Pot-Grow Operations at Sites of Ohio Slayings

PIKETON, Ohio (CN) — Marijuana-grow operations were found at three of the four sites of a series of execution-style killings that left eight dead, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said Sunday.

"This was a preplanned execution of eight individuals," DeWine said of the Friday carnage. "It was a sophisticated operation and those who carried it out were trying to do everything they could do to hinder the investigation and their prosecution."

Having previously announced the possibility that all eight of the deceased were related, DeWine confirmed Saturday that they were members of the Rhoden family.

The oldest victim, Kenneth Rhoden, had turned 44 last month. On Saturday, DeWine's office released the 911 call reporting the discovery of his body. A man identifying himself as a cousin said he found Rhoden in his house, dead.

"It's all this stuff that's on the news," the caller said. "I just found my cousin with a gunshot wound."

This call occurred at 1:26 p.m. About six hours earlier, 911 received a call from a woman in hysterics, saying she had discovered the body of her brother-in-law.

"There's blood all over the house! My brother-in-law's in the bedroom. It looks like someone has beat the hell out of him."

The woman said she found Chris and Gary Rhoden dead. Christopher Rhoden Sr. was 40; Gary Rhoden was 38.

There is no call released yet for the discoveries of the other bodies, but DeWine's office identified them as Dana Rhoden, 37; Clarence "Frankie" Rhoden, 20; Hannah Gilley, also 20; and Hanna Rhoden, who just turned 19 earlier this month. The last victim, Christopher Rhoden Jr., was 16.

No arrests have been made, and Pike County Sheriff Charles Reader warned other members of the Rhoden family to take precautions. "They are a target," he reportedly said. "Be armed."

DeWine said seven of the eight autopsies have been completed, but no details were released.

A Cincinnati-area businessman named Jeff Ruby has offered $25,000 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of anyone responsible for the murders.

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