Ohio AG: Hatch Police officer death’s suspect not connected to Pike County family killing

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and Pike county Sheriff Charles S. Reader said Saturday there is no known link between the arrests of Jesse Hanes and James Nelson in Hatch, N.M., and the murder of eight people in rural Ohio.

Overnight, ABC-7 incorrectly reported two of the suspects in the shooting death of Officer Jose Chavez of Hatch were suspected in the killing of the Rhoden family. That information did not come from the Chillicothe Gazette as we reported and we deeply regret the error.

The statement from Gen. DeWine and Sheriff Reader states: “While we normally do not comment on investigatory leads in the Rhoden murder case, at this time we have no evidence there is a link between Jesse Hanes and James Nelson in the Rhoden murders,” the statement said.

It further stated, “We have been in contact with authorities in New Mexico and Ross County (Ohio) in our pursuit of all potential leads in the Rhoden homicides case.

“This is still an ongoing, active investigation, and there have been no arrests. We are still asking the public for tips, by calling 1-800-BCI-OHIO (224-6446) or the Pike County Sheriff at 740-947-2111.”

Eight members of the Rhoden family were killed April 22 in Pike County, Ohio. The victims, ages 16 to 44, were shot execution style. Three children, ages 3 and 5 years old, and 6 months old, were found in the property alive.

A suspect in Officer Chavez’s death,Jesse D. Hanes, is a suspect in the shooting death of a 62-year-old man in Ross County, Ohio, Theodore Timmons, according to Dona Ana County Sheriff’s office spokeswoman Kelly Jameson.

According to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, Hanes was also wanted for violating his parole.

“This individual should be considered dangerous and possibly armed,” read the notice on the agency’s website.

The department said Hanes served time for a robbery and was on probation as of April 19. Timmons was shot on July 25.

The other two suspects arrested in Hatch have not been identified.