HAMPTON, Va. — LATEST COVERAGE: Thursday's live updates and coverage of the Bigsby trial
Jury selection wrapped up first thing Wednesday morning, as the Hampton murder trial of Cory Bigsby entered its third day.
Bigsby is accused of murdering his 4-year-old son, Codi Bigsby, and concealing his body roughly seven months before filing the missing person report to Hampton Police Division in early 2022. The boy’s body has never been found.
On Monday and Tuesday, court officials examined a group of 68 potential jurors with the goal of selecting 12, as well as two alternates. That process was completed Wednesday, and opening statements as well as witness testimony got underway.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Jury still not seated as day 2 of Bigsby murder trial wraps up
The prosecuting attorneys for the case are Hampton Commonwealth’s Attorney Anton Bell and Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Dylan Arnold. On the defense representing Bigsby are Curtis Brown, Amina Mathey-Willard, and Kenneth Singleton.
13News Now's Angelique Arintok and Dan Kennedy will be reporting live from the trial each day this week. Stay with us for the latest updates.
3:45 p.m. — Officers testify about responding to missing report for Codi
Two responding officers testified they met Cory Bigsby at 9 a.m. on Jan. 31, 2022 to field his missing persons report for Codi.
After speaking with Bigsby, the police officers said canines assisted in the search through the apartment and nearby areas. One of the officers testified they searched through the entire apartment, in places where a little kid could be hiding, as well as nearby woods. They also knocked on neighboring doors and searched through garbage cans.
A handler for a tracking dog testified his canine didn't pick up any scent belonging to Codi – despite saying he received a pillowcase from Bigsby that the child allegedly used just the night prior.
However, a handler for a cadaver dog testified his canine alerted to the scent of human decomposition or remains in one of the bedrooms inside the Bigsby home. That cadaver dog, according to the handler, also detected negative results from some rancid animal meat in a mini fridge.
The witnesses so far are all from the prosecution side. Witness testimony should continue at 9 a.m. Thursday.
12 p.m. — Bigsby's mother testifies in court, says she didn't have access to her children
Witness testimony is underway on the third day of trial for Cory Bigsby in Hampton.
Jurors are hearing from the mother of Codi, Dina Abdul Kareem, after prosecuting attorneys called her as their first witness. It is significant testimony, given the fact she remained largely silent during the searches for Codi in 2022.
She took the stand and appeared to be struck by emotion — having to identify the defendant and her ex, Cory Bigsby, as well as a photo of her missing son Codi.
She and Bigsby had a four-year relationship and share four children, including Codi, who Bigsby reported missing in January 2022.
In court Wednesday morning, Kareem spoke about custodial disputes with Bigsby. Those ultimately led to what she calls an agreement on co-parenting. Kareem, who moved to Washington D.C., testified that she handed off their four children to Bigsby at a halfway point from Hampton in November 2020.
From then on, Kareem testified Bigsby, for the most part, "ghosted" her. She said she didn’t have access to her children, despite her attempts to reach Bigsby.
Kareem testified Bigsby shared concerns about Codi's behavior around some of his siblings.
Kareem said an email from Bigsby on April 2021 read, "I do not want to severely hurt him to protect my babies. He needs to see a psychiatrist. He needs to come with you."
Kareem also told jurors she emailed Bigsby on January 15, 2022, saying in part, "Where are my kids? I just want to ask if they're alive."
Kareem mentioned in court that the last photo she saw of Codi was in June 2021. She said that "he looks sad, he looks frightened" in the photo.
During cross-examination, one of Bigsby's attorneys questioned how a good mother could stand staying away from her children for so long.
Kareem said Bigsby didn't give her his Hampton address.
11:35 a.m. — Opening statements done
Opening statements in the murder trial of Cory Bigsby are done, and prosecutors have called Codi's mother to the stand to testify.
During opening statements, prosecutors told jurors evidence will show Bigsby beat Codi to death months before the missing person report.
Attorneys for the defense told jurors there’s no evidence to prove a murder even took place.
Codi’s older brother, who is now 7-years-old, is also set to testify. This morning, it came out in court that the boy would do so from a separate location with a representative from the prosecution and defense.
10:45 a.m. — Jury seated, opening statements to begin soon
A jury has been seated in the murder trial of Cory Bigsby.
Since Monday, court officials questioned a group of 68 people, slowly whittling them down to a pool of 26 potential jurors.
Wednesday morning, attorneys on each side of the case — the prosecution and defense — were able to strike six from the pool, leaving 12 jurors and two alternates.
The jury consists of 10 women and four men, as well as nine white people, four black people and one hispanic person.
The racial makeup of the jury is noteworthy because race served as the basis for objections by by prosecutors and defense attorneys to strike potential jurors.
Opening statements are set to begin soon.
9:15 a.m. — Bigsby case is only the 4th 'no body' murder trial in Hampton Roads history
The Cory Bigsby murder trial in Hampton this week marks just the fourth ‘no body’ murder case in Hampton Roads history.
Bigsby is accused of killing his 4-year-old son, Codi Bigsby, in 2022 and then concealing the body roughly seven months before filing a missing person report with the Hampton Police Division, according to court documents.
The boy’s body has never been found. And yet, Bigsby will be tried for the boy's murder this week. It is considered a 'no body' murder trial – a trial that goes before a judge or jury without the physical evidence of the victim’s body.
The lack of a body can be difficult for the prosecution, and sometimes also the defense.