HAMPTON, Va. — Hampton man Cory Bigsby has been found guilty of second-degree murder and concealing the body of his 4-year-old son, Codi Bigsby.
Bigsby reported Codi missing to the Hampton Police Division in January 2022, nearly seven months after police believed he killed the child. Codi has never been found.
The trial entered its second week on Monday, with Bigsby's defense team calling six witnesses to give testimony before resting their case. The witnesses included Bigsby's sister and the Hampton Roads Regional Jail assistant superintendent.
On Tuesday morning, both sides presented closing arguments before jury members received instructions and spent nearly two hours deliberating a verdict.
13News Now's Angelique Arintok and Dan Kennedy are reporting live from the trial. Stay with us for the latest updates.
3 p.m. — Prosecuting attorneys hold press conference at courthouse
Hampton Commonwealth's Attorney Anton Bell held a press conference at the courthouse following the verdict.
He called it a day of victory and justice for Codi's mother but said closure will likely never happen, as there is no body.
Hampton Police Chief Jimmy Wideman stood next to Bell, as he praised Hampton Police Division's handling of the case.
Bell said he is certain defense attorney Curtis Brown will appeal that verdict. However, Brown didn't want to answer when asked about the next steps by 13News Now.
Bell said he knew he had the right guy when he learned about the cadaver dog that alerted at human decomposition in the back bedroom of the Bigsby home.
Brown has alleged the older brother was coached by Bell or Codi's mother, but Bell argued against that. He said he had to build a rapport with Codi's brother just to get him to share anything.
"This case impacted not just Codi or his mom, grandma or their family. This case impacted the region," Bell said.
"Our work isn't done. We still have to work to recover Codi," Chief Wideman said.
2:15 p.m. — Bigsby's attorney and sister share brief comments while exiting the courthouse
After court let out, 13News Now talked briefly to family members of Cory Bigsby as they left the courthouse. For the most part, they didn't want to comment.
But when we asked Bigsby's sister about her seeing Codi in September 2021, she said: "I never lied from the beginning."
Her testimony went against prosecutors' argument that Bigsby killed the boy in June 2021.
"Y'all presented the case as if he was already guilty, so I hope y'all are happy," Bigsby's lead attorney said to reporters outside the courtroom. He did not comment when asked if Bigsby will appeal the verdict.
Bigsby will appear in court for his sentencing hearing on June 18, 2024, which is the three-year anniversary of Codi's death, per prosecutors' argument. That date, June 18, 2021, was referred to in one of Bigsby's jailhouse confession letters.
Hampton Commonwealth's Attorney Anton Bell says he will ask the court for a maximum sentence, 40 years for second-degree murder and five years for concealing the body. The judge will ultimately decide.
2 p.m. — Codi supporters comment on verdict outside courthouse
The moment the court clerk read the jury's guilty verdict against Bigsby, the side of the courtroom with Codi's supporters audibly let out a sigh of relief.
Day after day, a number of supporters of Codi Bigsby watched the trial unfold.
In fact, after court officials picked jurors last week, Judge James Hawks became aware of people wearing things with Codi's face on it in the gallery. He told them they couldn't do that.
It shows the dedication some people in the community poured into these last seven days — and the two-plus years since Codi disappeared.
Nancy Strickland, a community advocate who has taken part in searches for 4-year-old Codi, attended each day of the trial. She covered her mouth, welling up with emotion inside the courtroom, as the verdict was read.
"My God. I wanted to get up and scream, but I couldn't, I couldn't. I wanted to get up. Thank you, God. Thank you, Jesus," she told 13News Now. "We've wanted this for 26 months and we finally got it."
"This verdict still doesn't give us Codi," said former Exec. Director of WATER Team Inc. Joe Slabinski, who also led searches for the child.
1:45 p.m. — Bigsby found guilty on both charges, escorted from courtroom in handcuffs
The jury has found Cory Bigsby guilty on both charges, second-degree murder and concealing a body.
Bigsby showed no emotion when the verdict was read in court, as he reclined in his chair. He handed his baseball cap to his relatives sitting behind him. Then, a sheriff's deputy put handcuffs on him and took him back into custody.
The judge had allowed Bigsby to be out on bond leading up to and during the trial. But because of the verdict reached today, the judge revoked bond from Bigsby.
1:30 p.m. — Jury reaches verdict
The jury has reached a verdict nearly two hours after beginning deliberations. The verdict is expected to be delivered shortly.
11:30 a.m. — Jurors begin deliberating verdict in Bigsby murder trial
Closing arguments have concluded, and now the case has gone to the jury.
The jury will deliberate on Cory Bigsby's charges of second-degree murder and concealing a body. Jurors can review any of the presented evidence they’d like while in the deliberation room.
If the jury cannot reach a unanimous verdict, the case will end in a mistrial.
At the end of closing arguments, two women were removed from the jury pool, as alternates. The makeup of the final jury is now eight women and four men.
10 a.m. — Prosecution, defense present closing arguments
Before jurors begin deliberating, prosecutors had two chances to speak before the court during closing arguments, hoping to prove Bigsby's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Hampton Commonwealth's Attorney Anton Bell told jurors that all the evidence points to Bigsby's guilt. He focused on the testimony of Codi's 7-year-old brother, who said during the trial that he wasn't able to wake Codi up. He said he shook Codi, but he never responded, and that his face was red, dry, and bruised.
Curtis Brown, lead counsel for Bigsby's defense, presented Cory's sister, who testified she saw Codi in September of 2021, months after prosecutors claimed the boy had been killed.
He said none of the evidence presented to the court directly connected his client to the murder of Codi — or proved that a murder even took place. He kept reiterating to the jury that reasonable doubt means not guilty.
Brown insisted prosecutors are using sympathy to prove their case and not evidence.
Meanwhile, Bell reminded jurors about one version of Bigsby's jailhouse confessions in a composition book, where Bigsby detailed beating Codi to death. Bell called that "confirmation."
But Brown implied Bigsby wasn't mentally stable while at Hampton Roads Regional Jail.
8:30 a.m. — Bigsby walks into court
Cory Bigsby has walked into Hampton Circuit Court Tuesday morning for what may be the day a verdict comes down.
Jurors returning Tuesday are set to hear closing arguments starting at 9 a.m. before beginning verdict deliberations.