Ties that Bind

whying on? I said, because his mom is very control waying. Please join hands. From what we hear, the relationship was intense. It sounded like the half fields of numbercois taken to the nth degree. So long as you both shouted. Four members of the Wagner family have been charged with eight counts of aggravated murder. I have never encountered queer an entire family is accused of the mass murder of another family. Is something so horrific has occurred, and it's almost beyond explanation.

When I look at one particular picture from the wedding day, it's impossible to believe that nearly half of the people are dead and half are accused of their murders. This is the piked in Massacre. Season two returned to Pike County. Episode one, Ties That Bind. I'm Courtney Armstrong, a television producer at Katie Studios with Stephanie Lydecker and Jeff Shane. On the morning of April twenty second, twenty sixteen, authorities found eight members of the Rodent family brutally gunned down

across four different crime scenes in Pike County, Ohio. Two years later, in November of twenty eighteen, four members of the Wagner family were arrested for murders. It was a gruesome crime that shocked the nation. We've been following the Roden family murder case since we made a documentary about it a few years ago. We were in the middle of producing season two of this podcast when we suddenly learned of a shocking development that none of us were expecting.

The fifth anniversary of the murders, our social media folks started hearing people posting, Hey, there's a hearing fan. You got to be there. There might be something big going down. BCI has told the Roden family to be at the Pike County Courthouse at one thirty for a hearing breaking news to night shocking new developments from Pike County. On April twenty second, of two and sixteen, eight members of the Roden family were found dead at four different properties.

Investigation lasted nearly two years before authorities arrested Jane Wagner along with several members of his fan A lot of people care about it, a lot of people know about it, and a lot of people are talking about it. Today, on Thursday, April twenty second, twenty twenty one, the five year anniversary of the murders, we sat at our computers watching a live stream from the Pike County Courthouse, and there he was, Jake Wagner, flanked by his two attorneys,

as Judge Randy Deering entered the courtroom. Thank you for the record. Identify myself with Rob Pike Canty, crossecutor. I'm here on behalf of the State of Ohio. On State of Ohio versus Edward J. Wager, and that would be Pike County Common Police School's case twenty eighteen CR. I

wanted to be four if you want. The court ra noted Dave marks the fifth anniversary of the homicides of eight members of the roots manilies and Gilly families, and as it is the fifth anniversary, this is a periory ton of horse that we have preached an agreement with

this defendant, Edward D. Wagner, to resolve this case. Prosecutor Rob Junk listed off the names of each Slane member of the Ruden family, Christopher Rudden, Scene, Gary Ruden, Clarence Frankie Ruden, Kenneth Ruden, Hannah Gilly, Dana Manley, Hannah Rud and Christopher ridden Junior. When Judge Deering asked Jake how he pled to each aggravated murder charge, he replied with one simple phrase, I am jilt. We've realized that this whole case had blown open and we'd be following in

real time. We immediately got on the phone with some of the journalists and experts that have been covering the case. The closest across the board. There was one pretty consistent reaction, absolutely stunned. I mean, honestly, you could have knocked me over with a feather. I didn't see it coming. When we heard the judge say, I understand you're here to make it agree me, and we're like, oh my gosh, this is huge. I was really surprised, especially as long

and hard as they fought it. It was a total shock. I was sitting in a restaurant when I got the call, and I almost fell out of the booth. After all of these years, that somebody is going to suddenly say, yeah, you know, I know. We've you know, several times over the last five years, we've vehemently denied any involvement in this and acted offended, and then all of a sudden, like,

oh yeah, well, one of them changed their minds. It was a little bit stunning, but it was Jake, because everybody who's really covered this piece closely thought if anybody wavered, it would have been George. Our first question, why did Jake Wagner finally break I don't know that any of us would know. Is he going to tell us? Why? Why would you make this deal? Was he doing this to save their lives or was he just turning on them?

I can't say for sure. Is there a likelihood that the other family members will plead out, I mean, that's entirely possible. Just weeks before the hearing, we had received a photo from Pike County native Christina, her sister Tabitha was once married to the eldest accus son, George Wagner. In light of Jake's please deal, the image is nothing short of chilling. We posted on our Instagram at Katie

Underscore Studios. It's a picture of both the Roden and Wagner families gathered together to celebrate George and Tabitha's wedding back in twenty twelve. Looking at it, it's impossible to imagine that, aside from the bride, half the people pictured would be dead, the other half accused of their murders. Yet here they are embracing in happier times. At the left of the photo is Jake Wagner, the youngest accused

son who we just heard plead guilty. He's smiling, his right hand resting on his accused mother, Angela Wagner's arm. Standing behind them at six foot six is Jake's accused father, Billy Wagner, noticeably emotionless. Standing next to Billy Wagner in the photo is father and victim Chris Roden. Senior family friends. Stefan remembers Chris's expert craftsmanship and genuine kindness. He as

an amazing carpenter. His imagination. If they said money's no object, you would be amazed at the things that he could do and you couldn't ask for a better person. Coroner, distinguished Professor and criminal forensic expert Joseph Morgan tried to make sense of the Rodent murders, starting with father and family patriarch Chris Senior. Some of this will be hard to hear, particularly if you're personally connected to the tragedy, but it's important to understand the magnitude of what happened

that night. He was shot nine times. Now, for me, as a forensic investigator, I would look at that and I would deem that as overkill. And you know, why would somebody need to be shot nine times. They're saying that there's evidence that he attempted or reacted at least to the point where he raised his arm his right form and it shattered one of the bones. When you've got an individual that has gotten defensive, that person has an awareness, so that goes to a level of callousness

that that's Roses too. Standing just in front of Chris Senior in the wedding photo with his father's arm draped around his shoulder is the youngest Roden victim sixteen year old Chris Junior, affectionately called Little Chris. Brittany was Chris Junior's best friend. Well, Chris, he taught me how to love life. You know, look at life differently. I can't explain that like it makes you will to cry. Roden family members spoke to reporters about Chris Junior soon after

the murders. Christopher get to go to prom. You just kind of driver, super so he's sixteen years old. He had a whole life. Sixteen year old Chris Junior was shot four toms, including twice in the time off of his head. He was sound wished behind his bed, implying that he was trying to hide from the killer. Killers. Just in back of Chris Junior and the photo stands his older brother, twenty year old victim Frankie Roden. Christina

knew Frankie growing up. Frankie he was the kind of guy like he did a first sure hunting fisher and all that. But he did like Derby's bad working on carters and stuff. That was his passion. Frankie Rodin was engaged to victim Hannah Gilly, not pictured just before the murders. The couple had had their first child together. They're six month old, and Frankie's three year old son were left

alive at the scene. Frankie and Hannah they did want more children than you know, they had a bright future and just oh it just it just hurts my heart to think that, you know, they'll never get to go on with their future plans. You know, twenty year old Frankie Rodin was shot Thoms in the head miss He lay in bed next to his fiance and they're six month old. We talked about Hannah and Gillie Hayes shot

five Toms. She catches one in the eye. It poses this idea, why are you shooting these people in the face. What's the purpose of it? Because not only shoe him in the flacier, shoe him multiple times? What thread did she pos she's laying there was her child in the bed. To the right of the group photograph, we see the two newlyweds, the accused eldest son, George Wagner, and his new bride smiling excitedly. We believe that Dana, victim and matriarch of the road and family, was behind the camera

taking the photo. Christina remembered Dana Road in that day in twenty twelve. She seemed pretty bubbly. You know, she's get along with her family. I've seen her laugh and with the most ways. She's going around taking pictures of everything. Dana Roden and Chris Roden Senior were married for thirteen years. Even though they divorced, they remained friends. In fact, Dana lived just down the road in a home that Chris Senior had purchased for her. Two weeks before their murders.

She had just returned home from a double shift at her job as a nurse that fateful night. Here is Stefanne, one of Dana Roden's closest friends. She was such a good person, but you know, she would fight for her family. She would literally fight for her family. And goodhearted, a lot of fun, you know, always laughing, cracking up. Yeah, from why we hear she was like really strong willed and really smart. Yeah, she sure was. She she was a very very good person. She's very smart. She again,

like Chris Senior, was shot multiple toms. And not only was she shot multiple tims, but specifically reports have her having been shot five tims four times cool tims in the head. Now, why the hell, would you shoot somebody four times in the head, because you know one should suffice. But the shooter took the top to take that muzzle of that weapon. Stick it beneath Dana's chin. Stick it beneath her chin. Now, this is a common location for suicide,

all right, this is atypical for homicide. Victim Gary Rodin, Chris Senior's cousin, also not pictured, was a beloved member of the family. By all accounts, Gary and Chrissior were very close. Here's Angeanette Levy. She's an Emmy nominated Ohio reporter who has been covering the case since the beginning. Gary just happened to be at Chris's home that night.

He was actually from Kentucky, so you know, he didn't even live in the area or the neighborhood, but you know, lived close enough to where he was staying with Chris

that evening. We do know that the shooter was very close to Gary when they fired, because they talk about what is referred to as a press contact bench at one and if our listeners will essentially take your index finger, okay, and point it towards the palm of your hand and extend the tip of your finger maybe I don't know, probably about half an inch away from the surface of your palm. That's kind of what we would refer to

as a contact moon. And what that means is that you're going to have, you know, the bullet's not the only thing coming out of the end of the weapon. You're going to have the fire that actually the ignition of the bullet and the round. You'll have this burning the powder that's coming out. You'll have unburned powder that's coming out. So this is a very intimate event. Kenneth Roden, Christina's brother, who was also missing from the photo, was

not with the family that day. He was, you know, a great father and he would do anything for anybody. You've got Kenneth who was actually again shot in face, and not only was he shot and facing, was shot in the eye. You know, what does it say that they would take the time and put themselves in a position where they could be face to face with Kenneth. He was found covered with dollar bills that were streamed about his body. He's just god, I mean, he can't

he can't make this. Up Standing front and center in the picture is then fifteen year old victim Hannah Rodin. She's in a black bridesmaid's dress and leans in close to her boyfriend accused younger son, Jake Wagner. Their child together would eventually become the alleged center point of this crime. They had been dating for a few years when the photo was taken, and appeared very happy. Jake Wagner was Hannah Roden's first love. Christina told us things between them,

we're getting serious. I heard Hannah Jake like talking about how good then pretty Tabby and George's wedding was that they hoped whenever they get married that it'll be pretty like that and all that good stuff. Brittany was also friends with Hannah. She was great, She was funny. She was really funny. She was really really nice. She knew everyone, Everyone knew her, and she just like talked to everyone. She wasn't stuck up or anything like that. And she

lived life to the fullest. Prior to the murder, Hannah Rodin had broken up with Jake Wagner. She had started dating someone new, and the pair had a baby together that she gave birth to four days before the murders. Hannah rod She was shot twice in the head as her four day old newborn laid beside her, maybe there curled in a fetal posture, along with her baby, just curled in a fetal posture. Mama was slowly stroking the head of the baby, try to, you know, calm suit

the baby during the night. Maybe she awakes, some breastfeeds the baby during the night while she's sleeping. It's a position people will slept in for thousands and thousands of years. It's a position of comfort. Imagine you're laying there, you're there to protect your baby, and you're curled up on your side. There's an awareness. The only people left alive were three children, Hannah's forty old infant, Frankie's five year old son from a previous relationship, and the six month

old baby he shared with his fiancee, Hannah Gilly. The choice to spare the children lived investigators perplexed. Here's James Pilcher. He's an on air reporter for Local twelve News in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a longtime investigative journalist in the area. Usually when you have a mass shooting or a mass murder, everybody's killed. So to see that three kids, all under the age of three years old, some infants were left unharmed next to their parents who were shot dead, very very unusual.

Soon after the murders, members of the Rodent family the statement to the local media pleading for help and finding their family's killers. We know what follows is difficult listening, but we want to acknowledge the pain. The entire surviving Rodent family has gone through a lots of people. They lose one family member, and when you lose eight, nobody has any idea what we've been through our lives as right now. They'll never be safe. They stole so much

from us. The killers stole so much. They stole their lives that they stole ours to because we live with it every day. Met my brothers, who are good people. They would do anything to help you. Dana was a wonderful person. She always try to help do stuff. From my mom, from Frankie, his fiance Hannah. They we're taken away from their kids. They were taken away from us. My niece Hannah May, she had a baby that I haven't even got to meet. The Gillies, Gary's mom and dad.

They only know what we are all going through, and I know that in their hearts, in their minds, they're hoping and praying every day just like we are, that whoever did this will be brought to justice. Looking back at the wedding photo, what's hard to wrap our heads around is that all the players are in this one picture Christina gave us. There. They are the Wagners and the road and smiling together. And just years later, in November twenty eighteen, the Wagner family would be arrested for

the murders of the Rodents. We promised that the day would come when the arrest would be made in the Pike County massacres today or that day. Billy Wagner, his wife Angela, and their two sons, George and Jake, are accused of multiple counts of murder. Billy, Angela, George, and

Jake Wagner were all charged with eight counts of aggravated murder. Additionally, Angela Wagner's mother, Rita Newcombe, and Billy's mother Frederica Wagner were accused of perjury and obstructing justice for allegedly misleading investigators. Angela's mother, Rita Newcombe, was also charged with forge and custody documents to cover up the crimes. What was surprising was that you had these two grandmothers arrested, Frederico Wagner

and then Angela Wagner's mother, Rina Newcomb. You had two grandmothers being charged with helping to cover up these crimes. Because then it your mind kind of goes wild. You naturally think, well, did they know before it happened? You know, if you're alleging they were part of a cover up. What happened, though, Rita Joe Nukam reached a plea deal in which the bulk of the charges were dismissed and

the charges against Frederica Wagner were eventually dropped. The suspicion around the family grew, and the ties that bound the Wagners and the Rodents came into focus. We're going to take a quick break here. We'll be back in a moment. We talked earlier about the baby Hannah Rodin and Jake Wagner had together in twenty thirteen. The couple and their daughter split time between the rod and the Wagner households.

For everyone involved, the situation worked well. However, when the couple broke up in twenty fifteen, the families became bitter rivals. But when that news broke that they were were actually being indicted and charged. I felt like this must have been something personal. The animosity let authorities to pinpoint one

salient motive in the case. They say that the Wagners were obsessed with custody and really obsessed with their bloodline, custody of the daughter that Hannah Rodin shared with Jake Wagner. The prosecution says that was the heart of the motive in this case. They wanted soul custody and they weren't going to stop until they got it. Investigative reporter Jodi

Barr was shocked by these allegations. I have never encountered this in my fifteen years of journalism, where an entire family is accused of the mass murder of another family over what's presumably, if we're to believe the prosecution and the investigation, over custody of children. I think that was the toughest part for me personally, was dealing with what happens to those kids, and then it comes out later this was all about the kids and there was a

fight over the kids. That was that was troubling to me personally, Like who would do that to have custody and to be able to love and nurture or child and yet have that act of violence within themselves to do that on their behalf. Those are two things that I just can't rectify in my mind. It's human nature to ask why why would someone perpetrate something so horrific? Think about what that means. We're going to eradicate you

off the face of the planet. That's that's well, that's that's so on a biblical scale, when you begin to think of, by God, we're going to make sure that they're not just dead there Julius Caesar dead. After their arrest, the Wagners continue to maintain their innocence and their family was with them every step of the way. Here's grandmother, Frederica Wagner, responded to reporters when asked if she thought her family was involved in the Roden murders. Absolutely, not

anywhere near that. Like said, in the two years since the arrest, most have considered the Wagners as the most likely suspects in the Roden murders. It appeared that they were a very close group who discreetly planned this massacre for months. But at the same time, it's just beyond

the pail to kill an entire family over custody. And now after Jake Wagner's bombshell plea deal, we wondered was the Wagner bond breaking the Waggoners were a cult like family, and if what the Waggoners are accused of doing to the Rodents, I mean they're accused of doing this together. They're accused of trying to cover it up together as

a family. And the old cliche blood is thicker than water. Well, cult like I don't know what the problem ability of in a cult one telling on another, especially with the consequences that would come down if one Wagoner told on another and you know, one went to prison. You know, if the state had to depend on one Waggoner telling on another, the chances of that happening are likely not

very good. Now, finally, there may be some answers, you know, who went into what home, who died first, why they died, you know, why they chose to spare the children. So I would just hope we get to hear finally from someone, at least in Jake Wagner's case, I mean, where's the remorse? You know, is there remorse from what happened? And if not, man this is again, if there's a level beyond cold blooded evil, If there is a level beyond that, I think we have seen it. I don't know that we

know what to call it. In all, Jake Wagner pled guilty to all eight aggravated murder charges as well as to fifteen other criminal accounts that included conspiracy, aggravated burglary, and tampering with evidence. He also named his father Billy, his mother Angela, and brother George Wagner as co conspirators. In exchange for his plea, the death sentence was taken off the table for him and the rest of his family. But perhaps what's most shocking is that Jake is actually

going to testify against all of his family members. It seems, at the bare minimum, there's not a Wagner that's stepping out of prison anytime soon. The following is real time audio from the courtroom when the prosecution laid out the

charges against Shake Wagner. The information that Jake provided clearly intreated he and each members of his family, to include Billy, Angeli and enjoyed Wagner as being guilty of all accounts contained lean ditements filed in this manner based on the frutality of the information now known about the state, including the fourth right statements of the We have overwhelming evidence that the defendant and the three co defendant members of

his family are in fact responsible for planning and carrying out the homicides. Jake admitted that in the lake evening hours of April twenty first, two thousand and sixteen into the early morning hours of Abel twenty second, two sixteen,

is when they committed these homicides. We know that they trespassed into each of the four residents where the victims were found with the intent to kill them, and that they were armed for firearms, at least two of which had homing silencers fixed to them when they did so. We know that they inspired together and planned these homicides for the months that led up to the offenses, and that if all four co defendants took part of that, as well as making various purchases to accomplish their goal.

We know that they removed the phones of all the two of the victims and cameras and other surveillance equipment of the victims in order to avoid detection. Jake also admitted to personally killing five members of the rodents himself

though the victims were unnamed at this point. As noted, Driver the defendant had in essence confess and apologize for committing these offenses with his family and numbers, and admits to personally causing the death by the aid victims and either committing all of the other offenses contained in the indictment directly or by being complicit in them. It was also noted that Wagner provided investigators with information that led to the recovery of the weapons and vehicles used in

the murders. Most recently, Your Honor, the State set down with Jake Wagner, who has provided the State with many more details of regarding these offenses, some of which were very consistent with what the State are wed to view and with the evidence that had already been collected. Some of the information information, however, that was provided by Jake,

who was new. In addition to the information that Jake provided us, what he told us led us to discover some evidence that had yet to been recovered, specifically the weapons that were used in these offenses, along with vehicles that were used during these offenses, including one that the Box specifically to use. The Knight of the Homicides only

though Jake was spared the death penalty. Prosecutors pulled no punches with his sentence, saying, as part of this plea, the state is agreed to dismiss the death specif occasion in exchange the defendant in the state making joint recommendation to the court with the defendive receeve eight consecutive life without coal sentences for his pleas and guilty to counsel one proving in the indictment. Jake's lawyers responded, We're fully

satisfied and gone eyes wide open into disagreement. He knows he's going to die in prison without any judicial release, and as he just said it, and I appreciate it's kinda of mentioning it, and as I'm sure he'll say more when the day's sentencing arrives. As horrifying as this is for all, he is as sorry as he One

moment from the court proceedings stood out to us. When the judge was running through each victim and got to Hannah Rodin, it was impossible not to notice when Jake Wagner had an audible pause and a noticeable what do you make of the smirk when he is cleaning guilty he kind of smiled. I don't know if you noticed that. Oh I sure did. That's Mike Allen. He's a former prosecutor and now a criminal defense attorney in Ohio. He's been covering the case for years. I don't know how

you could work up a smile. I don't care what you're thinking for something like that. What does that say about Jay Quackback. I mean, he's got a depraved mind. Anybody that could do that, it would not meet obviously the legal definition of sanity. But you know there's something wrong with him that you can be that cold to go about doing that. I mean, really, that's all I

can say. I've been at this stuff for a long time and I've never seen one, just as I guess the word it comes in my mind as hardcore as this. Whenever I've seen a little part where he was like confessing to Hannah and he was trying to hold back a laugh or so, I'm like, Okay, I don't know if your horns are showering or if you're just kind of like one of those awkward laugh There was a

different reaction when Hannah's name came up. Maybe his reaction was like that, because like he personally killed her or something. Ohio Governor Mike Dwine, who presided over the investigation as Attorney General, was at the Pike County Courthouse as Jake's hearing unfolded. Well, we've all read or heard of the book in cold Blood. This was cold, cold, cold blood.

I mean, this was calculated, planned out, and then it just you know, I mean, it just chills you to think about the calculation that goes into something like this. Five years ago today I was here and we met with family members in the church. I committed to them that we would find who did this and that we would bring them to justice. There was a lot of justice done today, and there was a collective sigh of relief from locals in southern Ohio. Pike County resident Barbe

explained her initial shock. I can't imagine that he would admit to murdering eight people, and if he didn't really do it, he said guilty. I thought, are you lying? What are you? What are you doing? You know? But then I thought, oh my god, I just it blew my mind. Brittany tried to come to terms with the news. I'm just focusing on the good and a good thing happened today, and I know that there in heaven looking down and just thinking how stupid the wageners are thinking

they would get away with it. Christina put the day's events and perhaps the most poetic way possible. Justice to me and karma is a bit turn. It catches up with everybody. Eventually. You can run all you want, but you'll never outrun. We're going to take a quick break here. We'll be back in a moment. The question remains, why

did you do this? Now? He was doing it to keep himself from getting the death sentence and pretty much powing on the rest of his family like, yeah, I'm gonna drive you guys down, but I'm gonna save my butt from yeah again the best friend. Was he pleading guilty to save himself or his family? The family has done nothing but fight, fight, fight, and profess their innocence

in this whole time. And you know, I thought that they would fight this to the bitter end and ticket to trial and see what they could do a trial. So now you know, if Billy the controlling figure or Mom the controlling figure and doesn't around, Jake's there to think for himself. He apparently, you know, has information on a lot of them, and yes he did throw them under the bus, but perhaps he saved their lives. What's

in store for Jake's co conspirators. None of the other Wagners have pleaded guilty, so what could we see if they go to trial. I just think for a family that was so united and you know, did things like take votes on finances and wild nights and children, I mean they were they lived, you know, as one unit, the prosecution has said in court papers. And these people did nothing without consulting the other. This is a massive break,

a massive shift. It's like a like a huge creator in the middle of the Wagner family kind of the united side. He is going to testify against his family members. Now, I mean, I don't know of I don't know of anybody in Hollywood that could write a better script than that. You know, how compelling is that? Something that has this kind of gothic undertone to it? You know, in rural America, where these individuals are going to, you know, come forward

and and stand and stare at him. You think about staring into the eyes of your kin folks across the room as you're sitting in the dock there and you're looking at them straight in the eyes, and people that you've spent Thanksgivings with Christmases, you know these moments throughout your life, and you're looking at them, and you're potentially sending them to the proverbial gallows by virtue of what

you're going to say. But what happens if the other three Wagners reached plea deals as well, if any other guilty plea in this case ends the way Jake Wagner's ended, we still may not know exactly why this happened. It seemed like the impossible murder. And you go back to April twenty sixteen and a month after I mean, everyone had assumed that this was a drug cartel hit. It fit. It made sense. The only way this could happen is a highly skilled, trained assassin would come in and pull

this off and get away with it. I want to know exactly what happened that night, you know, how did they get in the homes? We know the end, We've got some idea what happened in the middle, But I think I want to know about the beginning. You know, was this truly about custody? You know, I would just like to know, you know, exactly why from Jake Wagner, When did the switch flip to where the only resolution to whatever was going on between him and the Rodents at that point was to go and kill them all

makes absolutely no sense. One thing is certain. There's only more bombshells to come. We will be tracking the case in real time as they develop, and it proves that the investigators and the prosecutors did their job. It was the biggest murder case in the history of the state, and they got their man. The relationship fractured, however you want to describe it. You know, there's no turning back

to this family now. The prosecution now holds all the cards, and it seems justice has begun to be served now three more Wagners to The piked In Massacre Returned to Pike County is executive produced by Stephanie Lydecker and me Courtney Armstrong, editing and sound designed by executive producer Jared Aston. Additional producing by Jeff Shane, Andrew Becker and Chris Graves. The piked In Massacre Returned to Pike County is a

production of iHeartRadio and Katie Studios. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.