AMHERST CO., VA – After a long investigation, Elsie Wiggington’s family is one step closer to healing.
It’s been a long road to get to this point so we want to walk you through everything we know so far.
- Elsie’s family says she first went missing last June.
- On June 23, 2023, she messaged her foster sister Tracey Coleman saying, ‘He’s going to kill me,’ and told her she was coming to Maryland to live with her.
- But Coleman never heard from her again.
- Two days later on June 25, Elsie’s daughter Sativa got a text from her mom’s phone
- Elsie’s family tells 10 News they now believe this text was sent by someone else, posing as Elsie.
- The next day, June 26, she was reported missing.
- But at the time, the Sheriff’s Office said she left on her own and never looked into it.
- But that all changed when Jimmy Ayers was elected Sheriff and took over in January 2024.
- Elsie’s nursing license expired on April 30th, 2024 - which further raised alarms for her family.
- July 9, 2024, deputies searched the property on Pendleton Drive
- Two days later on July 11, her family held a press conference saying they believed she was murdered.
- That brings us to August 14 when the property was searched again.
- This time, deputies found human remains that they believe is Elsie.
- They also arrested her husband Fredrick Wiggington on charges of concealing a body.
Elsie’s family tells 10 News with this new finding and an arrest, they’re moving toward closure.
“We’re slowly picking the pieces up and putting everything together,” Elsie’s sister Victoria Seal said.
When Elsie Wiggington disappeared last June, Seal didn’t know if they’d ever get answers.
“We all can agree the old administration dropped the ball,” Seal said.
Law enforcement searched the property Elsie shared with her husband Fredrick Wiggington for the second time Wednesday.
“What was the first thing that went through your head when you heard there were remains found?” 10 News Reporter Abbie Coleman asked.
“It was a bittersweet moment. I was happy. Of course, there’s always a glimmer of hope that she was still out there, but I think myself and the family, knew this was going to be the end result,” Seal said.
That same day, Elsie’s husband Frederick was arrested and charged with the concealment of a body.
Her family has told 10 News for months, they believe Elsie was a victim of domestic violence, and was attempting to leave him at the time of her disappearance.
“To find her on this property, how was that for you?” Coleman asked.
“It was a lot to take in but we were pretty sure that that’s where she was, so it wasn’t a suprise,” Seal said.
The remains still have to be confirmed as Elsie’s but Seal is confident that once results come back, more charges will be pressed.
“With that justice, we are able to say that justice was served for Elsie and for our family. So, I think that’s a big part of the healing process. The fact that everything is coming together so fast, that’s a part of our healing process, that’s the start of the healing process,” Seal said.
Even through the difficult emotions, Seal tells us they’re grateful to finally have some of the answers they’ve been looking for, and be able to plan a memorial for Elsie.
“We are working with a year of lost time, so for them to be able to confiscate or receive the evidence and DNA they need is critical,” Seal said.
No court date has been set for Frederick Wiggington yet, but we’ll keep you updated on air and online.