She texted family ‘he’s going to kill me.’ One year later, her body was found under a concrete slab

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday

Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy

It was the message Elsie Wiggington’s family feared she would one day send: “He’s going to kill me,” she wrote.

Now, more than a year later, police have discovered her body concealed underneath a concrete slab at the home she shared with her husband, Frederick Wiggington Jr, 37, in Amherst County, Virginia.

On August 14 he was arrested and charged with concealment of a dead body and has since been charged with first-degree murder, Amherst County Sherrif’s Office confirmed in a statement.

The victim, 45, sent the panicked message to her foster sister, Tracey Coleman, on June 23 last year. Two days later Sativa Rucker, Elsie Wiggington’s daughter, received a text from her mother asking for a recipe, WSLS reports.

Rucker did not hear from her mom again. The next day she received a call from her mom’s work at a nursing and rehab center – she hadn’t turned up. Fearing things were not quite right, the family reported Elsie missing.

Her family now believe the text message to her daughter was sent by someone else, posing as her.

Her family said Elsie Wiggington was a victim of domestic violence and was attempting to leave her husband before she was reported missing.

Writing a tribute to her on Gofundme, Coleman said: “Elsie tried to escape the situation and stood up for herself. It was the last time she was seen alive.”

“Elsie doted on her grandchildren and devoted her time to members in her community that were in need,” she added.

The family suffered months of uncertainty but when a new Sheriff, Jimmy Ayers, was elected and took over in January 2024, the case picked up momentum.

Her home on Pendleton Drive was searched on July 9 and the family held a press conference two days later, saying they believed she had been murdered.

On the second search of the property on August 14, her remains were found.

“The Amherst County Sheriff’s Office received confirmation from the Medical Examiner that the remains found at 673 Pendleton Drive are those of Elsie Mae Wiggington,” police confirmed in a statement.

Her sister, Victoria Seal, said: “It’s a bittersweet moment for us. We kind of knew that this would be the result but we were holding onto a glimmer of hope. We would like to thank the Amherst County Sheriff’s Office and all the hard work it took to make this happen.”

Frederick Wiggington Jr is currently being held at Middle River Regional jail without bond.

Elsie Wiggington will be remembered by friends and family at a vigil next week in her hometown.

If you need support, those in the US can call the domestic violence hotline on 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)