Investigators testify in Tony Bigoms trial

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — Investigators took the stand in in the retrial of a Chattanooga man charged with first degree murder.

Tony Bigoms walked into the courtroom for the second day of testimony in his trial.

He was initially convicted in 2014 for killing and dismembering Dana Wilkes in 2012.
Today investigators laid out the case for jurors.

Lt. Jay Evan Montgomery, with the Chattanooga Police Department, says he was first assigned to look into this when Wilkes was still missing. He says they quickly got phone records.

“We didn’t know whether Dana was alive, dead, hurt. We didn’t know anything, so our main goal was to find her,” Lt. Montgomery said.

Another investigator talked about finding blood on passenger side of Wilkes’ Jeep.

“You would agree with me that some sort of act of violence occurred inside the Jeep?”

“Yes,” Sgt. Reginald Parks said.

“And you would agree that Dana was the victim in that act of violence?

“Yes.”

Police executed a search warrant where Bigoms was living. They collected shoes after they were given some information.

“Can you recall that she indicated and the reason she reflected they were put in a bucket of bleach?” Prosecutor Andrew Coyle asked.

“Yes,” Sgt. Parks said.

“By the defendant?” Coyle asked.

“Yes,” Sgt. Parks said.

In addition to phone records, the jury saw Wilkes recent banking history before she disappeared.

The trial will continue on Friday.