Four members of one family have been charged with the "meticulously planned" massacre of eight members of another family in the US.
George Wagner III, Angela Wagner and their sons George Wagner IV and Edward Wagner are accused of killing seven members of the Rhoden family plus one of their fiancées.
They are each charged with eight counts of aggravated murder and could face the death penalty if found guilty.
Police found the eight bodies at four separate homes on April 22nd 2016.
Investigators said most of the victims were murdered as they slept – while three young children who were at home during the attacks were left unharmed.
The suspects – a husband, wife, and their two adult sons - are now charged with killing eight people: seven members of the #RhodenFamily and the fiancée of one of the victims. We will release more information later today. #PikeCounty pic.twitter.com/IKf6luYSXQ
— Ohio AG Mike DeWine (@OhioAG) November 13, 2018
“We promised the victims' families that the day would come when this case would be solved, and today is that day,” said Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine.
“The indictments allege that these suspects developed a calculated plan to execute the victims in the middle of the night and then carefully cover their tracks.
“Their alleged plan was sophisticated, but not sophisticated enough for our team of investigators and prosecutors.”
The suspects were arrested yesterday on foot of Grand Jury indictments filed earlier this week.
The arrests came days after authorities confirmed the existence of a homemade firearm silencer the prosecutors believed was built by the Wagners.
The family are facing a series of charges alongside the main aggravated murder indictments.
The charges include conspiracy, engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, tampering with evidence, unlawful possession of a dangerous ordinance, forgery, unauthorized use of property, interception of wire, oral, or electronic communications, obstructing justice, and aggravated burglary.
Our investigation alleges that the suspects studied the victims’ habits and routines. They knew the layouts of their homes. And they knew where they slept. #PikeCounty pic.twitter.com/y5ACfvbQHq
— Ohio AG Mike DeWine (@OhioAG) November 13, 2018
Mr DeWine said the accused “knew the layouts of the Rhodens' homes and they knew the victims' routines.”
“It is our belief that the suspects used this knowledge to meticulously plan these horrendous, cold-blooded murders," he said.
Mr DeWine said the crime was motivated by a child custody dispute, but didn't elaborate.
Jake Wagner is also charged with unlawful sexual conduct with a minor for having sexual contact with Hanna May Rhoden when she was 15 years old and he was 20 years old.
He is the father of her older daughter.
#BREAKING: Following an extensive investigation by my office’s #OhioBCI and the #PikeCounty Sheriff’s Office, we have arrested four people accused of the murders of eight people in Pike County on April 22, 2016. #Ohio pic.twitter.com/dyf5qk86jX
— Ohio AG Mike DeWine (@OhioAG) November 13, 2018
Pike County Sheriff Charles Reader said he “made a promise to the victims’ families and to the people of Pike County that we would solve this, no matter how long it took.”
“I want to thank Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and his team for their continued commitment to this case,” he said.
“It’s been tough to be patient at times, but we kept our eye on the goal – justice for the victims.”
Officials accused the Wagners of an elaborate cover-up, including tampering with cell phones and security camera footage.
"They did this quickly, coldly, calmly and very carefully. But not carefully enough," said Sheriff Reader.
"They left traces. They left a trail: The parts to build a silencer, the forged documents, the cameras, the cellphones, all that they tampered with, and the lies, all the lies they told us."
Two other people were also arrested today in connection with the alleged cover-up of the #PikeCounty homicides. Anglea Wagner's mother, Rita Newcomb, and Billy Wagner's mother, Fredericka Wager. pic.twitter.com/WRuagVXMAB
— Ohio AG Mike DeWine (@OhioAG) November 13, 2018
Police also arrested Rita Newcomb, identified as Angela Wagner's mother, and Fredericka Wagner, George Wagner III's mother.
They are accused of helping with the cover-up.
