George “Billy” Wagner III, charged with aggravated murder and other crimes in the 2016 deaths of eight Rhoden family members, is seeking to dismiss his lawyer and represent himself, saying he has no faith the attorney will fully support his case. A hearing is set for Oct. 1.
Wagner’s letter also alleged that his lawyer would not file paperwork or take other actions he requested. In an August letter, Wagner complained that no one explained matters to him and said he was legally deaf in his left ear.
Wagner’s trial is scheduled to begin in January. The judge ordered the venue kept secret even from attorneys and victims’ families and denied requests to reconsider. Prosecutors say the killings stemmed from a custody dispute between Wagner’s son Jake and Jake’s ex-girlfriend, Hanna Rhoden. His son George IV was sentenced to eight life terms and 121 years; his wife, Angela, and Jake pleaded guilty and testified at George IV’s trial.
