George Wagner IV returns to the stand in Pike County murder trial
WAVERLY, Ohio – George Wagner IV wrapped up his testimony in his own defense about an hour Thursday morning in Pike County Common Pleas Court.
Special prosecutor Angela Canepa then questioned Wagner IV, starting with discrepancies between what Wagner IV told investigators in 2017 versus what he said on the stand and what other evidence shows.
Defense lawyer John P. Parker stunned the courtroom Wednesday morning when he called Wagner IV to testify. Wagner IV offered surprises of his own as he denied any and all involvement and knowledge about the 2016 homicides of seven members of Pike County’s Rhoden family and one future member.
More:Seven themes as defense takes over in Pike County murder trial
If he had known that his father, mother and younger brother were plotting to kill the Rhodens, he said under questioning, he would have intervened.
“I would have never let it happen,” he replied. “One way or another, I would not have let it happen.”
Wagner IV, 31, faces 22 counts including eight counts of aggravated murder in relation to the Rhoden killings. He will continue to answer his lawyer’s questions Thursday morning. After that, prosecutors will cross examine him.
Prosecutors called more than 50 witnesses to testify against Wagner IV. They rested their case last week, pending official entry of evidence. That process is still ongoing.
The defense earlier called nine witnesses.
Special Prosecutor Angela Canepa is telling the jury in #PikeCountyMassacre trial that what defendant #GeorgeWagnerIV told investigators when interviewed in 2017 is different than what he said yesterday and this morning on the stand about the 2016 killings. 1/8
— Patricia Gallagher Newberry (@pattinewberry) November 17, 2022
One key difference: On the stand, Wagner IV said he went to bed "at 10ish" the night of the crimes. In his 2017 interview with authorities, he said the family watched a bootlegged "fairy movie" together and he went to bed at 12:30 a.m. 2/8
— Patricia Gallagher Newberry (@pattinewberry) November 17, 2022
Wagner IV was also "adamant" in 2017, Canepa said, saying some 15 times that "there was no way that anyone left the house" without his knowledge. That's because his bedroom was on the first floor, next to a staircase up to the other two bedrooms in the home. 3/8
— Patricia Gallagher Newberry (@pattinewberry) November 17, 2022
On the stand, Wagner IV said he did not hear anyone coming and going after he went to bed the night of April 21, 2016. Seven members of the Rhoden family and one future member were found shot to death in their homes the next day. 4/8
— Patricia Gallagher Newberry (@pattinewberry) November 17, 2022
In the balance of her questions, Canepa sought to highlight differences between Wagner's testimony and earlier evidence/witnesses, related to his mother, brother, ex-wife, friends and other relatives. 5/8
— Patricia Gallagher Newberry (@pattinewberry) November 17, 2022
Canepa also homed in on Wagner IV's criminal activities. On the stand, he said his parents were serial arsonists and that his father taught him and his brother to pick locks, siphon fuel and steal semi-truck loads.6/8
— Patricia Gallagher Newberry (@pattinewberry) November 17, 2022
Today Wagner IV added illegal hunting to his list of crimes. He said he and uncle Chris Newcomb illegally hunted deer over night "thousands of times" in a ritual they called the Winter Olympics. 7/8
— Patricia Gallagher Newberry (@pattinewberry) November 17, 2022
Wagner IV also said he made money off illegal insurance claims. With the help of his grandma Ed Carter, he bought trucks for $500-$1000, stripped and sold their parts. The truck owners then told their insurance carriers that their vehicles were stolen, to escape car loans. 8/8
— Patricia Gallagher Newberry (@pattinewberry) November 17, 2022
The #PikeCountMassacre trial of #GeorgeWagnerIV reached a pivot point this afternoon, with both sides acknowledging they have no additional witnesses, but neither officially resting. (Photos by @Brooke_LaValley @DispatchAlerts) 1/14 pic.twitter.com/EFVjbqK1PQ
— Patricia Gallagher Newberry (@pattinewberry) November 17, 2022
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Pike County murder trial: George Wagner IV testifies for second day
