Starting second thread for Wagner murder trial. Defense almost done with defense closings - then Andy Wilson will handle final rebuttal for prosecution. @Local12 @Local12 Parker: Few final points. Angela testified Billy told her to buy two pairs of shoes. It was Billy and Jake who planned it. Pointing out inconsistencies in Jake and Angela's testimony @Local12

Good morning from Pike County Wagner murder trial. Defense starts early with its closing arguments, then rebuttal by prosecution. Jury instructions will take awhile too - so unclear whether the jury will get case today or tomorrow. @Local12 @Local12 Parker starts by thanking jury - and says "I'm not going to go as long as you might expect." Canepa went 4.5 hours yesterday. Asks jury that if he offended them, take it out on him not his client. @Local12

New thread for Wagner murder trial closing arguments. Canepa says jury should regard George's testimony with grave suspicion. Says death penalty lifted because Jake lived up to his end of bargain. Leads to objection and another bench conference @Local12 @Local12 Canepa asks jury to consider why George is lying. Says he lied about Frankie Rhoden being his best friend. @Local12

Starting a new thread for second morning session and prosecution closing arguments for Wagner Pike County murder trial @local12 False stories told to lead investigators astray can be used as circumstantial evidence. How Wagners said relationship b/w Jake and Hanna were great when they weren't @local12

Good morning from Pike Co. Wagner murder trial. Hoping this is the final stretch. Lawyers to finalize jury instructions today and then closing arguments are expected this morning. Jury will get instructions late today or early tomorrow. Deliberations could start Tuesday @Local12 @Local12 We're on the record with Judge Deering taking the bench. @Local12

New afternoon thread for George Wagner IV on stand in own defense in Pike County murder trial - still on cross examination. First question about going to gun show where Jake apparently bought a 1911 Walther Colt (the kind used in the murders) @local12 @Local12 Says he has never seen that gun before that was used in the murders. @local12

Starting new thread for George Wagner IV on stand in own defense in Pike Co massacre trial. On a 15 minute break. Prosecution on cross examination. @local12 @Local12 Canepa now going through gun purchases and the fact he put incorrect addresses and info on his gun receipts. Says it's a federal offense with up to 10 years in prison. @local12

Good morning from Pike County - George Wagner IV returns to the stand in his own defense in his murder trial connected to the Pike County massacre. In the meantime, here is yesterday's recap for @Local12 bit.ly/3hPMbWl @Local12 And here is my twitter thread unrolled in one place threadreaderapp.com/thread/1592945…

Back in court for afternoon with George Wagner IV taking the stand in his own defense in the Pike Co murder trial. @Local12 @Local12 He says he never tricked Tabby into anything during divorce. Says Tabby wanted their son to stay with him because she couldn't take care of him properly @Local12

George Wagner IV takes the stand in his own defense in the Pike Co massacre trial. Being asked about how the family stole diesel fuel. He said he was Cummins engine fan and had a tattoo on his right shoulder. Sorry for late start. @Local12 @Local12 Says his father taught he and Jake how to spot cameras and cops. Would get $1 for every cop spotted - get to use 4 wheeler for a week if they saw stuff, or lose it for a week if Billy saw it first. @Local12

Starting new thread for Pike Co massacre trial for George Wagner IV. They're doing two defense witnesses quickly and then going back to the evidence the rest of the afternoon. First witness was Bernard Brown, who owned the property where Wagners stored their trailers @Local12 @Local12 He opted out - said he drove cattle trailers with Jake and George. Says both were trustworthy and reliable. Never heard so much as a curse word from either of them. Said he arrived after BCI was going through Wagners' trailers - some belongings left out in rain. @Local12

Good morning from snowy Pike Co. Lawyers for both sides will argue over which prosecution pictures the jury can see as evidence during deliberations this morning starting any minute. Then the jury arrives at noon for the continuation of the defense's case. @Local12 @Local12 Parker now arguing over the three he objects to from Scene 1 - saying the upclose shots of Gary's face and head are prejudicial. Not showing them on monitors. @Local12

New thread for afternoon of Wagner murder trial in Pike Co - we're hearing last of the wiretap recordings then prosecution will rest its case. No court Friday and no jury Monday. @local12 @Local12 On Monday, prosecution will introduce exhibits/evidence and the judge will rule whether it is enough to continue or whether he should acquit for lack of evidence under Rule 29. @local12

Good morning from Pike Co. murder trial of George Wagner. Here is the thread from yesterday afternoon. Shows George was clearly part of the family - countering defense opening that he wanted out. First up is defense witness Jon Priest for defense. @Local12

https://twitter.com/threadreaderapp/status/1590706049673498625

@Local12 Priest is a forensic crime scene specialist from Denver with 31 years on the Denver PD and previously recognized as court expert. He's opted in. Then back to more wiretap recordings for prosecution. Defense has 3 witnesses today. @Local12

Back after lunch for new thread for Wagner trial - next recording is from truck with George talking about Jake's daughter. @Local12 @Local12 George yells at Jake "you'd rat me out ... you'd go out to BCI and rat out everybody." Next call George "They can't do anything to us ... if you don't attack first ... you make them look like the bad guy with the pickle they've put themselves in." @Local12

An early good morning from Pike Co. murder trial of George Wagner IV. First up - hearing on the final 7-8 wiretap recordings on which there is still dispute. Jury reports at 9:30 then we expect BCI's Julia Eveslage to introduce wiretaps to close out prosecutions case @Local12 @Local12 Judge Deering on bench - there were 8 that were under dispute and maybe needed more context. Another needed to be edited just to show George knew they were being recorded. @Local12

About to start afternoon session of Wagner trial in Pike Co. back on record with no jury. Still working through the recordings and transcripts of wiretaps. @local12 @Local12 Now doing a hearing about transcripts defense has issues with - judge says one had been added later and wasn't in original group. @local12

Good morning from Pike Co murder trial of George Wagner IV. First up is cross examination of BCI's Ryan Scheiderer then BCI's Julia Eveslage expected to introduce wiretaps from truck of George and Jake. Here is yesterday's recap @Local12 local12.com/news/local/wag… @Local12 WATCH LIVE: bit.ly/3EgI1zU - not started yet but the stream is up. And we expect both Scheiderer and Eveslage to be on camera and play the wiretaps. We're expecting this to be key evidence. @Local12

new afternoon thread Wagner trial - BCI's Ryan Scheiderer discussing how BCI recreated false bed in the truck bought for murders per how Jake testified how he did it. Then got two volunteers to get inside. @Local12 @Local12 Scheiderer says he got two agents larger than Jake and George to fit inside to show it could be done. @Local12

New thread for second morning session from Wagner trial. Next up is Caleb Cinereski - the son of the pastor Kelly Cinereski. He also operates a church up there. He lived in Ohio 2001-2006. Moved away when he was 14 @local12 @Local12 Remembers his dad taking him to the Wagner house to hang out with George and Jake while Kelly ministered to their parents. @local12

Good morning from Pike Co. murder trial. We're getting defense witnesses first due to scheduling issues. First up is Andrew Carson, who called Jake Wagner morning of the murders. Friend of both brothers. He's opted out of video. @Local12 @Local12 Second witness is Michael Ramsey Walters - who is Jake's employer in Alaska. Third is Sean Fisher. All have opted out. @Local12 all are defense witnesses.