On the second anniversary of the Rhoden family massacre: 'I still got a lot of hate'

PIKE COUNTY, Ohio -- They stood shoulder-to-shoulder, eight of them, each holding their own fistful of blaze orange balloons set to be released into the sky.

Some of the balloons had what has become this family's tragic tagline scribbled on them: "Rhoden Proud, Gilley Strong."

It was exactly two years ago here, outside Union Hill Church, that many of the same family members assembled to be told that their eight loved ones had been found slain inside their homes, many as they slept. 

On Sunday, the Rev. Phil Fulton was again on hand. This time as he read each of the victim's names, a relative released a balloon bouquet. 

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It was their way, again, of saying goodbye.

"Thank you for coming out. Thank you for remembering,'' said Fulton, whose church has continued to serve as a sanctuary and a family meeting place. "We will always remember."

'Bring closure to this tragic, tragic event'

About 75 people -- including seven members of a closed Facebook group that helped arrange the memorial -- started gathering outside during the 10 a.m. service. 

Inside the church, Fulton encouraged his congregation to join in the balloon release to support the Manley family.

Bobby Jo Manley, Dana Manley Rhoden's sister, was joined by her and Dana's parents Leonard and Judy Manley, at the service.

Their daughter, Dana Manley Rhoden, 37, was shot to death in the trailer she shared with her daughter, Hanna, 19, and son Christopher Rhoden, Jr., 16. 

Also killed in the April 22, 2016, massacre were Christopher Rhoden, Sr., 40, who was Dana's former husband with whom she was reconciling; their oldest son, Clarence "Frankie" Rhoden, 20, and his fiancee, Hannah Hazel Gilley, 20. Cousin Gary Rhoden, 36, and Kenneth Rhoden, who was Christopher, Sr.'s older brother, was also killed. 

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"I just keep praying and trusting that God will provide answers,'' Fulton said at the end of the hour-long service. "I pray for the evidence to bring closure to this tragic, tragic event."

There has been little new information about the state's largest and most complex homicide investigation. A year ago, family members were hopeful an arrest was near after authorities searched three properties over two days in Adams and Pike counties.

If investigators found any evidence in the slayings, they have not said. However, a month later Attorney General Mike DeWine and Pike County Sheriff Charles Reader asked the public for any information about the family whose properties they had searched. 

They released photographs of George "Billy" Wagner, his wife, Angela Wagner, and their adult sons, George Wager, IV, and Edward "Jake"  Wagner, after they moved to Kenai, Alaska. 

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The Wagners and Rhodens were longtime family friends. Jake Wagner and Hanna Rhoden dated for years and share a daughter. 

Angela and Jake Wagner have continually denied any involvement and have repeatedly told The Enquirer they want the case solved. 

Their lawyer, John Kearson Clark, reiterated the same Friday at his office: "Hanna was like a daughter to them."

'Still got a lot of hate'

Leonard Manley didn't attend the balloon release. Instead, he sat at his home on Union Hill Road with the intent of confronting any BCI agents that came to his property.

A year ago, Manley was already skeptical of law enforcement's progress in investigating the death of his family members, but that skepticism turned to anger when police obtained a warrant and then placed a GPS tracking device on his son's truck the day of the first anniversary.

"Fool me once," Manley said.

James Manley removed the tracker from his truck when he found it on April 28. He was arrested and jailed for a day on evidence tampering and vandalism. Authorities dropped the charges. 

Leonard Manley isn't shy about talking about what happened and what's followed in the two years since. He remains angry about the police's examination of his family, which also included two lie-detector tests of Bobby Jo that she says she passed.

He's also not ready to let go of the pain and vengeance he feels, though he's had help.

"Phil (Fulton) has really helped me. I still got a lot of hate, but he took a lot of that hate out of me," Leonard Manley said.

Manley remains convinced someone close to his family killed them.

Police presence increased duringanniversary weekend

On Union Hill Road, sheriff's deputies sat in marked cars outside the Rhoden properties. A handful of deputies were in and around the church during the balloon launch. On Friday, another deputy sat outside the Pike County Sheriff's impound lot, where the trailers and campers are being stored. 

Unlike last year, neither Reader nor DeWine joined the group. Both have declined to make comments about the status of the case.

Many gathered at the memorial did not want to discuss the case or speculate if authorities will make an arrest. Others indicated they remain hopeful that someday justice will be served. 

Verlina Jarrell, a moderator on one of the closed Rhoden/Gilley Facebook groups, said it was an honor to help arrange and attend Sunday. Many in the group live outside of Ohio and could not make the trip, but had planned to release orange balloons in their memory. 

Although Jarrell has come to know so of the family members through Facebook, Sunday was still a bit surreal: 

"They accepted us here with open arms,'' said Jarrell, who lives south of Columbus. "They are part of us. They are like family. And we are not going away until there is justice."

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