1 00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:03,440 Speaker 1: Welcome to the piked In Massacre, a production of iHeartRadio 2 00:00:03,520 --> 00:00:10,039 Speaker 1: and Katie Studios. On the morning of April twenty second, 3 00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:13,120 Speaker 1: twenty sixteen, the small town of piked In, Ohio who 4 00:00:13,119 --> 00:00:17,200 Speaker 1: woke to some horrifying news spread out across four homes, 5 00:00:17,239 --> 00:00:19,640 Speaker 1: all within a few miles of each other, Eight members 6 00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:23,400 Speaker 1: of a local family, the Rodents, were found murdered. They 7 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:26,720 Speaker 1: were shot execution style in their beds, the victims of 8 00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:31,360 Speaker 1: a methodical killing spree. It was an unprecedented and confounding crime, 9 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:35,479 Speaker 1: one that would launch the largest homicide investigation in Ohio's history. 10 00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:39,920 Speaker 2: Frustration, anger, sadness, emotions are still raw at Pike County. 11 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:42,400 Speaker 3: Most of the people in this town say, whoever shot 12 00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:44,879 Speaker 3: and killed eight members of the Rodent family need to 13 00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:45,680 Speaker 3: be found soon. 14 00:00:45,800 --> 00:00:46,760 Speaker 4: I hope that the. 15 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:50,920 Speaker 5: UH now enforcene in this area apprehend each and everyone. 16 00:00:51,120 --> 00:00:53,440 Speaker 4: These aren't peoples, these or monsters. 17 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:05,240 Speaker 1: Episode two, Wagner's in Custody. I'm Courtney Armstrong, a TV 18 00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:08,640 Speaker 1: producer at Katie Studios. With Stephanie Lydecker and Jeff Shane, 19 00:01:08,880 --> 00:01:13,319 Speaker 1: we produced television series and documentaries. Here's Stephanie for me. 20 00:01:13,440 --> 00:01:17,200 Speaker 6: This case was incredibly disturbing and personally really hard to 21 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:20,920 Speaker 6: stop thinking about eight people from the exact same family, 22 00:01:21,319 --> 00:01:24,840 Speaker 6: all killed in one night, but at four different locations. 23 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:30,400 Speaker 6: That's extremely strategic. The three of us have been following 24 00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:34,320 Speaker 6: this case very closely for years. Here's producer Jeff Shane 25 00:01:34,360 --> 00:01:37,360 Speaker 6: talking to Jodi Barr, an investigative journalists who have reported 26 00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:39,960 Speaker 6: for TV station Fox nineteen and Cincinnati. 27 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:42,320 Speaker 3: You're not, as a journalist, easily shocked, but like this 28 00:01:43,080 --> 00:01:45,480 Speaker 3: was shocking, probably right, Yeah, it was shocking. 29 00:01:45,480 --> 00:01:48,400 Speaker 7: I would say it was more confusion because on the 30 00:01:48,440 --> 00:01:51,440 Speaker 7: typical murder, or you know, a breaking news story, you 31 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:54,520 Speaker 7: can roll the events in your mind. But this is 32 00:01:54,960 --> 00:01:58,600 Speaker 7: this isn't the typical murder, you know, where there's one 33 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:00,520 Speaker 7: or two victims of a single house and you know 34 00:02:00,560 --> 00:02:02,800 Speaker 7: the bad guy took off. You know, this was something 35 00:02:03,120 --> 00:02:06,640 Speaker 7: way outside the norm. You're just thinking, what is going 36 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:07,200 Speaker 7: on here? 37 00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:09,920 Speaker 4: This? None of this makes sense, But you knew. 38 00:02:09,720 --> 00:02:12,200 Speaker 7: It had to be something big because you've got eight 39 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:17,000 Speaker 7: members of one family targeted, murdered in their sleep, in 40 00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:20,880 Speaker 7: their homes, and the killers seemingly vanished. We didn't know 41 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:23,400 Speaker 7: the pieces, we didn't know how to put it together. 42 00:02:23,680 --> 00:02:27,160 Speaker 7: There was no information coming out about these murders, about motives, 43 00:02:27,520 --> 00:02:30,360 Speaker 7: Even the family members who were in direct communication with 44 00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:34,240 Speaker 7: law enforcement, even they weren't being told anything. I mean, 45 00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:36,600 Speaker 7: call it good investigative work, and you know you hold 46 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:39,520 Speaker 7: your cards close to the chest as an investigator. Maybe 47 00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:42,040 Speaker 7: that's what it was, but you know, from the outside 48 00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:45,200 Speaker 7: looking in, it was almost like law enforcement didn't have 49 00:02:45,240 --> 00:02:46,440 Speaker 7: a clue at that point in time. 50 00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:50,880 Speaker 8: An overwhelming amount of tips have been pouring into police, 51 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:52,359 Speaker 8: but nor rest have been made. 52 00:02:52,680 --> 00:02:55,960 Speaker 2: Attorney General Mike Dwine is saying that over two hundred 53 00:02:55,960 --> 00:02:59,680 Speaker 2: investigators and police officers have contributed so far to this 54 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:00,480 Speaker 2: on going. 55 00:03:00,320 --> 00:03:03,919 Speaker 9: Investment, and he's being offered, but the killer has disappeared. 56 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:10,120 Speaker 1: As the investigation dragged on, rumors ran rampant in the 57 00:03:10,160 --> 00:03:14,200 Speaker 1: close knit community, and journalists like Jodi Barr started digging deeper. 58 00:03:14,360 --> 00:03:17,440 Speaker 7: This did seem to be a very tactical, a very 59 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:20,000 Speaker 7: clean sort of you know, when you think of an 60 00:03:20,040 --> 00:03:22,120 Speaker 7: assassin doing a hit like you see. 61 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:22,560 Speaker 4: In the movies. 62 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:26,280 Speaker 7: You started to wonder if there wasn't something to that 63 00:03:26,360 --> 00:03:30,160 Speaker 7: because of just how seemingly clean these killings were. I mean, 64 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:33,760 Speaker 7: how does one person or a group of people hit 65 00:03:33,880 --> 00:03:38,880 Speaker 7: four separate homes kill eight different people seemingly leave absolutely 66 00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:41,320 Speaker 7: no trace of any evidence. 67 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:43,640 Speaker 4: What does this mean? What is going on here? 68 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:46,680 Speaker 7: But after I started having conversations with the Rodent family 69 00:03:47,080 --> 00:03:49,360 Speaker 7: and you start talking to some people who were very 70 00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:52,880 Speaker 7: close to the victims in this case, at least very 71 00:03:52,880 --> 00:03:57,400 Speaker 7: close acquaintances, you started to realize that, you know that 72 00:03:57,440 --> 00:03:59,880 Speaker 7: there were some people that even I had conversations with 73 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:02,960 Speaker 7: than Pike County, who I knew they knew more than 74 00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:05,120 Speaker 7: what they were telling me. I knew they knew more 75 00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:09,080 Speaker 7: about what happened that morning, and they knew more about 76 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:13,400 Speaker 7: the circumstances surrounding the Rodents that could have led to 77 00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:16,200 Speaker 7: these murders. But they would not tell it. And I 78 00:04:16,240 --> 00:04:19,160 Speaker 7: don't know if it was because they were afraid or 79 00:04:19,880 --> 00:04:23,680 Speaker 7: they didn't want to believe what they believed happened. But 80 00:04:23,839 --> 00:04:26,120 Speaker 7: all we kept hearing from the Rodan family, from the 81 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:29,440 Speaker 7: people around there, and they were phrasing it this way 82 00:04:29,839 --> 00:04:32,040 Speaker 7: is that it was locals. 83 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:34,159 Speaker 4: What did that mean? We didn't know. 84 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:40,640 Speaker 1: By the summer of twenty eighteen, the investigation had entered 85 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:43,560 Speaker 1: its second year and piked in. Residents like Barbara were 86 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:45,159 Speaker 1: becoming increasingly scared. 87 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:50,520 Speaker 10: It's an extremely sinister thing that occurred. It's like a movie. 88 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:55,720 Speaker 10: When I was young, people got along and you know, 89 00:04:56,040 --> 00:05:00,960 Speaker 10: it was we left our doors unlocked. It was. It 90 00:05:01,040 --> 00:05:07,640 Speaker 10: was that trusting and relaxed in Pike County, so we 91 00:05:07,680 --> 00:05:11,479 Speaker 10: could believe something like that what happen here. 92 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:12,680 Speaker 11: And it was. 93 00:05:13,320 --> 00:05:19,680 Speaker 10: It was especially terrifying because no one knew who did 94 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:25,000 Speaker 10: it or why. And you don't know if your family's next. 95 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:30,760 Speaker 12: It's just a grizzly scene in a grisly situation. 96 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:34,400 Speaker 4: If you are fearful, arm yourself. If you feel that 97 00:05:34,480 --> 00:05:36,640 Speaker 4: you need to protect yourself or family, do so. 98 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:43,520 Speaker 1: On November thirteenth, twenty eighteen, everything was said to change. 99 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:47,400 Speaker 1: Here's Governor of Ohio, Mike Dwine, then Attorney General. 100 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:48,520 Speaker 10: Well, good afternoon. 101 00:05:49,200 --> 00:05:51,960 Speaker 3: We promised that the day would come when the rest 102 00:05:52,000 --> 00:05:55,719 Speaker 3: would be made in the Pike County masters. 103 00:05:56,480 --> 00:05:57,320 Speaker 13: Today's that day. 104 00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:00,599 Speaker 1: In a series of arrests that sent shock waves through 105 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:04,680 Speaker 1: the insulated community, six members of a local family, the Wagners, 106 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:05,880 Speaker 1: were taken into custody. 107 00:06:06,400 --> 00:06:11,640 Speaker 9: Up your hands all right, brung up whack hollar. 108 00:06:13,560 --> 00:06:16,120 Speaker 1: Forty seven year old Billy Wagner is the patriarch of 109 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:19,320 Speaker 1: the Wagner family and was arrested near Lexington, Kentucky, in 110 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:20,960 Speaker 1: a horse trailer that was pulled over. 111 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:25,800 Speaker 5: Go down your name and Hunterback and hungerbuy. 112 00:06:26,680 --> 00:06:30,240 Speaker 1: Angela Wagner is Billy's wife and matriarch of the Wagner family. 113 00:06:30,520 --> 00:06:32,719 Speaker 1: The forty eight year old was arrested at their home 114 00:06:32,839 --> 00:06:33,800 Speaker 1: near Piketon. 115 00:06:33,520 --> 00:06:39,480 Speaker 13: Ohioha Angela Wayner in the car twenty one copy thirteen 116 00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:40,080 Speaker 13: thirty one. 117 00:06:40,920 --> 00:06:44,520 Speaker 1: Angela and Billy's two sons, George Wagner and Jake Wagner, 118 00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:48,920 Speaker 1: were arrested together during a traffic stop. George is twenty 119 00:06:48,960 --> 00:06:52,880 Speaker 1: seven and Jake was twenty six. Seventy six year old 120 00:06:52,920 --> 00:06:56,560 Speaker 1: Frederica Wagner, Billy Wagner's mother, was arrested at the family's 121 00:06:56,600 --> 00:07:01,080 Speaker 1: horse farm, the Flying w Angela Wagner mother, sixty five 122 00:07:01,160 --> 00:07:03,880 Speaker 1: year old Rita Joe Newcomb, was arrested at her home, 123 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:10,400 Speaker 1: while six members of the Wagner family were arrested in 124 00:07:10,400 --> 00:07:14,239 Speaker 1: connection with the crime. Billy, Angela, George, and Jake Wagner 125 00:07:14,320 --> 00:07:16,720 Speaker 1: were charged with eight counts of aggravated murder. 126 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:19,120 Speaker 3: It deals about the arrests of four people in the 127 00:07:19,200 --> 00:07:21,720 Speaker 3: murders of eight members of the road in family. 128 00:07:22,040 --> 00:07:23,440 Speaker 4: Back in April twenty sixteen. 129 00:07:23,960 --> 00:07:27,240 Speaker 1: Mike Allen, a criminal defense attorney and legal commentator for 130 00:07:27,320 --> 00:07:30,160 Speaker 1: Fox nineteen and Cincinnati, was covering the story when the 131 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:30,679 Speaker 1: news broke. 132 00:07:31,320 --> 00:07:34,280 Speaker 5: All the arrests happened within minutes of each other, and 133 00:07:34,280 --> 00:07:37,680 Speaker 5: that tells me that the BCI, the Ohio Bureau of 134 00:07:37,840 --> 00:07:43,280 Speaker 5: Criminal Identification, who was in charge of this investigation, they 135 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:46,160 Speaker 5: know what they're doing and they wanted to make sure 136 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:49,800 Speaker 5: that they affected these arrests without any kind of problems 137 00:07:49,920 --> 00:07:53,680 Speaker 5: or tipping anybody off, so they had that thing down 138 00:07:53,720 --> 00:08:00,000 Speaker 5: pretty tight. You've got four people charged in the murders themselves, 139 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:03,640 Speaker 5: and that's capital murder in the state of Ohio that 140 00:08:04,560 --> 00:08:09,280 Speaker 5: does have the death penalty as a possible penalty in 141 00:08:09,320 --> 00:08:12,040 Speaker 5: a case like this, so it is death penalty case. 142 00:08:12,560 --> 00:08:16,960 Speaker 1: How rare is it to have multiple capital murder cases going. 143 00:08:17,040 --> 00:08:19,720 Speaker 1: I haven't seen multiple four people up for capital murder 144 00:08:19,720 --> 00:08:20,920 Speaker 1: in Ohio before. 145 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:21,400 Speaker 3: You know what. 146 00:08:21,800 --> 00:08:24,320 Speaker 5: And I've been in the system for over fifty years, 147 00:08:24,320 --> 00:08:28,880 Speaker 5: and I mean the most I've seen were two co 148 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:32,320 Speaker 5: defendants being tried for capital murder from the same set 149 00:08:32,360 --> 00:08:36,679 Speaker 5: of facts, but never four. So that is extremely rare 150 00:08:37,440 --> 00:08:41,079 Speaker 5: that you got for people. For defendants facing the death penalty. 151 00:08:43,840 --> 00:08:46,920 Speaker 1: The charges for the two other family members were less severe. 152 00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:51,520 Speaker 1: Grandmother Frederica Wagner, Billy Wagner's mother, was charged with obstruction 153 00:08:51,600 --> 00:08:57,640 Speaker 1: of justice and perjury. Angela Wagner's mother, Rita Newcombe, was 154 00:08:57,760 --> 00:09:02,560 Speaker 1: charged with forgery, perjury, and obstruction of justice. But to 155 00:09:02,600 --> 00:09:05,760 Speaker 1: Mike Allen, one charge brought against the alleged trigger pullers 156 00:09:05,840 --> 00:09:06,800 Speaker 1: makes one thing clear. 157 00:09:07,240 --> 00:09:10,760 Speaker 5: They're also charged with conspiracy engaging in a pattern of 158 00:09:10,840 --> 00:09:15,040 Speaker 5: corrupt activity, which means that they all work together on this. 159 00:09:15,640 --> 00:09:18,240 Speaker 5: I think it's obvious, at least to the prosecutors and 160 00:09:18,280 --> 00:09:22,680 Speaker 5: the investigators that this thing was nobody freelancing. They were 161 00:09:22,760 --> 00:09:28,040 Speaker 5: possibly all operating together tampering with evidence. That kind of 162 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:31,920 Speaker 5: speaks for itself. I mean, you know, once they knew 163 00:09:31,920 --> 00:09:36,160 Speaker 5: that they were the focus of the investigation, perhaps they 164 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:37,560 Speaker 5: did something with the evidence. 165 00:09:42,360 --> 00:09:44,360 Speaker 1: We're going to take a quick break here. We'll be 166 00:09:44,400 --> 00:09:54,840 Speaker 1: back in a moment. We needed to know more about 167 00:09:54,880 --> 00:09:58,240 Speaker 1: the Rodents and the accused, the Wagners. We also wanted 168 00:09:58,280 --> 00:10:01,080 Speaker 1: to be mpiped in to learn about the town. So Stephanie, 169 00:10:01,160 --> 00:10:02,600 Speaker 1: Jeff and I flew to Ohio. 170 00:10:08,200 --> 00:10:12,000 Speaker 6: There was this extremely eerie vibe to the town. There 171 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:15,760 Speaker 6: definitely was a sense that something very big was happening 172 00:10:15,720 --> 00:10:20,320 Speaker 6: in real time. It almost felt it felt a little dangerous. 173 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:22,440 Speaker 1: I think eeriness, she said, is the best word, like 174 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:24,360 Speaker 1: just something was not right. 175 00:10:24,520 --> 00:10:27,000 Speaker 6: Yeah, and it's not uncommon. It was a perfect American 176 00:10:27,240 --> 00:10:30,680 Speaker 6: small town, right, there's one diner, there's not a movie theater. 177 00:10:31,040 --> 00:10:33,600 Speaker 6: So again, small insulated. 178 00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:36,360 Speaker 3: And you know, we just when we just started trying 179 00:10:36,400 --> 00:10:40,080 Speaker 3: to go door to door to meet anyone who could 180 00:10:40,080 --> 00:10:41,480 Speaker 3: tell us about the road and family. 181 00:10:41,760 --> 00:10:44,720 Speaker 6: I would say every single person we spoke to legitimately 182 00:10:44,720 --> 00:10:46,960 Speaker 6: invited us inside and could not have been lovelier. 183 00:10:47,320 --> 00:10:51,800 Speaker 1: There also was the experience of knocking on doors knowing 184 00:10:51,960 --> 00:10:54,520 Speaker 1: very well people are there. There was smoke coming out 185 00:10:54,520 --> 00:10:58,520 Speaker 1: of the chimney. We physically saw the curtains be closed, 186 00:10:58,720 --> 00:11:01,640 Speaker 1: and certain people ndstandably didn't want to speak to us, 187 00:11:01,880 --> 00:11:10,480 Speaker 1: but those who did, they were so welcoming. We reached 188 00:11:10,480 --> 00:11:13,920 Speaker 1: out to journalist Jeff Winkler, who was doing research on 189 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:15,160 Speaker 1: the Wagner family. 190 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:16,160 Speaker 4: For me personally. 191 00:11:16,760 --> 00:11:19,520 Speaker 9: When I first got an idea of how their ownents 192 00:11:19,559 --> 00:11:23,520 Speaker 9: lived and you know, who was related to who and whatnot, 193 00:11:24,480 --> 00:11:27,160 Speaker 9: I think I originally had the sense that the Wagoners 194 00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:31,440 Speaker 9: were in the same sort of position in terms of 195 00:11:32,200 --> 00:11:37,280 Speaker 9: property and and and perhaps financial situation will not. But 196 00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:41,200 Speaker 9: the Wagoners, I was rather surprised to learn that they had, 197 00:11:41,240 --> 00:11:46,880 Speaker 9: you know, a huge farm. They'd been running various farm 198 00:11:46,920 --> 00:11:51,480 Speaker 9: businesses on this huge bit of land or landlords. And 199 00:11:52,559 --> 00:11:56,800 Speaker 9: there were there was something of a sort of sort 200 00:11:56,800 --> 00:11:59,440 Speaker 9: of a family, if you will, in the area. And 201 00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:03,120 Speaker 9: you know, there were people that they we spoke with 202 00:12:03,200 --> 00:12:06,840 Speaker 9: that had some very open thoughts and loving thoughts about 203 00:12:06,880 --> 00:12:07,320 Speaker 9: the family. 204 00:12:10,520 --> 00:12:13,080 Speaker 1: In all this, we couldn't help wonder how could this 205 00:12:13,240 --> 00:12:17,199 Speaker 1: esteemed piked In family allegedly be responsible for Ohio's most 206 00:12:17,240 --> 00:12:22,960 Speaker 1: horrific murder. It seemed like everyone had an opinion. Here's 207 00:12:22,960 --> 00:12:24,760 Speaker 1: Andreie Montgomery, a piked In resident. 208 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:27,800 Speaker 8: When the Wagners were arrested, you had your fifty to fifty. 209 00:12:27,880 --> 00:12:30,160 Speaker 13: You had people that said, yes, I knew that they 210 00:12:30,200 --> 00:12:32,760 Speaker 13: did that, and then you've got people that say, there's 211 00:12:32,840 --> 00:12:34,040 Speaker 13: no way those people did that. 212 00:12:37,520 --> 00:12:40,240 Speaker 1: But we wanted to get the story for ourselves, to 213 00:12:40,320 --> 00:12:42,520 Speaker 1: talk to those who actually knew the people accused of 214 00:12:42,559 --> 00:12:44,720 Speaker 1: carrying out these ruthless murders. 215 00:12:45,640 --> 00:12:49,280 Speaker 3: Hello, Hi, Dorey, It's Jeff Shane calling Hi. 216 00:12:49,559 --> 00:12:49,719 Speaker 5: Hi. 217 00:12:49,720 --> 00:12:50,880 Speaker 3: How are you is now a good time. 218 00:12:51,200 --> 00:12:55,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, this is Deray Mcalvy. She's Billy Wagner's cousin and 219 00:12:55,240 --> 00:12:56,439 Speaker 1: she grew up with the Wagners. 220 00:12:56,679 --> 00:12:58,120 Speaker 3: Were you close with Billy. 221 00:12:58,840 --> 00:13:00,360 Speaker 12: Billy was quite a bit younger than me. 222 00:13:00,920 --> 00:13:04,040 Speaker 8: I was about eleven years old when Billy was born, 223 00:13:04,320 --> 00:13:06,040 Speaker 8: but I was raised with him, and we had. 224 00:13:05,920 --> 00:13:08,319 Speaker 12: A whole lot of fun. It was so much fun. 225 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:11,880 Speaker 8: We all bred horses, and we lived in Ohio and 226 00:13:11,920 --> 00:13:14,760 Speaker 8: it was beautiful and it snowed in the wintertime, and 227 00:13:14,800 --> 00:13:16,600 Speaker 8: it was beautiful in the summer, and we just had 228 00:13:16,640 --> 00:13:17,160 Speaker 8: so much fun. 229 00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:18,160 Speaker 12: It was unbelievable. 230 00:13:18,640 --> 00:13:20,360 Speaker 3: He was like a really good dad, right, like a 231 00:13:20,360 --> 00:13:24,199 Speaker 3: hard working just like sturdy, like good person, right. 232 00:13:24,200 --> 00:13:27,600 Speaker 12: All for his family. M hmm, all for his family. 233 00:13:28,280 --> 00:13:32,120 Speaker 1: Dere's depiction of her aunt, Frederica Wagner was just as glowing. 234 00:13:32,400 --> 00:13:35,199 Speaker 12: I spent my summers with my aunt Frederica. 235 00:13:35,559 --> 00:13:39,040 Speaker 8: It was awesome because we rode horses, we rode ponies, 236 00:13:39,559 --> 00:13:41,120 Speaker 8: did all kinds of awesome stuff. 237 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:43,640 Speaker 3: I've heard the nicest things about her that she was 238 00:13:43,679 --> 00:13:45,360 Speaker 3: like an angel in that town. 239 00:13:46,160 --> 00:13:48,880 Speaker 8: She had to have been an angel in that town 240 00:13:49,440 --> 00:13:53,000 Speaker 8: because what I seen for her, what she did for 241 00:13:53,080 --> 00:13:57,520 Speaker 8: the community. She built a church for the community. She 242 00:13:57,840 --> 00:14:03,280 Speaker 8: financed the church for the community. She loves people, she 243 00:14:03,360 --> 00:14:04,640 Speaker 8: loves children. 244 00:14:05,360 --> 00:14:08,240 Speaker 1: But we were curious what did Deray think about the 245 00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:09,520 Speaker 1: charges against her family. 246 00:14:10,040 --> 00:14:13,360 Speaker 8: Our family joke is that there's no way that Betty 247 00:14:13,440 --> 00:14:18,640 Speaker 8: Crocker and the Dobe boys could ever go to an 248 00:14:18,720 --> 00:14:20,800 Speaker 8: extreme of murder. 249 00:14:21,480 --> 00:14:25,240 Speaker 12: It's not within their capabilities. 250 00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:31,600 Speaker 8: They love animals and they love people, and they are 251 00:14:31,880 --> 00:14:36,600 Speaker 8: really good at being resilient. And if you look up 252 00:14:36,640 --> 00:14:43,400 Speaker 8: the word Hillbilly and you really research that word, they 253 00:14:43,440 --> 00:14:47,280 Speaker 8: were very resilient in taking care of their family. 254 00:14:49,080 --> 00:14:51,440 Speaker 12: Somebody did it, but it wasn't Now. 255 00:14:55,040 --> 00:14:57,520 Speaker 1: To get more information on twenty seven year old George 256 00:14:57,560 --> 00:15:00,000 Speaker 1: and twenty six year old Jake Wagner, Angela and Billy 257 00:15:00,080 --> 00:15:05,160 Speaker 1: Wagner's sons, we reached out to Christina Howard. Christina's sister, Tabitha, 258 00:15:05,320 --> 00:15:10,080 Speaker 1: was married to George Wagner. The pair later divorced. Christina 259 00:15:10,120 --> 00:15:12,880 Speaker 1: spoke with Stephanie Leidecker about the time she spent with 260 00:15:12,920 --> 00:15:13,800 Speaker 1: the Wagner family. 261 00:15:14,280 --> 00:15:18,320 Speaker 11: My sister spent a lot of time over at George's 262 00:15:18,400 --> 00:15:21,760 Speaker 11: house before they got married. She was pretty much living 263 00:15:21,840 --> 00:15:24,640 Speaker 11: with them at the time before she got married, and 264 00:15:24,680 --> 00:15:27,800 Speaker 11: then after she got married, she straight, you know, moved 265 00:15:27,800 --> 00:15:30,160 Speaker 11: in with them, and I used to go over there 266 00:15:30,440 --> 00:15:32,560 Speaker 11: to their house every now and again, you know. 267 00:15:33,440 --> 00:15:34,800 Speaker 6: And did he seem like a nice guy? 268 00:15:34,840 --> 00:15:36,040 Speaker 1: What was his demeanor like? 269 00:15:37,800 --> 00:15:41,040 Speaker 11: He was funny. He was always cracking jokes and stuff 270 00:15:41,080 --> 00:15:41,680 Speaker 11: all the time. 271 00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:44,240 Speaker 6: So I don't know much about Jake Wagner at all. 272 00:15:44,360 --> 00:15:45,480 Speaker 1: What was he like as a kid. 273 00:15:47,320 --> 00:15:50,080 Speaker 11: He was actually really sweet as a kid. We got 274 00:15:50,120 --> 00:15:53,280 Speaker 11: along pretty good because you know, we just hung out 275 00:15:53,320 --> 00:15:56,280 Speaker 11: all the time, played video games, went outside. 276 00:15:56,760 --> 00:15:57,320 Speaker 1: Was he shy? 277 00:15:58,360 --> 00:16:02,280 Speaker 11: He wasn't shy with me. He was a really nice kid. 278 00:16:02,440 --> 00:16:05,640 Speaker 11: And well, growing up, my sisters were kind of bullies 279 00:16:05,720 --> 00:16:10,040 Speaker 11: to me and Taby she was dating George at the time, 280 00:16:10,680 --> 00:16:14,160 Speaker 11: and Tabby she would pick on me and Jake he 281 00:16:14,200 --> 00:16:16,640 Speaker 11: would take up for me, but like, hey, don't pick 282 00:16:16,640 --> 00:16:19,200 Speaker 11: on your little sister like that. What's mean and stuff. 283 00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:29,200 Speaker 1: Here's a Wagner family relative. She asked us not to 284 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:31,000 Speaker 1: use her name, but was happy to talk to us 285 00:16:31,040 --> 00:16:34,120 Speaker 1: about the family. She remembers Angela Wagner as a caring 286 00:16:34,160 --> 00:16:35,200 Speaker 1: mother with a big heart. 287 00:16:35,600 --> 00:16:39,800 Speaker 13: Angela was just so sweet, like she was the sweetest lady. 288 00:16:40,800 --> 00:16:43,160 Speaker 13: I mean, anybody could ask her for help. I know 289 00:16:43,200 --> 00:16:45,960 Speaker 13: there was multiple times where there was just she had heard, 290 00:16:46,040 --> 00:16:49,200 Speaker 13: you know of Like there was a woman and her 291 00:16:49,280 --> 00:16:52,440 Speaker 13: daughter that was getting out of an abusive relationship and 292 00:16:52,520 --> 00:16:55,440 Speaker 13: Angela had just heard about it. She didn't know this lady, 293 00:16:55,480 --> 00:16:58,520 Speaker 13: you know, she had no idea anything about her. She 294 00:16:58,600 --> 00:17:00,880 Speaker 13: just knew that this woman and her you know, needed help. 295 00:17:00,920 --> 00:17:04,080 Speaker 13: The Angelos went and helped her get out of that. 296 00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:06,640 Speaker 13: You know, she gave her place to stay, She made 297 00:17:06,680 --> 00:17:11,280 Speaker 13: sure that the daughter had clothes and suit and you know, 298 00:17:11,359 --> 00:17:14,320 Speaker 13: she would always do stuff like that for people. 299 00:17:15,720 --> 00:17:18,320 Speaker 1: Everything we were hearing about the Wagner seemed at odds 300 00:17:18,359 --> 00:17:20,760 Speaker 1: with this image of the cold blooded killers accused of 301 00:17:20,840 --> 00:17:26,560 Speaker 1: murdering an entire family. But the deeper we dug, the 302 00:17:26,560 --> 00:17:32,000 Speaker 1: more secrets we began to find. Jeff continued speaking with 303 00:17:32,040 --> 00:17:35,960 Speaker 1: the same anonymous Wagner relative who speaks so closingly Evangela Wagner. 304 00:17:36,359 --> 00:17:38,919 Speaker 1: As it turns out, not everyone in the Wagner family 305 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:42,560 Speaker 1: has such a sterling reputation, and when the conversation shifts 306 00:17:42,560 --> 00:17:45,840 Speaker 1: to Billy Wagner, things take a turn. Here is the 307 00:17:45,840 --> 00:17:48,080 Speaker 1: Wagner relative's first hand account. 308 00:17:48,600 --> 00:17:50,200 Speaker 3: Do you know when she met Billy and like when 309 00:17:50,240 --> 00:17:52,760 Speaker 3: that when they got married and how like that relationship 310 00:17:52,800 --> 00:17:53,960 Speaker 3: started and progressed. 311 00:17:54,440 --> 00:18:01,120 Speaker 13: Uh, yeah, that was. She has been with him for 312 00:18:01,160 --> 00:18:06,280 Speaker 13: something years, maybe longer, but towards he goes now, that's 313 00:18:06,280 --> 00:18:10,160 Speaker 13: a different Like I and my family we always kind 314 00:18:10,160 --> 00:18:14,400 Speaker 13: of thought sometime was like off with him. We never 315 00:18:14,560 --> 00:18:16,720 Speaker 13: actually never got to like connect with him in that way. 316 00:18:16,760 --> 00:18:19,520 Speaker 13: We always everybody always kind of knew that there was 317 00:18:19,560 --> 00:18:22,640 Speaker 13: something stranger that he was kind of he just had 318 00:18:22,640 --> 00:18:25,800 Speaker 13: this persona about him, like he was just a very 319 00:18:26,920 --> 00:18:31,919 Speaker 13: cold and just hateful person really is what I thought of. 320 00:18:32,040 --> 00:18:35,600 Speaker 13: In anyways, he was just a very rough around me 321 00:18:35,640 --> 00:18:38,520 Speaker 13: as a guy. And when it comes to him and Angela, 322 00:18:39,960 --> 00:18:43,879 Speaker 13: I'm not sure really how the beginning of a relationship was, 323 00:18:44,080 --> 00:18:47,439 Speaker 13: but I know towards the end, like before or you know, 324 00:18:47,520 --> 00:18:51,040 Speaker 13: right after all this happened, he was just very controlling, 325 00:18:51,640 --> 00:18:57,200 Speaker 13: very controlling. He She was afraid of him, extremely afraid 326 00:18:57,200 --> 00:19:03,480 Speaker 13: of him, as were the boys now, their oldest son George, 327 00:19:03,840 --> 00:19:07,320 Speaker 13: him and his dad. They were kind of like the same. 328 00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:12,320 Speaker 13: I just I don't believe that they're good people at all. 329 00:19:13,520 --> 00:19:15,639 Speaker 3: So what can you tell me about the relationship between 330 00:19:15,680 --> 00:19:16,960 Speaker 3: Angela and Billy Wagner? 331 00:19:17,240 --> 00:19:20,720 Speaker 13: I do know that Angela was, She was extremely She 332 00:19:20,840 --> 00:19:22,919 Speaker 13: was just afraid to leave, you know, she was afraid 333 00:19:22,920 --> 00:19:25,480 Speaker 13: to leave. She was terrified that if she did try 334 00:19:25,520 --> 00:19:28,600 Speaker 13: to leave, that he would find her, because he made 335 00:19:28,640 --> 00:19:31,320 Speaker 13: that very clear, you know, from what I've heard and 336 00:19:31,400 --> 00:19:33,639 Speaker 13: what her father had said, all multiplecasions like you know, 337 00:19:33,680 --> 00:19:34,520 Speaker 13: you're not gonna leave. 338 00:19:41,920 --> 00:19:44,480 Speaker 1: Let's stop here for another quick break. We'll be back 339 00:19:44,520 --> 00:19:56,359 Speaker 1: in a moment. This account of Angela and Billy's relationship 340 00:19:56,359 --> 00:19:59,639 Speaker 1: piqued our curiosity, so we started poking around for more 341 00:19:59,680 --> 00:20:03,359 Speaker 1: and from about the Wagoners. Most of what we uncovered 342 00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:06,840 Speaker 1: had to do with grandmother Frederica Wagner, Billy Wagner's mother, 343 00:20:07,080 --> 00:20:10,480 Speaker 1: and what seemed to be some potentially questionable business practices. 344 00:20:11,480 --> 00:20:14,080 Speaker 1: I followed up with journalist Jeff Winkler to find out more. 345 00:20:14,640 --> 00:20:18,960 Speaker 9: Rodrika Wagner was repeatedly referred to as a god fearing woman, 346 00:20:19,400 --> 00:20:23,000 Speaker 9: was running a nursing home and doing a lot of 347 00:20:23,480 --> 00:20:28,200 Speaker 9: community service and community care for people, but like the Wagers, 348 00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:30,560 Speaker 9: had a lot of different sides. 349 00:20:30,320 --> 00:20:34,159 Speaker 1: To them exactly. And she had started a church as well, 350 00:20:34,280 --> 00:20:37,359 Speaker 1: and she took underprivileged kids. If people needed groceries, she 351 00:20:37,440 --> 00:20:39,919 Speaker 1: brought them groceries. So there is all of that, and 352 00:20:39,960 --> 00:20:42,679 Speaker 1: then on the flip side, many other people say they 353 00:20:42,680 --> 00:20:46,480 Speaker 1: were very secretive. There's also allegations of for example, in 354 00:20:46,480 --> 00:20:50,760 Speaker 1: the nursing home, maybe some dishonest business and perhaps cheating 355 00:20:50,800 --> 00:20:54,000 Speaker 1: people who were at a disadvantage out of money. And 356 00:20:54,080 --> 00:20:56,119 Speaker 1: these are substantiated court documents. 357 00:20:56,359 --> 00:20:59,200 Speaker 9: Yeah, the longer we looked into it, the longer it 358 00:20:59,240 --> 00:21:02,320 Speaker 9: seemed like thens you know, apart from having property and 359 00:21:02,800 --> 00:21:05,000 Speaker 9: been there for a long time, they were wheeling and dealing. 360 00:21:05,600 --> 00:21:08,960 Speaker 9: And I think although they were sort of pillars of 361 00:21:08,960 --> 00:21:11,720 Speaker 9: the community and involved in the community, certainly I think 362 00:21:11,800 --> 00:21:14,119 Speaker 9: that sort of especially when you have that sort of 363 00:21:14,200 --> 00:21:15,360 Speaker 9: much to lose. 364 00:21:15,440 --> 00:21:16,919 Speaker 4: You get protective. 365 00:21:18,280 --> 00:21:24,160 Speaker 9: Frederica Wagner had very much built the family business. Fredrika 366 00:21:24,200 --> 00:21:27,040 Speaker 9: Wagner was the one who kept the family business going, 367 00:21:27,119 --> 00:21:30,600 Speaker 9: and she kept the family and businesses on track. And uh, 368 00:21:30,640 --> 00:21:32,880 Speaker 9: you know, when you are building an empire, the last 369 00:21:32,880 --> 00:21:34,840 Speaker 9: thing you want to do is to see it fall. 370 00:21:35,359 --> 00:21:38,840 Speaker 9: And they were working on their fourth generation of Wagner 371 00:21:39,480 --> 00:21:44,800 Speaker 9: uh dominance in the area. So I can definitely understand sort. 372 00:21:44,680 --> 00:21:45,760 Speaker 4: Of protectiveness of that. 373 00:21:46,080 --> 00:21:49,760 Speaker 9: And in those cases, you you know, maybe you close, 374 00:21:49,880 --> 00:21:50,680 Speaker 9: maybe you close. 375 00:21:50,560 --> 00:21:53,240 Speaker 4: Ranks a little bit. You stick, you stick to kin. 376 00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:56,320 Speaker 9: You know, blood is thicker than water. 377 00:22:01,960 --> 00:22:03,879 Speaker 1: As we talked to more people in the community, we 378 00:22:03,920 --> 00:22:06,920 Speaker 1: found that these rumblings about the Wagner's business practices had 379 00:22:06,920 --> 00:22:10,280 Speaker 1: been circulating for years, and somehowd the deep distrust of 380 00:22:10,320 --> 00:22:14,160 Speaker 1: the family and their once sterling reputation. Jeff got Barber's 381 00:22:14,200 --> 00:22:16,240 Speaker 1: thoughts about grandmother Frederica Wagner. 382 00:22:16,760 --> 00:22:20,480 Speaker 2: All I've ever heard about her is one I've heard 383 00:22:20,520 --> 00:22:25,760 Speaker 2: how wonderful she is, how generous she was. I never 384 00:22:25,840 --> 00:22:27,600 Speaker 2: heard a bad word about that woman. 385 00:22:28,240 --> 00:22:32,920 Speaker 10: But just you know, she knew what she was doing, 386 00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:38,320 Speaker 10: and she just did what she could do to keep 387 00:22:38,440 --> 00:22:42,359 Speaker 10: them from being guilty, to keep them from being found 388 00:22:42,440 --> 00:22:46,320 Speaker 10: guilty or from being arrested, you know. 389 00:22:46,280 --> 00:22:46,720 Speaker 11: What I mean. 390 00:22:46,920 --> 00:22:49,320 Speaker 3: Yeah, they seem like everyone was on the surface, like 391 00:22:49,359 --> 00:22:51,600 Speaker 3: everyone loved them, and then when this happens, all the 392 00:22:51,640 --> 00:22:53,320 Speaker 3: other dirt kind of starts coming out. 393 00:22:53,720 --> 00:22:57,520 Speaker 10: It's like I can see beneath that surface, you know, 394 00:22:57,960 --> 00:23:01,639 Speaker 10: I feel like I can see her heart. When I 395 00:23:01,720 --> 00:23:06,399 Speaker 10: look at her, I just see is just kind of 396 00:23:06,440 --> 00:23:07,080 Speaker 10: see evil. 397 00:23:12,200 --> 00:23:15,320 Speaker 1: But while Frederica Wagner may have been involved in some 398 00:23:15,440 --> 00:23:19,000 Speaker 1: questionable business dealings and to some accounts, Billy Wagner may 399 00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:21,359 Speaker 1: not have been the best husband. We still didn't know 400 00:23:21,400 --> 00:23:27,800 Speaker 1: what all this had to do with the Rodents. At 401 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:30,639 Speaker 1: their arraignment, all six members of the Wagner family pled 402 00:23:30,680 --> 00:23:33,720 Speaker 1: not guilty to all charges. It is worth noting, however, 403 00:23:33,800 --> 00:23:37,360 Speaker 1: that the charges against Frederica Wagner were eventually dropped and 404 00:23:37,600 --> 00:23:40,640 Speaker 1: Rita Joe Nukam ended up taking a plea deal. There's 405 00:23:40,680 --> 00:23:43,520 Speaker 1: more to tell on these grandmother stories, but we'll get 406 00:23:43,560 --> 00:23:44,240 Speaker 1: to all that later. 407 00:23:45,040 --> 00:23:50,360 Speaker 3: According to official court documents, all four of the Wagner 408 00:23:50,440 --> 00:23:54,960 Speaker 3: family are considered trigger pollers, meaning each one of them 409 00:23:55,359 --> 00:23:58,119 Speaker 3: had a hand in killing the Rodents that night, which 410 00:23:58,160 --> 00:24:02,119 Speaker 3: means they drove house to house the time, killing eight people. 411 00:24:02,720 --> 00:24:05,520 Speaker 6: It's also been speculated that Angela Wagner was really the 412 00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:08,800 Speaker 6: mastermind of this whole plan. When you look at her picture, 413 00:24:08,880 --> 00:24:11,840 Speaker 6: for example, her mugshot, she just looks like a regular 414 00:24:11,920 --> 00:24:14,320 Speaker 6: mom that you would see at the market. She doesn't 415 00:24:14,320 --> 00:24:16,359 Speaker 6: at all fit the profile that I have in my 416 00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:19,600 Speaker 6: head of what a serial killer or a mass murderer 417 00:24:19,680 --> 00:24:22,560 Speaker 6: should look like. And if she did do this, why 418 00:24:22,840 --> 00:24:24,800 Speaker 6: did she put this plan together? Because she wanted to 419 00:24:24,840 --> 00:24:28,400 Speaker 6: protect her own family? And if so, the irony is 420 00:24:28,560 --> 00:24:31,840 Speaker 6: if she's found guilty, because they're all being tried separately, 421 00:24:32,520 --> 00:24:35,200 Speaker 6: she may never cross paths with her husband or her 422 00:24:35,240 --> 00:24:36,280 Speaker 6: sons ever. 423 00:24:36,480 --> 00:24:42,280 Speaker 1: Again, you know, we obviously wanted to go back and 424 00:24:42,320 --> 00:24:44,760 Speaker 1: see what was the lead up, what brought us to 425 00:24:44,800 --> 00:24:47,920 Speaker 1: this point, and what was the intersection between the Rodent 426 00:24:47,960 --> 00:24:50,840 Speaker 1: family and the Wagner family. We got very curious about 427 00:24:50,840 --> 00:24:54,240 Speaker 1: the relationship between Jake Wagner and Hannah Rodin. Here's the 428 00:24:54,280 --> 00:24:56,880 Speaker 1: anonymous Wagner relative again, Jake. 429 00:24:58,200 --> 00:25:01,679 Speaker 13: She had got involved with with Hannah Roden. 430 00:25:02,320 --> 00:25:05,200 Speaker 1: Hannah Rodin is the middle Rodent child and murder victim. 431 00:25:05,560 --> 00:25:07,880 Speaker 1: She was found dead in bed next to her five 432 00:25:07,960 --> 00:25:11,320 Speaker 1: day old baby, Kylie. She shared a child with Jake Wagner, 433 00:25:11,520 --> 00:25:13,480 Speaker 1: a two and a half year old daughter named Sophia. 434 00:25:14,080 --> 00:25:17,520 Speaker 13: Eventually, you know, they had separated. In everything that they 435 00:25:17,560 --> 00:25:18,760 Speaker 13: had separated, I guess. 436 00:25:18,520 --> 00:25:22,399 Speaker 3: On five term. 437 00:25:22,440 --> 00:25:25,119 Speaker 1: It seemed that the demise of their relationship had sparked 438 00:25:25,160 --> 00:25:27,640 Speaker 1: an ugly custody battle surrounding Sophia. 439 00:25:28,280 --> 00:25:31,640 Speaker 13: Hannah she was, you know, refusing to allow him to 440 00:25:31,760 --> 00:25:35,320 Speaker 13: see her, to get her or any of the family 441 00:25:35,400 --> 00:25:38,439 Speaker 13: to see her, and so it kind of just it 442 00:25:38,520 --> 00:25:42,000 Speaker 13: got out of hand. At that point it just set 443 00:25:42,080 --> 00:25:47,000 Speaker 13: him off to the point where Jake he had made 444 00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:49,040 Speaker 13: the comments you know that he were going. 445 00:25:48,880 --> 00:25:51,080 Speaker 12: To kill her. 446 00:25:57,160 --> 00:26:02,400 Speaker 1: Next time on the Pikes and Massacre. Piked In Massacre 447 00:26:02,440 --> 00:26:05,960 Speaker 1: is executive produced by Stephanie Leidecker and me Courtney Armstrong. 448 00:26:06,440 --> 00:26:10,360 Speaker 1: Editing and sound designed by executive producer Jared Aston. Additional 449 00:26:10,440 --> 00:26:13,879 Speaker 1: producing by Jeff Shane and Andrew Becker. The piked In 450 00:26:13,960 --> 00:26:17,679 Speaker 1: Massacre is a production of iHeartRadio and Katie Studios. For 451 00:26:17,800 --> 00:26:21,840 Speaker 1: more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 452 00:26:21,880 --> 00:26:26,040 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.