The slayings of eight family members in rural southern OH “was a pre-planned execution” and the investigation will be lengthy, the state’s attorney general told reporters Sunday.
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Eight members of a family, including a mother sleeping in a bed with her 4-day-old baby next to her, were fatally shot in the head on Friday, leaving their rural town terrified and reeling while a manhunt was launched for whoever’s responsible.
Pike County Sheriff Charles Reader said there have been “over 30 persons interviewed” in this investigation as of Friday evening, but Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said he “would not use the term “person of interest” to describe any of those interviewers.
Mr Reader said authorities were first alerted by an emergency call shortly before 08:00 on Friday, mentioning two possibly dead men.
PIKE COUNTY, OH (WCMH) – Eight people were found dead Friday at four crime scenes in rural Ohio, and at least majority were shot to death, authorities said.
Officials said on Saturday that autopsies would be performed by the end of the weekend on the eight victims.
Investigators were still trying on Sunday to find out who targeted eight members of a tight-knit family in the state of OH and why.
While Rhoden was killed, her baby was not hurt.
“I think they are both dead”, she said, sobbing. “What we are not going to be able to do is provide you results”, DeWine told reporters.
A Cincinnati-based restaurant owner, Jeff Ruby, has offered a $25,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the case, DeWine said Saturday.
Local law enforcement urged the victims’ family members to take precautions while investigators continue to hunt for suspects. Three young children weren’t killed in the attacks.
Fulton says his church has been a haven for more than 100 grieving family members and friends and will remain open to them as needed.
Seven of the victims were found in three homes along the same road in Peebles, a small village about 70 miles east of Cincinnati.
According to 911 recordings obtained by CNN, a female relative told a dispatcher, “There is blood all over the house”. They continued working through the night, talking to people, executing search warrants and examining crime scene evidence. “It looks like some (one) beat the crap out of them, and I came in and they were laying on the floor”. At the small Pike County Dogwood Festival in Piketon, roughly 10 miles from the crime scenes, families with children in balloon hats walked among crafters and rides, slurping lemon shakes and snack-stand foods. “I said, ‘Hey, I’ve got a request in Pike County with the Salvation Army to assist with meals tonight and do some snacks, water, coffee, that sort of stuff.’ And he jumped right to it, marshalled all his guys and within just a couple of minutes, he was pulling everything together”. An eighth victim was found later in nearby Piketon, officials said.
“All kinds of thoughts go through your mind”, Fulton said.
Gov. John Kasich, campaigning in Pennsylvania for his Republican presidential bid, said his office was monitoring the situation in Pike County.
On Sunday, as some families head to one of the almost dozen churches in Piketon, religion can help begin the healing process, Williams said.
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The Rhoden family issued a statement Saturday thanking the community for its “outpouring of prayers” as well as officials, first responders and law enforcement officers.
