The series contains adult language and descriptions of graphic violence throughout Listener discretion is advised. Calorie Audio Welcome to the Pink Moon Murders, a production of I Heart Radio and Cavalry Audio. Episode eight, They will have to kill me first? Can you tell us? Um? Were you aware? Why can't they left? Um? Jay? Domestic violence issues between Jacob alving her? Okay? And you observe specific communications about that. Yes, she made it away, she made people aware of it. And um. Did she also make comments about the Wagner family as a whole being controlling? Yes, that was Special Agent Ryan Scheiderer of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, testifying on August one at the Pike County Courthouse. Special Prosecuting Attorney Angela Kneppa was questioning him during a hearing in which George Wagner, the fourth attorney, argued for him to be released on bail. George had been sitting in jail since November, when he, his brother Jake, and their mom Angela and dad Billy were arrested and each was charged with eight counts of aggravated murder with death penalty specifications for killing seven rodents and a young woman who was engaged to become one. As with his relatives, George's bail had automatically been denied during arraignment because of the severity of the charges. Then the Wagners waved their right to a speedy trial, and COVID nineteen plus a massive amount of evidence to analyze, added delays. So after almost two years, George was tired of being locked up without being convicted. He felt he should be free until his criminal trial starts, whenever that will be in jail. He was having difficulty reading his Bible. His attorney had claimed. The hearing lasted more than two hours, and as I sat in the courthouse, I heard surprise after surprise regarding evidence and relationships. This hearing was more informative than the others I attended, and more detailed than the court filings I read. Throughout it, George sat still in stoic, showing emotion only by flexing his forehead muscles. He looked scared, as if he knew he was going to prison for the rest of his life and maybe even to Hell. Of course, Ohio might execute him at some point. George's attorney, Richard Nash Jr. Argued there wasn't enough evidence for keeping him jailed. That was expected, but it was shocking when he suggested if anyone is guilty, it's George's brother and mom, and not George or even his dad Billy. So I wondered if cracks were developing in the Wagner alliance, were they turning on each other. Here's nash testimony we heard here today had nothing to do with George. Really your other this whole case, if there is a case, and I'm not saying it is, but it's about Edward, Jake Wagner, and Angela Wagner. The only testimony we heard we could boil it down to one minute, and that's that they did everything together. Canappa was doing her best to show there was overwhelming evidence against George and against the other three Wagners. At one point, she stated they were cult like and acted as one even when George and Jake were with their significant others and their children. She asked Schierer to elaborate, they're very close. Um, when I stay close, they lived together, They've always lived together. There's not been a period of time where George Wagner has not lived with his brother or his mother. Now at that time, he was not living with his father except for the night of the murders. Several people told me that before and after the Rodent murders, Billy was staying with his parents at Flying W Farms because his dad was bedridden and dying. Remember, Billy was so close to him that as a team, he changed his legal name to his dad's. Their finances are intermingled. They worked together, They've always worked together. They lived together, a home school together, they raised their kids together. Everything is done together as well as we have. An informant who says that every decision within that family is made said the four Wagners were co conspirators who meticulously planned, executed, and covered up the eight murders. She argued George was just as guilty as Jake, Angela and Billy, and Schierer, the lead investigator, supported that. They said the motive for killing the Rodents was for Jake to get full custody of his and Hannam's daughter, Sophia. The charges against each Wagner included forgery of custody documents, not just for Sophia, but also for Bullvae, the son of George and his ex wife Tabitha. Tabitha had fled the Peterson roadhouse where she and Bulvine were living with all the Wagners and with the teenage Hannah may Rodin who expected to marry into the family. I kept wondering what would make life so bad that these young moms would leave their men, who on the surface seemed to be hard working and family oriented, as well as science are the largest landowner in Pike County. Well, special agent Shiterer had just testified Jake was assaulting Hannam, and their former neighbor had told me Hannah May and Tabitha worked like slaves, while Angela was the boss who watched little Sophia and Bulvine. So I can understand why Hannah May left. But we're extreme work and a controlling mother in law enough for Tabitha to leave, Canapa asked Schierer about this. There was an on one particular day, her and George had gotten into an argumentum Eventually there was a comment by Angela that she was gonna kill Tabitha, so she fled to a gas station and ultimately never returned. Okay, and actually specifically, she first hit on the property until nightfall and then drove to a gas station and made risky Bay and never went back after that. Schier added that Tabitha was scared to death of the Wagoners and forced to surrender all control of her son to George. She relinquished her parental rights. If all this is true, then the Peterson Rode Home was far from the ideal it seemed at first. Yes, Hannah May and Tabitha moved into a nice house with plenty of acreage for their children to grow up on, and their husbands and children might one day inherit some of the Wagner wealth, But they moved in with people later portrayed in court as evil. Much evidence supporting Wagner's murdering Chris, Dana, Frankie, Hannah May, Little, Chris Kenneth and Gary and Hannah Hazel Gilly was presented or mentioned during George's hearing. This included prosecutors having eight thousand call recordings plus statements from Wagner's Some of that will be used during the criminal trials. Canepa and Scheiderer discussed George buying Captain American masks sometime between February and April, the implication being the killers wore them during the murders. They were items in the so called murder kit, which also included parts for silencers the Wagners allegedly built at home. Investigators discovered receipts, and Scheiderer said several subjects claimed George and Jake dyed their hair shortly before April. That's intriguing, circumstantial evidence, but prosecutors have direct evidence too. At the murder scenes, investigators found shell casings from three firearms, forty caliber glock, a thirty caliber rifle, and a unique two caliber pistol. On Jake's iPhone, they found a list of firearms each Wagner owned, as well as a photo of someone holding that unique two caliber pistol or a copy. And from that photo they extracted a palm print. It's Jake's handing you. Now it's been marked the States exhibit twenty six. Do you recognize that photo? This is a photograph of the walter Pole rail gun leven twenty two, the Jake Wagner owned. Okay, and you say that with some conviction. Um, obviously there's that list. Um, how do you know that that's Jake's? He and told me that weapon three ways. It was on his backup of his phone, So his phone took that photography. The lab at bc I was able to take this photograph and match it to Palm Prince of Jake Wagner's and then also there is a tattoo ring on the finger which is consistent with Jake Wagner's hand. Hannahme Rodin had a similar tattoo. It similarized their betrothal. How tragic it's now being used to identify her alleged killer. Before the arrest, Shira confronted George with bc I surveilling the communication and George panicked. I sent the text saying I wanted to discuss this firearm, which was a picture of a nineteen eleven twenty caliber yeah identical to the murder weapon. And his immediate response was, this is a family emergency. And then that's marked a lot of activity throughout the whole Wagner family. During searches of Jake and George's Peterson Road property, investigators discovered twenty two caliber shell casings. Shira testified, citing ballistic reports from the BCI lab at an outside expert. The weapon that fired the shell casings at sixty Peterson Road also fired the shell casings at Annas and Dana's residents as well as Frankie and Ann and Gillis residents. So the exact same gun not the same firearm. This specific firearm produce as a unique firing pin oppression that had not been c by or lab before. That's how unique it was, Okay, and was that uniqueness confirmed with Walter? Yes. A twenty two caliber shell casing was found under the crib in Hannah May's room. Her daughter Kylie had been born just a few days earlier and slept in her bed the night of April to April. Her daughter Sophia was at the home of her dad, Jake. Unredacted autopsy reports were finally shown to reporters two months before the Wagoners were arrested, so the public learned two bullets entered Hanna May's head. They were fired from a pistol purportedly owned by Jake, splattering blood and brain matter onto the newborn Kylie. Jake or whoever did this has the coldest blood imaginable. The scene made law enforcement officers cry. I mentioned in an early episode that on November Hannah May posted a Facebook status update that said got married, meaning to Jake. She followed that up by posting we really aren't married, but we might as well be married. That was five days after giving birth to Sophia and five days after giving birth to Kylie, who she conceived with a different guy. Hannah May was murdered. Was that a coincidence? Also at Jake and George's property, investigators found a burned shell casing that could be fired from a thirty caliber weapon. According to the firearms list on Jake's iPhone, George own an s k S semi automatic rifle that could fire thirty caliber rounds. Thirty caliber rifle shell casings and forty caliber clock shell casings were found at Chris and Gary's trailer and down a well at Jake and George's property, investigators found a homemade silencer. Plus there were the bloody footprints. Agents the process the crime scenes were able to lift some shoe prints out of some of the blood within the crime scenes. Those lifts, if you want to call them, at the impressions from the shoe print general terms they lift were sent to our lab. A scientist looked at him was able to determine what kind of shoe produced those prints. The shoes were determined to be two sizes ten and a half and eleven. Once we determined that it was a Walmart brand athletic shoe. We had agents go to all the surrounding Walmarts and I can't remember the exact radius, I believe it was fifty miles and collected all the shoe purchases from points sixteen matching that information. There was little to no tread wear on that on those specific shoes. Okay, so you thought you were looking for our shoot that was very recently purchased. Correct. When investigators had searched Wagner properties on May on Peterson Road and at the car lot where they had temporarily parked to pick up and three trailers, they found evidence. This includes a receipt from the only walmartin Pike County and it was found in a tub marked important things UM April four I'm sorry, April seventh times to at in sixteen fifty eight hours and all there there are the purchase of two Athletic brand tennis shoes, which is consistent with the shoes that we were looking for, Okay, consistent with or the stage make a model. Later, Angela admitted to investigators she bought those shoes for George and Jake, but threw them away because her sons didn't like them. George and Jake, however, denied knowing about them. Did you do anything else to ascertain whether or not the Wagner's actually purchase That is just one of our analysts went back to the um to our hard drive to contain all the information from the video footage that we've collected prior early on in and she went back through to the folder stated at that time and she located a photograph of Angela Wagner purchasing consistent with the soot. But the bloodied shoes were not found by investigators, nor were the firearms. Another piece of evidence was found, however, and it came directly from Hannah May. It's chilling. Special prosecuting Attorney Kinnepa question b c I Special Agent Scheiterer about Facebook messages between Hannah May and Patricia, the mother of Tabitha, Tabitha's George's ex wife and baby mom. Remember, Tabitha was allegedly so scared of Wagner's that she caved into their pressure to relinquish parental rights to Bulvine, her only child, and Schierer testified Angela had threatened to kill Tabitha. Fast forward and now the Wagners wanted complete custody of the other youngest member of their family, Sophia. Patricia was telling Hannah, you know, don't let what happened to Tabitha happen to you. You know, don't keep fighting for your kid. Don't give up your kid, you know, basically saying, don't don't become another Tabitha. Okay. And what does Hannah say in response to that? She tells Patricia that she will never sign documents. They'd have to kill her first, okay, handy New States Exhibit pretty six and in near the center of the page, maybe a little down, um, can you tell us exactly the phrase that she used? This is the copy of the body of their text their conversation, and her reply is I won't sign papers ever, it won't happen. They will have to kill me first, okay, And she specifically says day will have to kill This December text conversation was possibly the most serious and the life of the young Hannah May, who was only eighteen years old. She typed strongly from the heart with Tabitha's mom because she thought it was private, but it wasn't. Are you aware whether or not the Wagners became aware of that conversation, absolutely were aware of and how do you do that? There is a screenshot of this conversation bound on the laptop. It was the Wagner's laptop. Investigators seized and searched it, finding numerous screenshots of Hannah May's messages, suggesting the fact that somebody one of the Wagners was hacking into the Facebook account of Patricia Correct and just over four months later, Hannah and all of her family are dead. Correct. All of this is mind boggling spying and mass murder for two young men to get full custody of their children. I need to mention I haven't heard anything bad about Tabitha. Two of her ex co workers told me she's loving and not abusive, are an addict, and doesn't have other characteristics that would make her unfit as a mom. And I didn't find a criminal record for her. I also haven't heard anything bad about Hannah May, and I've spoken with numerous people who knew her. There was even more chilling evidence presented at that bail hearing for George the Wagner's threats against specific investigators, including Attorney General Mike Dwine and Pike County Sheriff Charlie Reader Shuider testified about a confidential informant witnessing the Wagner's organizing a retaliation plan if one or more got arrested and one or more remained free, Shuterer himself. Through bc I surveillance her George speak multiple times about revenge. He was gonna make the wine paid for. He's gonna make sure for your pay for it. He's going to smash my face in um. Yeah. Anyhow, it's not surprising that after closing arguments it took Judge during only a few seconds to the NYE bill the Pink Moon Murder will return after the break, and now back to the Pink Moon Murders. In the two and a half years since the six members of the Wagner family, including both great grandmothers, were arrested, each has had several hearings since November. I've attended most. The Pike Counting Courthouse didn't shut down or begin operating remotely due to the pandemic. All the visitors must wear masks and get their temperatures checked. I sit behind the defense because Rodents, Gillies, and manualies take up all the seats behind the prosecution. Leonard manually sits in the back, older now and quiet while walking in and out of the courtroom. Hannah Hazel Gillies mom sits in the middle, her right foot tapping hard on the floor. Geneva Roden slumps in the front after struggling up the stairs to enter the courtroom, and her son Tony is near her, sometimes in the seat closest to the defense. Usually the only other person sitting behind the defense has been At Lucas, the editor of the Pike County News Watchman, but he eventually left his job. Also on the defense side, but standing our deputies and corrections officers, sheriff reader is noticeably absent at this point. I was told great grandmother Frederika Wagner and her daughter used to sit behind the defense, but I haven't seen them there. Shortly after the arrests, Frederika put her hand on a bible and swore to a Cleveland reporter that neither she nor her kin were involved in the murders, but she added that if she found out they were. Quote, I would still love them, but I want it to defend them. I want it in any way end quote. TV reporters typically stay at a makeshift media room on the ground floor. They can multitask with their newsrooms and other activities while watching the feed from upstairs. Other reporters and the public at large watch online. Billy had a hearing on June to address minor issues as well as his own motion for bail. He too was tired of being locked up. I sat fifteen ft behind him. When we all rose as the judge entered the courtroom, I was reminded of how massive this blonde six ft six almost three pound Viking of a man is. Billy's hands were not cuffed, but under his shirt was a shock fest controlled by a deputy. Over his face, Billy wore a yellow COVID mask. I imagine him wearing a Captain America mask. As Judge Deering made opening comments, I looked at the victims loved one sitting behind the prosecution team. I felt such sorrow for them, and I looked around the historic courtroom along three walls of wooden glass bookcases filled with old law volumes. High on the back wall hung black and white photos of dignitaries, and giant arched windows on the sides let in sunshine. Overhead dangled an antique chandelier. Strangely up front on the wall behind Judge Deering, busts of Pike Counties first millionaire and his wife were perched in Nichus. Between them was a large mural of Lady Justice. She was blindfolded while holding scales in one hand and a book in the other, as an American flag floated behind her. The Latin motto semper jusidia, meaning always justice, was underneath. The motto now had its strongest relevance ever in Pike County. Shortly after the Wagners were arrested, Sheriff Charlie Reader, its top law enforcement officer, was reported to be under investigation for serious crimes, including theft of evidence and corruption. He was later suspended from office and indicted on a dozen felonies, but pleaded not guilty and swore he'd fight the charges. After agreements were made on the minor issues, Billy's attorneys pulled back on their bail motion and asked the judge to continue that to a later date. Eventually, it was continued indefinitely, but in a court filing prior to this ring, they had written there wasn't enough evidence to keep Billy locked up. Before his criminal trial. They also claimed he and Chris road and were best friends, so there was no way Billy would harm him and his family. Prosecutors quash that in a written response signed by Kaneppa, who's a lead prosecutor against all six Wagners. She was joined by a special prosecuting attorney helping her and by Pike County prosecutor Rob Junk. They stated there was a legal requirement to keep a defendant accused of a capital offense locked up, and Billy's release would pose a substantial risk to people. Then they added specifics for the judge to consider, as during Jake's bail hearing, they said the four Wagners largely acted as one and Jake assaulted Hannah May, but now they were claiming Billie and Chris had gotten into a verbal and physical altercation shortly before the homicides. That surprised me. I didn't know Hannah May's and Jake's dad's knew each other since they came from such different backgrounds, and no further details were provid I did by prosecutors. I realized I needed to learn about Hannah Mays and Jake's parents relationship, including that altercation, so I asked around. Todd, the former cop who went with me to the cemetery, said he'd heard that Chris slapped Billy in the face the day before the murders, but Todd didn't know why and said what he heard might just be a rumor. Could it be connected to Chris's daughter allegedly being assaulted by Billy's son. I also asked Tony, and he said he knew about the altercation only through prosecutors. Tony and I discussed the size disparity between Billy and Chris, who was only five ft eleven inches tall according to his autopsy. I said that if they had a fist fight, Billy had an unfair advantage. Tony shook his head and said, Billy's quote a coward, you know, I mean obvious. There's no doubt if he's proven guilty on the crimes that's actually in front of him. If he's proven guilty, he's a coward. End quote. I asked Tony how Chris and Billy even met, and he replied it was through their kids, Hannah, May and Jake. I then mentioned I'd read a newspaper article that reported Chris and Billy had done some business together, but it had no details. Tony said, quote, Chris had a bacco my dad's dozer when they lived. I don't know the exact address on it, but it was over around Billy's mom's place. They lived in a house over there and it burned. End quote. He meant the four Wagner's home on Bethel Hill Road near Flying W Farms. This was before they moved to Peterson Road. Tony continued, quote, Hannah and Jake was actually dating at the time, and I think that Billy hired Chris to come over there and actually do the cleanup on that burned house. End quote. Chris's ex wife Dana and Billy's wife Angelo also met through their kids. Tony said, for me, Angela remains a big mystery. Was she a shoot her a lookout, a getaway driver, a mastermind who stayed home to watch Sophia and Bulvine that night? Not involved? Women rarely murder. According to CNN, only eight percent of US homicides and were committed by females, and not one of the perpetrators of the twenty eight mass attacks the next year was female. CNN reported women overall are less aggressive than men and have more empathy. Angela looks like a normal middle aged soccer mom. You can see her Facebook photos. Still, she's only five ft three inches tall. Her giant husband, Billy, is strange looking and often has a scowl on his face, said Dr Carr, who didn't feel very comfortable around him, But Angela was always nice. He called her a sweet girl and has a hard time believing one mother could kill another, especially when sleeping with her newborn. He got to know the married couple over the decades when they brought beagles to his veteran every office to get health papers before selling them, and when he cared for animals at Flying w But Schierer testified Angela had threatened to kill Tabitha, her son, George's ex wife, and two people told me off the record Angela hated Hannah May after she dumped Jake and got pregnant by a different guy. Also, I kept wondering why Angela was discharged from the Air Force after just one year. Typical enlistments are for four years. Was she forced out? Plus she was charged with multiple felonies before the murders. Maybe she's not as sweet as she appears. We'll learn more from her criminal trial, including if she's really guilty of the murders and other charges. At this point, she's presumed innocent. Anything could happen more Pink Moon murders. After a word from our sponsors, we now return to the Pink Moon murders. Investigators ultimately rejected the theory that a Mexican cartel might have carried out the murders, and the two felony charges against Dana's brother James Manley for tampering with evidence in vandalism after he discovered a tracking device on his truck or dropped. Attorney General Dwine had called James a witness who perhaps could give info about the murders. Numerous other persons of interests have been cleared as well. Additionally, several months after great grandmother Frederika was arrested for perjury and obstruction of justice, charges were dropped, although Cannepa said she might refile. Frederica had been indicted for lying to a grand jury about buying two bulletproof ESTs. Investigators seized them from flying w and theorized they were used during the murders. She had metted buying them for her son Billy, but after the murders, she worried he might be killed because he knew Chris and other rodents, and no one knew who the mass murderer was and if he would strike again. She testified she bought the vests online through Amazon, but didn't provide receipts, so investigator subpoena at Amazon, which couldn't provide them. She was arrested. Investigators eventually learned Frederica had in fact bought the vests after the murders, but through eBay. Her attorney claimed her mistake was innocent, forgetting where an online purchase was made a year ago was easy, especially for someone who had spent most of her life without the Internet, and charges against the other great grandmother, Angela's mom, Rida Newcome, were reduced from five felonies to one misdemeanor. Rita was charged with forgery of custody documents, obstructing justice, and perjury, but on December two, she pleaded guilty only to obstructing official business. She'd struck a deal with prosecutors who might want her to testify in the trials of her daughter, grandsons, and son in law. Over the decades, Rita has worked as a school teacher and a truck driver with periods of unemployment and she was a notary public. She was accused of forging custody documents for Hannah May regarding Sophia, Jake regarding Sophia, and George regarding Bulvine, but Canneppa later said in court that a handwriting expert concluded Rita had not signed the documents. Rita admitted lying to a grand jury and investigators that she signed the documents because Angela told her to. Hanname signature was forged on papers that said if she and Jake died, custody would go to Angela. Also forged was a document that said if George died, then Grandma Angela instead of Mom Tabitha would get Bulvine. According to Special Agent Scheiter, based on printer evidence, the documents were signed on April three, shortly before the murders, but back dated Jake's and George just to and Hannah mazed on Christmas Day. Custody battles can be hard emotionally, financially, etcetera. But I still can't understand one could lead to mass murder no matter how much a person hates the Rex and Jake and George had jobs, so it wasn't like they could watch toddlers twenty four hours a day, But that former neighbor of the Wagners did say Mama Angela watched the kids while Hannah, May and Tabitha lived with them, and another person told me Angela was a very hands on grandparents. After returning from Alaska in spring, the four Wagners, plus Sophia and Bulvine moved to South Webster in Sida County. They lived near Angela's mom, Rita. On a trip there, I spoke with Perroul Patel, who owns a combination gas station, convenience store, subway shop, and pizzeria a short walk from their homes. She said Angela frequently came inside with the little girl and boy to buy packaged food and cleaning items. Piroul added that sometimes Angela's husband and son's shop there. We had the reward poster on our door for the killers of the road and family that those Wagner's had to look at each time they came in. She said, it was scary when I found out they were accused of this. Maybe there was more to the murders than just custody. Maybe motive included old fashioned jealousy. After all, Hannah made dumped Jake for other men, the one she conceived a baby with and the one she was dating when murdered. Her Facebook profile photo shows the last one with his hand on her pregnant belly, and another shows him hugging Sophia while Hannah may sits next to them. Here's Brittany. He was probably jealous. Jealousy got the best of him and he went crazy. He didn't want Hannah and her new man to take care of that baby. And maybe the Wagoner's obsession with custody, as Attorney General Mike Dwine said, had to do with socioeconomics. Angela didn't grow up with the wealth and comfort Billy did, and her mom still struggles. During Rita's arraignment, her attorney called her poor and said her only income with Social Security disability. So I wonder if Angela thought there was too much at risk with her granddaughter growing up primarily with Rodents instead of Wagner's. But that would be grotesquely selfish if it resulted in murder, and if the Wagoners get convicted, that rationale would backfire because they won't be around at all. So at this point, the who done it has largely been solved according to testimony and evidence presented in court, and the why done it was largely explained, but we don't fully know the how done it. We do know the full moon provided light in the pitch blackness of the rural wooded area the night of April to April, and over the decades, Wagner's bread and sold hundreds of dogs, so maybe they had tricks or treats to keep the rodents dogs quiet. Also, I'm not sure about where Kenneth lived with his dog, but Jake had been inside the other road in homes before co buying the Peterson roadhouse. He even lived for a short time with Hannah May in the home where Frankie and Hannah Hazel were later killed, so there's a good chance Jake had keys, or maybe Wagner's entered through the open windows with or without Captain American masks covering their faces. They allegedly used firearms with silencers so they could go from bed to bed to shoot the sleeping victims, but at least one was awakened fought back. The unredacted autopsy report for Chris shows a defensive wound to his forearm. He was hit with nine bullets total. We'll learn much more when the Wagner's separate trials start. Jake's became the first to be scheduled. Well, we don't know the Wagner's future. We do know the Rodent's history. Some of them had flaws, but that's to be human and doesn't justify murder. The biggest issue was a four thousand dollars worth of illegal marijuana growing, but even that's not as big of a crime as it was in It's now legal in Ohio for medical pers and one day might be for recreational. The Road and Men worked hard and we're paying their bills as best they could with limited opportunities. Their friend and boss at the campground said they were diligent, responsible guys who valued family above all else and didn't complain. All of them working together at different times is testament to their strong brotherhood and the Road And women, including Hannah Hazel Gilli, were caregivers in their careers and with their families. Family remained paramount for all the Rodents. Brittany knew most of them and they were all fun and goofy. They were very loving and it was always a family first, and nothing can get well. Hannah May is long gone, but her words continue on Facebook. Were shortly before she was murdered, she exclaimed, I have a beautiful baby girl and also have another baby girl on the way. Dana too was excited when she found out Hannah May was pregnant the second time, giving them all a new person to love. Run up, give me a big rubbed. She rubbed Hannah's big bill and said, well, I'm gonna be a Grahanama again. Pastor Phil and Todd talked about how close Dana was with her parents as well. Dana was the one that took care of anything they needed and really she was. She was Leonard's girl. I mean she really was. And uh oh my was they close? And uh yeah, I'm sure they took it hard. Murdering the Rodents is a dark tail. It's tragic romance. It's Shakespearean and extreme love and extreme hate, with jealousy, family entanglements, and prospects for great wealth at stake. At this point, their loved ones can't wait for the trials to start. They're hoping for convictions to get justice, which has been long delayed, but questions regarding the guilt of specific Wagner's remain and sheriff Reader pleading guilty to four felonies in late doesn't help the prosecution. The badass sheriff with compassion fell hard. I wonder what new evidence will be presented in court. In court filings, prosecutors alleged Jake, George, Billy and Angela of controlling every movement of Elizabeth Wagner, a name I hadn't come across, and the Wagners were accused of threatening her with bodily harm and or death, even though I knew Angela Kaneppa wouldn't speak. When I saw her at the courthouse after a hearing, I asked who that person is? She smiled through her COVID mask and said that wasn't something she was ready to discuss. I had seen a couple of websites that mentioned Jake got married in Alaska to a woman named Elizabeth. Could this be the same person. New allegations also include the Wagner families involvement in transporting drugs slash engaging in drug traffic king? Could that include the horse passories? And I wonder what new relationship details will be shared. Since this is ultimately a story about people, the Little List Rodents and their relatives deserved the truth as they carry forward the family bloodline, and only then will we all know what happened one night in southern Appalachian, Ohio under the Pink Moon. The Pink Moon Murders is a Cavalry Audio production in association with I Heart Radio, written and narrated by David Radoman, Produced by Brandon Morgan of Cavalry Audio and Casey Whaland for Whyland Productions, Edited by Tim mulhern. Executive produced by Dana Brunetti and Keegan Rosenberrera

The series contains adult language and descriptions of graphic violence throughout Listener discretion is advised. Calorie Audio Welcome to the Pink Moon Murders, a production of I Heart Radio and Cavalry Audio. Episode eight, They will have to kill me first? Can you tell us? Um? Were you aware? Why can't they left? Um? Jay? Domestic violence issues between Jacob alving her? Okay? And you observe specific communications about that. Yes, she made it away, she made people aware of it. And um. Did she also make comments about the Wagner family as a whole being controlling? Yes, that was Special Agent Ryan Scheiderer of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, testifying on August one at the Pike County Courthouse. Special Prosecuting Attorney Angela Kneppa was questioning him during a hearing in which George Wagner, the fourth attorney, argued for him to be released on bail. George had been sitting in jail since November, when he, his brother Jake, and their mom Angela and dad Billy were arrested and each was charged with eight counts of aggravated murder with death penalty specifications for killing seven rodents and a young woman who was engaged to become one. As with his relatives, George's bail had automatically been denied during arraignment because of the severity of the charges. Then the Wagners waved their right to a speedy trial, and COVID nineteen plus a massive amount of evidence to analyze, added delays. So after almost two years, George was tired of being locked up without being convicted. He felt he should be free until his criminal trial starts, whenever that will be in jail. He was having difficulty reading his Bible. His attorney had claimed. The hearing lasted more than two hours, and as I sat in the courthouse, I heard surprise after surprise regarding evidence and relationships. This hearing was more informative than the others I attended, and more detailed than the court filings I read. Throughout it, George sat still in stoic, showing emotion only by flexing his forehead muscles. He looked scared, as if he knew he was going to prison for the rest of his life and maybe even to Hell. Of course, Ohio might execute him at some point. George's attorney, Richard Nash Jr. Argued there wasn't enough evidence for keeping him jailed. That was expected, but it was shocking when he suggested if anyone is guilty, it's George's brother and mom, and not George or even his dad Billy. So I wondered if cracks were developing in the Wagner alliance, were they turning on each other. Here's nash testimony we heard here today had nothing to do with George. Really your other this whole case, if there is a case, and I'm not saying it is, but it's about Edward, Jake Wagner, and Angela Wagner. The only testimony we heard we could boil it down to one minute, and that's that they did everything together. Canappa was doing her best to show there was overwhelming evidence against George and against the other three Wagners. At one point, she stated they were cult like and acted as one even when George and Jake were with their significant others and their children. She asked Schierer to elaborate, they're very close. Um, when I stay close, they lived together, They've always lived together. There's not been a period of time where George Wagner has not lived with his brother or his mother. Now at that time, he was not living with his father except for the night of the murders. Several people told me that before and after the Rodent murders, Billy was staying with his parents at Flying W Farms because his dad was bedridden and dying. Remember, Billy was so close to him that as a team, he changed his legal name to his dad's. Their finances are intermingled. They worked together, They've always worked together. They lived together, a home school together, they raised their kids together. Everything is done together as well as we have. An informant who says that every decision within that family is made said the four Wagners were co conspirators who meticulously planned, executed, and covered up the eight murders. She argued George was just as guilty as Jake, Angela and Billy, and Schierer, the lead investigator, supported that. They said the motive for killing the Rodents was for Jake to get full custody of his and Hannam's daughter, Sophia. The charges against each Wagner included forgery of custody documents, not just for Sophia, but also for Bullvae, the son of George and his ex wife Tabitha. Tabitha had fled the Peterson roadhouse where she and Bulvine were living with all the Wagners and with the teenage Hannah may Rodin who expected to marry into the family. I kept wondering what would make life so bad that these young moms would leave their men, who on the surface seemed to be hard working and family oriented, as well as science are the largest landowner in Pike County. Well, special agent Shiterer had just testified Jake was assaulting Hannam, and their former neighbor had told me Hannah May and Tabitha worked like slaves, while Angela was the boss who watched little Sophia and Bulvine. So I can understand why Hannah May left. But we're extreme work and a controlling mother in law enough for Tabitha to leave, Canapa asked Schierer about this. There was an on one particular day, her and George had gotten into an argumentum Eventually there was a comment by Angela that she was gonna kill Tabitha, so she fled to a gas station and ultimately never returned. Okay, and actually specifically, she first hit on the property until nightfall and then drove to a gas station and made risky Bay and never went back after that. Schier added that Tabitha was scared to death of the Wagoners and forced to surrender all control of her son to George. She relinquished her parental rights. If all this is true, then the Peterson Rode Home was far from the ideal it seemed at first. Yes, Hannah May and Tabitha moved into a nice house with plenty of acreage for their children to grow up on, and their husbands and children might one day inherit some of the Wagner wealth, But they moved in with people later portrayed in court as evil. Much evidence supporting Wagner's murdering Chris, Dana, Frankie, Hannah May, Little, Chris Kenneth and Gary and Hannah Hazel Gilly was presented or mentioned during George's hearing. This included prosecutors having eight thousand call recordings plus statements from Wagner's Some of that will be used during the criminal trials. Canepa and Scheiderer discussed George buying Captain American masks sometime between February and April, the implication being the killers wore them during the murders. They were items in the so called murder kit, which also included parts for silencers the Wagners allegedly built at home. Investigators discovered receipts, and Scheiderer said several subjects claimed George and Jake dyed their hair shortly before April. That's intriguing, circumstantial evidence, but prosecutors have direct evidence too. At the murder scenes, investigators found shell casings from three firearms, forty caliber glock, a thirty caliber rifle, and a unique two caliber pistol. On Jake's iPhone, they found a list of firearms each Wagner owned, as well as a photo of someone holding that unique two caliber pistol or a copy. And from that photo they extracted a palm print. It's Jake's handing you. Now it's been marked the States exhibit twenty six. Do you recognize that photo? This is a photograph of the walter Pole rail gun leven twenty two, the Jake Wagner owned. Okay, and you say that with some conviction. Um, obviously there's that list. Um, how do you know that that's Jake's? He and told me that weapon three ways. It was on his backup of his phone, So his phone took that photography. The lab at bc I was able to take this photograph and match it to Palm Prince of Jake Wagner's and then also there is a tattoo ring on the finger which is consistent with Jake Wagner's hand. Hannahme Rodin had a similar tattoo. It similarized their betrothal. How tragic it's now being used to identify her alleged killer. Before the arrest, Shira confronted George with bc I surveilling the communication and George panicked. I sent the text saying I wanted to discuss this firearm, which was a picture of a nineteen eleven twenty caliber yeah identical to the murder weapon. And his immediate response was, this is a family emergency. And then that's marked a lot of activity throughout the whole Wagner family. During searches of Jake and George's Peterson Road property, investigators discovered twenty two caliber shell casings. Shira testified, citing ballistic reports from the BCI lab at an outside expert. The weapon that fired the shell casings at sixty Peterson Road also fired the shell casings at Annas and Dana's residents as well as Frankie and Ann and Gillis residents. So the exact same gun not the same firearm. This specific firearm produce as a unique firing pin oppression that had not been c by or lab before. That's how unique it was, Okay, and was that uniqueness confirmed with Walter? Yes. A twenty two caliber shell casing was found under the crib in Hannah May's room. Her daughter Kylie had been born just a few days earlier and slept in her bed the night of April to April. Her daughter Sophia was at the home of her dad, Jake. Unredacted autopsy reports were finally shown to reporters two months before the Wagoners were arrested, so the public learned two bullets entered Hanna May's head. They were fired from a pistol purportedly owned by Jake, splattering blood and brain matter onto the newborn Kylie. Jake or whoever did this has the coldest blood imaginable. The scene made law enforcement officers cry. I mentioned in an early episode that on November Hannah May posted a Facebook status update that said got married, meaning to Jake. She followed that up by posting we really aren't married, but we might as well be married. That was five days after giving birth to Sophia and five days after giving birth to Kylie, who she conceived with a different guy. Hannah May was murdered. Was that a coincidence? Also at Jake and George's property, investigators found a burned shell casing that could be fired from a thirty caliber weapon. According to the firearms list on Jake's iPhone, George own an s k S semi automatic rifle that could fire thirty caliber rounds. Thirty caliber rifle shell casings and forty caliber clock shell casings were found at Chris and Gary's trailer and down a well at Jake and George's property, investigators found a homemade silencer. Plus there were the bloody footprints. Agents the process the crime scenes were able to lift some shoe prints out of some of the blood within the crime scenes. Those lifts, if you want to call them, at the impressions from the shoe print general terms they lift were sent to our lab. A scientist looked at him was able to determine what kind of shoe produced those prints. The shoes were determined to be two sizes ten and a half and eleven. Once we determined that it was a Walmart brand athletic shoe. We had agents go to all the surrounding Walmarts and I can't remember the exact radius, I believe it was fifty miles and collected all the shoe purchases from points sixteen matching that information. There was little to no tread wear on that on those specific shoes. Okay, so you thought you were looking for our shoot that was very recently purchased. Correct. When investigators had searched Wagner properties on May on Peterson Road and at the car lot where they had temporarily parked to pick up and three trailers, they found evidence. This includes a receipt from the only walmartin Pike County and it was found in a tub marked important things UM April four I'm sorry, April seventh times to at in sixteen fifty eight hours and all there there are the purchase of two Athletic brand tennis shoes, which is consistent with the shoes that we were looking for, Okay, consistent with or the stage make a model. Later, Angela admitted to investigators she bought those shoes for George and Jake, but threw them away because her sons didn't like them. George and Jake, however, denied knowing about them. Did you do anything else to ascertain whether or not the Wagner's actually purchase That is just one of our analysts went back to the um to our hard drive to contain all the information from the video footage that we've collected prior early on in and she went back through to the folder stated at that time and she located a photograph of Angela Wagner purchasing consistent with the soot. But the bloodied shoes were not found by investigators, nor were the firearms. Another piece of evidence was found, however, and it came directly from Hannah May. It's chilling. Special prosecuting Attorney Kinnepa question b c I Special Agent Scheiterer about Facebook messages between Hannah May and Patricia, the mother of Tabitha, Tabitha's George's ex wife and baby mom. Remember, Tabitha was allegedly so scared of Wagner's that she caved into their pressure to relinquish parental rights to Bulvine, her only child, and Schierer testified Angela had threatened to kill Tabitha. Fast forward and now the Wagners wanted complete custody of the other youngest member of their family, Sophia. Patricia was telling Hannah, you know, don't let what happened to Tabitha happen to you. You know, don't keep fighting for your kid. Don't give up your kid, you know, basically saying, don't don't become another Tabitha. Okay. And what does Hannah say in response to that? She tells Patricia that she will never sign documents. They'd have to kill her first, okay, handy New States Exhibit pretty six and in near the center of the page, maybe a little down, um, can you tell us exactly the phrase that she used? This is the copy of the body of their text their conversation, and her reply is I won't sign papers ever, it won't happen. They will have to kill me first, okay, And she specifically says day will have to kill This December text conversation was possibly the most serious and the life of the young Hannah May, who was only eighteen years old. She typed strongly from the heart with Tabitha's mom because she thought it was private, but it wasn't. Are you aware whether or not the Wagners became aware of that conversation, absolutely were aware of and how do you do that? There is a screenshot of this conversation bound on the laptop. It was the Wagner's laptop. Investigators seized and searched it, finding numerous screenshots of Hannah May's messages, suggesting the fact that somebody one of the Wagners was hacking into the Facebook account of Patricia Correct and just over four months later, Hannah and all of her family are dead. Correct. All of this is mind boggling spying and mass murder for two young men to get full custody of their children. I need to mention I haven't heard anything bad about Tabitha. Two of her ex co workers told me she's loving and not abusive, are an addict, and doesn't have other characteristics that would make her unfit as a mom. And I didn't find a criminal record for her. I also haven't heard anything bad about Hannah May, and I've spoken with numerous people who knew her. There was even more chilling evidence presented at that bail hearing for George the Wagner's threats against specific investigators, including Attorney General Mike Dwine and Pike County Sheriff Charlie Reader Shuider testified about a confidential informant witnessing the Wagner's organizing a retaliation plan if one or more got arrested and one or more remained free, Shuterer himself. Through bc I surveillance her George speak multiple times about revenge. He was gonna make the wine paid for. He's gonna make sure for your pay for it. He's going to smash my face in um. Yeah. Anyhow, it's not surprising that after closing arguments it took Judge during only a few seconds to the NYE bill the Pink Moon Murder will return after the break, and now back to the Pink Moon Murders. In the two and a half years since the six members of the Wagner family, including both great grandmothers, were arrested, each has had several hearings since November. I've attended most. The Pike Counting Courthouse didn't shut down or begin operating remotely due to the pandemic. All the visitors must wear masks and get their temperatures checked. I sit behind the defense because Rodents, Gillies, and manualies take up all the seats behind the prosecution. Leonard manually sits in the back, older now and quiet while walking in and out of the courtroom. Hannah Hazel Gillies mom sits in the middle, her right foot tapping hard on the floor. Geneva Roden slumps in the front after struggling up the stairs to enter the courtroom, and her son Tony is near her, sometimes in the seat closest to the defense. Usually the only other person sitting behind the defense has been At Lucas, the editor of the Pike County News Watchman, but he eventually left his job. Also on the defense side, but standing our deputies and corrections officers, sheriff reader is noticeably absent at this point. I was told great grandmother Frederika Wagner and her daughter used to sit behind the defense, but I haven't seen them there. Shortly after the arrests, Frederika put her hand on a bible and swore to a Cleveland reporter that neither she nor her kin were involved in the murders, but she added that if she found out they were. Quote, I would still love them, but I want it to defend them. I want it in any way end quote. TV reporters typically stay at a makeshift media room on the ground floor. They can multitask with their newsrooms and other activities while watching the feed from upstairs. Other reporters and the public at large watch online. Billy had a hearing on June to address minor issues as well as his own motion for bail. He too was tired of being locked up. I sat fifteen ft behind him. When we all rose as the judge entered the courtroom, I was reminded of how massive this blonde six ft six almost three pound Viking of a man is. Billy's hands were not cuffed, but under his shirt was a shock fest controlled by a deputy. Over his face, Billy wore a yellow COVID mask. I imagine him wearing a Captain America mask. As Judge Deering made opening comments, I looked at the victims loved one sitting behind the prosecution team. I felt such sorrow for them, and I looked around the historic courtroom along three walls of wooden glass bookcases filled with old law volumes. High on the back wall hung black and white photos of dignitaries, and giant arched windows on the sides let in sunshine. Overhead dangled an antique chandelier. Strangely up front on the wall behind Judge Deering, busts of Pike Counties first millionaire and his wife were perched in Nichus. Between them was a large mural of Lady Justice. She was blindfolded while holding scales in one hand and a book in the other, as an American flag floated behind her. The Latin motto semper jusidia, meaning always justice, was underneath. The motto now had its strongest relevance ever in Pike County. Shortly after the Wagners were arrested, Sheriff Charlie Reader, its top law enforcement officer, was reported to be under investigation for serious crimes, including theft of evidence and corruption. He was later suspended from office and indicted on a dozen felonies, but pleaded not guilty and swore he'd fight the charges. After agreements were made on the minor issues, Billy's attorneys pulled back on their bail motion and asked the judge to continue that to a later date. Eventually, it was continued indefinitely, but in a court filing prior to this ring, they had written there wasn't enough evidence to keep Billy locked up. Before his criminal trial. They also claimed he and Chris road and were best friends, so there was no way Billy would harm him and his family. Prosecutors quash that in a written response signed by Kaneppa, who's a lead prosecutor against all six Wagners. She was joined by a special prosecuting attorney helping her and by Pike County prosecutor Rob Junk. They stated there was a legal requirement to keep a defendant accused of a capital offense locked up, and Billy's release would pose a substantial risk to people. Then they added specifics for the judge to consider, as during Jake's bail hearing, they said the four Wagners largely acted as one and Jake assaulted Hannah May, but now they were claiming Billie and Chris had gotten into a verbal and physical altercation shortly before the homicides. That surprised me. I didn't know Hannah May's and Jake's dad's knew each other since they came from such different backgrounds, and no further details were provid I did by prosecutors. I realized I needed to learn about Hannah Mays and Jake's parents relationship, including that altercation, so I asked around. Todd, the former cop who went with me to the cemetery, said he'd heard that Chris slapped Billy in the face the day before the murders, but Todd didn't know why and said what he heard might just be a rumor. Could it be connected to Chris's daughter allegedly being assaulted by Billy's son. I also asked Tony, and he said he knew about the altercation only through prosecutors. Tony and I discussed the size disparity between Billy and Chris, who was only five ft eleven inches tall according to his autopsy. I said that if they had a fist fight, Billy had an unfair advantage. Tony shook his head and said, Billy's quote a coward, you know, I mean obvious. There's no doubt if he's proven guilty on the crimes that's actually in front of him. If he's proven guilty, he's a coward. End quote. I asked Tony how Chris and Billy even met, and he replied it was through their kids, Hannah, May and Jake. I then mentioned I'd read a newspaper article that reported Chris and Billy had done some business together, but it had no details. Tony said, quote, Chris had a bacco my dad's dozer when they lived. I don't know the exact address on it, but it was over around Billy's mom's place. They lived in a house over there and it burned. End quote. He meant the four Wagner's home on Bethel Hill Road near Flying W Farms. This was before they moved to Peterson Road. Tony continued, quote, Hannah and Jake was actually dating at the time, and I think that Billy hired Chris to come over there and actually do the cleanup on that burned house. End quote. Chris's ex wife Dana and Billy's wife Angelo also met through their kids. Tony said, for me, Angela remains a big mystery. Was she a shoot her a lookout, a getaway driver, a mastermind who stayed home to watch Sophia and Bulvine that night? Not involved? Women rarely murder. According to CNN, only eight percent of US homicides and were committed by females, and not one of the perpetrators of the twenty eight mass attacks the next year was female. CNN reported women overall are less aggressive than men and have more empathy. Angela looks like a normal middle aged soccer mom. You can see her Facebook photos. Still, she's only five ft three inches tall. Her giant husband, Billy, is strange looking and often has a scowl on his face, said Dr Carr, who didn't feel very comfortable around him, But Angela was always nice. He called her a sweet girl and has a hard time believing one mother could kill another, especially when sleeping with her newborn. He got to know the married couple over the decades when they brought beagles to his veteran every office to get health papers before selling them, and when he cared for animals at Flying w But Schierer testified Angela had threatened to kill Tabitha, her son, George's ex wife, and two people told me off the record Angela hated Hannah May after she dumped Jake and got pregnant by a different guy. Also, I kept wondering why Angela was discharged from the Air Force after just one year. Typical enlistments are for four years. Was she forced out? Plus she was charged with multiple felonies before the murders. Maybe she's not as sweet as she appears. We'll learn more from her criminal trial, including if she's really guilty of the murders and other charges. At this point, she's presumed innocent. Anything could happen more Pink Moon murders. After a word from our sponsors, we now return to the Pink Moon murders. Investigators ultimately rejected the theory that a Mexican cartel might have carried out the murders, and the two felony charges against Dana's brother James Manley for tampering with evidence in vandalism after he discovered a tracking device on his truck or dropped. Attorney General Dwine had called James a witness who perhaps could give info about the murders. Numerous other persons of interests have been cleared as well. Additionally, several months after great grandmother Frederika was arrested for perjury and obstruction of justice, charges were dropped, although Cannepa said she might refile. Frederica had been indicted for lying to a grand jury about buying two bulletproof ESTs. Investigators seized them from flying w and theorized they were used during the murders. She had metted buying them for her son Billy, but after the murders, she worried he might be killed because he knew Chris and other rodents, and no one knew who the mass murderer was and if he would strike again. She testified she bought the vests online through Amazon, but didn't provide receipts, so investigator subpoena at Amazon, which couldn't provide them. She was arrested. Investigators eventually learned Frederica had in fact bought the vests after the murders, but through eBay. Her attorney claimed her mistake was innocent, forgetting where an online purchase was made a year ago was easy, especially for someone who had spent most of her life without the Internet, and charges against the other great grandmother, Angela's mom, Rida Newcome, were reduced from five felonies to one misdemeanor. Rita was charged with forgery of custody documents, obstructing justice, and perjury, but on December two, she pleaded guilty only to obstructing official business. She'd struck a deal with prosecutors who might want her to testify in the trials of her daughter, grandsons, and son in law. Over the decades, Rita has worked as a school teacher and a truck driver with periods of unemployment and she was a notary public. She was accused of forging custody documents for Hannah May regarding Sophia, Jake regarding Sophia, and George regarding Bulvine, but Canneppa later said in court that a handwriting expert concluded Rita had not signed the documents. Rita admitted lying to a grand jury and investigators that she signed the documents because Angela told her to. Hanname signature was forged on papers that said if she and Jake died, custody would go to Angela. Also forged was a document that said if George died, then Grandma Angela instead of Mom Tabitha would get Bulvine. According to Special Agent Scheiter, based on printer evidence, the documents were signed on April three, shortly before the murders, but back dated Jake's and George just to and Hannah mazed on Christmas Day. Custody battles can be hard emotionally, financially, etcetera. But I still can't understand one could lead to mass murder no matter how much a person hates the Rex and Jake and George had jobs, so it wasn't like they could watch toddlers twenty four hours a day, But that former neighbor of the Wagners did say Mama Angela watched the kids while Hannah, May and Tabitha lived with them, and another person told me Angela was a very hands on grandparents. After returning from Alaska in spring, the four Wagners, plus Sophia and Bulvine moved to South Webster in Sida County. They lived near Angela's mom, Rita. On a trip there, I spoke with Perroul Patel, who owns a combination gas station, convenience store, subway shop, and pizzeria a short walk from their homes. She said Angela frequently came inside with the little girl and boy to buy packaged food and cleaning items. Piroul added that sometimes Angela's husband and son's shop there. We had the reward poster on our door for the killers of the road and family that those Wagner's had to look at each time they came in. She said, it was scary when I found out they were accused of this. Maybe there was more to the murders than just custody. Maybe motive included old fashioned jealousy. After all, Hannah made dumped Jake for other men, the one she conceived a baby with and the one she was dating when murdered. Her Facebook profile photo shows the last one with his hand on her pregnant belly, and another shows him hugging Sophia while Hannah may sits next to them. Here's Brittany. He was probably jealous. Jealousy got the best of him and he went crazy. He didn't want Hannah and her new man to take care of that baby. And maybe the Wagoner's obsession with custody, as Attorney General Mike Dwine said, had to do with socioeconomics. Angela didn't grow up with the wealth and comfort Billy did, and her mom still struggles. During Rita's arraignment, her attorney called her poor and said her only income with Social Security disability. So I wonder if Angela thought there was too much at risk with her granddaughter growing up primarily with Rodents instead of Wagner's. But that would be grotesquely selfish if it resulted in murder, and if the Wagoners get convicted, that rationale would backfire because they won't be around at all. So at this point, the who done it has largely been solved according to testimony and evidence presented in court, and the why done it was largely explained, but we don't fully know the how done it. We do know the full moon provided light in the pitch blackness of the rural wooded area the night of April to April, and over the decades, Wagner's bread and sold hundreds of dogs, so maybe they had tricks or treats to keep the rodents dogs quiet. Also, I'm not sure about where Kenneth lived with his dog, but Jake had been inside the other road in homes before co buying the Peterson roadhouse. He even lived for a short time with Hannah May in the home where Frankie and Hannah Hazel were later killed, so there's a good chance Jake had keys, or maybe Wagner's entered through the open windows with or without Captain American masks covering their faces. They allegedly used firearms with silencers so they could go from bed to bed to shoot the sleeping victims, but at least one was awakened fought back. The unredacted autopsy report for Chris shows a defensive wound to his forearm. He was hit with nine bullets total. We'll learn much more when the Wagner's separate trials start. Jake's became the first to be scheduled. Well, we don't know the Wagner's future. We do know the Rodent's history. Some of them had flaws, but that's to be human and doesn't justify murder. The biggest issue was a four thousand dollars worth of illegal marijuana growing, but even that's not as big of a crime as it was in It's now legal in Ohio for medical pers and one day might be for recreational. The Road and Men worked hard and we're paying their bills as best they could with limited opportunities. Their friend and boss at the campground said they were diligent, responsible guys who valued family above all else and didn't complain. All of them working together at different times is testament to their strong brotherhood and the Road And women, including Hannah Hazel Gilli, were caregivers in their careers and with their families. Family remained paramount for all the Rodents. Brittany knew most of them and they were all fun and goofy. They were very loving and it was always a family first, and nothing can get well. Hannah May is long gone, but her words continue on Facebook. Were shortly before she was murdered, she exclaimed, I have a beautiful baby girl and also have another baby girl on the way. Dana too was excited when she found out Hannah May was pregnant the second time, giving them all a new person to love. Run up, give me a big rubbed. She rubbed Hannah's big bill and said, well, I'm gonna be a Grahanama again. Pastor Phil and Todd talked about how close Dana was with her parents as well. Dana was the one that took care of anything they needed and really she was. She was Leonard's girl. I mean she really was. And uh oh my was they close? And uh yeah, I'm sure they took it hard. Murdering the Rodents is a dark tail. It's tragic romance. It's Shakespearean and extreme love and extreme hate, with jealousy, family entanglements, and prospects for great wealth at stake. At this point, their loved ones can't wait for the trials to start. They're hoping for convictions to get justice, which has been long delayed, but questions regarding the guilt of specific Wagner's remain and sheriff Reader pleading guilty to four felonies in late doesn't help the prosecution. The badass sheriff with compassion fell hard. I wonder what new evidence will be presented in court. In court filings, prosecutors alleged Jake, George, Billy and Angela of controlling every movement of Elizabeth Wagner, a name I hadn't come across, and the Wagners were accused of threatening her with bodily harm and or death, even though I knew Angela Kaneppa wouldn't speak. When I saw her at the courthouse after a hearing, I asked who that person is? She smiled through her COVID mask and said that wasn't something she was ready to discuss. I had seen a couple of websites that mentioned Jake got married in Alaska to a woman named Elizabeth. Could this be the same person. New allegations also include the Wagner families involvement in transporting drugs slash engaging in drug traffic king? Could that include the horse passories? And I wonder what new relationship details will be shared. Since this is ultimately a story about people, the Little List Rodents and their relatives deserved the truth as they carry forward the family bloodline, and only then will we all know what happened one night in southern Appalachian, Ohio under the Pink Moon. The Pink Moon Murders is a Cavalry Audio production in association with I Heart Radio, written and narrated by David Radoman, Produced by Brandon Morgan of Cavalry Audio and Casey Whaland for Whyland Productions, Edited by Tim mulhern. Executive produced by Dana Brunetti and Keegan Rosenberrera