Ohio ‘Execution Style’ Murders Linked to Marijuana Grow

Three marijuana growing operations have been discovered near the houses where a family of 8 was murdered “execution style” in rural Ohio.

While the drug trafficking has not been publicly singled out as a motive by authorities nor have they publicly mentioned cartels or organized crime, investigators have called the murders a “complex operation”. 

“This was a pre-planned execution of eight individuals, it was a sophisticated operation,” said Ohio Attorney General Mike Devine in a televised interview aired by Fox News. “Those who carried it out did everything they could to hinder the investigation and their prosecution.”

Investigators have not released further information about the marijuana operation discovered at the properties.

Breitbart Texas reported on Friday of the dramatic murders where three young children including a newborn were allowed to survive. One child was found lying next to its murdered mother.

Since that time, the AG’s office has released the names the victims. They were identified them as — Kenneth Rhoden, 44, Christopher Rhoden, 40, Gary Rhoden, 38, Dana Rhoden 37, Clarence “Frankie” Rhoden 20, Hanna Gilley , 20, Hanna Rhoden, 19 and Christopher Rhoden Jr. 16.

Breitbart Texas has obtained the 911 calls from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. In the first call, a woman by the name of Bobbie tells the emergency dispatcher that her father -in-law is dead and that her brother-in-law was being beaten by unknown gunmen.

“They beat the hell out of him” the woman says in the call. “… they beat the (expletive) out of them.”

That first call was made in the morning. Hours later, a man named Donald Stone called 911 claiming to have found the body of his cousin Kenneth Rhoden who died from gunshot wounds.

The family members where killed in separate locations spread out over about a mile and a half. Three of the homes were located on the same street.

In April 2015, Breitbart Texas Managing Director Brandon Darby reported on a $2 million marijuana grow in Texas that authorities linked to the Los Zetas drug cartel. That operation was located near the border town of Laredo located in Webb County.

“This seizure is indicative of cartel drug production operations moving into Texas and the United States as a whole. It is just a matter of time before more of these production operations start popping up in and around our communities,” Border Patrol Agent Hector Garza said in his role with the National Border Patrol Council Local 2455 where he represents the men and woman who are the first line of defense against these drug and human smugglers.

The investigation into the horrific murders in Ohio continues.

Note: This article has been updated with additional information.

Ildefonso Ortiz is an award winning journalist with Breitbart Texas you can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook.