by Stephanie Haney October 6, 2025
In 2016, the mass murder of eight members of the Rhoden family in Pike County caught national attention. It also got the attention of Northeast Ohio documentarian Laura Paglin, who made her way to the city of Piketon in 2017 to try to capture the story of what happened in those killings.
She spent two years getting to know the members of that community. While the murder has since been solved, Laura uncovered a bigger picture of the challenges facing what she calls a forgotten corner of Ohio.
Now, she's premiering the end result of the exploration, her new film, This is Pike County, at the Chagrin Documentary Film Festival.
CDFF Screenings:
Wed, Oct 8th, 5:45 PM @ Federated Church
Fri, Oct 10th, 10:00 AM @ Chagrin Valley Little Theatre
Guests:
- Laura Paglin, Documentarian, This Is Pike County
- Thomas Lennon, Producer, This Is Pike County
- Lilly Lawson, High School Student, Pike County