GUILTY TN - Dana Wilkes, 48, Chattanooga, 9 Nov 2012

murdock3 said:

oh my goodness, her husband passed away one day after they finally had a memorial service for her!!! sad

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hollyblue said:

A jury in the courtroom of Hamilton County Criminal Court Judge Rebecca Stern today found Tony Bigoms not guilty of all charges related to the kidnapping, rape and murder of a prostitute in 2002.

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2006/apr/21/Jury-finds-Tony-Bigoms-not-guilty-on-charges-in/

Another: The Defendant, Tony Edward Bigoms, appeals from his conviction by a jury in the Criminal Court for Hamilton County for attempted aggravated sexual battery, a Class C felony. The trial court sentenced the Defendant to six years' incarceration as a Range II, multiple offender.

The Defendant was charged with attempted aggravated rape. At trial, the victim testified that she was fifty-four years old and had been staying at the home of Dorothy Lawrence, the Defendant's aunt, due to her own financial troubles

http://tn.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.20090717_0000992.TN.htm/qx

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Indy Anna said:

I know he had health problems, but I wonder if what ultimately killed him was a broken heart.

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watcher9 said:

Here is a report on the autopsy results. Warning graphic!

http://www.newschannel9.com/news/to...ows-dana-wilkes-head-still-missing-4151.shtml

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MidwestMama said:

Tony Edward Bigoms' next court date is July 15, 2013

http://cjuscriminal.hamiltontn.gov/appfolder/cc_Web_Calendar.aspx

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A man already sentenced to life in prison for killing a woman in 2012 will serve an additional four years for dismembering her body, a Hamilton County judge ruled.

Tony Bigoms, 55, was convicted of killing 48-year-old Dana Wilkes and leaving her mutilated body along South Chickamauga Creek...

Hamilton County Judge Barry Steeleman sentenced Bigoms to four years in prison, concurrent with his life sentence. Bigoms won't be eligible for parole for at least 30 years.

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Standing in the same courtroom, facing the same charges, Tony Bigoms once again pleaded not guilty today to murdering Dana Wilkes in 2012 and sawing off her hands and head.

Bigoms, 58, will next appear Nov. 1 in Hamilton County Criminal Court. He remains in custody on a $250,000 bond.

Bigoms was convicted of first-degree murder and abuse of a corpse after a trial in 2014. But the Tennessee Criminal Court of Appeals reversed his judgment in June, citing issues with jury sequestration and the local judge's decision to allow testimony about a different 2006 murder for which Bigoms was acquitted.

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The Times Free Press could not obtain a copy of those comments Thursday, but Underwood said they indicate Criminal Court Judge Barry Steelman believes Bigoms was guilty. "Therefore, recusal is necessary," he wrote. "[Bigoms] is entitled to a trial at which he is presumed innocent — not one in which he has already been prejudiced by the Court."

Steelman could not be reached for comment Thursday. Neither could the spokeswoman at the Hamilton County District Attorney's Office. But prosecutors are contesting the recusal, and Steelman said he would take the matter under advisement after a hearing Wednesday. The next court date is Dec. 14.

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Defense attorneys claimed Criminal Court Judge Barry Steelman's description of Bigoms' crimes as "barbaric" and "heinous" showed he was too biased from the proof at Bigoms' first trial to preside over the new one.

In a motion filed Wednesday, Steelman said he doesn't need to reassign the case to another judge. He said he made those comments after the jury heard numerous days of proof and returned guilty verdicts. Steelman was, in essence, approving the jury's verdict, he said.

Bigoms' public defender, Jay Underwood, declined to comment Friday on Steelman's order. Underwood could appeal the order in the middle of proceedings or wait until afterward.

Bigoms' new trial is scheduled for July 24.

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A jury on Monday night found 60-year-old Tony Bigoms guilty of first-degree premeditated murder and abuse of a corpse in his retrial on the killing and dismemberment of 48-year-old Dana Wilkes in 2012.

On the charge of first-degree murder, Judge Barry Steelman sentenced Bigoms to life in prison. A sentencing hearing for the charge of abuse of a corpse is set for December.

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