Pike County murder trial: Watch Day 8 in court live

George Wagner IV, middle, is seen in court in Pike County on Monday, Sept. 12, 2022. Wagner faces multiple counts in the 2016 murders of eight members of the Rhoden family. LIVE FEED PHOTO/WCPO

George Wagner IV, middle, is seen in court in Pike County on Monday, Sept. 12, 2022. Wagner faces multiple counts in the 2016 murders of eight members of the Rhoden family. LIVE FEED PHOTO/WCPO

WAVERLY — Testimony in the trial of a man accused of murdering eight people in Pike County on April 22, 2016 continues today, with the agent who lead the investigation at one of four different crime scenes discovered that day.

George Wagner IV — along with his mother Angela, father George “Billy” Wagner and brother Edward “Jake” Wagner — is accused of shooting and killing the Rhoden family members “execution-style.” The family’s bodies were found on April 22, 2016. He faces eight charges of aggravated murder, along with other charges associated with tampering with evidence, conspiracy and forgery.

WATCH LIVE: Opening statements begin in Pike County murder trial. NOTE: Camera and audio may occasionally drop during the stream. Per judge’s order, witnesses may opt out of being recorded during this trial.

Found dead that day were 40-year-old Christopher Rhoden Sr., 37-year-old Dana Rhoden, 20-year-old Hannah “Hazel” Gilley, 16-year-old Christopher Rhoden Jr., 20-year-old Clarence “Frankie” Rhoden, 37-year-old Gary Rhoden, 19-year-old Hanna May Rhoden, and 44-year-old Kenneth Rhoden.

The trial is the first time a person has faced a jury for the deaths of the Rhoden family six years ago.

Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation agent Todd Fortner began testifying Tuesday about the second crime scene, where Frankie Rhoden and Hannah Hazel Gilley were found dead, their months-old baby lying unharmed between them.

“The infant was in bed between them, covered in blood,” said Fortner.

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