The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office is releasing more information regarding a missing Casa Grande man.
On Feb. 3, Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb held a press conference to discuss the disappearance of 25-year-old Cody Robert Virgin.
Virgin’s car, a 2013 Dodge Dart, was found abandoned in a desert area near Silver Estates on Jan. 31. According to authorities, rake and shovel-like marks were discovered in the dirt around the car, indicating that someone may have been attempting to hide shoe imprints or other incriminating evidence.
Blood was also found at the initial scene, Lamb said.
William Daniel Randolph, 26, was interviewed by investigators just hours after the victim’s car was located.
Randolph told deputies that his truck had broken down but he refused to tell them where it was located, Lamb said. He also had “several inconsistencies” about his whereabouts on the night Virgin disappeared.
A handgun and clothing were discovered at his work and taken in as evidence, officials said.
A family member told deputies that they hadn’t talked to Virgin since 9:30 p.m. on Jan. 30. According to the family member, Virgin had met a woman on Facebook and was planning on meeting her in Arizona City. The pair was also expected to attend a bonfire.
Two days after the initial interview, PCSO found Randolph’s Dodge pickup truck at an auto shop. He was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, concealment of a human body and hindering an investigation.
The relationship between the two men is unknown and authorities are continuing their search for Virgin.
The investigating is ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact the Pinal County Sheriff's Office on their Facebook page or at 520-866-5111.
