Father of massacre victim dies

Daughter among 8 dead in Pike County killings

Leonard Manley spent many days of the last years of his life in court following the trials of the Wagner family, who are accused of killing his daughter.

Manley died Sunday morning, according to the Pike County Coroner’s Office. He was 70.

Officials said Manley died at home and was found in his living room.

Officials at the coroner’s office said there would be no autopsy and that it was determined he died from natural causes.

Manley’s daughter, Dana Manley Rhoden, 37, was among eight members of the Rhoden family killed April 22, 2016, in Pike County.

Among the dead were her ex-husband, Christopher Rhoden, and three children, Clarence “Frankie” Rhoden, Hanna Rhoden and Chris Rhoden, along with Kenneth Rhoden, Gary Rhoden and Hannah Gilley.

Prosecutors have accused four members of the Wagner family of orchestrating the night raid and execution of the Rhodens over what they say was a custody dispute.

The youngest Wagner, Jake, shared a daughter with Hanna Rhoden.

Jake Wagner pleaded guilty in April in the massacre in order to spare his family from the death penalty. His mother, Angela Wagner, followed suit.

The cases against the Wagner patriarch, George “Billy” Wagner III, and his oldest son George Wagner IV are still ongoing. George Wagner IV is due back in court Dec. 22.

Leonard Manley was crushed by the murders and dwelled on it heavily during

the two and half years it took to make an arrest in the case. He remained convinced through it all that it was someone close to the family that did it.

He was especially hurt by the accusations his daughter might have been involved in some illegal activity.

“My daughter is a loving person, a loving mother,’’ he previously told The Enquirer, using the present tense. “You go anywhere, you ask anyone about my daughter … they will tell you the same.

“You go down and ask about Dana; they will all tell you: I spoiled my girl,’’ he said. “They would tell you her dad would do anything for her.’’

He hasn’t spoken publicly about the case as much since the arrests, but he frequently attended the hearings for the Wagners.

Information regarding funeral arrangements was not available Monday.

MCGRAW/GAZETTE ROBERT Leonard Manley, father of Dana Manley Rhoden, hugs Special Prosecutor Angie Canepa before the arraignment of Angela Wagner, in 2018.

CARRIE COCHRAN/THE ENQUIRER Bobby Jo Manley and her father, Leonard Manley, are photographed on Leonard's porch.