Defense calls first witnesses in George Wagner IV

WAVERLY, Ohio −The latest week of testimony in the murder trial of George Wagner IV began Monday after a shortened previous week of testimony.

Wagner, facing charges in the deaths of the Rhoden family, saw last week come to a close when attorneys for both sides argued over what defense attorneys said was freshly introduced evidence. Pike County Prosecutor Rob Junk was also absent due to illness. Pike County Common Pleas Judge Randy Deering only brought jurors to the courtroom to dismiss them for the weekend.

Expected to take the stand but "opting out" meaning the witness will not be on camera, is a friend of the Wagner sons, Andrew Carter.

Kelly and Caleb Cinereski, father and son pastors, each took the stand and did not opt out Monday morning. The Cinereskis said they were attempting to help the Wagners as their pastors. Kelly Cinereski said George "Billy" Wagner was trying to clean up his life. Caleb Cinereski testified that he spent time with the Wagner sons growing up.

George Wagner IV's mother spent much of the time occupying the stand last week. Here are some highlights from last week's testimony:

• Angela Wagner said she joined her husband and two sons in preparing to kill the Rhoden family in April 2016.

• She said her husband George “Billy” Wagner III, father to the defendant, and his other son Edward “Jake” Wagner, hatched the plan after becoming convinced Sophia was being harmed. The daughter that Jake Wagner and Hanna May Rhoden co-parented was then about 2 ½ years old.

• Angela Wagner said Jake Wagner had earlier wanted to kill just Hanna. Billy Wagner disagreed saying the Rhoden family would seek revenge. According to Angela Wagner, her husband said: “They’ll know and then they come for Jake. They’d shoot him, if not all of us.”

• The Wagners thought Sophia was being hurt during the weeks she spent at the Rhoden home, Angela Wagner said. Her crotch was “very red” with a “horrible smell,” and her behavior changed after spending time with Hanna and the rest of the Rhoden family.

• Most alarming, she began putting items inside her diaper and said “Chris puts stuff in there for bubblegum,” Angela Wagner said, quoting Sophia, but not indicating whether she meant Hanna Rhoden’s father or younger brother.

• Angela Wagner bought a cell phone jammer, bug detector and cheap shoes to use the night of the killings. She also created documents – with forged signatures – to grant Jake Wagner custody of Sophia in the event of Hanna Rhoden’s death, with a similar document to grant George Wagner IV sole custody of his son, Bulvine. A third document awarded her custody of both children in the event of her sons’ deaths.

• The plan called for her to stay home with Sophia and Bulvine, lock the door and text a friend of her sons to appear that they were at home that night. Then, “all three went out the door.” The next morning, when they’d returned, “I was glad I had seen all three of them and no one was hurt.” She did not ask who killed whom or how, she said. “I just didn’t want to know the details.”

• When asked why the family didn't report their concerns about Sophia, Angela Wagner said the family distrusted law enforcement and children services agencies.

• Angela Wagner told the prosecution that Wagner IV offered to take the fall for the killings. She told him no. "One, they wouldn't believe him and two, he was not going to do that," she said.

• Toward the end of her testimony, Angela Wagner said: "I have regret. I have remorse. I'm more than sorry. But that's not enough. She was a baby and she was my family," Angela Wagner said toward the end of her testimony, referring to Sophia.Here are Monday highlights:

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Pike County killings: Murder trial of George Wagner IV continues Monday