HAMPTON, Va. — Cory Bigsby, the Hampton man who was convicted of killing his son, Codi, was sentenced to 45 years on Tuesday.
Watch: Moments after Bigsby gets 45 years, Hampton Commonwealth's Attorney shares next steps in case
A jury found Bigsby guilty in March of second-degree murder and concealment of a body in connection with Codi's death.
On Tuesday, Bigsby was sentenced to 40 years for the murder charge and five years for concealment of a body.
Watch: Everything that's led up to the sentencing of Cory Bigsby
For some, Tuesday's sentencing closes a chapter in the Bigsby story; however, his body has still not been found more than two years since his disappearance.
It was a rare case for prosecutors in which a person was accused of a murder without the body of the victim. Codi was first reported missing by his father in January 2022; however, police believe he was actually killed months earlier on June 18, 2021.
Commonwealth's Attorney Anton Bell spoke to the press in front of Codi's family members on Tuesday afternoon following the sentencing. He reminded the group that Bigsby has been indicted on 23 more charges, and may end up facing a total of 136-156 years. Bell said he wants the maximum penalty.
"People wanted to believe this 3-year-old was still alive... the harm to their family, the harm to the community, has been so exacerbated by the fact that we just don't know where he is... Codi is dead, that's just the reality of it," Bell said. "That's why we are not going to spare one ounce of mercy."
Watch: Codi Bigsby's 7-year-old brother testifies in their father's murder trial
Bell recalled how, during the trial, Codi's twin brothers, who were born a year after Codi but are now older than he was, refer to him as 'baby Codi'.
"He's gonna forever be that 3-year-old," Bell said.
Bell highlighted that "there's just simply no remorse," referring to Cory.
Bell went on to describe the impact this case has had on those connected to it, explaining that one of Dina Kareem's (Codi's mom) friends was set to testify when she suffered a heart attack.
The case garnered widespread attention in the Hampton community and beyond, prompting citizens to organize search parties, and later, create a sprawling memorial in his honor.
Codi’s disappearance also marked the start of a lengthy investigation: shortly after Codi was reported missing, the FBI joined Hampton police in the search.
Watch: Court releases 9-1-1 call of Cory Bigsby reporting his son Codi missing
In March, Bigsby's legal team would not officially say whether they plan to appeal, but lawyers told News 3 at the time they are waiting until after the sentencing to appeal. They will have 30 days after the sentencing is issued to file an appeal.
“The court has to actually accept the case based on a legal error,” legal analyst Eric Claville said. “So it’s not guaranteed the court would accept it."
In the aftermath of the trial, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed a bill creating the CODI Alert in honor of the Hampton boy. The alert is similar to an Amber alert for a missing child, but excludes the criteria of abduction.
Watch: Body cam, interrogation videos show Cory Bigsby's alleged confession
