Chilling text messages from brutal Ohio murder of eight people revealed during trial

Ryan King

October 22, 04:52 PM October 22, 04:52 PM

Chilling text messages showcased during the trial of an Ohio man charged with involvement in the murder of an adversarial family revealed details about a tense dispute in the run-up to the tragic loss of life.

Texts showed Edward “Jake” Wagner threatening Hannah Rhoden during a dispute over their relationship and baby. In one exchange, he threatened to take the baby by force from her. Four members of the Wagner family were arrested in 2018 over the murder of eight members of the Rhoden family back in 2016.

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The text message revelations were read aloud during the trial for Jake's brother George Wagner IV, 30, by prosecutors on Thursday.

“Hanna I’m telling you right now make a choice and make it now if u do this it’s over and I’ll take Sophie and if I have to by force,” Jake texted Hannah in 2013, per The New York Post. “I love u with all my heart if u love me and Sophie u will make the right choice I want u to live with me and Sophie."

Quarreling over their daughter continued over the next two years and worsen when they split. Hannah was unwilling to sign paperwork to give Jake's brother George shared custody over the child.

“I don’t want to be with you. You hurt me,” she texted him in March 2015, seemingly referencing an apparent domestic altercation, according to the report.

“They will have to kill me first,” she reportedly later said in a Facebook message in December of that year.

Prosecutors allege that members of the Wagner conspired over several months to carry out an execution-style attack on the Rhoden family. Jake and George alongside their father, George “Billy” Wagner III, and mother Anglea Wagner have been accused of murdering eight Rhoden family members on April 22, 2016.

The deceased include Hannah, 19, her brother Christopher Rhoden Jr., 16, and other brother Clarence “Frankie” Rhoden, 20, as well as their parents Christopher Rhoden, Sr., 40, and his ex-wife Dana Manley Rhoden, 37. Other victims included Gary Rhoden, 38, a cousin of Christopher, Sr. his fiance Hannah Hazel Gilley, 20, and Kenneth Rhoden, 44, the brother of Christopher, Sr.

Authorities discovered most of the victims dead from gunshot wounds and have surmised that some were targeted by the Wagners, while others were killed for essentially being at the wrong place at the wrong time. The alleged execution took place in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains across four homes in Pike County, Ohio.

George Wagner IV is the first of his clan to stand trial. His defense has largely hinged on an argument that he was not directly responsible for the deaths and had been pressured into aiding in the murder spree by fear of what his father might do to his brother. His father, George Wagner III has also pleaded not guilty and a trial will likely take place after that of his son.

Jake entered a guilty plea last year, and confessed to killing five of the Rhodens. Under the agreement, he won't face the death penalty if he testifies in the trial of his father and brother, per the New York Post. Angela also pleaded guilty and similarly agreed to aid in the case against her son and husband.

Lead to of death disclosed for fatal car or truck crash involving Rep. Jackie Walorski

Jack Birle

September 18, 11:06 AM September 18, 11:06 AM

The Elkhart County Sheriff's Business uncovered the induce of dying for the auto crash in Elkhart County, Indiana, final thirty day period that killed Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-IN) and two of her staffers.

The results from the workplace concluded that the Toyota RAV4 driven by Walorski staffer Zachery Potts, who was found to be at fault, was driving still left of center at extreme speeds when it collided with a Buick in the reverse lane.

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The Sheriff's place of work also stated there was no proof of cellphone utilization by either driver or mechanical failures by both auto.

The Aug. 3 crash killed Walorski and two of her staffers in the northbound Toyota RAV4, as properly as the lone occupant of the southbound Buick.

Walorski experienced already gained her most important and superior to the basic election for her House seat at the time of her dying. After her dying, the point out GOP chose Rudy Yakym as the substitute prospect for Walorski's seat.

Climber's entire body recovered at Mount Rainier Nationwide Park after he fell to his death

Jack Birle

August 26, 01:47 PM August 26, 01:47 PM

Officials at Mount Rainier National Park in Washington condition say they have uncovered the human body of a Canadian climber who fell to his death from a trail on Monday.

The park says it recognized the overall body of Chun Hui Zhang, 52, from Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, as the 1 that fell from the Disappointment Cleaver route on Mount Rainier.

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"Quite a few unsuccessful attempts were being manufactured by mountain climbing guides and National Park Service (NPS) rangers to find the fallen climber. Zhang was found the next day by a staff of NPS rangers. Utilizing an NPS-contracted helicopter, rangers had been capable to obtain and extricate the climber’s overall body," the countrywide park reported in a statement.

Zhang was "on a personal, leisure summit climb of Mount Rainier with buddies," park officials said.

The park also mentioned that staff members from the Global Mountain Guides and Rainier Mountaineering assisted retrieve Zhang.

The death comes months soon after park rangers rescued two trapped climbers in May well. Deep snow and solid winds created the Might rescue at Kautz climbing route tough, in accordance to park officers.

Illinois Rep. Sean Casten's daughter lifeless at 17

Ryan King

June 14, 10:27 AM June 14, 10:27 AM

Rep. Sean Casten's place of work introduced that his 17-calendar year-aged daughter Gwen died Monday.

His spouse and children declined to share added details about the result in of demise and asked for privateness "in the course of this heartbreaking time."

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"This morning, Congressman Casten’s beloved daughter, Gwen (17), passed away. The Casten household requests privacy, and we will be issuing no additional remark for the duration of this heartbreaking time," a tweet from his account reads.

Police arrived at Casten's Downers Grove home all over 6:48 a.m. Monday and swiftly concluded she was deceased, authorities told the Chicago Tribune. An investigation into the cause of loss of life is underway.

Previously this month, Casten (D-IL) heaped praise on his daughter, hailing her activism against gun violence.

"I have both tremendous pleasure that my daughter took the initiative to manage ... and tremendous shame that we as a nation are making it the accountability of little ones aged 15, 16, and 17 to do what sitting United States senators do not have the bravery to do by themselves," he informed Newsy.

The suburban Chicago Democrat is at present locked in a aggressive main race with Rep. Marie Newman (D-IL) right after redistricting set the two incumbents on a collision system. They are equally vying to clinch the Democratic nod to symbolize Illinois's 6th Congressional District.

If he wins the contest, it would be his third term in Congress, and if Newman wins, it would be her next phrase. The most important is slated to take area on June 28. Newman issued her condolences to Casten pursuing the news of his daughter's loss of life.

"My heart breaks for the Casten loved ones for the devastating decline of their daughter. My prayers are with Sean, Kara, and the total Casten household," she stated in a assertion.

In February, Casten expressed exhilaration that this election cycle was going to be the 1st that Gwen could vote for him.

"It’s a huge year in the Casten family! Sean’s daughter will be voting in her first election and was equipped to signal the petition for her dad," his campaign tweeted.

Actor Philip Baker Hall, Seinfeld officer, dies at 90

Asher Notheis

June 13, 02:23 PM June 13, 02:23 PM

Hollywood actor Philip Baker Hall died at the age of 90, his neighbor declared Monday.

Hall, who had 185 movie and Television credits in his occupation, died in his sleep Sunday night. He was most effective known for his performances in films this kind of as Boogie Nights (1997) and Magnolia (1999) and also manufactured a number of appearances in Seinfeld and Modern-day Relatives.

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"My neighbor, pal, and just one of the wisest, most talented and kindest folks I have at any time fulfilled, Philip Baker Hall, died peacefully previous night," journalist Sam Farmer said. "He was surrounded by liked types. The environment has an vacant space in it."

The result in of Hall's demise has not been supplied, nevertheless the actor did go through from emphysema, partly as a consequence of contracting pneumonia as a baby.

Toward the conclusion of his career, he could only film a number of minutes at a time.

Authentic Gerber infant dies at 95

Asher Notheis

June 05, 10:22 AM June 05, 10:22 AM

The first Gerber child, Ann Turner Prepare dinner, has died at the age of 95.

Gerber, which began using Cook's toddler portrait as its emblem due to the fact its trademark in 1931, introduced her loss of life in a social media write-up on Friday.

"Many years in advance of becoming an extraordinary mom, teacher and author, her smile and expressive curiosity captured hearts everywhere you go and will continue on to reside on as a image for all infants," the company mentioned. "We extend our deepest sympathies to Ann’s relatives and to any person who had the enjoyment of being aware of her."

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Gerber held a contest in 1928 to find a facial area to stand for a baby foods advertising and marketing marketing campaign, top artist Dorothy Hope Smith to post her uncomplicated charcoal sketch of Cook, who experienced been born two several years previously and was Smith's neighbor. Smith mentioned in her entry that she would complete the sketch if she received, but the judges cherished the easy sketch as it was and insisted that it be utilized as the company's symbol, according to Gerber.

The identity of the Gerber child experienced remained a magic formula until eventually 1978, leaving a lot of in the interim to guess it to be actor Humphrey Bogart, actress Elizabeth Taylor, or even Sen. Bob Dole (R-KS).

Prepare dinner discovered out she was the Gerber toddler when her mom explained to her. Cook believed the reason the photograph experienced been so preferred is since "all babies are interesting" and Smith captured the charm that all infants have," she reported in a 1998 interview with the Related Press.

"If you’re heading to be a image for something, what could be far more nice than a symbol for child food items?" she explained.