1: of the journalists and experts that have been covering the case. 69 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:31,200 Speaker 1: The closest across the board. There was one pretty consistent reaction, 70 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:35,320 Speaker 1: absolutely stunned. I mean, honestly, you could have knocked me 71 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:37,880 Speaker 1: over with a feather. I didn't see it coming. When 72 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:40,240 Speaker 1: we heard the judge say, I understand you're here to 73 00:04:40,240 --> 00:04:43,240 Speaker 1: make it agree me, and we're like, oh my gosh, 74 00:04:43,279 --> 00:04:46,560 Speaker 1: this is huge. I was really surprised, especially as long 75 00:04:46,600 --> 00:04:49,080 Speaker 1: and hard as they fought it. It was a total shock. 76 00:04:49,240 --> 00:04:51,360 Speaker 1: I was sitting in a restaurant when I got the call, 77 00:04:51,440 --> 00:04:54,839 Speaker 1: and I almost fell out of the booth. After all 78 00:04:54,880 --> 00:04:58,760 Speaker 1: of these years, that somebody is going to suddenly say, yeah, 79 00:04:58,760 --> 00:05:01,880 Speaker 1: you know, I know. We've you know, several times over 80 00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:04,919 Speaker 1: the last five years, we've vehemently denied any involvement in 81 00:05:04,960 --> 00:05:08,520 Speaker 1: this and acted offended, and then all of a sudden, like, 82 00:05:08,560 --> 00:05:11,600 Speaker 1: oh yeah, well, one of them changed their minds. It 83 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:14,800 Speaker 1: was a little bit stunning, but it was Jake, because 84 00:05:15,240 --> 00:05:21,280 Speaker 1: everybody who's really covered this piece closely thought if anybody wavered, 85 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:26,560 Speaker 1: it would have been George. Our first question, why did 86 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:29,760 Speaker 1: Jake Wagner finally break I don't know that any of 87 00:05:29,839 --> 00:05:32,200 Speaker 1: us would know. Is he going to tell us? Why? 88 00:05:32,920 --> 00:05:35,599 Speaker 1: Why would you make this deal? Was he doing this 89 00:05:35,720 --> 00:05:39,320 Speaker 1: to save their lives or was he just turning on them? 90 00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:43,480 Speaker 1: I can't say for sure. Is there a likelihood that 91 00:05:43,520 --> 00:05:47,080 Speaker 1: the other family members will plead out, I mean, that's 92 00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:51,479 Speaker 1: entirely possible. Just weeks before the hearing, we had received 93 00:05:51,480 --> 00:05:55,160 Speaker 1: a photo from Pike County native Christina, her sister Tabitha 94 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:58,120 Speaker 1: was once married to the eldest accus son, George Wagner. 95 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:01,280 Speaker 1: In light of Jake's please deal, the image is nothing 96 00:06:01,320 --> 00:06:05,600 Speaker 1: short of chilling. We posted on our Instagram at Katie 97 00:06:05,640 --> 00:06:08,960 Speaker 1: Underscore Studios. It's a picture of both the Roden and 98 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:12,279 Speaker 1: Wagner families gathered together to celebrate George and Tabitha's wedding 99 00:06:12,320 --> 00:06:16,400 Speaker 1: back in twenty twelve. Looking at it, it's impossible to 100 00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:19,440 Speaker 1: imagine that, aside from the bride, half the people pictured 101 00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:22,400 Speaker 1: would be dead, the other half accused of their murders. 102 00:06:23,560 --> 00:06:28,159 Speaker 1: Yet here they are embracing in happier times. At the 103 00:06:28,240 --> 00:06:30,880 Speaker 1: left of the photo is Jake Wagner, the youngest accused 104 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:35,080 Speaker 1: son who we just heard plead guilty. He's smiling, his 105 00:06:35,240 --> 00:06:40,120 Speaker 1: right hand resting on his accused mother, Angela Wagner's arm. 106 00:06:40,160 --> 00:06:43,520 Speaker 1: Standing behind them at six foot six is Jake's accused father, 107 00:06:43,800 --> 00:06:49,960 Speaker 1: Billy Wagner, noticeably emotionless. Standing next to Billy Wagner in 108 00:06:49,960 --> 00:06:54,520 Speaker 1: the photo is father and victim Chris Roden. Senior family friends. 109 00:06:54,560 --> 00:07:00,160 Speaker 1: Stefan remembers Chris's expert craftsmanship and genuine kindness. He as 110 00:07:00,560 --> 00:07:05,880 Speaker 1: an amazing carpenter. His imagination. If they said money's no object, 111 00:07:06,200 --> 00:07:09,000 Speaker 1: you would be amazed at the things that he could 112 00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:13,840 Speaker 1: do and you couldn't ask for a better person. Coroner, 113 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:18,160 Speaker 1: distinguished Professor and criminal forensic expert Joseph Morgan tried to 114 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:21,080 Speaker 1: make sense of the Rodent murders, starting with father and 115 00:07:21,160 --> 00:07:24,720 Speaker 1: family patriarch Chris Senior. Some of this will be hard 116 00:07:24,760 --> 00:07:27,760 Speaker 1: to hear, particularly if you're personally connected to the tragedy, 117 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:30,720 Speaker 1: but it's important to understand the magnitude of what happened 118 00:07:30,720 --> 00:07:34,120 Speaker 1: that night. He was shot nine times. Now, for me, 119 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:36,840 Speaker 1: as a forensic investigator, I would look at that and 120 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:41,760 Speaker 1: I would deem that as overkill. And you know, why 121 00:07:41,760 --> 00:07:46,160 Speaker 1: would somebody need to be shot nine times. They're saying 122 00:07:46,160 --> 00:07:49,920 Speaker 1: that there's evidence that he attempted or reacted at least 123 00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:53,800 Speaker 1: to the point where he raised his arm his right 124 00:07:53,960 --> 00:07:57,720 Speaker 1: form and it shattered one of the bones. When you've 125 00:07:57,720 --> 00:08:01,560 Speaker 1: got an individual that has gotten defensive, that person has 126 00:08:01,560 --> 00:08:05,320 Speaker 1: an awareness, so that goes to a level of callousness 127 00:08:05,320 --> 00:08:10,440 Speaker 1: that that's Roses too. Standing just in front of Chris 128 00:08:10,440 --> 00:08:13,119 Speaker 1: Senior in the wedding photo with his father's arm draped 129 00:08:13,160 --> 00:08:16,440 Speaker 1: around his shoulder is the youngest Roden victim sixteen year 130 00:08:16,440 --> 00:08:21,320 Speaker 1: old Chris Junior, affectionately called Little Chris. Brittany was Chris 131 00:08:21,400 --> 00:08:24,800 Speaker 1: Junior's best friend. Well, Chris, he taught me how to 132 00:08:24,920 --> 00:08:30,520 Speaker 1: love life. You know, look at life differently. I can't 133 00:08:30,520 --> 00:08:37,400 Speaker 1: explain that like it makes you will to cry. Roden 134 00:08:37,440 --> 00:08:40,760 Speaker 1: family members spoke to reporters about Chris Junior soon after 135 00:08:40,800 --> 00:08:45,360 Speaker 1: the murders. Christopher get to go to prom. You just 136 00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:49,920 Speaker 1: kind of driver, super so he's sixteen years old. He 137 00:08:50,040 --> 00:08:56,200 Speaker 1: had a whole life. Sixteen year old Chris Junior was 138 00:08:56,240 --> 00:09:00,319 Speaker 1: shot four toms, including twice in the time off of 139 00:09:00,400 --> 00:09:06,160 Speaker 1: his head. He was sound wished behind his bed, implying 140 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:09,920 Speaker 1: that he was trying to hide from the killer. Killers. 141 00:09:12,120 --> 00:09:14,400 Speaker 1: Just in back of Chris Junior and the photo stands 142 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:18,240 Speaker 1: his older brother, twenty year old victim Frankie Roden. Christina 143 00:09:18,320 --> 00:09:21,120 Speaker 1: knew Frankie growing up. Frankie he was the kind of 144 00:09:21,160 --> 00:09:23,680 Speaker 1: guy like he did a first sure hunting fisher and 145 00:09:23,720 --> 00:09:27,640 Speaker 1: all that. But he did like Derby's bad working on 146 00:09:27,760 --> 00:09:31,160 Speaker 1: carters and stuff. That was his passion. Frankie Rodin was 147 00:09:31,160 --> 00:09:35,400 Speaker 1: engaged to victim Hannah Gilly, not pictured just before the murders. 148 00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:38,720 Speaker 1: The couple had had their first child together. They're six 149 00:09:38,760 --> 00:09:41,320 Speaker 1: month old, and Frankie's three year old son were left 150 00:09:41,320 --> 00:09:44,120 Speaker 1: alive at the scene. Frankie and Hannah they did want 151 00:09:44,120 --> 00:09:47,319 Speaker 1: more children than you know, they had a bright future 152 00:09:47,440 --> 00:09:52,480 Speaker 1: and just oh it just it just hurts my heart 153 00:09:52,520 --> 00:09:54,800 Speaker 1: to think that, you know, they'll never get to go 154 00:09:54,840 --> 00:09:58,120 Speaker 1: on with their future plans. You know, twenty year old 155 00:09:58,120 --> 00:10:02,599 Speaker 1: Frankie Rodin was shot Thoms in the head miss He 156 00:10:02,760 --> 00:10:06,240 Speaker 1: lay in bed next to his fiance and they're six 157 00:10:06,320 --> 00:10:11,000 Speaker 1: month old. We talked about Hannah and Gillie Hayes shot 158 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:15,520 Speaker 1: five Toms. She catches one in the eye. It poses 159 00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:17,880 Speaker 1: this idea, why are you shooting these people in the face. 160 00:10:18,559 --> 00:10:20,840 Speaker 1: What's the purpose of it? Because not only shoe him 161 00:10:20,840 --> 00:10:24,440 Speaker 1: in the flacier, shoe him multiple times? What thread did 162 00:10:24,480 --> 00:10:28,040 Speaker 1: she pos she's laying there was her child in the bed. 163 00:10:30,440 --> 00:10:32,400 Speaker 1: To the right of the group photograph, we see the 164 00:10:32,440 --> 00:10:36,320 Speaker 1: two newlyweds, the accused eldest son, George Wagner, and his 165 00:10:36,400 --> 00:10:40,920 Speaker 1: new bride smiling excitedly. We believe that Dana, victim and 166 00:10:40,960 --> 00:10:43,760 Speaker 1: matriarch of the road and family, was behind the camera 167 00:10:43,840 --> 00:10:47,040 Speaker 1: taking the photo. Christina remembered Dana Road in that day 168 00:10:47,080 --> 00:10:50,920 Speaker 1: in twenty twelve. She seemed pretty bubbly. You know, she's 169 00:10:50,960 --> 00:10:55,200 Speaker 1: get along with her family. I've seen her laugh and 170 00:10:55,320 --> 00:10:59,480 Speaker 1: with the most ways. She's going around taking pictures of everything. 171 00:11:00,800 --> 00:11:04,160 Speaker 1: Dana Roden and Chris Roden Senior were married for thirteen years. 172 00:11:04,760 --> 00:11:08,520 Speaker 1: Even though they divorced, they remained friends. In fact, Dana 173 00:11:08,559 --> 00:11:10,520 Speaker 1: lived just down the road in a home that Chris 174 00:11:10,520 --> 00:11:13,360 Speaker 1: Senior had purchased for her. Two weeks before their murders. 175 00:11:14,120 --> 00:11:16,560 Speaker 1: She had just returned home from a double shift at 176 00:11:16,600 --> 00:11:19,840 Speaker 1: her job as a nurse that fateful night. Here is Stefanne, 177 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:22,920 Speaker 1: one of Dana Roden's closest friends. She was such a 178 00:11:22,920 --> 00:11:25,679 Speaker 1: good person, but you know, she would fight for her family. 179 00:11:25,880 --> 00:11:30,120 Speaker 1: She would literally fight for her family. And goodhearted, a 180 00:11:30,160 --> 00:11:34,120 Speaker 1: lot of fun, you know, always laughing, cracking up. Yeah, 181 00:11:34,120 --> 00:11:36,120 Speaker 1: from why we hear she was like really strong willed 182 00:11:36,240 --> 00:11:40,199 Speaker 1: and really smart. Yeah, she sure was. She she was 183 00:11:40,240 --> 00:11:44,360 Speaker 1: a very very good person. She's very smart. She again, 184 00:11:44,880 --> 00:11:48,640 Speaker 1: like Chris Senior, was shot multiple toms. And not only 185 00:11:48,760 --> 00:11:53,559 Speaker 1: was she shot multiple tims, but specifically reports have her 186 00:11:53,920 --> 00:11:59,000 Speaker 1: having been shot five tims four times cool tims in 187 00:11:59,040 --> 00:12:03,920 Speaker 1: the head. Now, why the hell, would you shoot somebody 188 00:12:03,920 --> 00:12:09,160 Speaker 1: four times in the head, because you know one should suffice. 189 00:12:09,920 --> 00:12:13,840 Speaker 1: But the shooter took the top to take that muzzle 190 00:12:13,880 --> 00:12:19,400 Speaker 1: of that weapon. Stick it beneath Dana's chin. Stick it 191 00:12:19,520 --> 00:12:24,240 Speaker 1: beneath her chin. Now, this is a common location for suicide, 192 00:12:24,440 --> 00:12:30,640 Speaker 1: all right, this is atypical for homicide. Victim Gary Rodin, 193 00:12:30,920 --> 00:12:34,160 Speaker 1: Chris Senior's cousin, also not pictured, was a beloved member 194 00:12:34,200 --> 00:12:37,360 Speaker 1: of the family. By all accounts, Gary and Chrissior were 195 00:12:37,440 --> 00:12:41,400 Speaker 1: very close. Here's Angeanette Levy. She's an Emmy nominated Ohio 196 00:12:41,520 --> 00:12:43,920 Speaker 1: reporter who has been covering the case since the beginning. 197 00:12:44,200 --> 00:12:46,800 Speaker 1: Gary just happened to be at Chris's home that night. 198 00:12:46,960 --> 00:12:51,280 Speaker 1: He was actually from Kentucky, so you know, he didn't 199 00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:53,760 Speaker 1: even live in the area or the neighborhood, but you know, 200 00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:56,600 Speaker 1: lived close enough to where he was staying with Chris 201 00:12:56,640 --> 00:12:59,920 Speaker 1: that evening. We do know that the shooter was very 202 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:02,520 Speaker 1: close to Gary when they fired, because they talk about 203 00:13:02,679 --> 00:13:05,080 Speaker 1: what is referred to as a press contact bench at 204 00:13:05,080 --> 00:13:09,640 Speaker 1: one and if our listeners will essentially take your index finger, okay, 205 00:13:09,679 --> 00:13:13,160 Speaker 1: and point it towards the palm of your hand and 206 00:13:13,840 --> 00:13:18,200 Speaker 1: extend the tip of your finger maybe I don't know, 207 00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:20,600 Speaker 1: probably about half an inch away from the surface of 208 00:13:20,640 --> 00:13:24,000 Speaker 1: your palm. That's kind of what we would refer to 209 00:13:24,200 --> 00:13:27,319 Speaker 1: as a contact moon. And what that means is that 210 00:13:27,360 --> 00:13:29,480 Speaker 1: you're going to have, you know, the bullet's not the 211 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:31,800 Speaker 1: only thing coming out of the end of the weapon. 212 00:13:32,160 --> 00:13:36,040 Speaker 1: You're going to have the fire that actually the ignition 213 00:13:36,040 --> 00:13:38,680 Speaker 1: of the bullet and the round. You'll have this burning 214 00:13:38,679 --> 00:13:41,240 Speaker 1: the powder that's coming out. You'll have unburned powder that's 215 00:13:41,280 --> 00:13:47,120 Speaker 1: coming out. So this is a very intimate event. Kenneth Roden, 216 00:13:47,280 --> 00:13:50,400 Speaker 1: Christina's brother, who was also missing from the photo, was 217 00:13:50,440 --> 00:13:53,040 Speaker 1: not with the family that day. He was, you know, 218 00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:57,359 Speaker 1: a great father and he would do anything for anybody. 219 00:13:57,840 --> 00:14:02,240 Speaker 1: You've got Kenneth who was actually again shot in face, 220 00:14:02,280 --> 00:14:04,520 Speaker 1: and not only was he shot and facing, was shot 221 00:14:04,559 --> 00:14:07,840 Speaker 1: in the eye. You know, what does it say that 222 00:14:07,960 --> 00:14:09,920 Speaker 1: they would take the time and put themselves in a 223 00:14:09,960 --> 00:14:14,160 Speaker 1: position where they could be face to face with Kenneth. 224 00:14:14,720 --> 00:14:17,400 Speaker 1: He was found covered with dollar bills that were streamed 225 00:14:17,760 --> 00:14:21,800 Speaker 1: about his body. He's just god, I mean, he can't 226 00:14:22,840 --> 00:14:27,480 Speaker 1: he can't make this. Up Standing front and center in 227 00:14:27,520 --> 00:14:30,440 Speaker 1: the picture is then fifteen year old victim Hannah Rodin. 228 00:14:30,920 --> 00:14:33,800 Speaker 1: She's in a black bridesmaid's dress and leans in close 229 00:14:33,800 --> 00:14:38,080 Speaker 1: to her boyfriend accused younger son, Jake Wagner. Their child 230 00:14:38,080 --> 00:14:41,560 Speaker 1: together would eventually become the alleged center point of this crime. 231 00:14:43,080 --> 00:14:45,000 Speaker 1: They had been dating for a few years when the 232 00:14:45,040 --> 00:14:49,600 Speaker 1: photo was taken, and appeared very happy. Jake Wagner was 233 00:14:49,680 --> 00:14:53,480 Speaker 1: Hannah Roden's first love. Christina told us things between them, 234 00:14:53,560 --> 00:14:58,960 Speaker 1: we're getting serious. I heard Hannah Jake like talking about 235 00:14:59,040 --> 00:15:03,720 Speaker 1: how good then pretty Tabby and George's wedding was that 236 00:15:04,200 --> 00:15:08,720 Speaker 1: they hoped whenever they get married that it'll be pretty 237 00:15:08,840 --> 00:15:12,720 Speaker 1: like that and all that good stuff. Brittany was also 238 00:15:12,760 --> 00:15:16,080 Speaker 1: friends with Hannah. She was great, She was funny. She 239 00:15:16,200 --> 00:15:19,280 Speaker 1: was really funny. She was really really nice. She knew everyone, 240 00:15:19,440 --> 00:15:21,840 Speaker 1: Everyone knew her, and she just like talked to everyone. 241 00:15:22,200 --> 00:15:25,880 Speaker 1: She wasn't stuck up or anything like that. And she 242 00:15:26,520 --> 00:15:29,360 Speaker 1: lived life to the fullest. Prior to the murder, Hannah 243 00:15:29,400 --> 00:15:32,160 Speaker 1: Rodin had broken up with Jake Wagner. She had started 244 00:15:32,240 --> 00:15:34,640 Speaker 1: dating someone new, and the pair had a baby together 245 00:15:34,840 --> 00:15:37,240 Speaker 1: that she gave birth to four days before the murders. 246 00:15:37,640 --> 00:15:41,080 Speaker 1: Hannah rod She was shot twice in the head as 247 00:15:41,120 --> 00:15:46,000 Speaker 1: her four day old newborn laid beside her, maybe there 248 00:15:46,040 --> 00:15:49,040 Speaker 1: curled in a fetal posture, along with her baby, just 249 00:15:49,200 --> 00:15:52,480 Speaker 1: curled in a fetal posture. Mama was slowly stroking the 250 00:15:52,480 --> 00:15:55,760 Speaker 1: head of the baby, try to, you know, calm suit 251 00:15:55,840 --> 00:15:58,400 Speaker 1: the baby during the night. Maybe she awakes, some breastfeeds 252 00:15:58,400 --> 00:16:00,440 Speaker 1: the baby during the night while she's sleeping. It's a 253 00:16:00,440 --> 00:16:03,640 Speaker 1: position people will slept in for thousands and thousands of years. 254 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:08,320 Speaker 1: It's a position of comfort. Imagine you're laying there, you're 255 00:16:08,320 --> 00:16:10,600 Speaker 1: there to protect your baby, and you're curled up on 256 00:16:10,640 --> 00:16:15,560 Speaker 1: your side. There's an awareness. The only people left alive 257 00:16:15,600 --> 00:16:19,840 Speaker 1: were three children, Hannah's forty old infant, Frankie's five year 258 00:16:19,880 --> 00:16:23,080 Speaker 1: old son from a previous relationship, and the six month 259 00:16:23,080 --> 00:16:27,200 Speaker 1: old baby he shared with his fiancee, Hannah Gilly. The 260 00:16:27,280 --> 00:16:32,120 Speaker 1: choice to spare the children lived investigators perplexed. Here's James Pilcher. 261 00:16:32,200 --> 00:16:35,680 Speaker 1: He's an on air reporter for Local twelve News in Cincinnati, Ohio, 262 00:16:35,800 --> 00:16:39,640 Speaker 1: and a longtime investigative journalist in the area. Usually when 263 00:16:39,640 --> 00:16:44,240 Speaker 1: you have a mass shooting or a mass murder, everybody's killed. 264 00:16:44,960 --> 00:16:48,360 Speaker 1: So to see that three kids, all under the age 265 00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:52,440 Speaker 1: of three years old, some infants were left unharmed next 266 00:16:52,440 --> 00:16:56,040 Speaker 1: to their parents who were shot dead, very very unusual. 267 00:16:57,400 --> 00:17:00,120 Speaker 1: Soon after the murders, members of the Rodent family the 268 00:17:00,200 --> 00:17:02,920 Speaker 1: statement to the local media pleading for help and finding 269 00:17:02,920 --> 00:17:06,199 Speaker 1: their family's killers. We know what follows is difficult listening, 270 00:17:06,359 --> 00:17:09,120 Speaker 1: but we want to acknowledge the pain. The entire surviving 271 00:17:09,200 --> 00:17:12,640 Speaker 1: Rodent family has gone through a lots of people. They 272 00:17:12,720 --> 00:17:18,560 Speaker 1: lose one family member, and when you lose eight, nobody 273 00:17:18,600 --> 00:17:24,000 Speaker 1: has any idea what we've been through our lives as 274 00:17:24,240 --> 00:17:29,280 Speaker 1: right now. They'll never be safe. They stole so much 275 00:17:29,280 --> 00:17:33,400 Speaker 1: from us. The killers stole so much. They stole their 276 00:17:33,480 --> 00:17:38,000 Speaker 1: lives that they stole ours to because we live with 277 00:17:38,119 --> 00:17:45,679 Speaker 1: it every day. Met my brothers, who are good people. 278 00:17:46,119 --> 00:17:50,040 Speaker 1: They would do anything to help you. Dana was a 279 00:17:50,080 --> 00:17:54,280 Speaker 1: wonderful person. She always try to help do stuff. From 280 00:17:54,320 --> 00:18:03,520 Speaker 1: my mom, from Frankie, his fiance Hannah. They we're taken 281 00:18:03,560 --> 00:18:07,000 Speaker 1: away from their kids. They were taken away from us. 282 00:18:10,960 --> 00:18:14,760 Speaker 1: My niece Hannah May, she had a baby that I 283 00:18:14,880 --> 00:18:19,800 Speaker 1: haven't even got to meet. The Gillies, Gary's mom and dad. 284 00:18:20,240 --> 00:18:25,399 Speaker 1: They only know what we are all going through, and 285 00:18:25,640 --> 00:18:29,840 Speaker 1: I know that in their hearts, in their minds, they're 286 00:18:29,920 --> 00:18:38,480 Speaker 1: hoping and praying every day just like we are, that 287 00:18:38,800 --> 00:18:48,240 Speaker 1: whoever did this will be brought to justice. Looking back 288 00:18:48,240 --> 00:18:50,560 Speaker 1: at the wedding photo, what's hard to wrap our heads 289 00:18:50,560 --> 00:18:52,920 Speaker 1: around is that all the players are in this one 290 00:18:52,960 --> 00:18:57,199 Speaker 1: picture Christina gave us. There. They are the Wagners and 291 00:18:57,240 --> 00:19:00,879 Speaker 1: the road and smiling together. And just years later, in 292 00:19:00,960 --> 00:19:04,280 Speaker 1: November twenty eighteen, the Wagner family would be arrested for 293 00:19:04,320 --> 00:19:08,040 Speaker 1: the murders of the Rodents. We promised that the day 294 00:19:08,040 --> 00:19:11,240 Speaker 1: would come when the arrest would be made in the 295 00:19:11,320 --> 00:19:16,159 Speaker 1: Pike County massacres today or that day. Billy Wagner, his 296 00:19:16,200 --> 00:19:18,760 Speaker 1: wife Angela, and their two sons, George and Jake, are 297 00:19:18,800 --> 00:19:22,840 Speaker 1: accused of multiple counts of murder. Billy, Angela, George, and 298 00:19:22,920 --> 00:19:27,160 Speaker 1: Jake Wagner were all charged with eight counts of aggravated murder. Additionally, 299 00:19:27,359 --> 00:19:31,720 Speaker 1: Angela Wagner's mother, Rita Newcombe, and Billy's mother Frederica Wagner 300 00:19:31,840 --> 00:19:36,399 Speaker 1: were accused of perjury and obstructing justice for allegedly misleading investigators. 301 00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:40,080 Speaker 1: Angela's mother, Rita Newcombe, was also charged with forge and 302 00:19:40,160 --> 00:19:44,120 Speaker 1: custody documents to cover up the crimes. What was surprising 303 00:19:44,480 --> 00:19:47,920 Speaker 1: was that you had these two grandmothers arrested, Frederico Wagner 304 00:19:48,400 --> 00:19:52,720 Speaker 1: and then Angela Wagner's mother, Rina Newcomb. You had two 305 00:19:52,840 --> 00:19:56,320 Speaker 1: grandmothers being charged with helping to cover up these crimes. 306 00:19:56,359 --> 00:19:58,720 Speaker 1: Because then it your mind kind of goes wild. You 307 00:19:58,800 --> 00:20:02,040 Speaker 1: naturally think, well, did they know before it happened? You know, 308 00:20:02,080 --> 00:20:03,840 Speaker 1: if you're alleging they were part of a cover up. 309 00:20:04,119 --> 00:20:07,440 Speaker 1: What happened, though, Rita Joe Nukam reached a plea deal 310 00:20:07,520 --> 00:20:09,639 Speaker 1: in which the bulk of the charges were dismissed and 311 00:20:09,640 --> 00:20:13,600 Speaker 1: the charges against Frederica Wagner were eventually dropped. The suspicion 312 00:20:13,640 --> 00:20:16,560 Speaker 1: around the family grew, and the ties that bound the 313 00:20:16,560 --> 00:20:25,960 Speaker 1: Wagners and the Rodents came into focus. We're going to 314 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:28,320 Speaker 1: take a quick break here. We'll be back in a moment. 315 00:20:38,960 --> 00:20:41,400 Speaker 1: We talked earlier about the baby Hannah Rodin and Jake 316 00:20:41,480 --> 00:20:44,800 Speaker 1: Wagner had together in twenty thirteen. The couple and their 317 00:20:44,880 --> 00:20:47,919 Speaker 1: daughter split time between the rod and the Wagner households. 318 00:20:48,320 --> 00:20:52,119 Speaker 1: For everyone involved, the situation worked well. However, when the 319 00:20:52,160 --> 00:20:55,760 Speaker 1: couple broke up in twenty fifteen, the families became bitter rivals. 320 00:20:56,359 --> 00:21:00,520 Speaker 1: But when that news broke that they were were actually 321 00:21:00,520 --> 00:21:03,280 Speaker 1: being indicted and charged. I felt like this must have 322 00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:07,280 Speaker 1: been something personal. The animosity let authorities to pinpoint one 323 00:21:07,320 --> 00:21:10,520 Speaker 1: salient motive in the case. They say that the Wagners 324 00:21:10,520 --> 00:21:13,760 Speaker 1: were obsessed with custody and really obsessed with their bloodline, 325 00:21:14,280 --> 00:21:18,320 Speaker 1: custody of the daughter that Hannah Rodin shared with Jake Wagner. 326 00:21:18,640 --> 00:21:21,480 Speaker 1: The prosecution says that was the heart of the motive 327 00:21:21,880 --> 00:21:26,040 Speaker 1: in this case. They wanted soul custody and they weren't 328 00:21:26,080 --> 00:21:29,920 Speaker 1: going to stop until they got it. Investigative reporter Jodi 329 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:33,480 Speaker 1: Barr was shocked by these allegations. I have never encountered 330 00:21:33,480 --> 00:21:37,280 Speaker 1: this in my fifteen years of journalism, where an entire 331 00:21:37,359 --> 00:21:41,640 Speaker 1: family is accused of the mass murder of another family 332 00:21:42,080 --> 00:21:46,800 Speaker 1: over what's presumably, if we're to believe the prosecution and 333 00:21:46,920 --> 00:21:52,600 Speaker 1: the investigation, over custody of children. I think that was 334 00:21:52,640 --> 00:21:55,280 Speaker 1: the toughest part for me personally, was dealing with what 335 00:21:55,400 --> 00:21:59,000 Speaker 1: happens to those kids, and then it comes out later 336 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:01,359 Speaker 1: this was all about the kids and there was a 337 00:22:01,400 --> 00:22:05,960 Speaker 1: fight over the kids. That was that was troubling to 338 00:22:06,080 --> 00:22:11,600 Speaker 1: me personally, Like who would do that to have custody 339 00:22:11,640 --> 00:22:14,159 Speaker 1: and to be able to love and nurture or child 340 00:22:14,800 --> 00:22:17,600 Speaker 1: and yet have that act of violence within themselves to 341 00:22:17,880 --> 00:22:21,359 Speaker 1: do that on their behalf. Those are two things that 342 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:25,840 Speaker 1: I just can't rectify in my mind. It's human nature 343 00:22:25,840 --> 00:22:30,080 Speaker 1: to ask why why would someone perpetrate something so horrific? 344 00:22:31,560 --> 00:22:34,760 Speaker 1: Think about what that means. We're going to eradicate you 345 00:22:34,840 --> 00:22:39,400 Speaker 1: off the face of the planet. That's that's well, that's 346 00:22:39,520 --> 00:22:42,080 Speaker 1: that's so on a biblical scale, when you begin to 347 00:22:42,080 --> 00:22:44,520 Speaker 1: think of, by God, we're going to make sure that 348 00:22:44,560 --> 00:22:51,520 Speaker 1: they're not just dead there Julius Caesar dead. After their arrest, 349 00:22:51,680 --> 00:22:55,080 Speaker 1: the Wagners continue to maintain their innocence and their family 350 00:22:55,200 --> 00:22:58,440 Speaker 1: was with them every step of the way. Here's grandmother, 351 00:22:58,480 --> 00:23:01,840 Speaker 1: Frederica Wagner, responded to reporters when asked if she thought 352 00:23:01,880 --> 00:23:06,120 Speaker 1: her family was involved in the Roden murders. Absolutely, not 353 00:23:07,800 --> 00:23:14,480 Speaker 1: anywhere near that. Like said, in the two years since 354 00:23:14,520 --> 00:23:17,240 Speaker 1: the arrest, most have considered the Wagners as the most 355 00:23:17,240 --> 00:23:20,239 Speaker 1: likely suspects in the Roden murders. It appeared that they 356 00:23:20,240 --> 00:23:23,200 Speaker 1: were a very close group who discreetly planned this massacre 357 00:23:23,600 --> 00:23:27,120 Speaker 1: for months. But at the same time, it's just beyond 358 00:23:27,119 --> 00:23:30,199 Speaker 1: the pail to kill an entire family over custody. And 359 00:23:30,320 --> 00:23:34,440 Speaker 1: now after Jake Wagner's bombshell plea deal, we wondered was 360 00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:40,040 Speaker 1: the Wagner bond breaking the Waggoners were a cult like family, 361 00:23:40,200 --> 00:23:43,440 Speaker 1: and if what the Waggoners are accused of doing to 362 00:23:43,640 --> 00:23:48,640 Speaker 1: the Rodents, I mean they're accused of doing this together. 363 00:23:49,200 --> 00:23:52,000 Speaker 1: They're accused of trying to cover it up together as 364 00:23:52,040 --> 00:23:56,600 Speaker 1: a family. And the old cliche blood is thicker than water. Well, 365 00:23:56,880 --> 00:24:00,560 Speaker 1: cult like I don't know what the problem ability of 366 00:24:01,480 --> 00:24:04,879 Speaker 1: in a cult one telling on another, especially with the 367 00:24:04,960 --> 00:24:09,679 Speaker 1: consequences that would come down if one Wagoner told on 368 00:24:09,720 --> 00:24:13,239 Speaker 1: another and you know, one went to prison. You know, 369 00:24:14,400 --> 00:24:17,000 Speaker 1: if the state had to depend on one Waggoner telling 370 00:24:17,000 --> 00:24:20,760 Speaker 1: on another, the chances of that happening are likely not 371 00:24:20,880 --> 00:24:25,320 Speaker 1: very good. Now, finally, there may be some answers, you know, 372 00:24:25,400 --> 00:24:29,359 Speaker 1: who went into what home, who died first, why they died, 373 00:24:30,040 --> 00:24:34,160 Speaker 1: you know, why they chose to spare the children. So 374 00:24:34,600 --> 00:24:39,320 Speaker 1: I would just hope we get to hear finally from someone, 375 00:24:39,560 --> 00:24:43,639 Speaker 1: at least in Jake Wagner's case, I mean, where's the remorse? 376 00:24:44,200 --> 00:24:47,880 Speaker 1: You know, is there remorse from what happened? And if not, 377 00:24:49,040 --> 00:24:51,960 Speaker 1: man this is again, if there's a level beyond cold 378 00:24:52,119 --> 00:24:56,359 Speaker 1: blooded evil, If there is a level beyond that, I 379 00:24:56,400 --> 00:24:58,480 Speaker 1: think we have seen it. I don't know that we 380 00:24:58,560 --> 00:25:02,520 Speaker 1: know what to call it. In all, Jake Wagner pled 381 00:25:02,560 --> 00:25:05,600 Speaker 1: guilty to all eight aggravated murder charges as well as 382 00:25:05,640 --> 00:25:09,720 Speaker 1: to fifteen other criminal accounts that included conspiracy, aggravated burglary, 383 00:25:09,840 --> 00:25:13,879 Speaker 1: and tampering with evidence. He also named his father Billy, 384 00:25:14,400 --> 00:25:18,280 Speaker 1: his mother Angela, and brother George Wagner as co conspirators. 385 00:25:19,200 --> 00:25:22,200 Speaker 1: In exchange for his plea, the death sentence was taken 386 00:25:22,280 --> 00:25:24,840 Speaker 1: off the table for him and the rest of his family. 387 00:25:26,080 --> 00:25:28,600 Speaker 1: But perhaps what's most shocking is that Jake is actually 388 00:25:28,640 --> 00:25:32,560 Speaker 1: going to testify against all of his family members. It seems, 389 00:25:32,560 --> 00:25:34,960 Speaker 1: at the bare minimum, there's not a Wagner that's stepping 390 00:25:34,960 --> 00:25:37,800 Speaker 1: out of prison anytime soon. The following is real time 391 00:25:37,840 --> 00:25:40,879 Speaker 1: audio from the courtroom when the prosecution laid out the 392 00:25:40,960 --> 00:25:45,600 Speaker 1: charges against Shake Wagner. The information that Jake provided clearly 393 00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:49,000 Speaker 1: intreated he and each members of his family, to include Billy, 394 00:25:49,080 --> 00:25:52,160 Speaker 1: Angeli and enjoyed Wagner as being guilty of all accounts 395 00:25:52,160 --> 00:25:55,600 Speaker 1: contained lean ditements filed in this manner based on the 396 00:25:55,600 --> 00:25:58,560 Speaker 1: frutality of the information now known about the state, including 397 00:25:58,560 --> 00:26:02,000 Speaker 1: the fourth right statements of the We have overwhelming evidence 398 00:26:02,040 --> 00:26:04,280 Speaker 1: that the defendant and the three co defendant members of 399 00:26:04,320 --> 00:26:07,600 Speaker 1: his family are in fact responsible for planning and carrying 400 00:26:07,600 --> 00:26:11,000 Speaker 1: out the homicides. Jake admitted that in the lake evening 401 00:26:11,040 --> 00:26:14,119 Speaker 1: hours of April twenty first, two thousand and sixteen into 402 00:26:14,119 --> 00:26:17,280 Speaker 1: the early morning hours of Abel twenty second, two sixteen, 403 00:26:17,840 --> 00:26:20,800 Speaker 1: is when they committed these homicides. We know that they 404 00:26:20,880 --> 00:26:23,520 Speaker 1: trespassed into each of the four residents where the victims 405 00:26:23,520 --> 00:26:25,800 Speaker 1: were found with the intent to kill them, and that 406 00:26:25,920 --> 00:26:28,359 Speaker 1: they were armed for firearms, at least two of which 407 00:26:28,359 --> 00:26:31,439 Speaker 1: had homing silencers fixed to them when they did so. 408 00:26:32,240 --> 00:26:35,080 Speaker 1: We know that they inspired together and planned these homicides 409 00:26:35,119 --> 00:26:37,400 Speaker 1: for the months that led up to the offenses, and 410 00:26:37,440 --> 00:26:39,520 Speaker 1: that if all four co defendants took part of that, 411 00:26:39,680 --> 00:26:42,600 Speaker 1: as well as making various purchases to accomplish their goal. 412 00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:45,359 Speaker 1: We know that they removed the phones of all the 413 00:26:45,440 --> 00:26:48,480 Speaker 1: two of the victims and cameras and other surveillance equipment 414 00:26:48,520 --> 00:26:51,840 Speaker 1: of the victims in order to avoid detection. Jake also 415 00:26:51,880 --> 00:26:55,280 Speaker 1: admitted to personally killing five members of the rodents himself 416 00:26:55,600 --> 00:26:58,920 Speaker 1: though the victims were unnamed at this point. As noted, 417 00:26:59,000 --> 00:27:02,359 Speaker 1: Driver the defendant had in essence confess and apologize for 418 00:27:02,480 --> 00:27:06,000 Speaker 1: committing these offenses with his family and numbers, and admits 419 00:27:06,080 --> 00:27:09,840 Speaker 1: to personally causing the death by the aid victims and 420 00:27:09,960 --> 00:27:12,480 Speaker 1: either committing all of the other offenses contained in the 421 00:27:12,600 --> 00:27:16,600 Speaker 1: indictment directly or by being complicit in them. It was 422 00:27:16,640 --> 00:27:20,200 Speaker 1: also noted that Wagner provided investigators with information that led 423 00:27:20,200 --> 00:27:22,760 Speaker 1: to the recovery of the weapons and vehicles used in 424 00:27:22,800 --> 00:27:25,840 Speaker 1: the murders. Most recently, Your Honor, the State set down 425 00:27:25,880 --> 00:27:28,640 Speaker 1: with Jake Wagner, who has provided the State with many 426 00:27:28,640 --> 00:27:31,720 Speaker 1: more details of regarding these offenses, some of which were 427 00:27:31,800 --> 00:27:33,760 Speaker 1: very consistent with what the State are wed to view 428 00:27:34,240 --> 00:27:37,159 Speaker 1: and with the evidence that had already been collected. Some 429 00:27:37,240 --> 00:27:40,280 Speaker 1: of the information information, however, that was provided by Jake, 430 00:27:40,359 --> 00:27:43,640 Speaker 1: who was new. In addition to the information that Jake 431 00:27:43,720 --> 00:27:46,120 Speaker 1: provided us, what he told us led us to discover 432 00:27:46,200 --> 00:27:49,439 Speaker 1: some evidence that had yet to been recovered, specifically the 433 00:27:49,520 --> 00:27:52,880 Speaker 1: weapons that were used in these offenses, along with vehicles 434 00:27:52,880 --> 00:27:55,480 Speaker 1: that were used during these offenses, including one that the 435 00:27:55,600 --> 00:27:58,280 Speaker 1: Box specifically to use. The Knight of the Homicides only 436 00:27:59,040 --> 00:28:02,040 Speaker 1: though Jake was spared the death penalty. Prosecutors pulled no 437 00:28:02,119 --> 00:28:04,440 Speaker 1: punches with his sentence, saying, as part of this plea, 438 00:28:04,520 --> 00:28:07,080 Speaker 1: the state is agreed to dismiss the death specif occasion 439 00:28:07,720 --> 00:28:11,000 Speaker 1: in exchange the defendant in the state making joint recommendation 440 00:28:11,080 --> 00:28:14,600 Speaker 1: to the court with the defendive receeve eight consecutive life 441 00:28:14,600 --> 00:28:17,800 Speaker 1: without coal sentences for his pleas and guilty to counsel 442 00:28:17,800 --> 00:28:22,560 Speaker 1: one proving in the indictment. Jake's lawyers responded, We're fully 443 00:28:22,560 --> 00:28:26,880 Speaker 1: satisfied and gone eyes wide open into disagreement. He knows 444 00:28:26,920 --> 00:28:30,600 Speaker 1: he's going to die in prison without any judicial release, 445 00:28:31,480 --> 00:28:33,680 Speaker 1: and as he just said it, and I appreciate it's 446 00:28:33,720 --> 00:28:36,440 Speaker 1: kinda of mentioning it, and as I'm sure he'll say 447 00:28:36,480 --> 00:28:40,080 Speaker 1: more when the day's sentencing arrives. As horrifying as this 448 00:28:40,320 --> 00:28:48,200 Speaker 1: is for all, he is as sorry as he One 449 00:28:48,280 --> 00:28:50,880 Speaker 1: moment from the court proceedings stood out to us. When 450 00:28:50,880 --> 00:28:53,440 Speaker 1: the judge was running through each victim and got to 451 00:28:53,480 --> 00:28:56,360 Speaker 1: Hannah Rodin, it was impossible not to notice when Jake 452 00:28:56,440 --> 00:29:01,040 Speaker 1: Wagner had an audible pause and a noticeable what do 453 00:29:01,080 --> 00:29:04,120 Speaker 1: you make of the smirk when he is cleaning guilty 454 00:29:04,200 --> 00:29:05,959 Speaker 1: he kind of smiled. I don't know if you noticed that. 455 00:29:06,520 --> 00:29:09,560 Speaker 1: Oh I sure did. That's Mike Allen. He's a former 456 00:29:09,560 --> 00:29:13,040 Speaker 1: prosecutor and now a criminal defense attorney in Ohio. He's 457 00:29:13,040 --> 00:29:15,960 Speaker 1: been covering the case for years. I don't know how 458 00:29:16,000 --> 00:29:19,160 Speaker 1: you could work up a smile. I don't care what 459 00:29:19,200 --> 00:29:22,360 Speaker 1: you're thinking for something like that. What does that say 460 00:29:22,400 --> 00:29:27,040 Speaker 1: about Jay Quackback. I mean, he's got a depraved mind. 461 00:29:27,360 --> 00:29:31,400 Speaker 1: Anybody that could do that, it would not meet obviously 462 00:29:31,480 --> 00:29:34,600 Speaker 1: the legal definition of sanity. But you know there's something 463 00:29:34,640 --> 00:29:37,640 Speaker 1: wrong with him that you can be that cold to 464 00:29:37,760 --> 00:29:41,080 Speaker 1: go about doing that. I mean, really, that's all I 465 00:29:41,120 --> 00:29:43,560 Speaker 1: can say. I've been at this stuff for a long 466 00:29:43,640 --> 00:29:47,080 Speaker 1: time and I've never seen one, just as I guess 467 00:29:47,080 --> 00:29:50,240 Speaker 1: the word it comes in my mind as hardcore as this. 468 00:29:52,880 --> 00:29:55,840 Speaker 1: Whenever I've seen a little part where he was like 469 00:29:56,040 --> 00:30:01,520 Speaker 1: confessing to Hannah and he was trying to hold back 470 00:30:01,560 --> 00:30:05,320 Speaker 1: a laugh or so, I'm like, Okay, I don't know 471 00:30:05,360 --> 00:30:10,160 Speaker 1: if your horns are showering or if you're just kind 472 00:30:10,160 --> 00:30:12,960 Speaker 1: of like one of those awkward laugh There was a 473 00:30:13,000 --> 00:30:16,880 Speaker 1: different reaction when Hannah's name came up. Maybe his reaction 474 00:30:17,080 --> 00:30:21,640 Speaker 1: was like that, because like he personally killed her or something. 475 00:30:24,880 --> 00:30:28,239 Speaker 1: Ohio Governor Mike Dwine, who presided over the investigation as 476 00:30:28,280 --> 00:30:31,520 Speaker 1: Attorney General, was at the Pike County Courthouse as Jake's 477 00:30:31,600 --> 00:30:35,560 Speaker 1: hearing unfolded. Well, we've all read or heard of the 478 00:30:36,120 --> 00:30:39,520 Speaker 1: book in cold Blood. This was cold, cold, cold blood. 479 00:30:39,800 --> 00:30:45,640 Speaker 1: I mean, this was calculated, planned out, and then it 480 00:30:45,760 --> 00:30:48,440 Speaker 1: just you know, I mean, it just chills you to 481 00:30:48,560 --> 00:30:53,200 Speaker 1: think about the calculation that goes into something like this. 482 00:30:54,240 --> 00:30:58,479 Speaker 1: Five years ago today I was here and we met 483 00:30:58,520 --> 00:31:02,800 Speaker 1: with family members in the church. I committed to them 484 00:31:02,960 --> 00:31:06,440 Speaker 1: that we would find who did this and that we 485 00:31:06,440 --> 00:31:10,200 Speaker 1: would bring them to justice. There was a lot of 486 00:31:10,240 --> 00:31:14,720 Speaker 1: justice done today, and there was a collective sigh of 487 00:31:14,720 --> 00:31:18,960 Speaker 1: relief from locals in southern Ohio. Pike County resident Barbe 488 00:31:18,960 --> 00:31:21,960 Speaker 1: explained her initial shock. I can't imagine that he would 489 00:31:22,040 --> 00:31:25,840 Speaker 1: admit to murdering eight people, and if he didn't really 490 00:31:25,880 --> 00:31:29,000 Speaker 1: do it, he said guilty. I thought, are you lying? 491 00:31:29,320 --> 00:31:32,600 Speaker 1: What are you? What are you doing? You know? But 492 00:31:32,680 --> 00:31:35,880 Speaker 1: then I thought, oh my god, I just it blew 493 00:31:35,960 --> 00:31:39,840 Speaker 1: my mind. Brittany tried to come to terms with the news. 494 00:31:40,200 --> 00:31:42,680 Speaker 1: I'm just focusing on the good and a good thing 495 00:31:42,720 --> 00:31:47,400 Speaker 1: happened today, and I know that there in heaven looking 496 00:31:47,440 --> 00:31:51,200 Speaker 1: down and just thinking how stupid the wageners are thinking 497 00:31:51,240 --> 00:31:54,240 Speaker 1: they would get away with it. Christina put the day's 498 00:31:54,280 --> 00:31:57,840 Speaker 1: events and perhaps the most poetic way possible. Justice to 499 00:31:57,960 --> 00:32:02,640 Speaker 1: me and karma is a bit turn. It catches up 500 00:32:02,680 --> 00:32:06,960 Speaker 1: with everybody. Eventually. You can run all you want, but 501 00:32:07,080 --> 00:32:15,800 Speaker 1: you'll never outrun. We're going to take a quick break here. 502 00:32:16,000 --> 00:32:31,000 Speaker 1: We'll be back in a moment. The question remains, why 503 00:32:31,000 --> 00:32:35,600 Speaker 1: did you do this? Now? He was doing it to 504 00:32:35,680 --> 00:32:41,000 Speaker 1: keep himself from getting the death sentence and pretty much 505 00:32:41,520 --> 00:32:44,840 Speaker 1: powing on the rest of his family like, yeah, I'm 506 00:32:44,880 --> 00:32:48,560 Speaker 1: gonna drive you guys down, but I'm gonna save my 507 00:32:48,720 --> 00:32:55,160 Speaker 1: butt from yeah again the best friend. Was he pleading 508 00:32:55,160 --> 00:32:59,200 Speaker 1: guilty to save himself or his family? The family has 509 00:32:59,280 --> 00:33:04,160 Speaker 1: done nothing but fight, fight, fight, and profess their innocence 510 00:33:04,200 --> 00:33:07,640 Speaker 1: in this whole time. And you know, I thought that 511 00:33:07,680 --> 00:33:09,480 Speaker 1: they would fight this to the bitter end and ticket 512 00:33:09,520 --> 00:33:11,680 Speaker 1: to trial and see what they could do a trial. 513 00:33:12,040 --> 00:33:16,520 Speaker 1: So now you know, if Billy the controlling figure or 514 00:33:16,640 --> 00:33:19,600 Speaker 1: Mom the controlling figure and doesn't around, Jake's there to 515 00:33:19,640 --> 00:33:24,479 Speaker 1: think for himself. He apparently, you know, has information on 516 00:33:24,560 --> 00:33:27,560 Speaker 1: a lot of them, and yes he did throw them 517 00:33:27,640 --> 00:33:33,560 Speaker 1: under the bus, but perhaps he saved their lives. What's 518 00:33:33,560 --> 00:33:36,440 Speaker 1: in store for Jake's co conspirators. None of the other 519 00:33:36,480 --> 00:33:39,160 Speaker 1: Wagners have pleaded guilty, so what could we see if 520 00:33:39,160 --> 00:33:41,440 Speaker 1: they go to trial. I just think for a family 521 00:33:41,480 --> 00:33:45,040 Speaker 1: that was so united and you know, did things like 522 00:33:45,160 --> 00:33:49,360 Speaker 1: take votes on finances and wild nights and children, I 523 00:33:49,360 --> 00:33:52,080 Speaker 1: mean they were they lived, you know, as one unit, 524 00:33:52,200 --> 00:33:55,160 Speaker 1: the prosecution has said in court papers. And these people 525 00:33:55,200 --> 00:34:00,160 Speaker 1: did nothing without consulting the other. This is a massive break, 526 00:34:00,520 --> 00:34:04,640 Speaker 1: a massive shift. It's like a like a huge creator 527 00:34:05,400 --> 00:34:07,800 Speaker 1: in the middle of the Wagner family kind of the 528 00:34:07,920 --> 00:34:13,680 Speaker 1: united side. He is going to testify against his family members. Now, 529 00:34:13,719 --> 00:34:15,920 Speaker 1: I mean, I don't know of I don't know of 530 00:34:16,000 --> 00:34:20,680 Speaker 1: anybody in Hollywood that could write a better script than that. 531 00:34:21,120 --> 00:34:25,520 Speaker 1: You know, how compelling is that? Something that has this 532 00:34:25,640 --> 00:34:29,920 Speaker 1: kind of gothic undertone to it? You know, in rural America, 533 00:34:30,120 --> 00:34:33,560 Speaker 1: where these individuals are going to, you know, come forward 534 00:34:33,600 --> 00:34:38,080 Speaker 1: and and stand and stare at him. You think about 535 00:34:38,760 --> 00:34:43,600 Speaker 1: staring into the eyes of your kin folks across the 536 00:34:43,719 --> 00:34:47,919 Speaker 1: room as you're sitting in the dock there and you're 537 00:34:48,040 --> 00:34:54,200 Speaker 1: looking at them straight in the eyes, and people that 538 00:34:54,280 --> 00:35:01,360 Speaker 1: you've spent Thanksgivings with Christmases, you know these moments throughout 539 00:35:01,360 --> 00:35:05,080 Speaker 1: your life, and you're looking at them, and you're potentially 540 00:35:05,520 --> 00:35:08,520 Speaker 1: sending them to the proverbial gallows by virtue of what 541 00:35:08,560 --> 00:35:13,520 Speaker 1: you're going to say. But what happens if the other 542 00:35:13,560 --> 00:35:17,680 Speaker 1: three Wagners reached plea deals as well, if any other 543 00:35:17,719 --> 00:35:21,879 Speaker 1: guilty plea in this case ends the way Jake Wagner's ended, 544 00:35:22,760 --> 00:35:28,120 Speaker 1: we still may not know exactly why this happened. It 545 00:35:28,200 --> 00:35:31,080 Speaker 1: seemed like the impossible murder. And you go back to 546 00:35:31,160 --> 00:35:35,880 Speaker 1: April twenty sixteen and a month after I mean, everyone 547 00:35:35,960 --> 00:35:39,040 Speaker 1: had assumed that this was a drug cartel hit. It fit. 548 00:35:39,360 --> 00:35:41,880 Speaker 1: It made sense. The only way this could happen is 549 00:35:41,920 --> 00:35:45,080 Speaker 1: a highly skilled, trained assassin would come in and pull 550 00:35:45,160 --> 00:35:48,120 Speaker 1: this off and get away with it. I want to 551 00:35:48,160 --> 00:35:51,960 Speaker 1: know exactly what happened that night, you know, how did 552 00:35:51,960 --> 00:35:55,120 Speaker 1: they get in the homes? We know the end, We've 553 00:35:55,160 --> 00:35:58,319 Speaker 1: got some idea what happened in the middle, But I 554 00:35:58,400 --> 00:36:01,799 Speaker 1: think I want to know about the beginning. You know, 555 00:36:02,000 --> 00:36:05,319 Speaker 1: was this truly about custody? You know, I would just 556 00:36:05,360 --> 00:36:09,040 Speaker 1: like to know, you know, exactly why from Jake Wagner, 557 00:36:09,360 --> 00:36:12,600 Speaker 1: When did the switch flip to where the only resolution 558 00:36:12,920 --> 00:36:16,640 Speaker 1: to whatever was going on between him and the Rodents 559 00:36:16,719 --> 00:36:18,919 Speaker 1: at that point was to go and kill them all 560 00:36:19,480 --> 00:36:26,879 Speaker 1: makes absolutely no sense. One thing is certain. There's only 561 00:36:26,920 --> 00:36:30,439 Speaker 1: more bombshells to come. We will be tracking the case 562 00:36:30,520 --> 00:36:33,560 Speaker 1: in real time as they develop, and it proves that 563 00:36:33,640 --> 00:36:36,880 Speaker 1: the investigators and the prosecutors did their job. It was 564 00:36:36,920 --> 00:36:38,840 Speaker 1: the biggest murder case in the history of the state, 565 00:36:38,880 --> 00:36:44,239 Speaker 1: and they got their man. The relationship fractured, however you 566 00:36:44,360 --> 00:36:46,839 Speaker 1: want to describe it. You know, there's no turning back 567 00:36:46,840 --> 00:36:51,640 Speaker 1: to this family now. The prosecution now holds all the cards, 568 00:36:53,960 --> 00:36:58,759 Speaker 1: and it seems justice has begun to be served now 569 00:36:58,840 --> 00:37:10,600 Speaker 1: three more Wagners to The piked In Massacre Returned to 570 00:37:10,600 --> 00:37:13,759 Speaker 1: Pike County is executive produced by Stephanie Lydecker and me 571 00:37:13,960 --> 00:37:18,360 Speaker 1: Courtney Armstrong, editing and sound designed by executive producer Jared Aston. 572 00:37:18,719 --> 00:37:22,480 Speaker 1: Additional producing by Jeff Shane, Andrew Becker and Chris Graves. 573 00:37:22,920 --> 00:37:25,319 Speaker 1: The piked In Massacre Returned to Pike County is a 574 00:37:25,360 --> 00:37:29,759 Speaker 1: production of iHeartRadio and Katie Studios. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, 575 00:37:30,000 --> 00:37:33,560 Speaker 1: visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you listen 576 00:37:33,680 --> 00:37:34,720 Speaker 1: to your favorite shows.