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Prosecutors within the trial of George Wagner IV, one of many males accused of executing members of an Ohio household in 2016, known as a detective to testify Monday that Wagner might have been impressed to kill primarily based on scenes from his favourite movie collection, TheBoondock Saints.
Display grabs from the movies have been displayed in courtroom because the case’s lead investigator, Ryan Scheiderer, laid out parallels between the movies and the slaying of eight folks from the Rhoden household.
Jake Wagner, who has already pleaded responsible within the murders, testified in October that he watched The Boondock Saints to “psych himself up earlier than the killings,” reported FOX 19. Scheiderer made no point out of this assertion Monday, however prosecutors referred to it throughout a recess during which they satisfied Decide Randy Deering that Scheiderer’s testimony was related to the trial.
Scheiderer testified that the Wagner brothers dyed their hair to appear to be characters within the movie and that authorities imagine they outfitted their handguns with silencers to imitate the film characters.
Ski masks have been additionally allegedly utilized by the brothers and characters in The Boondock Saints, Scheiderer stated. And the detective confirmed off a photograph of George Wagner IV holding a Beretta pistol—the identical gunmaker because the handguns used within the movie collection.
The protection repeatedly objected to statements all through Scheiderer’s testimony, however Deering rejected every one.
In Boondock Saints II, two brothers journey to Boston from Eire to clear their names and avenge a priest who was murdered by the mob. Scheiderer detailed a scene from the movie during which the fable “The Scorpion and the Frog” was mentioned, simply moments earlier than a father kills his finest good friend with the assistance of his two sons.
Within the years earlier than the real-life Rhoden bloodbath, the Wagner and Rhoden households have been reportedly shut buddies. Among the Wagner relations who've since been arrested even attended funerals for the victims they're accused of killing, FOX 19 reported.
Scheiderer stated that similarity between the movie and the bloodbath doubtless was not a coincidence, including that after the killings George Wagner IV received a tattoo of a scorpion, which the detective recommended was a reference to the movie’s scene concerning the fable.
In 2018, police arrested 4 members of the Wagner household: George “Billy” Wagner III, 47; his spouse, Angela Wagner, 48; and their sons George Wagner IV, 27, and Edward “Jake” Wagner, 26. Every of them confronted eight prices of aggravated homicide for which they might be sentenced to loss of life, except Jake Wagner, who took a plea deal.
The victims, all however one shot within the head whereas they slept of their houses, have been Christopher Rhoden Sr., 40; his ex-wife Dana Manley Rhoden, 37; and the couple’s three youngsters, Christopher Rhoden Jr., 16; Hanna Might Rhoden, 19; and Clarence “Frankie” Rhoden, 20.
Frankie Rhoden’s fiancée, Hannah Gilley, 20; Christopher Rhoden Sr.’s brother, Kenneth Rhoden, 4; and a cousin Gary Rhoden, 38, have been additionally murdered.
Authorities have stated a custody dispute between the households over a younger youngster was the motive for the bloodbath.
“That is simply probably the most weird story I’ve ever seen in being concerned in regulation enforcement,” Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine stated at a press convention in 2018 to announce the arrests, including that the Wagner household had an “obsession” with custody and controlling youngsters linked to the victims.
Monday’s testimony by Scheiderer was preceded by protection witnesses for George Wagner IV. That testimony usually would come after the prosecution rested its case however was moved up in George Wagner IV’s trial as a result of witnesses wanted to return to Alaska, the place they reside.
Kelly Cinereski, a priest who oversaw a church the Wagner household attended in Alaska, stated the household was “looking for their relationship with the Lord” after they moved to the far-off state in 2017.
“I hoped that they may not have performed one thing like that—homicide,” Cinereski stated, including that the bloodbath was “evil” and “disgusting.”
The protection additionally known as a tattoo artist who did work for George Wagner IV to testify. The artist, Shawn Fisher, stated a tattoo of a cranium and eight ball he created was to cowl up a previous tattoo and that he had recommended the design. Some had beforehand recommended the tattoo was an emblem of the bloodbath of the Rhoden household, as eight folks died in complete.
4 others testified in protection of George Wagner IV on Monday however objected to having the general public current to listen to their testimony.
The case is now in its eleventh week, The Cincinnati Enquirer reported. The state is predicted to wrap up its arguments on Tuesday by enjoying tapes from a wiretapped car the Wagner brothers rode in collectively in 2018, in accordance with the Regulation & Crime Community.