A person convicted within the killings of eight members of an Ohio household was sentenced Monday to life in jail with out the opportunity of parole.
George Wagner IV was sentenced after an emotional listening to at which the victims’ members of the family spoke of their devastation and grief, and urged the decide to indicate no mercy towards a person they referred to as evil and remorseless.
Wagner, 31, declined to make a press release in courtroom, and his lawyer stated he maintains his innocence.
Wagner denied any information of his household’s involvement within the 2016 shootings of seven adults and a youngster from the Rhoden household. Prosecutors stated a lot of the victims had been killed as they slept, in some circumstances subsequent to their very younger youngsters, who weren’t injured.
Authorities alleged Wagner, his brother and their dad and mom plotted the killings amid a dispute over custody of Wagner’s niece, whose mom was amongst these slain.
Robert McGraw / AP
The April 2016 shootings at three cell houses and a camper close to Piketon terrified residents in that a part of rural Ohio and initially prompted hypothesis about drug cartel involvement. The ensuing multimillion-dollar investigation and prosecution is among the many state’s most intensive.
Wagner was convicted on 22 counts, together with aggravated homicide. It was now not a loss of life penalty case as a result of his brother made a plea deal to testify towards the others and assist all 4 Wagners keep away from execution.
Prosecutors stated George Wagner reveals no regret and needs to be imprisoned with no likelihood of parole. They stated what he actually deserved was a loss of life sentence and that he was spared solely due to his brother’s actions, not his personal.
The prosecution alleged Wagner was together with his brother and father once they went to the houses, that he went inside, and that he helped his brother transfer two our bodies.
Wagner’s attorneys emphasised that he did not kill anybody and argued that denying him “a meaningful chance of parole” could be unconstitutional merciless and weird punishment.
They additionally requested a brand new trial. Judge Randy Deering denied that movement Monday.
Of the 4 defendants within the slayings, Wagner is the one one to face trial to this point.
His brother, Edward “Jake” Wagner, pleaded responsible to aggravated homicide and different fees, admitted accountability for 5 of the shootings, and is anticipated to spend the remainder of his life in jail.
Angela Wagner pleaded responsible to serving to to plan the slayings, and prosecutors advisable a 30-year sentence for her.
Her husband, George “Billy” Wagner III, pleaded not responsible within the killings and awaits trial.
The victims had been 40-year-old Christopher Rhoden Sr.; his ex-wife, 37-year-old Dana Rhoden; their three youngsters, 20-year-old Clarence “Frankie” Rhoden, 19-year-old Hanna Rhoden and 16-year-old Christopher Rhoden Jr.; Clarence Rhoden’s fiancee, 20-year-old Hannah Gilley; Christopher Rhoden Sr.’s brother, 44-year-old Kenneth Rhoden; and a cousin, 38-year-old Gary Rhoden.