The alleged instigator of the 2016 Pike County massacre is asking for a court hearing ahead of his January trial because, he said, "no one explains anything to me."

In a letter to the judge in the case, George "Billy" Wagner III said "the only thing anybody tells me is a bunch of lies."

His letter, addressed to Pike County Visiting Judge Jonathan Hein, asks for a "hearing on a matter of great importance" without specifying what remedy he seeks.

The letter, dated Aug. 7, appeared in the online listings in his case Aug. 17.

Neither Hein or Wagner attorney Mark Collins immediately responded to a request to discuss the letter.

George "Billy" Wagner III, the final defendant in the 2016 Pike County massacre case, wants a hearing because "no one explains anything to me."
George "Billy" Wagner III, the final defendant in the 2016 Pike County massacre case, wants a hearing because "no one explains anything to me."

Writing from the Pickaway County Jail, where he's been held since September of 2024, Wagner said he would no longer comply with a gag order in the case. The order was placed by an earlier judge on the case.

"For the last eight years, I have kept my mouth shut," he wrote. "I was told by the court there was a gag order. Anything that I had to say had to go through my attorney."

Wagner said he'd complied fully with that order, while prosecutors and even Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine did not.

His most pressing problem, however, is a lack of understanding of his case.

That's both because "no one explains anything" and because of other circumstances: He is legally deaf in his left ear and "cannot read and write well."

He said a fellow inmate wrote the letter he sent Hein.

More: Pike County massacre timeline: Gruesome case marks 10th anniversary

Angela Canepa, Ohio special prosecutor, talks with John P. Parker, center, and Richard M. Nash, the defense team of George Wagner IV, during his in Pike County Common Pleas Courthouse, Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2022. Wagner is charged with 22 counts in connection of shooting deaths of eight members of the Rhoden family April 21-22, 2016. Wagner’s brother Jake Wagner and mom, Angela Wagner, have already pleaded guilty and have been sentenced. George’s dad, George “Billy” Wagner III is expected to go on trial in 2023. This is the fourth week of the trial. Randy Deering is the presiding judge.
Angela Canepa, Ohio special prosecutor, talks with John P. Parker, center, and Richard M. Nash, the defense team of George Wagner IV, during his in Pike County Common Pleas Courthouse, Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2022. Wagner is charged with 22 counts in connection of shooting deaths of eight members of the Rhoden family April 21-22, 2016. Wagner’s brother Jake Wagner and mom, Angela Wagner, have already pleaded guilty and have been sentenced. George’s dad, George “Billy” Wagner III is expected to go on trial in 2023. This is the fourth week of the trial. Randy Deering is the presiding judge.

Hein set Jan. 11 as the start of Wagner's much-delayed trial. Wagner has entered a not guilty plea to eight counts of aggravated homicide and 14 related charges in the case. Arrested in 2018 with other members of his family, he was held in Butler County jail until being moved to Pickaway County.

In another Aug. 17 filing in the case, Special Prosecutor Angela Canepa renewed her efforts to keep the coming trial in Pike County with two arguments:

Publicity in the case has waned, given its delays. Wagner's attorneys earlier won a change of venue motion, saying the Pike County juror pool had been tainted by media attention.

Hein has yet to announce a new venue, limiting victim families' ability to argue harm in having to travel to attend the trial.

In a separate filing, Hein set Sept. 19 as the deadline for lawyers to submit a jointly created questionnaire to determine prospective jurors' views on the death penalty. An appeals court ruling put the death penalty back in play in January.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Final Pike County murder suspect says 'no one explains anything to me'