WAVERLY - Pike County Sheriff Charles Reader made it clear Thursday that he fears the Rhoden family killings aren't over

WAVERLY — Pike County Sheriff Charles Reader made it clear Thursday that he fears the Rhoden family killings aren't over.

Reader, testifying at a hearing in Pike County Juvenile Court, said specifically that he thinks the three children, who were found alive and physically unharmed inside the rural Pike County homes where eight members of the family were shot to death on April 22, remain in danger.

He told Juvenile Court Judge Robert Rosenberger that he worries every day about being called to another crime scene with multiple victims. And Reader also said publicly for the first time that investigators are looking for killers — plural — rather than a single shooter, something authorities have implied but never confirmed.

"I believe if the information about the minor children is released, it would put the minor children or their caregivers in grave danger,” Reader said. "I do not want to ever find victims 9, 10 and 11 and have them be those three minor children."

Reader was the only witness to testify at the hearing held to discuss whether custody proceedings for 9-month-old Ruger Rhoden and 3-month-old Kylie Rhoden, who are both currently in foster care, should be closed to the public.

Ohio law presumes Juvenile Court hearings to be open and that some (but not all) of the accompanying records are a matter of public record. In the case of the Rhoden children, Pike County Children Services has asked Rosenberger to close the courtroom and seal the records, saying that the potential danger to the children outweighs any public good.

The Cincinnati Enquirer formally objected to that closure, and its attorney, Jack Greiner, argued the case Thursday. The hearing on whether to close the matter in the future was held in open court.

Three people, identified in court records only by their initials, are seeking custody of Ruger and Kylie.

Ruger is the son of Clarence “Frankie” Rhoden and Hannah Gilley, his fiancée, who both were shot to death April 22. Kylie is the daughter of Hanna Rhoden, Frankie's sister, who also was killed. Kylie was born just four days before her mother died.

Frankie's older son from a previous relationship also was at his father's trailer during the killings but he is with family and his custody is not in dispute.

Rosenberger gave the attorneys until Aug. 16 to file additional paperwork supporting their cases, and he said he will rule after that.

In addition to Frankie, Hannah Gilley and Hanna, also shot to death inside those four rural Pike County homes were Christopher Rhoden, Frankie and Hanna's father; Dana Manley Rhoden, their mother; Christopher Rhoden Jr., the couple's other son; Kenneth Rhoden, Chris Sr.'s brother; and Gary Rhoden, a cousin to Kenneth and Chris Sr.

The judge acknowledged the unusual circumstances of the matter, and said everyone must proceed with care.

“This is a very unique case of basically a whole family being wiped out,” he said. “It's pretty obvious to someone even as stupid as me that this was an attack on one family, and these are the minor children of that family.”

He pointed out more than once, however, that the killers did seem to purposely spare the children.

Reader disagreed, saying that even though the children weren't shot, and given the age of especially the newborn, they very well could have died, too, if the scenes had not been quickly discovered.

There is a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the case. Those with information can call 740-773-TIPS (8477) to report it anonymously. Tips also can be called in to the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation at 855-BCI-OHIO (224-6446) or the Pike County Sheriff's Office at 740-947-2111.

hzachariah@dispatch.com

@hollyzachariah