Information hotline
Rhoden family members asked anyone with information or tips that could lead to an arrest of the person or persons involved in the slayings to call 1-855-BCI-OHIO.
A standing-room-only crowd gathered Tuesday at the Dry Run Church of Christ for an emotional funeral service for six members of the Rhoden family who were killed in their homes last month.
David Dickerson, a victims advocate for the Pike County Prosecutor’s Office, said outside the church that the surviving family members were “beyond devastation.”
“Extremely somber, probably the most emotional thing I’ve ever experienced in my life,” said Dickerson, who met briefly with members of the media stationed across the street from the church.
“It was that emotional and it’s to be expected. … Hopefully soon some healing will begin. I hope soon, for their sake. They’re a very loving and tight family.”
Mark Seevers, Dry Run’s minister, said the church could comfortably seat about 480 people. He said he fielded a call last week from the Roger W. Davis Funeral Home about hosting the service.
“Even though the Rhoden family are not members of our congregation, we wanted to be of service to our community and be of help to them at this time of great tragedy,” Seevers said. “The southern Ohio community is a close-knit family, and even though it’s 20 to 30 minutes away it has rocked our entire community.
“Everyone is grieving and is in mourning. Such a sorrowful tragedy.”
The funeral procession to nearby Scioto Burial Park was led by a sheriff’s deputy and included seven Cadillac hearses — the lead vehicle driven by the funeral home’s Scott Davis.
Following the sheriff’s deputy were seven motorcycles from the Red Knights Motorcycle Club, a group of firefighters. That group is holding a poker run and auction Saturday to benefit the Rhoden family. The event starts at 10 a.m. at Piketon High School.
Dickerson relayed the first public statement from surviving members of the Rhoden family:
“They sincerely thank everyone, and I mean everyone, for their continued thoughts and prayers,” Dickerson read. “The family would also like to thank the media for their privacy and showing so much remorse for the family. Lastly, we’d like to thank everyone for their continued thoughts and prayers.”
Those buried Tuesday were Christopher Rhoden Sr., 40; Dana Rhoden, 37; Clarence “Frankie” Rhoden, 20; Hanna Rhoden, 19; Christopher Rhoden Jr., 16; and Kenneth Rhoden, 44.
Among the songs played at the funeral service was “Go Rest High on the Mountain” by Vince Gill. That song also was played last week at the funerals for Gary Rhoden, 38; and Hannah Gilley, 20. They also were among the victims of the April 22 execution-style shootings west of Piketon.
A benefit for Gilley is being held Saturday at Beril’s Bar & Grill in Piketon. Proceeds will go toward burial expenses and to her orphaned child.
Members of the community are still looking for answers after the murders rocked the region.
“I don’t think (the funeral) is gonna help anything,” said Patty Hammond of Piketon. She was a Facebook friend of Dana Rhoden.
“Nothing’s gonna help until they find out who done this,” she added. “Some people are still scared; they don’t understand how a tragedy like this could happen in our area.”
People in Piketon say they stand behind the family, though they fear the public’s focus on what investigators called marijuana grow operations at three of the four crime scenes is lessening the urgency of solving the crimes.
“All you are seeing is about the marijuana,” said David Entler, 30, as he sat at Ritchie’s Backyard BBQ in Piketon on Monday night. “That’s taking all the support away from the investigation.”
The investigation is ongoing, and a spokeswoman for Attorney General Mike DeWine confirmed Tuesday that investigators were towing vehicles from the various crime scenes as evidence.
Some think that Cincinnati restaurateur Jeff Ruby was prompted to cancel a $25,000 reward for information leading to the killer because of the marijuana connection. Investigators won’t say if the drugs are related to a possible motive.
“That could’ve been a big help for us to find out who did it,” Entler said.
Staff writer Josh Sweigart contributed to this report.
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