The execution-style murders of eight members of the same family in rural Pike County, Ohio, has set residents on edge and sent investigators into overdrive as they try to find out who killed the Rhoden family members, and why.
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Attorney general Mike DeWine said it appeared they had all been shot in the head.
Eight members of the Rhoden family were found shot dead in Pike County, Ohio, in the U.S. on Friday but investigators have not yet declared a motive in the grizzly crime.
Among those apparently killed in their sleep was Hanna Rhoden, who was in bed with her 4-or-5-day-old baby nearby, authorities said. Three young children-including a 4-day-old infant-were also found unharmed at the crime scenes.
As authorities investigated the crime scenes, they discovered marijuana “grow operations” at three of the four homes. Investigators have interviewed between 50 and 60 people in hopes of finding leads, and a team 38 people is combing wooded areas around the shooting scenes to ensure no evidence was missed, Reader said.
“I cautioned them that they were a target, and I told them to be armed”, he said.
“I think they’re both dead”, she said before breaking down crying in one of the two 911 call recordings released on 23 April by the OH state attorney general’s office.
“You try to think (about) the whys and who, and no one has any idea why this would take place”, said Fulton, pastor of Union Hill Church in neighboring Adams County, which some of the victims had attended.
Some might have been sleeping when the killer came for them before dawn Friday.
But they have not identified any suspects and say that whoever killed them should be considered armed and unsafe. “I just think about those kids”.
Piketon, which is about 90 miles from Cincinnati, is home to about 2,000 people.
The victims have been identified as members of the Rhoden family, and police warn that other members of the family could be at risk.
Sheriff Reader said the investigation is the largest the county has ever seen. DNA technicians were now examining 18 pieces of evidence at a state crime lab.
“We’ve had hundreds of people come to Pike County come to help with this lengthy and terrible investigation we’re dealing with”, Reader said. He said he didn’t believe safety for others was an issue, but to take precautions if they feel threatened.
Reader and DeWine would not comment on if the crimes were drug-related, but reiterated the shootings were planned and specifically targeted the Rhoden family. The conversations started with the usual greetings, she said, but inevitably turned to, “did you hear what happened?”
Authorities are offering a $25,000 reward – provided by a Cincinnati businessman – for any information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the killer or killers, the attorney general announced on Saturday. They said evidence continues to be processed and analyzed from the four properties near Piketon where the family members were found dead Friday.
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Kayla Hay said she got to know one of the victims, 37-year-old Dana Rhoden, when they both worked as nurse aides at a nursing home. He said they were previously part of his congregation, though not recently.
