Rhoden murder reward announced - 10 weeks late
What if they offered a reward and forgot to tell the public about it?
That's what happened in Pike County, where authorities on Thursday announced a $10,000 reward in the killing of eight family members -- 10 weeks after authorizing the reward in what has become Ohio's largest homicide investigation ever.
Ross County Sheriff's Deputy Dave Weber, who oversees the Southern Ohio Crime Stoppers fund , said there was a "miscommunication and a misunderstanding" about notifying the public about the reward.
"The reward was approved on May 10 but we didn't have approval to put it out there," Weber said. "We got a call from a TV station this week asking why there wasn't a reward in the case. I said that wasn't true."
The information about the reward, which was authorized May 10, should have come from the Pike County Sheriff's Office, Weber said. Pike County investigators and members of the state's Bureau of Criminal Investigation are working to solve the April 22 slayings of eight members of the Rhoden family.
But Pike County Sheriff Charles Reader said he was surprised to learn of the reward money Wednesday while watching a televised news report. He sent a member of his department to Ross County on Thursday to meet with Weber in order to understand how the miscommunication happened. He said he believes Weber's office might have been sending the information to the defunct email address of a former Pike County sheriff.
"It's not the job of the sheriff to seek out reward money,'' Reader said. "A reward was not on the top of my priority list" during the intense first days and weeks of the murder probe.
Jill Del Greco, a public information officer for the state Attorney General's office, said that office was never contacted about the reward money either.
"It's welcome news," Del Greco said. "It's great to hear."
All the while, however, surviving members of the Rhoden family had felt frustrated no reward had been offered. They were reluctant to discuss the matter publicly because they did not want to offend law enforcement officers.
Reader said he appreciates the family's frustration. He said a Rhoden family member came to him several weeks ago to ask about the possibility of a reward. He said he called the Buckeye Sheriff's Association to see if it could help secure a reward. He was told that organization does not do that work. His administrative assistant then contacted the national Crime Stoppers office.
That office indicated to her, Reader said, that if local Crime Stoppers funding could not be secured, "that they would try to step up and offer a reward.
He said he hopes the $10,000 will solicit new information and tips to help investigators, who have not been able to solve the murders that occurred three months ago Friday.
"I'm grateful and thankful for the reward money," the sheriff said. "I hate that there was a communication breakdown."
Cincinnati restaurateur Jeff Ruby initially offered a $25,000 reward in the case the weekend after the killings, but he withdrew it after citing security concerns for his family related to speculation that the mass homicide might be the work of organized crime or a drug cartel. Officials have never disclosed a possible motive in the case.
Killed were Christopher Rhoden Sr., 40; his ex-wife Dana Rhoden, 37; their children Clarence "Frankie" Rhoden, 20, Hanna Rhoden, 19, and Christopher Rhoden Jr., 16; Frankie Rhoden's fiancee Hannah Gilley, 20; Christopher Rhoden Sr.'s brother Kenneth Rhoden, 44; and a cousin, Gary Rhoden, 38. Authorities have said the killings were well-planned, taking place in the dark of night inside three trailers and a camper while many of the victims slept.
Authorities have declined to disclose much about the case. Attorney General Mike DeWine has called it the largest investigation in Ohio history. And Reader maintained Thursday the case remains active.
"This is by no means a cold case," he said. "We have people permanently assigned to this, and I am pleased and confident with the group we have assembled. We are still getting anonymous tips every day.
"I am confident we will get resolution,'' Reader said. "And I wouldn't say that if I didn't mean it."
The sheriff says he's confident someone has pertinent information about the homicides and needs to come forward.
"Someone is familiar with this," Reader said. "They have important information that could bring us closer. If they would come forward, we could get closer to solving this.
"But eventually, we will find those people one way or another. It will come full circle,'' he vowed. "And this case will be solved."
Chris Graves is the Enquirer's local columnist. She has covered the Pike County case from the very first day. You can email her at cgraves@enquirer.com.
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Reward offered
Anyone with information related to the case is asked to call Southern Ohio Crime Stoppers at 740-773-TIPS. Anonymous tips are still being taken at the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation at 855-BCI-OHIO (224-6446) or the Pike County Sheriff's Office at 740-947-2111.
A $10,000 Crime Stoppers reward would be paid for any information that leads to apprehension of suspects and a conviction in the case.