The true story behind The Pike County murders

The Pike County Murders: A Family Massacre explores a gruesome crime that occurred on April 22, 2016, when eight members of the Rhoden family were discovered shot in the head, execution-style, across four properties in rural Piketon, Ohio. Dubbed the Pike County Massacre, the tragedy became Ohio's largest murder investigation, revealing a chilling web of family relationships, custody battles, and betrayal.

The victims, from a teenager to middle-aged adults, were found murdered in their homes, leaving behind three uninjured children and a shocked community. The case uncovered long-brewing tensions between the Rhoden family and the Wagner family, who were later indicted for the killings.

The case is featured in Oxygen's docuseries, The Pike County Murders: A Family Massacre, which is available on Peacock. The show examines the investigation and the psychological impact on the community.

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Real story behind The Pike County Murders: A Family Massacre

The Pike County Murders: A Family Massacre (Image via Unsplash/@Tsvetoslav Hristov)

During the night of April 22, 2016, eight members of the Rhoden family were found murdered in four homes around Piketon, Ohio, around 50 miles southeast of Columbus. The victims included Christopher Rhoden Sr., 40; his former wife, Dana Manley Rhoden, 37; their children, Hanna Rhoden, 19, Clarence "Frankie" Rhoden, 20, and Christopher Rhoden Jr., 16; Frankie's fiancée, Hannah Gilley, 20; Christopher Sr.'s brother, Kenneth Rhoden, 44; and cousin Gary Rhoden, 38, as per Oxygen.

All were shot execution-style, mostly while asleep, in a methodical attack. Three young children, including two infants, were left unharmed. The discovery began when Bobby Jo Manley, a relative, found bodies at Christopher Sr.’s home and called 911. Further searches revealed additional crime scenes, as per CNN.

Authorities discovered marijuana cultivation and cockfighting operations at some of the locations, but no direct link to the killings was confirmed. The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation led a massive probe, involving over 25 law enforcement officials, to uncover the perpetrators, according to WLWT 5.

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The investigation: Unraveling the motive behind The Pike County Murders

The Pike County Murders: A Family Massacre(Image via Unsplash/@David Montero)

The lack of witnesses, fingerprints, and DNA evidence posed challenges to the investigation, said then-Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine. Officials initially considered, then ruled out, the possibility of a murder-suicide, ultimately determining the killings were premeditated. Suspicion soon turned to the Wagner family, who were known as the Rhodens.

A key figure was Edward "Jake" Wagner, Hanna Rhoden's ex-boyfriend and the father of her 3-year-old daughter, as per WLWT 5. In order to gather information about the Wagners, who had relocated to Alaska, police searched a property that had once belonged to Jake in May 2017.

A breakthrough came when a Walmart receipt linked Angela Wagner to a pair of shoes that matched footprints found at the crime scenes. Wiretaps and surveillance, including bugged trucks, revealed incriminating conversations, according to Local 12.

By November 2018, Jake, his parents Angela and George “Billy” Wagner III, and brother George Wagner IV were arrested and charged with eight counts of aggravated murder. The motive centered on a custody dispute over Sophia, highlighting deep family tensions, as per NBC 4.

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The Aftermath: Trials and sentencing

The Pike County Murders: A Family Massacre (Image via Unsplash/@Wesley Tingey)

Jake Wagner avoided the death penalty in April 2021 by pleading guilty to all eight murders and other charges in exchange for testifying against his family members. He admitted to killing five of the victims, while his father was charged with the remaining murders. In January 2025, Jake was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 32 years, a reduced sentence because he cooperated, as per NBC4.

Angela Wagner, who pleaded guilty to tampering with evidence and conspiracy, received a 30-year sentence without parole in January 2025. George Wagner IV, convicted in 2022 on all 22 counts, was given a life sentence without parole. The final defendant, George "Billy" Wagner III, is scheduled to go on trial in 2025, with the death penalty taken off the table to prevent delays, according to NBC4.

Edited by Shubham Soni