Clarence Franklin "Frankie" Rhoden, a 20-year-old male of Caucasian ethnicity from Piketon, Ohio, tragically lost his life on April 22, 2016. He was one of eight victims in what became known as the Pike County Massacre. The victims, all members of the Rhoden family, were found shot execution-style in their homes over the course of the night of April 21-22, 2016.
Frankie Rhoden was discovered shot to death in his camper in Piketon.
The investigation into the Pike County Massacre quickly became one of the largest in Ohio's history. Authorities initially believed that at least two shooters were responsible for the killings, and the crime scenes revealed the presence of marijuana cultivation and cockfighting operations. However, a direct connection between these activities and the murders was not confirmed.
In November 2018, four members of the Wagner family were arrested and charged with the murders. Edward "Jake" Wagner, an ex-boyfriend of victim Hanna Rhoden and father of her three-year-old daughter, pleaded guilty to all eight murders and testified that he shot five of the victims. The other Wagner family members, including Jake's parents and brother, were also convicted and received various sentences ranging from life imprisonment to lesser charges.
The Pike County Massacre remains a tragic and complex case, with the Wagner family members believed to have had prior connections to the Rhoden family. The investigation and subsequent trials brought some measure of justice for the victims and their families, but the loss and pain endured by the Rhoden family continue to resonate in the community.
