1 00:00:02,880 --> 00:00:06,040 Speaker 1: After spending four days listening to Jake Wagner testify against 2 00:00:06,040 --> 00:00:10,200 Speaker 1: his older brother George, jurors today heard from both boys mother, 3 00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:15,160 Speaker 1: Angela Wagner. She speaks of her husband and her sons 4 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:21,080 Speaker 1: in a very loving manner. She's really presenting today as 5 00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:28,520 Speaker 1: a sweet, loving mother. She's there to save her life, 6 00:00:28,680 --> 00:00:32,400 Speaker 1: but also the lives of her family. Lord knows how 7 00:00:32,440 --> 00:00:35,080 Speaker 1: many people they had actually stolen from. It sounds like 8 00:00:35,120 --> 00:00:38,040 Speaker 1: the Old West because they've even gotten involved in poaching 9 00:00:38,159 --> 00:00:41,879 Speaker 1: and cattle rustling. You can have sympathy for somebody, but 10 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:45,879 Speaker 1: when you take part in killing eight people, sorry, that 11 00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:53,960 Speaker 1: all goes out the window. This is the piped and 12 00:00:54,040 --> 00:00:59,800 Speaker 1: Massacre Return to Pike County season four, episode nineteen and 13 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:04,760 Speaker 1: takes the stand. I'm Courtney Armstrong, a television producer at 14 00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:09,399 Speaker 1: Kat's Studios with Stephanie Leidecker and Jeff Shane. It's important 15 00:01:09,440 --> 00:01:11,880 Speaker 1: to note that George Wagner the fourth has pleaded not 16 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:15,720 Speaker 1: guilty and maintained he did not kill anyone. His father, 17 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:18,959 Speaker 1: Billy Wagner, whose trial is upcoming, has also pleaded not 18 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:22,800 Speaker 1: guilty to all charges. We've heard testimony from Jake Wagner 19 00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:25,679 Speaker 1: about his role in the crimes against the Rodin, Manly 20 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:29,880 Speaker 1: and Gilly families. Today we're hearing from another pivotal witness 21 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:34,480 Speaker 1: for the prosecution and accused Giller comes face to face 22 00:01:34,520 --> 00:01:36,680 Speaker 1: with his mother for the first time since both were 23 00:01:36,760 --> 00:01:40,520 Speaker 1: arrested four years ago. Yours today heard from both boys mother, 24 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:44,720 Speaker 1: Angela Wagner, looking somewhat frail and wearing a drab jail uniform. 25 00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:47,160 Speaker 1: The fifty two year old Wagner took the stand around 26 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:50,760 Speaker 1: ten fifteen this morning. Wearing a drab black and white 27 00:01:50,840 --> 00:01:55,200 Speaker 1: jail uniform. Angela Wagner walks into the courtroom. James Pilcher, 28 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 1: longtime investigative reporter from Cincinnati now with Local twelve, was 29 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:03,160 Speaker 1: there when Angela arrived at court, so one thing that 30 00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:06,320 Speaker 1: her appearance was much different than in the past. Her 31 00:02:06,320 --> 00:02:09,760 Speaker 1: hair was much longer. One of the other interesting details 32 00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:12,360 Speaker 1: is that she was shackled much like her son was, 33 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:14,440 Speaker 1: but the change were much lighter, so they made a 34 00:02:14,520 --> 00:02:17,200 Speaker 1: much different noise on the floor as she walked by. 35 00:02:17,639 --> 00:02:20,640 Speaker 1: It was more like a clink clink, clink, rather than 36 00:02:20,680 --> 00:02:23,799 Speaker 1: clank clank clank. Here Stephanie, who was also in the 37 00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:27,680 Speaker 1: courtroom during Angela Wagner's testimony. You can literally hear her 38 00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:31,079 Speaker 1: with her shackles coming down the hallway, which was such 39 00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:35,400 Speaker 1: an eerie sound. James Pilcher describes the atmosphere in the 40 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:37,720 Speaker 1: courtroom that day. The courtroom, you could have heard a 41 00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:40,840 Speaker 1: pin drop, Jake, It wasn't like that. But when we're 42 00:02:40,880 --> 00:02:43,560 Speaker 1: waiting for Angela, for the mother of the suspect who's 43 00:02:43,600 --> 00:02:48,480 Speaker 1: on trial, it was deathly quiet because everybody has always 44 00:02:48,520 --> 00:02:51,360 Speaker 1: thought that she was the mastermind behind all of this, 45 00:02:51,600 --> 00:02:53,720 Speaker 1: and I think that was one thing that they were 46 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:56,840 Speaker 1: anticipating coming out. And there was also the tension of 47 00:02:56,919 --> 00:02:59,079 Speaker 1: knowing a mother and her son were going to see 48 00:02:59,120 --> 00:03:02,200 Speaker 1: each other for the first time with her testifying against him. 49 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:05,320 Speaker 1: So there was a lot of tension and very very 50 00:03:05,440 --> 00:03:08,120 Speaker 1: quiet in that courtroom when we're waiting for her to 51 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:11,240 Speaker 1: take the stand. When she sat down, she didn't even 52 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:13,800 Speaker 1: look at George, and George pretty much looked like he 53 00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:16,960 Speaker 1: had his eyes down the entire time. Angela Wagner chose 54 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:20,480 Speaker 1: to opt out of having her testimony recorded. Therefore, the 55 00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:23,799 Speaker 1: only people who heard her testimony were the jury, the judge, 56 00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:27,200 Speaker 1: the respective attorneys, and the family and media that were 57 00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:31,440 Speaker 1: present in the courtroom. Here's Jeff speaking with Annette Levy, 58 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:36,600 Speaker 1: investigative reporter and host for Law and Crime. They opted 59 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:39,600 Speaker 1: out because they could. I thought it was completely ridiculous. 60 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:44,240 Speaker 1: You're a cooperating witness, you're convicted. You should be forced 61 00:03:44,240 --> 00:03:47,680 Speaker 1: to get up there and face the music on camera, 62 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:51,560 Speaker 1: be recorded. All of these Roaden family members got up 63 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:56,960 Speaker 1: there and bared their souls and were recorded, And you know, 64 00:03:57,000 --> 00:03:59,720 Speaker 1: why shouldn't he and Angela have to do the same. 65 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:02,760 Speaker 1: Does the jury know who opts in and opts out? No? 66 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:06,000 Speaker 1: I don't believe so, because the bailiff would go over 67 00:04:06,040 --> 00:04:09,480 Speaker 1: and tell the photographer or tell members of the media 68 00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:15,520 Speaker 1: who opted and who opted out. Here's forensic medical examiner 69 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:19,880 Speaker 1: Joseph Scott Morgan. It's so very easy to forget the Rodents, 70 00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:24,159 Speaker 1: and I guess on a spiritual level, since this all 71 00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:27,760 Speaker 1: kind of kicked off, I've always imagined every single member 72 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:31,120 Speaker 1: of that family in a spiritual form, sitting on the 73 00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:34,800 Speaker 1: front row watching seeing if they're going to receive any 74 00:04:34,880 --> 00:04:40,039 Speaker 1: level of justice, and this is part of that justice. 75 00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:44,880 Speaker 1: These people, these poor poor victims, they deserve to have 76 00:04:45,240 --> 00:04:49,359 Speaker 1: each individual story told when it comes to their deaths. 77 00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:53,400 Speaker 1: This is a mass murder. You know their lives ended 78 00:04:53,400 --> 00:04:55,360 Speaker 1: it at the end of the muzzle of the weapon 79 00:04:56,240 --> 00:04:59,080 Speaker 1: and cut short every single one of them, every singer. 80 00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:01,120 Speaker 1: They still be here with today. I have no doubt, 81 00:05:01,279 --> 00:05:06,120 Speaker 1: you know, and they deserve their due. Prosecutor Angiekineppa begins 82 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:09,280 Speaker 1: her opening remarks for the day. We said that if 83 00:05:09,279 --> 00:05:14,160 Speaker 1: anyone else came forward and could tell us something that 84 00:05:14,760 --> 00:05:17,520 Speaker 1: was consistent with what we had just heard, that would 85 00:05:17,560 --> 00:05:19,359 Speaker 1: do two things for us, and it would just be 86 00:05:19,560 --> 00:05:24,239 Speaker 1: stronger corroborating evidence that another member of the Wagner family 87 00:05:24,880 --> 00:05:28,920 Speaker 1: was giving us the same information without knowing exactly what 88 00:05:29,160 --> 00:05:34,080 Speaker 1: Jake had said, right, And that person that came forward 89 00:05:34,200 --> 00:05:37,320 Speaker 1: was Angela Wagner. Kneppa comes right out of the gate 90 00:05:37,360 --> 00:05:41,760 Speaker 1: with the question everyone has been wondering about. One thing 91 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:43,840 Speaker 1: that really stuck out to me was they approached her 92 00:05:43,920 --> 00:05:47,719 Speaker 1: much differently than they did Jake. At the very very beginning, 93 00:05:47,839 --> 00:05:50,920 Speaker 1: at the very opening of her testimony, they ask a 94 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:54,599 Speaker 1: point blank, are you guilty of taking part in these murders? Yes? 95 00:05:56,120 --> 00:05:59,880 Speaker 1: Did you help plan them? Yes? Did you help prepare 96 00:05:59,920 --> 00:06:04,200 Speaker 1: for it? Yes? Did you aid in a bet? Yes? 97 00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:08,440 Speaker 1: Who else took part? My husband, Billy, my son is George, 98 00:06:08,440 --> 00:06:11,159 Speaker 1: and Jacob, So suffice it to say, all four of 99 00:06:11,200 --> 00:06:16,960 Speaker 1: you were involved in these homicides that night. Yes, she 100 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:19,600 Speaker 1: was at point blank, are you guilty of aggravated murder? 101 00:06:19,920 --> 00:06:23,640 Speaker 1: She said, yes, we all are. That was a really 102 00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:28,320 Speaker 1: key moment. Here's Mike Allen, attorney and legal analyst who's 103 00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:30,839 Speaker 1: been following the case from the beginning. I think the 104 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:35,640 Speaker 1: fact that Angie Kneppa asked the question are you guilty 105 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:39,800 Speaker 1: and the answer from Angela was yes, That's a big 106 00:06:39,839 --> 00:06:43,280 Speaker 1: part of her testimony, and I think just getting that 107 00:06:43,440 --> 00:06:47,480 Speaker 1: out upfront lets the jury know that, you know, she's 108 00:06:47,480 --> 00:06:51,040 Speaker 1: not messing around here. She's admitting to her involvement in it. 109 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:54,400 Speaker 1: Not necessarily fire on any weapons, but she was in 110 00:06:54,480 --> 00:06:57,239 Speaker 1: it up to her neck and that was established early 111 00:06:57,279 --> 00:07:01,920 Speaker 1: on in her testimony. Special Prosecute Kneppa asked Angela Wagner 112 00:07:01,960 --> 00:07:07,719 Speaker 1: about her childhood here again Stephanie. Angela said, this is 113 00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:10,640 Speaker 1: the first time I had heard this. She has sort 114 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:14,720 Speaker 1: of this messy relationship with her own father because she 115 00:07:14,800 --> 00:07:18,400 Speaker 1: was feuding with him a bit about having sex. Then 116 00:07:18,440 --> 00:07:24,120 Speaker 1: she goes to the military and is sexually assaulted, leaves 117 00:07:24,160 --> 00:07:28,560 Speaker 1: there and gets married very quickly with Billy and she 118 00:07:28,640 --> 00:07:32,680 Speaker 1: speaks of frankly Billy and her grandbabies and her sons 119 00:07:33,320 --> 00:07:37,440 Speaker 1: in a very loving manner. You know, she's really presenting 120 00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:44,240 Speaker 1: today as a sweet, loving mother. On the stand, Angela 121 00:07:44,280 --> 00:07:47,920 Speaker 1: isn't quite what we expected. She's soft spoken and as 122 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:51,720 Speaker 1: a bit of a baby talker, and instantly I was 123 00:07:51,880 --> 00:07:55,840 Speaker 1: expecting a much bigger presence. Here's Jeff and Angeinette. What 124 00:07:55,880 --> 00:07:57,680 Speaker 1: do you make of that? Do you think that's an 125 00:07:57,720 --> 00:08:00,000 Speaker 1: act or do you think that's she's kind of changed 126 00:08:00,440 --> 00:08:04,440 Speaker 1: in jail. I think she was probably a nervous bee, 127 00:08:04,440 --> 00:08:07,400 Speaker 1: doesn't want to be there. She may be feeling badly 128 00:08:07,480 --> 00:08:11,760 Speaker 1: about throwing her son under the bus, implicating him in 129 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:14,760 Speaker 1: these homicides. But at the same time, I think that 130 00:08:14,880 --> 00:08:19,120 Speaker 1: she's a master manipulator. I think she's good at playing 131 00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:21,440 Speaker 1: a role when she has to. So you don't really 132 00:08:21,480 --> 00:08:23,840 Speaker 1: buy it. I mean, I don't buy the meat mild 133 00:08:23,880 --> 00:08:27,120 Speaker 1: mannered part of it. I think maybe in that instance 134 00:08:27,800 --> 00:08:32,560 Speaker 1: that was her, but she's just quiet and soft spoken. Obviously, 135 00:08:32,600 --> 00:08:36,199 Speaker 1: that's not what we've heard from Angela Wagner on the wiretaps, 136 00:08:36,320 --> 00:08:39,960 Speaker 1: or what we heard about Angela Wagner from Tabitha's testimony. 137 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:45,880 Speaker 1: Or Elizabeth Armer's testimony. As we've talked about incessantly, she's 138 00:08:45,920 --> 00:08:49,400 Speaker 1: been this monster in our minds and certainly in mind. 139 00:08:49,440 --> 00:08:51,560 Speaker 1: This is the big bad wolf, right this is her 140 00:08:51,640 --> 00:08:54,600 Speaker 1: day in court, and this is the monster we've been 141 00:08:54,640 --> 00:08:59,320 Speaker 1: talking about, and we know that is true. She's admitted it. 142 00:08:59,360 --> 00:09:04,040 Speaker 1: We've heard helpless stories about it. I'm told it's coming. 143 00:09:04,200 --> 00:09:06,319 Speaker 1: We're going to see the crack in her very soon. 144 00:09:06,640 --> 00:09:10,160 Speaker 1: But right now, it's kind of like watching a movie 145 00:09:10,160 --> 00:09:13,160 Speaker 1: in a way. It's almost as though, what's that movie? 146 00:09:13,600 --> 00:09:17,960 Speaker 1: Primal Fear? And Edward Norton has sort of an interesting dialect, 147 00:09:18,040 --> 00:09:21,360 Speaker 1: and he has mannerisms that are very specific, and then 148 00:09:21,480 --> 00:09:25,360 Speaker 1: at the very end, when he's proven to be innocent, 149 00:09:25,880 --> 00:09:28,480 Speaker 1: then you find out that he's Ah, I was lying 150 00:09:28,520 --> 00:09:30,480 Speaker 1: the whole time, and he doesn't have an accent. He 151 00:09:30,600 --> 00:09:34,200 Speaker 1: was just pretending to be this completely different person. And 152 00:09:34,920 --> 00:09:37,800 Speaker 1: it feels like she's that right now. And I have 153 00:09:37,840 --> 00:09:40,320 Speaker 1: to be honest with you, it's very believable. You know, 154 00:09:40,360 --> 00:09:42,800 Speaker 1: we've been tracking this case so closely, and then you 155 00:09:42,840 --> 00:09:46,200 Speaker 1: look at jurors and you have to hope they're not 156 00:09:46,320 --> 00:09:51,400 Speaker 1: buying it. Here again, James Filcher, the juxtaposition between what 157 00:09:51,480 --> 00:09:54,079 Speaker 1: you heard on tape and what she presented in person 158 00:09:54,760 --> 00:09:58,160 Speaker 1: was much much different, much more low key, much calmer, 159 00:09:58,679 --> 00:10:05,720 Speaker 1: much more me As for her demeanor, again, she's there 160 00:10:06,160 --> 00:10:09,480 Speaker 1: to save her life but also the lives of her 161 00:10:09,480 --> 00:10:13,000 Speaker 1: family as part of her plea deal, So she obviously 162 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:14,599 Speaker 1: is going to be on her best behavior. So I 163 00:10:14,600 --> 00:10:16,079 Speaker 1: think that was part of it. But I also think 164 00:10:16,120 --> 00:10:18,760 Speaker 1: part of it she was probably on her meds and 165 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:27,840 Speaker 1: she admitted that. During cross examination, Prosecutor Kaneppa asked Angela 166 00:10:27,880 --> 00:10:31,920 Speaker 1: Wagner about when Jake and George were children. Wagner testifies 167 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:34,040 Speaker 1: that she didn't think George and Jake were getting the 168 00:10:34,040 --> 00:10:37,040 Speaker 1: one on one attention they needed at public school, so 169 00:10:37,080 --> 00:10:40,040 Speaker 1: she and Billy decided to homeschool them, and they began 170 00:10:40,120 --> 00:10:42,960 Speaker 1: by interrogating her about how she raised Jake and George, 171 00:10:43,200 --> 00:10:46,240 Speaker 1: explaining that she homeschooled them both until high school while 172 00:10:46,240 --> 00:10:48,760 Speaker 1: their father, Billy Wagner, allegedly taught them how to steal 173 00:10:48,760 --> 00:10:53,280 Speaker 1: from trucks and trailers. There's obviously a lack of socialization there. 174 00:10:53,920 --> 00:10:57,120 Speaker 1: I mean, these kids were raised and when I say kids, 175 00:10:57,240 --> 00:11:02,160 Speaker 1: Jake and George and this kind of upbringing where they 176 00:11:02,160 --> 00:11:06,000 Speaker 1: were homeschooled and didn't really have a lot of exposure 177 00:11:06,040 --> 00:11:09,439 Speaker 1: to the outside world. Of course, they knew people outside 178 00:11:09,480 --> 00:11:11,800 Speaker 1: of their family, but not many. They didn't really have 179 00:11:11,840 --> 00:11:14,920 Speaker 1: a lot of friends outside of you know, people who 180 00:11:14,960 --> 00:11:17,640 Speaker 1: worked at the Flying w and things like that. So 181 00:11:17,720 --> 00:11:21,920 Speaker 1: they didn't have a quote unquote normal childhood. And there's 182 00:11:22,000 --> 00:11:25,680 Speaker 1: questions about the curriculum. They were taught that they needed 183 00:11:25,679 --> 00:11:29,920 Speaker 1: to be deferential and polite, not to act up things 184 00:11:30,040 --> 00:11:32,720 Speaker 1: like that, but it was almost in a way that 185 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:35,640 Speaker 1: they were taught these things so that they could get 186 00:11:35,679 --> 00:11:38,400 Speaker 1: away with crimes and not necessarily so they could be 187 00:11:38,520 --> 00:11:42,040 Speaker 1: good human beings. We heard about some of this education 188 00:11:42,320 --> 00:11:46,240 Speaker 1: in Jake's testimony. Angela Wagner's testimony expands it on the 189 00:11:46,240 --> 00:11:49,400 Speaker 1: family dynamic. She speaks about how the family would set 190 00:11:49,400 --> 00:11:55,360 Speaker 1: fires to their properties and file insurance claims. That was 191 00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:57,920 Speaker 1: one thing that the prosecution did too, and they did 192 00:11:58,000 --> 00:11:59,840 Speaker 1: it with Jake, but they did it more with Angela, 193 00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:03,800 Speaker 1: and that is they clearly laid out how Angela was 194 00:12:03,880 --> 00:12:10,440 Speaker 1: involved and planned several criminal acts leading up to all 195 00:12:10,480 --> 00:12:14,480 Speaker 1: of this, including the arsons. They rebuilt the house again 196 00:12:14,920 --> 00:12:19,640 Speaker 1: up there on Frederica's property and Fredrikas said, well, I'm 197 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:21,560 Speaker 1: going to sell the property and you're not going to 198 00:12:21,600 --> 00:12:24,040 Speaker 1: really be compensated for the house. And at that point 199 00:12:24,040 --> 00:12:25,760 Speaker 1: Angela said, I don't want anybody to live in this 200 00:12:25,840 --> 00:12:28,480 Speaker 1: dreamhouse that we built with our own bare hands. So 201 00:12:28,520 --> 00:12:31,360 Speaker 1: they burned it down for the insurance money, and they 202 00:12:31,400 --> 00:12:33,760 Speaker 1: walked through all of that. It's interesting because the way 203 00:12:33,960 --> 00:12:37,400 Speaker 1: Kanneppa did this was chronological, and Angela's towards the end 204 00:12:37,440 --> 00:12:40,520 Speaker 1: of this trial, and so it's almost like she's confirming 205 00:12:40,600 --> 00:12:43,840 Speaker 1: all the things that we've heard. They talked about the insurance, 206 00:12:44,120 --> 00:12:46,400 Speaker 1: the fires, all of these pieces that we've heard about. 207 00:12:46,400 --> 00:12:48,839 Speaker 1: Angela is like, yes, that happened, Yes, that happened, Yes, 208 00:12:48,880 --> 00:12:51,240 Speaker 1: that happened. What do you make of that? I think 209 00:12:51,240 --> 00:12:55,120 Speaker 1: miss Caneppa was doing that on purpose to show that 210 00:12:55,320 --> 00:13:00,880 Speaker 1: the testimony, Angela's testimony god with the fish call evidence 211 00:13:00,920 --> 00:13:02,920 Speaker 1: in the case. And I think it was a good 212 00:13:02,960 --> 00:13:07,360 Speaker 1: strategy because it did line up in her testimony, I 213 00:13:07,360 --> 00:13:11,480 Speaker 1: mean pretty solidly. So I think that was a good strategy. 214 00:13:11,920 --> 00:13:14,240 Speaker 1: And again, as I said, I think Angela came off 215 00:13:14,280 --> 00:13:17,520 Speaker 1: as pretty credible. The defense lean did on these planned 216 00:13:17,640 --> 00:13:22,760 Speaker 1: arsons during cross examination. Here's James Pilcher, followed by Stephanie. 217 00:13:23,040 --> 00:13:27,040 Speaker 1: The defense started its cross examination by leaning into Angela's 218 00:13:27,080 --> 00:13:32,040 Speaker 1: previous criminal acts, including arsons for insurance money, shoplifting, and 219 00:13:32,120 --> 00:13:35,640 Speaker 1: helping steal diesel fuel and truckloads of goods. I think 220 00:13:35,640 --> 00:13:38,079 Speaker 1: it is going to prove to be very relevant. They're 221 00:13:38,120 --> 00:13:41,199 Speaker 1: painting a picture of her, although she was very sweet 222 00:13:41,200 --> 00:13:44,439 Speaker 1: and cute all day. At the very end cross examination happened, 223 00:13:44,559 --> 00:13:47,760 Speaker 1: and that was a jaw dropper because George's defense attorney 224 00:13:47,880 --> 00:13:51,439 Speaker 1: puts on a pretty good display and kind of talked 225 00:13:51,480 --> 00:13:54,559 Speaker 1: us through Angela's early years and then they start getting 226 00:13:54,600 --> 00:13:58,640 Speaker 1: into where she lives and how they ended up at 227 00:13:58,640 --> 00:14:01,480 Speaker 1: the house in the end that she lived, which was Pugs. 228 00:14:01,720 --> 00:14:04,680 Speaker 1: What he was painting the picture for was that, Yeah, 229 00:14:04,679 --> 00:14:09,240 Speaker 1: she has in fact burned down by arson. Three houses. 230 00:14:10,400 --> 00:14:12,319 Speaker 1: She had to admit to that today in the court 231 00:14:12,360 --> 00:14:14,720 Speaker 1: of law. He was like, this house was very expensive. 232 00:14:14,720 --> 00:14:17,079 Speaker 1: How did you get the money for this house? Oh? Wait, 233 00:14:17,080 --> 00:14:20,480 Speaker 1: get into the house before this house. What happened to 234 00:14:20,520 --> 00:14:23,640 Speaker 1: that house? Oh, it burnt down, But how did you 235 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:27,160 Speaker 1: get the money for that house? Oh? The house before that, 236 00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:30,600 Speaker 1: Oh that one burned down. So three houses and I 237 00:14:30,640 --> 00:14:34,720 Speaker 1: think a garage all burnt down. You got insurance money 238 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:40,800 Speaker 1: for all of them. On cross examination, the defense asks 239 00:14:40,880 --> 00:14:44,040 Speaker 1: Angela Wagner if Jake and George were involved in the arsons. 240 00:14:44,760 --> 00:14:49,440 Speaker 1: Angela's response, yes, but who gives a damn? By the way, 241 00:14:49,440 --> 00:14:53,040 Speaker 1: when all these arsens were happening, George was one time 242 00:14:53,080 --> 00:14:57,520 Speaker 1: he was sixteen, one time George was fifteen. Like George 243 00:14:57,600 --> 00:15:01,640 Speaker 1: was in the home during these shenanigans. Angela also testified 244 00:15:01,680 --> 00:15:04,280 Speaker 1: about other crimes she's committed with Billy in front of 245 00:15:04,280 --> 00:15:09,080 Speaker 1: the boys, including pill running. Prosecutor Canepa asks Angela Wagner 246 00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:13,640 Speaker 1: if she's ever stolen fuel, before Angela responds yes, she 247 00:15:13,840 --> 00:15:17,040 Speaker 1: was the lookout. Angela also testified that Billy taught the 248 00:15:17,080 --> 00:15:20,240 Speaker 1: boys how to safe in fuel. I think that they 249 00:15:20,240 --> 00:15:27,040 Speaker 1: see themselves as engaging in justifiable outlawry if you will 250 00:15:27,640 --> 00:15:31,320 Speaker 1: that you know the government is all bad. We're really 251 00:15:31,520 --> 00:15:35,120 Speaker 1: representative of the working people you know here in this community. 252 00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:38,680 Speaker 1: You know it's cliche, but you know our family has 253 00:15:38,720 --> 00:15:41,720 Speaker 1: been here for generations. We know we don't know what 254 00:15:41,840 --> 00:15:43,800 Speaker 1: the real story is here. We know that you're not 255 00:15:43,960 --> 00:15:46,600 Speaker 1: going to get ahead in this world and this hardscrave 256 00:15:46,640 --> 00:15:48,880 Speaker 1: of life that we're leading. You're not going to get 257 00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:52,640 Speaker 1: ahead in this world unless you you steal, going to 258 00:15:52,680 --> 00:15:55,800 Speaker 1: some hard working families home or the farm and robbing 259 00:15:55,880 --> 00:16:00,280 Speaker 1: them or burglarizing and taking what is not that and 260 00:16:00,400 --> 00:16:02,760 Speaker 1: being able to justify that. It's you know, it's a 261 00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:06,400 Speaker 1: real Lord of the Flies moment and its survival of 262 00:16:06,480 --> 00:16:09,400 Speaker 1: the fittest. And they had done that. You know, Lord 263 00:16:09,520 --> 00:16:12,080 Speaker 1: knows how many people they had actually stolen from in 264 00:16:12,200 --> 00:16:16,040 Speaker 1: that community. You know, you you think about things just uh, 265 00:16:16,560 --> 00:16:19,960 Speaker 1: you know, two by fours and wood paneling and you know, 266 00:16:20,040 --> 00:16:23,520 Speaker 1: going out to job sites and essentially robbing hard working 267 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:25,880 Speaker 1: people of the things that they need to get by on. 268 00:16:26,320 --> 00:16:28,880 Speaker 1: It sounds like the Old West because they've even gotten 269 00:16:28,920 --> 00:16:32,560 Speaker 1: involved in poaching and cattle rustling of all things, you know, 270 00:16:32,680 --> 00:16:37,080 Speaker 1: student livestock. So that's an operation. That's that's not a 271 00:16:37,280 --> 00:16:42,280 Speaker 1: one man operation, is it. That's that's that's a lot 272 00:16:42,360 --> 00:16:44,680 Speaker 1: of work. It's not like little old Jake is just 273 00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:48,760 Speaker 1: running around doing all of this stuff with his crazy father. 274 00:16:49,520 --> 00:16:51,480 Speaker 1: You've got to have multiple hands on the wheel here. 275 00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:54,200 Speaker 1: And I think that you know, this goes to George 276 00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:58,440 Speaker 1: and this this steevery this, you know, nefarious behaviors it's 277 00:16:58,520 --> 00:17:01,040 Speaker 1: like a virus. I think that just it spreads like 278 00:17:01,120 --> 00:17:04,800 Speaker 1: wildfire through a family because you know, it's the children 279 00:17:04,840 --> 00:17:06,600 Speaker 1: bear witnessed it when they're growing up in the home, 280 00:17:07,480 --> 00:17:09,760 Speaker 1: and they know that this is just part of life, 281 00:17:09,800 --> 00:17:11,879 Speaker 1: that they're involved in it, and you know what, it 282 00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:14,800 Speaker 1: was probably normal for them to go and take food 283 00:17:14,800 --> 00:17:18,760 Speaker 1: out of people's mouths. There's a question of whether this 284 00:17:18,920 --> 00:17:22,320 Speaker 1: kind of testimony about Jake and George's upbringing is making 285 00:17:22,400 --> 00:17:26,560 Speaker 1: them sympathetic to the jury here again Joseph Morgan, followed 286 00:17:26,600 --> 00:17:30,040 Speaker 1: by Antinette Levy. For George a point in his life 287 00:17:30,080 --> 00:17:31,560 Speaker 1: that he was at he was still going to be 288 00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:35,200 Speaker 1: bullied by Billy and potentially by Angela as well. I 289 00:17:35,280 --> 00:17:38,600 Speaker 1: think Angela is probably chief among centers here. He just 290 00:17:38,640 --> 00:17:40,879 Speaker 1: couldn't get out of his own way. And so I 291 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:45,480 Speaker 1: guess if the jury can take away some bit of 292 00:17:45,840 --> 00:17:49,640 Speaker 1: sympathy for George as he's you know, he's on trial 293 00:17:49,680 --> 00:17:52,880 Speaker 1: there in the courthouse, I guess that's that's probably where 294 00:17:52,920 --> 00:17:55,280 Speaker 1: it would come from. There may have been a little 295 00:17:55,280 --> 00:17:57,760 Speaker 1: bit of sympathy, but I don't think there was a 296 00:17:57,880 --> 00:17:59,800 Speaker 1: whole lot. I mean, you can have sympathy for some 297 00:18:00,320 --> 00:18:04,159 Speaker 1: but when you take part in killing eight people. Sorry, 298 00:18:04,280 --> 00:18:06,920 Speaker 1: that all goes out the window. It might be an explanation, 299 00:18:07,240 --> 00:18:13,040 Speaker 1: but it doesn't excuse it. We're going to take a break. 300 00:18:13,440 --> 00:18:24,520 Speaker 1: We'll be back in a moment. The prosecution asks Angela 301 00:18:24,640 --> 00:18:27,440 Speaker 1: about her relationship with her daughter in laws. We've heard 302 00:18:27,440 --> 00:18:31,240 Speaker 1: in previous testimony how George's ex wife, Tabitha was essentially 303 00:18:31,280 --> 00:18:34,000 Speaker 1: cut off from her child by the Wagner family. We've 304 00:18:34,080 --> 00:18:36,920 Speaker 1: also heard about how Angela claimed to love Hannah May 305 00:18:37,000 --> 00:18:40,280 Speaker 1: Roden like a daughter, but there was friction over custody 306 00:18:40,320 --> 00:18:43,720 Speaker 1: of the child she shared with Jake. We've spoken before 307 00:18:43,760 --> 00:18:47,440 Speaker 1: about how Angela wanted to spy on Hannah Roden's Facebook activity. 308 00:18:48,200 --> 00:18:51,399 Speaker 1: Prosecutor Kanepa asked how she got access to her passwords 309 00:18:51,440 --> 00:18:55,359 Speaker 1: to monitor Facebook. According to Angela, she asked Jake and 310 00:18:55,480 --> 00:19:02,320 Speaker 1: he gave it to her. Joseph Scott Morgan, she controlled everything. Now, 311 00:19:02,400 --> 00:19:05,159 Speaker 1: you controlled everything, even now to the relationships that you 312 00:19:05,240 --> 00:19:08,040 Speaker 1: know that she had, that her sons had, you know, 313 00:19:08,320 --> 00:19:11,159 Speaker 1: outside the home, you know, with with these women that 314 00:19:11,280 --> 00:19:14,240 Speaker 1: came into their lives, and when you're in a position 315 00:19:14,359 --> 00:19:18,200 Speaker 1: of power where you can control people to the point 316 00:19:18,240 --> 00:19:25,080 Speaker 1: where their romantic interest is trumped by your ability to 317 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:28,240 Speaker 1: manipulate them where you would be willing to, you know, 318 00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:33,040 Speaker 1: at her direction, compel your lovers to give over passwords 319 00:19:33,760 --> 00:19:38,840 Speaker 1: and access. Just that one point alone is really eye catching. 320 00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:42,920 Speaker 1: Angela used this access to social media to share screenshots 321 00:19:42,920 --> 00:19:46,399 Speaker 1: about custody of her granddaughter with the family. She was 322 00:19:46,480 --> 00:19:50,240 Speaker 1: also trying to get information on Tabitha, George Wagner's ex wife. 323 00:19:50,640 --> 00:19:52,760 Speaker 1: This is not what she said, but she's intimating that. 324 00:19:53,560 --> 00:19:58,320 Speaker 1: She says, protecting her boys away from these bad girls. Essentially, 325 00:19:58,880 --> 00:20:01,680 Speaker 1: he's a reminder of what Angela Wagner said when she 326 00:20:01,920 --> 00:20:04,600 Speaker 1: was recorded by the b CI at the Canadian border. 327 00:20:05,080 --> 00:20:09,200 Speaker 1: So your relationship with Hannah was good. Now I thought 328 00:20:09,240 --> 00:20:11,600 Speaker 1: she was a school wreck, but I thought she was 329 00:20:11,640 --> 00:20:14,879 Speaker 1: a school rap because she really was. I mean, no offense, 330 00:20:14,920 --> 00:20:16,560 Speaker 1: but she was her dad that ever get away with 331 00:20:16,800 --> 00:20:19,840 Speaker 1: every name and I'll want She would give me looks, 332 00:20:19,880 --> 00:20:22,000 Speaker 1: and she was narrow, and she would tell Jacob was 333 00:20:22,080 --> 00:20:24,800 Speaker 1: being mean, and you know, but that's typical teenager. They 334 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:32,840 Speaker 1: are all typical. Sometimes mother in laws and yep, time 335 00:20:32,880 --> 00:20:35,280 Speaker 1: and time again, Wagner would bring it back to how 336 00:20:35,320 --> 00:20:38,920 Speaker 1: her family was everything to her and informed everything she 337 00:20:39,040 --> 00:20:42,920 Speaker 1: did but the prosecution brings up an incident with Tabitha 338 00:20:43,080 --> 00:20:46,920 Speaker 1: that we haven't heard about before. Here's Jeff speaking with 339 00:20:47,040 --> 00:20:51,040 Speaker 1: Long Crimes Anjeannette Levy. She also said some weird things 340 00:20:51,080 --> 00:20:55,200 Speaker 1: about Tabby. Angie Kineppa asked her about Tabby and said, 341 00:20:55,280 --> 00:20:58,000 Speaker 1: you know, did Tabby ever try to poison you or 342 00:20:58,000 --> 00:21:01,560 Speaker 1: anything like that. She's like, yes, and she was just 343 00:21:01,720 --> 00:21:04,560 Speaker 1: adamant about it, just like Jake was adamant like about 344 00:21:04,640 --> 00:21:07,840 Speaker 1: certain things. She said. She described how Tabby one time 345 00:21:08,320 --> 00:21:12,080 Speaker 1: put dog hair in her coffee, and she and Jake 346 00:21:12,280 --> 00:21:16,200 Speaker 1: liked a particular type of vanilla coffee, and she said 347 00:21:16,280 --> 00:21:18,959 Speaker 1: she had her coffee cup one time and Tabby had 348 00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:21,760 Speaker 1: made this cup for her and she looked at it 349 00:21:21,880 --> 00:21:25,040 Speaker 1: and she, you know, she's she said, Jake, is there 350 00:21:25,359 --> 00:21:28,520 Speaker 1: there's dog hair in this coffee. And she was serious 351 00:21:28,600 --> 00:21:31,080 Speaker 1: as could be, and she said Tabby was laughing about it. 352 00:21:31,119 --> 00:21:33,600 Speaker 1: And she described another time where Tabby had made some 353 00:21:33,840 --> 00:21:36,000 Speaker 1: kool aid for George that he liked and he got 354 00:21:36,040 --> 00:21:40,399 Speaker 1: really sick. So she has these like things that she 355 00:21:40,800 --> 00:21:43,639 Speaker 1: kind of comes up with. The dog hair in the 356 00:21:43,720 --> 00:21:47,080 Speaker 1: coffee thing was just astounding to me. She truly believed 357 00:21:47,119 --> 00:21:50,040 Speaker 1: that I don't know if it actually happened. I can't 358 00:21:50,119 --> 00:21:53,280 Speaker 1: imagine somebody putting dog hair in somebody's coffee. Just seems 359 00:21:53,320 --> 00:21:56,760 Speaker 1: like such a strange thing. But if they believe it, 360 00:21:56,880 --> 00:22:00,679 Speaker 1: it's gospel. This belief in the untrue and the ability 361 00:22:00,760 --> 00:22:03,920 Speaker 1: to convince her family of it, is one of Angela's strengths. 362 00:22:04,119 --> 00:22:07,639 Speaker 1: According to forensic examiner Joseph Morgan, you know, you think 363 00:22:07,640 --> 00:22:11,000 Speaker 1: about Billy, and you know Billy's they're teaching young Jake 364 00:22:11,480 --> 00:22:14,760 Speaker 1: how to hot wire car and sealing it. Well, she's 365 00:22:14,880 --> 00:22:19,200 Speaker 1: doing the same thing. It's justifiable for you to betray 366 00:22:19,320 --> 00:22:21,359 Speaker 1: somebody that you claim to love if it's for the 367 00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:24,840 Speaker 1: greater good of the family and so. And it's amazing 368 00:22:25,359 --> 00:22:29,480 Speaker 1: how you can psychologically leverage somebody with information like that, 369 00:22:29,680 --> 00:22:33,200 Speaker 1: isn't it? Where you can be the driver that you 370 00:22:33,320 --> 00:22:35,719 Speaker 1: have this in dwelling in inertia, you know that carries 371 00:22:35,720 --> 00:22:38,120 Speaker 1: over to the family, push them in the direction which 372 00:22:38,160 --> 00:22:42,480 Speaker 1: you so desired. It was one belief in particular that 373 00:22:42,560 --> 00:22:45,280 Speaker 1: Angela held that helped set in motion the events that 374 00:22:45,400 --> 00:22:49,000 Speaker 1: led to the murder of the Rodent, Manly and Gilly families. 375 00:22:50,320 --> 00:22:54,520 Speaker 1: Angela testified she became worried her granddaughter was being abused 376 00:22:54,720 --> 00:22:57,480 Speaker 1: while staying with the Rodent family. She said, quote, I 377 00:22:57,680 --> 00:23:01,359 Speaker 1: realized something was happening, some kind of abuse was going 378 00:23:01,440 --> 00:23:04,560 Speaker 1: on that needed to be stopped. Angela Wager was asked 379 00:23:04,600 --> 00:23:07,439 Speaker 1: if she loved Handah. She said, yes, I did at 380 00:23:07,440 --> 00:23:10,320 Speaker 1: one point, but issues made me feel like was being 381 00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:13,800 Speaker 1: sexually abused. Angela said she became concerned over signs of 382 00:23:13,880 --> 00:23:17,240 Speaker 1: abuse and claims that her grandchild would often appear reluctant 383 00:23:17,280 --> 00:23:20,160 Speaker 1: to leave and return to Hannah since they had shared custody. 384 00:23:20,800 --> 00:23:25,120 Speaker 1: James Pilcher here's her direct quote. She said, I realized 385 00:23:25,160 --> 00:23:27,800 Speaker 1: something was happening, some kind of abuse was going on 386 00:23:27,960 --> 00:23:31,600 Speaker 1: that needed to be stopped, and she said she didn't 387 00:23:31,640 --> 00:23:34,280 Speaker 1: trust child services or the law or law enforcement that 388 00:23:34,440 --> 00:23:38,720 Speaker 1: needed did her husband, Billy. We've already established that Billy 389 00:23:39,520 --> 00:23:44,480 Speaker 1: was a doomsday er. Billy hated police, Billy paid his 390 00:23:44,680 --> 00:23:47,760 Speaker 1: kids to spot police. Billy taught his kids how to 391 00:23:47,840 --> 00:23:51,720 Speaker 1: be thieves. So this all set into it. Although Angela 392 00:23:51,760 --> 00:23:53,200 Speaker 1: didn't want to kill him, it was some of the 393 00:23:53,200 --> 00:23:55,000 Speaker 1: ways she would answer. She was like, well, why did 394 00:23:55,040 --> 00:23:57,600 Speaker 1: you do this? Well, we were protecting her, and she 395 00:23:57,680 --> 00:24:00,520 Speaker 1: almost appeared like she was in a frog on the stand. 396 00:24:01,080 --> 00:24:02,680 Speaker 1: But then when it got to that, it was almost 397 00:24:02,760 --> 00:24:05,880 Speaker 1: like she was razor white hot when she would talk 398 00:24:05,920 --> 00:24:09,359 Speaker 1: about protecting that little girl. And then they talked about 399 00:24:10,119 --> 00:24:13,080 Speaker 1: Angela's past in the Air Force and all of this 400 00:24:14,040 --> 00:24:18,960 Speaker 1: surrounding ever present fear of sexual abuse, and it became 401 00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:21,920 Speaker 1: almost a paranoia and you could see it in display 402 00:24:22,080 --> 00:24:28,360 Speaker 1: clearly when she started talking about that. So the lead 403 00:24:28,480 --> 00:24:33,320 Speaker 1: reasoning has been that she felt as though it was 404 00:24:33,440 --> 00:24:37,960 Speaker 1: being sexually molested or was going to be sexually molested, 405 00:24:38,200 --> 00:24:40,680 Speaker 1: not that there's ever been proof of that, but that 406 00:24:40,920 --> 00:24:45,400 Speaker 1: was the reasoning, and that at some point she noticed 407 00:24:45,560 --> 00:24:50,040 Speaker 1: that Frankie Roden kissed on the lips saying goodbye, and 408 00:24:50,520 --> 00:24:54,359 Speaker 1: that felt a little strange. In fact, she actually says 409 00:24:54,520 --> 00:24:58,280 Speaker 1: that told her mother, Rita Nukom, who at the time 410 00:24:58,440 --> 00:25:00,960 Speaker 1: was living next door to her with her grandmother, that 411 00:25:01,640 --> 00:25:06,400 Speaker 1: she was being touched inappropriately, and then Rita Neukom repeated 412 00:25:06,480 --> 00:25:10,760 Speaker 1: that to Angela, and then Angela repeated it to Jake 413 00:25:11,640 --> 00:25:14,920 Speaker 1: and the entire family, George and Billy. At that point 414 00:25:15,359 --> 00:25:18,600 Speaker 1: when Jake found out about it, rather than talking about 415 00:25:18,640 --> 00:25:21,520 Speaker 1: it with the Rodents or anything, they just started putting 416 00:25:21,560 --> 00:25:24,320 Speaker 1: this plan together to protect her, and she had to 417 00:25:24,440 --> 00:25:30,440 Speaker 1: protect the babies. But apparently Angela Wagner's assertions of abuse 418 00:25:30,640 --> 00:25:33,560 Speaker 1: were not based in reality. This fear that the little 419 00:25:33,600 --> 00:25:36,920 Speaker 1: girl would be molested. The prosecution basically says that was 420 00:25:37,000 --> 00:25:39,600 Speaker 1: something they kind of whipped up in their heads to 421 00:25:40,359 --> 00:25:44,200 Speaker 1: justify what they wanted to do. They are entitled and 422 00:25:44,320 --> 00:25:46,440 Speaker 1: feel that this children should be with them and no 423 00:25:46,520 --> 00:25:50,760 Speaker 1: one else. There is no doubt that this family wanted 424 00:25:50,800 --> 00:25:53,160 Speaker 1: those kids to be one hundred percent Wagoner, and that's 425 00:25:53,200 --> 00:25:55,919 Speaker 1: what this is all about. They had convinced themselves there 426 00:25:56,000 --> 00:25:58,720 Speaker 1: may have been some abuse, but that was basically window 427 00:25:58,840 --> 00:26:02,119 Speaker 1: dressing for their their belief that these kids should belong 428 00:26:02,240 --> 00:26:05,879 Speaker 1: to them, regardless of any actual evidence of abuse. The 429 00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:08,480 Speaker 1: idea had been planted in the minds of the Wagner family, 430 00:26:08,920 --> 00:26:12,560 Speaker 1: and Angela stoked the fire. I think that she's probably 431 00:26:12,960 --> 00:26:16,480 Speaker 1: arguably the smartest one in the crew, and the reason 432 00:26:16,720 --> 00:26:20,640 Speaker 1: I think that that's quite ominous. I think she knew 433 00:26:20,680 --> 00:26:24,440 Speaker 1: what buttons to press with all three of these men 434 00:26:24,520 --> 00:26:26,920 Speaker 1: in her life. You know, she's probably known how to 435 00:26:26,960 --> 00:26:29,720 Speaker 1: control them their entire lives, or at least that portion 436 00:26:29,840 --> 00:26:33,320 Speaker 1: of Billy's life that he was with her. She knew, 437 00:26:33,560 --> 00:26:36,520 Speaker 1: you know, where to press, how far she could go 438 00:26:37,040 --> 00:26:40,800 Speaker 1: to attain her goals, if you will, in any of 439 00:26:40,880 --> 00:26:43,600 Speaker 1: this and anything that she set her mind to doing. 440 00:26:44,080 --> 00:26:47,479 Speaker 1: And you know, she wanted to be be the head hancho, 441 00:26:47,920 --> 00:26:49,880 Speaker 1: you know, in the family, and she was. She told 442 00:26:50,000 --> 00:26:54,040 Speaker 1: Drors she suspected the Rodents were abusing, did not take 443 00:26:54,119 --> 00:26:56,240 Speaker 1: her to the doctor. Said we didn't believe in the 444 00:26:56,400 --> 00:26:59,840 Speaker 1: justice system, didn't believe in children's services, she said. By 445 00:27:00,040 --> 00:27:02,960 Speaker 1: January twenty sixteen, her husband started coming up with the 446 00:27:03,080 --> 00:27:05,679 Speaker 1: plan they had to be murdered. She said. She went 447 00:27:05,720 --> 00:27:08,880 Speaker 1: to her husband, Billy, with her concerns, saying she wanted 448 00:27:08,920 --> 00:27:12,480 Speaker 1: to turn in Chris Rodent Senior for growing marijuana. Billy 449 00:27:12,600 --> 00:27:16,119 Speaker 1: nixed that, coming up with an alternate plan. She said, quote. 450 00:27:16,480 --> 00:27:19,760 Speaker 1: The plan was they needed to be murdered. Later, she said, 451 00:27:19,800 --> 00:27:22,720 Speaker 1: her husband told the entire family quote, this was going 452 00:27:22,800 --> 00:27:28,600 Speaker 1: to change everything. According to Angelo Agnes's testimony, Billy came 453 00:27:28,720 --> 00:27:32,159 Speaker 1: up with the plan for murder. Billy ultimately decided that 454 00:27:32,320 --> 00:27:35,240 Speaker 1: the only way was to kill Hannah, and that they 455 00:27:35,280 --> 00:27:37,960 Speaker 1: couldn't stop short of killing Hannah Rodin, the mother of 456 00:27:38,560 --> 00:27:41,840 Speaker 1: but they would have to kill Chris Rodin Senior because 457 00:27:41,960 --> 00:27:46,760 Speaker 1: he ultimately exercise control over Hannah Rodin and the Roden family, 458 00:27:47,119 --> 00:27:50,200 Speaker 1: and that other witnesses, other members of the Roden family 459 00:27:50,240 --> 00:27:52,639 Speaker 1: would have to be killed for it to be successful. 460 00:27:52,920 --> 00:27:56,280 Speaker 1: That's essentially what Angela testified, and that really was Billy 461 00:27:56,320 --> 00:28:01,080 Speaker 1: who was the driver here. Angela wanted to turn Chris 462 00:28:01,200 --> 00:28:05,200 Speaker 1: Senior in for his marijuana and then that would get 463 00:28:05,240 --> 00:28:08,880 Speaker 1: the family in trouble, and therefore maybe Jake would get 464 00:28:08,920 --> 00:28:13,960 Speaker 1: more visitation rights or more control over the fate of 465 00:28:14,560 --> 00:28:17,360 Speaker 1: his daughter and her granddaughter. Well, of course that cut 466 00:28:17,400 --> 00:28:20,479 Speaker 1: too close for home for Billy, because Billy had been 467 00:28:20,520 --> 00:28:23,160 Speaker 1: in business with Chris. Chris Senior had tried to teach 468 00:28:23,200 --> 00:28:27,760 Speaker 1: Billy how to grow marijuana. And then so she says, 469 00:28:28,040 --> 00:28:31,240 Speaker 1: Billy came up with this alternate plan. Here's the quote quote. 470 00:28:31,440 --> 00:28:34,200 Speaker 1: The plan was they needed to be murdered. Yeah, and 471 00:28:34,240 --> 00:28:36,960 Speaker 1: then it progressed from there that, Okay, we're gonna start 472 00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:39,240 Speaker 1: talking about how we're gonna do it. And she said 473 00:28:39,280 --> 00:28:43,800 Speaker 1: that they would actually have conversations with the water running 474 00:28:44,280 --> 00:28:47,080 Speaker 1: or outside in the car port, with the car running, 475 00:28:47,440 --> 00:28:50,200 Speaker 1: without the TVs on, with no phones around, because they're 476 00:28:50,200 --> 00:28:55,040 Speaker 1: so paranoid of being overheard. During one of these meetings 477 00:28:55,080 --> 00:28:58,160 Speaker 1: with George and Jake Wagner in the kitchen, Angela asked 478 00:28:58,200 --> 00:28:59,760 Speaker 1: her sons if they wanted to go through with them. 479 00:29:01,080 --> 00:29:05,440 Speaker 1: According to Angela, they said yes. Joseph Morgan says that 480 00:29:05,520 --> 00:29:08,160 Speaker 1: the accusation of molestation would get the rest of the 481 00:29:08,200 --> 00:29:12,840 Speaker 1: Wagner family to do what Angela wanted. She was the 482 00:29:12,920 --> 00:29:15,320 Speaker 1: person that had the thirty thousand foot view of the 483 00:29:15,560 --> 00:29:18,400 Speaker 1: entire family. She saw where all the weaknesses were, she 484 00:29:18,440 --> 00:29:20,360 Speaker 1: saw where the strengths were, and she knew what the 485 00:29:20,560 --> 00:29:23,440 Speaker 1: goal was in order to win, you know. And I 486 00:29:23,520 --> 00:29:26,920 Speaker 1: think that her endgame has always been to have, you know, 487 00:29:27,120 --> 00:29:31,120 Speaker 1: total control over the Wagner family. And you know, she 488 00:29:31,320 --> 00:29:33,840 Speaker 1: was going to be She's a Rutter own ship. She's 489 00:29:34,120 --> 00:29:37,040 Speaker 1: she's the master of the ship as well, and all 490 00:29:37,080 --> 00:29:38,760 Speaker 1: of these people are there to do her bidding. And 491 00:29:38,920 --> 00:29:41,520 Speaker 1: you know, Billy may have had this thought at a 492 00:29:41,600 --> 00:29:44,440 Speaker 1: real primal level. I think that he needed to take 493 00:29:44,520 --> 00:29:46,960 Speaker 1: care of the roads. But it was, in my opinion, 494 00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:50,000 Speaker 1: at least it was an Angela that was overlording all 495 00:29:50,080 --> 00:29:53,480 Speaker 1: of this all the way along. In episode four thirteen, 496 00:29:53,680 --> 00:29:57,400 Speaker 1: we saw evidence of how Angela manipulated Billy through text messages. 497 00:29:58,160 --> 00:30:00,280 Speaker 1: I am moving on. You are more than one to 498 00:30:00,360 --> 00:30:04,080 Speaker 1: come bring babies and come on, Angela, well, they are 499 00:30:04,120 --> 00:30:06,200 Speaker 1: not our babies. And I would never do that to 500 00:30:06,280 --> 00:30:08,600 Speaker 1: George and Jake. I would have killed someone if they 501 00:30:08,600 --> 00:30:11,480 Speaker 1: would have even mentioned going away with my babies. And 502 00:30:11,600 --> 00:30:14,040 Speaker 1: if you really missed me, you would do anything or 503 00:30:14,640 --> 00:30:19,600 Speaker 1: go through anything for me. Billy. It's a fine mess, Angela. Well, 504 00:30:19,760 --> 00:30:22,720 Speaker 1: maybe it is worth you helping me work it out, Billy. 505 00:30:23,280 --> 00:30:25,480 Speaker 1: I got a plan if you just take one damn 506 00:30:25,520 --> 00:30:29,960 Speaker 1: minute and listen, Angela. Okay, tell me, Billy when I 507 00:30:30,080 --> 00:30:32,160 Speaker 1: see you. This is the last time I am going 508 00:30:32,240 --> 00:30:34,360 Speaker 1: to try. If the three of you don't take time 509 00:30:34,440 --> 00:30:38,840 Speaker 1: to listen to me, then oh well, Angela, okay. Joseph Morgan, 510 00:30:39,440 --> 00:30:41,560 Speaker 1: isn't it amazing I find you know? And Angela is 511 00:30:41,680 --> 00:30:45,880 Speaker 1: certainly a fine example of this. It's very easy for 512 00:30:46,000 --> 00:30:50,400 Speaker 1: her to rationalize justify her actions. She doesn't necessarily do 513 00:30:50,480 --> 00:30:52,720 Speaker 1: in court, but the lead up to it, when she's 514 00:30:53,040 --> 00:30:56,560 Speaker 1: the driver behind all this, is that she's looking out 515 00:30:56,600 --> 00:30:58,880 Speaker 1: for the greater good of the family. You know, it's 516 00:30:59,400 --> 00:31:02,800 Speaker 1: the winomen The women are all women of ill repute. 517 00:31:03,760 --> 00:31:07,720 Speaker 1: The kids that she does not have in her immediate control, 518 00:31:08,400 --> 00:31:11,320 Speaker 1: run the risk of being sexually molested, that she needs 519 00:31:11,360 --> 00:31:14,600 Speaker 1: to be one to provide watchcare, and the family has 520 00:31:14,680 --> 00:31:16,720 Speaker 1: to watch over them at all time. The rest of 521 00:31:16,760 --> 00:31:19,200 Speaker 1: the world is evil, We're the ones that are right. 522 00:31:19,280 --> 00:31:24,120 Speaker 1: And isn't that interesting how her worldview kind of parallels 523 00:31:24,200 --> 00:31:28,760 Speaker 1: that of Billy's. While Angela testified it wasn't her idea 524 00:31:28,840 --> 00:31:31,760 Speaker 1: to murder the rudents, she did admit to helping plan 525 00:31:31,920 --> 00:31:34,800 Speaker 1: the crimes. Now. While on the stand, Angela Wagner admitted 526 00:31:34,840 --> 00:31:36,680 Speaker 1: to him staying at home on the night of the murders, 527 00:31:36,840 --> 00:31:39,240 Speaker 1: but said she helped her sons and husband prepare for them. 528 00:31:39,840 --> 00:31:43,920 Speaker 1: Here's Prosecutor Angie Kinneppa laying out what Angela Wagner bought 529 00:31:44,040 --> 00:31:47,000 Speaker 1: to prepare for the murders. She admits to buying the 530 00:31:47,040 --> 00:31:53,840 Speaker 1: shoes for her sons. We show Jake at least his 531 00:31:54,160 --> 00:31:58,360 Speaker 1: awards card being used to buy seven sixty nine thirty 532 00:31:58,400 --> 00:32:02,360 Speaker 1: two Hammo and a magazine for a SKS. Also in April, 533 00:32:02,960 --> 00:32:07,600 Speaker 1: there was a phone jammer purchased by Angela. A phone 534 00:32:07,720 --> 00:32:13,200 Speaker 1: jammer jams signals for phones, So say you're gonna go 535 00:32:13,320 --> 00:32:16,280 Speaker 1: murder eight people and you don't want them to be 536 00:32:16,320 --> 00:32:20,080 Speaker 1: able to call for help. Then you have a phone 537 00:32:20,160 --> 00:32:23,520 Speaker 1: jammer on your person and it jams the signals. But 538 00:32:23,680 --> 00:32:28,480 Speaker 1: that was purchased, and a bug detector was purchased by Angela. 539 00:32:29,200 --> 00:32:32,760 Speaker 1: The financial records also just confirm what we already knew, 540 00:32:32,800 --> 00:32:35,040 Speaker 1: which was they function as one unit and pretty much 541 00:32:35,080 --> 00:32:40,720 Speaker 1: everything they do financially is no exception. Angela said that 542 00:32:40,960 --> 00:32:43,720 Speaker 1: Billy came to her with this idea that they discussed 543 00:32:43,760 --> 00:32:48,160 Speaker 1: it outside in this area of you know, like carport 544 00:32:48,240 --> 00:32:51,320 Speaker 1: type area, and I'm trying to like envision where exactly 545 00:32:51,400 --> 00:32:54,040 Speaker 1: that would be. But they were outside the home on 546 00:32:54,160 --> 00:32:57,280 Speaker 1: Peterson Road, and Billy came up with us and then 547 00:32:57,480 --> 00:33:00,840 Speaker 1: she said, you know that they include did the boys. 548 00:33:01,720 --> 00:33:04,720 Speaker 1: But she said she didn't go along. She did order things. 549 00:33:04,840 --> 00:33:07,120 Speaker 1: She ordered what Billy told her to order. She said, 550 00:33:08,080 --> 00:33:10,600 Speaker 1: Jake told her to go buy the Walmart shoes, and 551 00:33:10,840 --> 00:33:13,760 Speaker 1: so she did. And you know, it was just kind 552 00:33:13,800 --> 00:33:16,560 Speaker 1: of like she was the shopper almost. That is what 553 00:33:16,640 --> 00:33:19,600 Speaker 1: it sounds like. Billy took care, I guess of everything else, 554 00:33:19,640 --> 00:33:23,600 Speaker 1: and the boys took care of everything else. So you know, 555 00:33:23,720 --> 00:33:26,120 Speaker 1: it sounds like she was kind of throwing it all 556 00:33:26,200 --> 00:33:41,360 Speaker 1: on Billy. Let's stop here for another break. According to 557 00:33:41,400 --> 00:33:44,920 Speaker 1: Angela's testimony, Billy said they needed a vehicle for the murders. 558 00:33:45,680 --> 00:33:48,560 Speaker 1: Angela told George to get five thousand dollars out of 559 00:33:48,640 --> 00:33:51,120 Speaker 1: their safe and use that to purchase the truck that 560 00:33:51,160 --> 00:33:55,600 Speaker 1: would be used the night of the murders. Here's Stephanie. 561 00:33:56,200 --> 00:33:59,040 Speaker 1: She was definitely saying it as though this was Billy 562 00:33:59,200 --> 00:34:03,800 Speaker 1: and Jake and Origes plan. And yes, she was kind 563 00:34:03,840 --> 00:34:07,120 Speaker 1: of going through the paces to stick to their story. 564 00:34:07,480 --> 00:34:10,520 Speaker 1: And yes she went and she bought the stuff, and 565 00:34:11,239 --> 00:34:15,200 Speaker 1: the shoes were something that she actually purchased. Quite obviously. 566 00:34:15,320 --> 00:34:17,880 Speaker 1: They have her on camera doing it, so on the 567 00:34:17,960 --> 00:34:21,120 Speaker 1: one hand, she's sort of just a bystander to it, 568 00:34:21,960 --> 00:34:26,320 Speaker 1: and to this day claims she doesn't know the nightly details. 569 00:34:27,760 --> 00:34:30,879 Speaker 1: Angela testifies that prior to the murders, Billy came over 570 00:34:30,960 --> 00:34:34,120 Speaker 1: one night and was telling everyone, quote, come on, come on, 571 00:34:34,480 --> 00:34:37,880 Speaker 1: but apparently nobody listened, and so Billy got mad and left. 572 00:34:38,480 --> 00:34:41,920 Speaker 1: Nobody was moving fast enough, but the next day Billy 573 00:34:42,000 --> 00:34:45,320 Speaker 1: Wagner came back. He told them to get ready. Prosecutor 574 00:34:45,360 --> 00:34:48,120 Speaker 1: Kanepa asks if Angela Kneu who was going to do 575 00:34:48,239 --> 00:34:52,680 Speaker 1: the killings. Angela's response, No, I didn't ask and I 576 00:34:52,800 --> 00:34:57,440 Speaker 1: wasn't told about the murder. To this day, she doesn't 577 00:34:57,480 --> 00:35:00,640 Speaker 1: know the details of what happened that night because they've 578 00:35:00,719 --> 00:35:04,200 Speaker 1: never told her and Billy never told her. All she 579 00:35:04,400 --> 00:35:07,480 Speaker 1: knows is what the plan was, that she had to 580 00:35:07,600 --> 00:35:10,160 Speaker 1: keep the phones and that at a certain time she 581 00:35:10,280 --> 00:35:12,960 Speaker 1: would send out a text as she was supposed to 582 00:35:13,040 --> 00:35:17,600 Speaker 1: to kind of place the phones at the house. When Billy, Jake, 583 00:35:17,680 --> 00:35:21,080 Speaker 1: and George left for the road and households, Angela claims 584 00:35:21,200 --> 00:35:24,960 Speaker 1: she was conflicted. Angela testified about the actual day of 585 00:35:25,000 --> 00:35:28,680 Speaker 1: the murders, saying she saw Jake, George, and Billy Wagner 586 00:35:29,000 --> 00:35:32,279 Speaker 1: leave that evening. She said she was overwhelmed with emotion 587 00:35:32,400 --> 00:35:35,040 Speaker 1: after they left, fearing they might not come back or 588 00:35:35,080 --> 00:35:38,160 Speaker 1: even what might happen. Angel also testified she thought about 589 00:35:38,239 --> 00:35:40,880 Speaker 1: racing after them to stop them, but realized it was 590 00:35:40,920 --> 00:35:44,920 Speaker 1: too late. Jeff and Angeanette Levy. This is according to her, 591 00:35:45,680 --> 00:35:48,200 Speaker 1: She stayed home that night. It was just really interesting 592 00:35:48,280 --> 00:35:51,239 Speaker 1: to me because she did her part. And then she 593 00:35:51,280 --> 00:35:53,600 Speaker 1: said she had taken an ivy profen so she felt 594 00:35:53,719 --> 00:35:56,399 Speaker 1: and then she fell asleep, So you know, she fell 595 00:35:56,440 --> 00:35:59,919 Speaker 1: asleep as they went on this horrific mission to kill people, 596 00:36:00,960 --> 00:36:03,719 Speaker 1: even though she said she felt bad about it and thought, oh, 597 00:36:04,200 --> 00:36:07,640 Speaker 1: I wonder if I could stop it. But you know, oh, 598 00:36:07,760 --> 00:36:11,279 Speaker 1: but I had the kids here, so she didn't take 599 00:36:11,320 --> 00:36:13,759 Speaker 1: any steps to stop it. Do you buy that at all? 600 00:36:14,719 --> 00:36:17,399 Speaker 1: I mean, I think she might have had some misgivings, 601 00:36:17,880 --> 00:36:20,640 Speaker 1: but no, I find it hard to believe that. Your 602 00:36:20,719 --> 00:36:23,239 Speaker 1: excuse is, oh, well, I'm home with the kids, so 603 00:36:23,360 --> 00:36:26,560 Speaker 1: I can't stop them from going and killing eight people 604 00:36:27,040 --> 00:36:29,880 Speaker 1: or even one person. I mean, come on, if she 605 00:36:29,960 --> 00:36:34,040 Speaker 1: wanted to stop it, she could have stopped it. As 606 00:36:34,120 --> 00:36:37,320 Speaker 1: news coverage shows, the horrific events of the night unfolded 607 00:36:37,440 --> 00:36:41,040 Speaker 1: as the Wagoners had planned. The night of the homicide, 608 00:36:41,360 --> 00:36:44,160 Speaker 1: she said, the three Wagner men left the house together, 609 00:36:44,719 --> 00:36:47,839 Speaker 1: returned together the next morning. She did not know who 610 00:36:48,000 --> 00:36:51,680 Speaker 1: did the shooting, did not want the details. That night, 611 00:36:51,840 --> 00:36:55,600 Speaker 1: eight members of the Rodent, Manly, and Gilly families were murdered. 612 00:36:56,400 --> 00:36:59,200 Speaker 1: Angela testifies that the next day she heard about the 613 00:36:59,280 --> 00:37:01,680 Speaker 1: murders on the news. Yes, George Wagner's mom did say 614 00:37:01,719 --> 00:37:03,680 Speaker 1: today that while she knew what was going to happen 615 00:37:03,760 --> 00:37:07,400 Speaker 1: six years ago. The homicide still shocked her. She remembers 616 00:37:07,440 --> 00:37:11,360 Speaker 1: asking her husband Billy why so many victims? His response quote, 617 00:37:11,520 --> 00:37:15,520 Speaker 1: because they were there. During cross examination of Angela Wagner, 618 00:37:15,800 --> 00:37:18,880 Speaker 1: an attorney for her son George, keat on two themes, 619 00:37:19,040 --> 00:37:22,600 Speaker 1: Angela's lies and her paranoia. The defense team's goal is 620 00:37:22,640 --> 00:37:25,880 Speaker 1: to cast blame for the twenty sixteen Pike County massacre 621 00:37:26,000 --> 00:37:29,560 Speaker 1: on Angela, her husband Billy, and George's brother Jake, not 622 00:37:29,680 --> 00:37:33,279 Speaker 1: the man on trial for murder. We've heard so much 623 00:37:33,280 --> 00:37:35,160 Speaker 1: about her, you know, We've talked about her for years, 624 00:37:35,200 --> 00:37:36,880 Speaker 1: and she's been kind of like the center of all 625 00:37:36,880 --> 00:37:39,040 Speaker 1: of this, and this is the culmination of all that. 626 00:37:39,200 --> 00:37:41,319 Speaker 1: I mean, what's your take on hearing it straight from 627 00:37:41,360 --> 00:37:44,239 Speaker 1: her mouth finally? Well, I mean it's shocking to hear 628 00:37:44,760 --> 00:37:51,759 Speaker 1: it really is. More on that next time. For more 629 00:37:51,840 --> 00:37:54,840 Speaker 1: information on the case and relevant photos, follow us on 630 00:37:55,000 --> 00:38:00,000 Speaker 1: Instagram at Kati Underscore Studios. The Pikeon Maskers produced by 631 00:38:00,120 --> 00:38:05,440 Speaker 1: Stephanie Lydecker, Jeff Shane, Chris Cacaro, Andrew Arnou, Gabriel Castillo, 632 00:38:05,880 --> 00:38:09,879 Speaker 1: and me Courtney Armstrong. Editing and sound designed by Jeff Toi. 633 00:38:10,880 --> 00:38:14,400 Speaker 1: Music by Jared Aston. The Pike Didmasacar is a production 634 00:38:14,480 --> 00:38:18,200 Speaker 1: of iHeart Radio and Katie Studios. For more podcasts from 635 00:38:18,239 --> 00:38:22,120 Speaker 1: My Heart Radio, visit the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 636 00:38:22,440 --> 00:38:28,880 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Please welcome 637 00:38:28,920 --> 00:38:33,800 Speaker 1: Markite County Dogwood Festival. Queen Lord, I just thank you 638 00:38:33,960 --> 00:38:40,720 Speaker 1: for bringing us all together as a community. Okay, hodd 639 00:38:42,320 --> 00:38:45,680 Speaker 1: all over the house? Who could have killed eight family 640 00:38:45,760 --> 00:38:50,160 Speaker 1: members in one nine? I lost my best friends and 641 00:38:50,280 --> 00:38:52,839 Speaker 1: I will never be the same because of that day. 642 00:38:54,160 --> 00:38:58,479 Speaker 1: Four crime scenes, no DNA, no witnesses. The killer left 643 00:38:58,600 --> 00:39:03,000 Speaker 1: those children laying in their mother's blood. The word that 644 00:39:03,120 --> 00:39:07,319 Speaker 1: comes to mind is overkilled. Who was the master mind, 645 00:39:07,920 --> 00:39:12,000 Speaker 1: I'm telling you is a framer. I'm not fitting in prison. 646 00:39:12,600 --> 00:39:17,480 Speaker 1: One thing I learned. The smaller the town, the bigger 647 00:39:17,600 --> 00:39:22,560 Speaker 1: the sacreds. Be sure to watch our upcoming documentary, The 648 00:39:22,640 --> 00:39:27,280 Speaker 1: Pike County Murders of Family Massacre, premiering on NBC Universal's 649 00:39:27,440 --> 00:39:31,640 Speaker 1: Oxygen Network and also streaming on Peacock this Thanksgiving Day 650 00:39:31,680 --> 00:39:35,680 Speaker 1: weekend November twenty fourth and November twenty fifth. Please check 651 00:39:35,719 --> 00:39:38,240 Speaker 1: your local listings and our hearts are with the Rodents 652 00:39:38,520 --> 00:39:39,560 Speaker 1: and the Gilly families,