Meigs County one of sheriff's offices assisting in Pike County multiple homicide investigation

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine. File photo.

PIKE COUNTY – Meigs County is assisting Pike County in the multiple homicide investigation that has gained international attention.

During a press conference late this afternoon with Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and Pike County Sheriff Charles Reader, the sheriff mentioned two other sheriff’s offices assisting in additional staffing currently. Sheriff Tedd Frazier of Jackson County and Sheriff Keith O. Wood of Meigs County were specifically mentioned by Reader for their assistance in coordinating staff.

A total of 23 sheriff’s offices have assisted in the investigation. Reader said his office is able to staff up to 10 times his normal staff in Pike County because of the assistance of sheriffs from as far away as Lake Erie. He said additional units are available at every shift change calling the presence, “More manpower than they have ever had in the county.”

The investigation continues into the killing of eight members of the Rhoden family with multiple agencies and departments involved. Christopher Rhoden, Sr., Kenneth Rhoden, Gary Rhoden, Christopher Rhoden, Jr., Hanna Rhoden, Clarence “Frankie” Rhoden and Hannah Gilley were slain.

“This is an old fashioned, cold blooded, calculated massacre of 8 human beings,” DeWine said at the press conference.

Sheriff Keith O. Wood and his office are one of many assisting in the Pike County investigation. File photo.

He said it would be a “lengthy investigation” and called what they are doing “very delicate” as well. DeWine and Reader stressed that the investigation was going to take time and they were concerned with attaining convictions, not just arrests. For many questions posed by reporters at the press conference, they refrained from answering not wanting to harm the investigation.

“This is something that is going to take awhile. It’s absolutely shocking some of these scenes,” Reader said.

Reader said they are working as many as hours as possible on the case. He said this was one family that was targeted and there was no evidence that anyone outside of the that family should be concerned. He also urged the media to remember this is a family that has lost eight members and they are mourning this devastating loss.

DeWine said he would not address the rumors and various headlines that have been published world wide about the case. He said his office was in the investigation for the long haul and would see it to it’s end. DeWine maintained they could be looking for one person or multiple people. He also said they would assume nothing in the case but go where the evidence leads them.

Yesterday they released that 61 additional items of evidence have been sent to the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) crime laboratory for DNA, ballistics, latent print, and trace analysis. These items are in addition to the 18 high-priority items submitted for testing previously, for a total of 79 pieces of evidence.

DeWine said his office has a “close relationship with federal partners” and included that for local law enforcement as well. To date, more than 215 law enforcement officals have participated in the investigation in some way.

No information was given concerning the additional search warrants served in connection with the investigation yesterday.

DeWine said that more than 300 tips have been received by both BCI and the Pike County Sheriff’s Office. He added that all of the tips are being investigated. DeWine and Reader urged anyone with information about the case to call 855-BCI-OHIO (224-6446) or 740-947-2111.