COLUMBUS, Ohio | A family of four arrested Tuesday in the horrific slayings of eight people from another family in rural Ohio two years ago carefully coordinated the killings for months in a crime prosecutors vaguely explained as a custody dispute, authorities said.
Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said a grand jury indicted the four on aggravated murder charges and that could be sentenced to death if convicted.
DeWine gave very little detail about why they were killed, but did say the custody of young child played a role.
Arrested were four members of the Wagner family, who lived close to the scenes of the killing about 60 miles south of Columbus.
One of those arrested was Edward “Jake” Wagner, 26, who was a long-time former boyfriend of 19-year-old Hanna Rhoden, one of the eight victims, and shared custody of their daughter at the time of the massacre.
The others arrested were Wagner’s father, George “Billy” Wagner III, 47; his wife, 48-year-old Angela Wagner; and George Wagner, 27.
The Wagners had moved to Alaska, but authorities said three were arrested in Ohio.
Police in Kentucky say the FBI tracked “Billy” Wagner to Lexington, where he was arrested without incident at around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday. Lexington police weren’t sure if he had been living in the area.
Authorities said Wagner was arrested in a horse trailer that was pulled over.
