Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine reveals on Sunday that marijuana growing operations have been found at the crime scenes in Southern Ohio. The crime involves killing of eight family members and investigators are yet to determine whether pot growing has played any role in Friday's killing at four houses near Piketon. Marijuana is illegal in Ohio both for recreational and clinical purposes.
Investigators haven't acknowledged in public that the killings are drug related. The pot growing has aimed something much bigger than personal use considering sophisticated nature of the operation, observes CNN, quoting unnamed officials with knowledge on the operation.
The planned, cold blooded killings have rattled Piketon, a town of about 2,000 people and 90 miles east of Cincinnati. The victims, within the age range of 16 to 44, have been shot in the head methodically at four residences. The dead included mother of a 4-day old infant found lying beside her. The newborn along with other two toddlers have survived the killing operation which took place before dawn. Authorities still do not have a sketch, suspect description or motive behind Friday's killings. The suspect (s) have tricked with several steps to cover up their tracks while destroying any possible evidence that may help police to track them down. Investigators so far have gathered more than 100 clues to unearth the killing mystery, reports ABC News, quoting the Ohio Attorney General while addressing in a press conference. Charles Reader, the Pike County Sheriff has never come into interaction with the slain Rhoden family for criminal offences in his 20 years' of service in law enforcement. He doesn't believe, the county people are in security risks. However, he considers that the family has been targeted and advises the victims' relatives to arm themselves, according to a report published in Chicago Tribune. The authorities are still in dilemma to find out the suspect who targeted the family. They have quizzed about 50 to 60 people in search of leads. A team of 38 people has been conducting combined operations in the woods adjacent to the killing site in search of evidences. The Ohio Attorney General also informed that seven of the eight autopsies of the Rhoden family victims have already been performed. The last one has been scheduled for Monday. Mr. DeWine has initially declined to reveal how many guns have been used in the killing and whether the Rhoden family possessed any criminal background. Even he has primarily declined to comment over the marijuana connection for the sake of the ongoing investigation. But at the fag end of the news conference, he has confirmed finding marijuana cultivation at three locations.
