Dana Lynn Manley Rhoden, a 37-year-old woman of Caucasian ethnicity from Piketon, Ohio, tragically lost her life on April 22, 2016. She was a nurse's aide at Hillside Nursing Home and was survived by her parents, Leonard and Judy Manley, and her siblings. Dana was preceded in death by her ex-husband, Christopher Rhoden Sr., and their three children: Clarence "Frankie" Rhoden, Christopher Rhoden Jr., and Hanna Rhoden.
The circumstances surrounding Dana's death were part of a larger
tragedy known as the Pike County shootings or the Pike County Massacre. On the night of April 21-22, 2016, eight members of the Rhoden family were shot and killed in four homes in Pike County. The victims included Dana's ex-husband, Christopher Rhoden Sr., aged 40, and their children, Clarence "Frankie" Rhoden, aged 20, and Hanna Rhoden, aged 19, among others. The bodies were discovered the following morning by family members who came to check on them.
The investigation into the Pike County shootings became the largest in Ohio's history. Authorities initially believed that at least two shooters were responsible for the murders, which were thought to be premeditated. In November 2018, four members of the Wagner family—George "Billy" Wagner III, his wife Angela Wagner, and their sons George Wagner IV and Edward "Jake" Wagner—were arrested and charged with the murders. Edward "Jake" Wagner, who was an ex-boyfriend of Hanna Rhoden and the father of her three-year-old daughter, pleaded guilty to all eight murders and testified that he shot five of the victims.
The Wagner family members faced multiple charges, including eight counts each of aggravated murder and conspiracy. Rita Newcomb, another associate, was charged with obstructing official business. The case drew significant attention due to the scale of the crime and the connections between the Wagner and Rhoden families. The investigation revealed the presence of marijuana cultivation and cockfighting operations at some of the crime scenes, although a direct connection to the killings was not confirmed.
The Pike County shootings left a lasting impact on the community and the families involved. The lengthy investigation and subsequent trials underscored the complexities of the case and the challenges faced by law enforcement in bringing the perpetrators to justice.
