The tragic story of Elsie Mae Wiggington, a 45-year-old woman from Virginia, took a devastating turn when her remains were discovered under a concrete slab on her property, more than a year after she disappeared. The case, which has now led to first-degree murder charges against her estranged husband, Frederick Lewis Wiggington, Jr., began with a haunting message and ended in a shocking discovery that has left a community in mourning, according to Law and Crime.
On June 23, 2023, Elsie sent a desperate text message to her foster sister that would be her last known communication. “He’s going to kill me,” she wrote, revealing her plan to flee to Maryland for safety. Those were the final words her family would ever receive from her, local NBC affiliate WSLS reported.
Two days later, a text was sent from Elsie’s phone, but her family feared it wasn’t her who sent it. Their worst fears began to take shape, and by June 26, they reported her missing. For over a year, the mystery of Elsie’s disappearance haunted her loved ones, who held onto hope but feared the worst.
It wasn’t until August 14, 2024, that their fears were confirmed. Acting on a tip, investigators arrived at 673 Pendleton Drive in Amherst County in a news release. Beneath a concrete slab on the property, they found Elsie’s remains, ending the search and bringing unimaginable grief to her family and friends.
The discovery led to the immediate arrest of Frederick Wiggington, who was initially charged with concealing a dead body. As the investigation deepened, the charges escalated to first-degree murder and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
The Wiggingtons’ marriage, which began in April 2019, was troubled from the start. Court documents and family accounts reveal a relationship fraught with turmoil. By June 2020, Elsie had separated from Frederick, alleging he had returned to live with his ex-wife. She filed for divorce, citing adultery and other grievances, making it clear that “there is no prospect of reconciliation.”
Frederick’s troubling behavior didn’t end there. He confessed to forging Elsie’s signature to retitle her mobile home in his name and admitted to staging a robbery at their home, taking valuables to his ex-wife’s residence.
The community has rallied around Elsie’s family, expressing their grief and outrage. A GoFundMe page created in her memory describes her as a devoted mother, grandmother, and nurse who was deeply involved in her community. “Elsie Wiggington, mother, grandmother, sister, nurse, and caring community member was brutally murdered and parts of her body hidden under her own home,” the page states, highlighting the tragedy of her death as a result of domestic violence.
Frederick Wiggington remains in custody at the Blue Ridge Regional Jail without bond, awaiting his next court appearance on October 7. The charges against him have stunned the community and left a family grappling with the loss of a beloved woman who tried to escape a dangerous situation but ultimately met a heartbreaking end.