Frederick Wiggington sentenced to life in prison for murdering his wife

On May 2, 2025, after hearing three days of evidence and testimony, a jury sitting in Amherst County found Frederick L. Wigginton, Jr. guilty of the murder of his wife, Elsie Wigginton. The jury returned verdicts of First-Degree Murder and Use of a Firearm in the Commission of Murder, reflecting their unanimous conclusion that the killing was both intentional and deliberate. The trial brought to a close nearly two years of investigative work, community concern, and unanswered questions surrounding Elsie’s sudden disappearance. The evidence established that on June 24, 2023, inside the couple’s home in Amherst County, the defendant murdered his wife and then took steps to hide what he had done.

The Commonwealth’s case began with Elsie’s unexplained disappearance in June 2023. According to testimony and investigative records, Elsie vanished abruptly from the marital residence and ceased all contact with her family and friends. Almost immediately, when investigators attempted to conduct welfare checks and gather basic information, they encountered obstacles created by the defendant. Rather than expressing concern or cooperating with law enforcement, Frederick Wigginton intentionally misled investigators, claiming that Elsie had voluntarily packed her belongings and left the home. He could provide no credible explanation for where she had gone, no evidence of communication from her, and no verifiable confirmation that she was alive. From that day forward, every indication of Elsie’s continued existence—financial activity, communication, or any digital footprints—came to a complete stop.

As months passed without any proof of life, concerns intensified. In the year following Elsie’s disappearance, the defendant drew additional attention to himself through a series of disturbing and unsolicited comments to co-workers. He reportedly made statements suggesting that Elsie’s body had been found in Virginia Beach. These claims were not only factually baseless, but they were directly contradicted by documentation from the Virginia Beach Police Department, which had no record of any such discovery. These odd, unsettling remarks raised further suspicions and highlighted the defendant’s deceptive conduct.

After a full year with no contact from Elsie—something her family testified would have been completely out of character—the Amherst County Sheriff’s Office renewed and intensified its investigation. The case transitioned from a missing-person inquiry to a suspected homicide. Investigators, joined by the Virginia State Police’s Bureau of Criminal Investigations, conducted a thorough search of the Wigginton property during the high summer heat. Despite the exhaustive effort, the initial search did not reveal Elsie’s remains.

Elsie Wiggington

However, the Sheriff’s Office and the Virginia State Police remained persistent. Their continued review of evidence, interviews, and investigative leads ultimately brought them back to the marital home—the last place Elsie had been seen alive. A subsequent, more targeted search of the property was conducted. During this search, investigators located a shallow grave under a concrete pad just outside the marital home. Inside, they discovered human remains later identified as Elsie Wigginton. Her body had been wrapped in a tarp, and forensic examination revealed that she had been killed by a gunshot wound to the back of the head—powerful evidence of an execution-style killing.

A special acknowledgment and gratitude are owed to the Amherst County Sheriff’s Office and the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigations for their tireless work. Their persistence, professionalism, and unwillingness to give up on Elsie ensured that the truth was uncovered and that her killer was held accountable.

On July 30, 2025, the court imposed sentence. Fred Wigginton was sentenced to LIFE in prison for the murder of his wife. He received an additional three years of incarceration for the use of a firearm in the commission of the murder, and five years suspended for concealing her body. The Commonwealth argued that the only just outcome for an offense of this magnitude was a life sentence, and the court agreed that the defendant should spend the remainder of his natural life in prison. The sentence reflects not only the brutality of the crime but the defendant’s prolonged deception and the irreparable harm caused to Elsie’s family.

Elsie’s loved ones have endured immeasurable grief—from the fear and uncertainty of her disappearance to the heartbreaking confirmation of her death. Although no sentence can restore their loss, we hope that the life sentence offers some measure of closure and allows each of them to begin healing in the wake of this devastating crime.