George Wagner found guilty of aggravated murder
WAVERLY, Ohio (WKRC) - After one full day of deliberating, the jury in the George Wagner trial reached a verdict. They found Wagner guilty in the murders of seven members of the Rhoden family and Hannah Gilley in April 2016.
Jurors had to decide whose testimony to believe, George Wagner's testimony or the testimony of his brother, Jake, and mother, Angela.
Jake and Angela said George was involved in the planning, the murders and the cover-up, although Jake said George never killed anyone.
George claimed he first learned of his family's involvement in the Pike County massacre when they were all arrested in November 2018.
In the end, jurors believed Angela and Jake, as well as the experts and the evidence presented during the trial.
A number of family members of the victims were in court to hear the verdict.
Those victims were:
- Christopher Rhoden, 40
- Dana Manley Rhoden, 37
- Clarence "Frankie" Rhoden, 20
- Hanna May Rhoden, 19
- Christopher Rhoden Jr., 16
- Hannah "Hazel" Gilley, 20
- Kenneth Rhoden, 44
- Gary Rhoden, 38
Wagner will be sentenced later in December.
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