Americas News

Update: Manhunt still underway to find who’s responsible for the Pike County killings

Eight members of the same family were fatally shot in the head in Pike County, Ohio on Friday, with a manhunt underway to find the killer(s).

Eight members of the same family were fatally shot in the head in Pike County, Ohio on Friday, with a manhunt underway to find the killer(s).

Seven adults and one teenager were shot in the head in four different homes in southern rural Ohio, including a mother laying in bed with her 4-day-old baby, according to Pike County Sheriff Charles Reader and Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine.

All of the victims have been identified as members of the Rhoden family. Along with the newborn, two other children, ages 6 months and 3 years, were found alive in the homes.

Three of the houses where the bodies were found were on the same road, all within a couple of miles from each other, with the fourth home being farther away, Reader said.

DeWine stated in a news conference Friday evening that there is “no indication that any of the individuals killed themselves,” leading investigators to believe it was not a murder-suicide and that whoever is responsible for the killings is still on the loose.

Reader stated on Sunday there was no person of interest, but officials had interviewed over 50 people so far. He also said no motive had been established. However, he said it was clear the Rhoden family was the target.

Reader also said that he’s warned the Rhoden family to be armed while the shooter(s) is still on the loose.

In a news conference on Sunday, DeWine confirmed on Sunday that marijuana-growing operations were found at three of the four houses where the shootings occurred.

Little information is being released about the investigation, but authorities believe there was likely more than one shooter and that it was a “pre-planned execution.” DeWine stated that whoever carried it out “did everything that they could do to hinder the investigation and their prosecution.”

A reward of $25,000 has been offered by a Cincinnati restaurant owner for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the killer(s).

[Story developing]

Slack

Join us in the newsroom?

Grasswire is an open newsroom. We collaborate online in an open Slack channel where we pitch, source, verify, write and edit stories.

0 / 1857

Tweets