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$25K reward offered in murder of eight in Ohio, suspect not identified

By UPI Staff
A $25,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the arrest of anyone responsible for killing eight family members in rural Piketon, Ohio Friday. Map by Google.
A $25,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the arrest of anyone responsible for killing eight family members in rural Piketon, Ohio Friday. Map by Google.

PIKETON, Ohio, April 24 (UPI) -- Investigators announced Sunday a $25,000 reward for the arrest and conviction of anyone responsible for the execution-style murders of eight family members in rural Ohio Friday.

Attorney General Mike DeWine said Cincinnati-area businessman Jeff Ruby offered up the reward for information leading to those responsible for the multiple homicides, Fox News reported.

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Investigators have been working to locate suspects in the pre-dawn killing of eight members of the Rhoden family., including a child. No arrests have been made so far.

Three marijuana "grow operations" were found at the homes where the family members were killed, DeWine said late Sunday. One official told CNN "This operation was not for personal use. It was for something much bigger than that. It was a very sophisticated operation."

However, investigators would not say the marijuana was related to the killings. But the Rhodens were specifically targeted.

"This was a preplanned execution of eight individuals," DeWine said. "It was a sophisticated operation and those who carried it out were trying to do everything they could do to hinder the investigation and their prosecution."

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The victims were all members of the Rhoden family, identified as: Hannah Gilley, 20; Christopher Rhoden, Sr., 40; Christopher Rhoden, Jr., 16; Clarence "Frankie" Rhoden, 20; Dana Rhoden, 37; Gary Rhoden, 38; Hanna Rhoden, 19; and Kenneth Rhoden, 44, ABC News reported.

Seven of the victims were reportedly found Friday in three different homes along the same road in Peebles, a small town some 70 miles east of Cincinnati. An eighth victim was found later in nearby Piketon, officials said.

DeWine said it appeared that some of the victims were killed in their sleep and found shot to death in their beds. He said one victim, who appeared to be a mother, was killed lying in bed with a 4-day-old baby.

Pike County Sheriff Charles Reader said three young children -- the 4-day-old baby, a 6-month-old baby and a 3-year-old -- were found unharmed at the various shooting scenes.

Investigators on Saturday released the 911 tapes when relatives found the bodies.

One woman sounded frantic and out of breath, telling a dispatcher she had found blood throughout her brother-in-law's house. "I think my brother-in-law's dead," she said. "There's blood all over the house."

In a separate 911 call, a man said: "I just found my cousin with a gunshot wound." Kenneth Rhoden told the dispatcher his cousin was dead.

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A woman speaking on behalf of the Rhoden family thanked investigators and said the family was asking for prayers and for anyone with information to come forward and contact the state bureau of investigation.

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