Pike County massacre: New judge appointed for trial of George 'Billy' Wagner

© wlwt judge denies pike county massacre suspect's request to remove death penalty now versus later

The Ohio Supreme Court has appointed a new judge for the trial of George "Billy" Wagner III.

He's accused of killing eight members of the Rhoden family in 2016.

Former Brown County Common Pleas Court Judge Robert Alan Corbin will preside in the Pike County trial.

He has almost 20 outstanding motions to decide following the retirement of Judge Randy Deering, including a possible change of venue for the trial.

The next hearing is set for March 15.

This trial is expected to be the last trial in the Pike County murders.

One of his attorneys said Wagner looks forward to taking his case to trial and said the trial will be much different than that of his son, George Wagner IV.

In November, a jury found George Wagner IV guilty of 22 counts, including eight aggravated murder charges. The verdict came after less than eight hours of deliberations, ending a nearly three-month-long trial.

He was sentenced to life in prison without parole on all eight counts of aggravated murder for each victim in the Pike County killings.

He was also sentenced on counts of conspiracy, aggravated burglary, and tampering with evidence. Those sentences ranged from 10 months to eight years.

Wagner IV was also sentenced to 81 years on firearms specifications, to be served consecutively with his prison sentence on his charges.

“No sentence would right the wrong that has been inflicted on the victims and their families, Judge Deering said before delivering the sentence.

Billy's wife, Angela, and their other son, Jake, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit aggravated murder and other charges in a plea deal to avoid the death penalty.

Investigators say the murders were motivated by a custody dispute between the Wagner and Rhoden families.

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