By Billy Davis

The two-day circuit court trial of Dennis Ray Cosby ended Tuesday with a guilty verdict and a life sentence.

A jury of nine women and three men, deliberating for just 28 minutes, found Cosby guilty of killing his wife, Windy Cosby, during Thanksgiving weekend in 2007.

Circuit Judge Andrew C. Baker sentenced Cosby at 2 p.m., explaining to him that defense attorney David Walker had worked hard on his behalf.

Baker also reminded the defendant that a manslaughter plea had been offered by prosecutors as late as Monday, but Cosby had refused to accept the plea offer.

After the sentencing, District Attorney John Champion gathered Windy Cosby’s family outside the courtroom to further explain the sentencing. Mississippi law allows Cosby, who is 55, to seek parole after serving 15 years in prison, he told family members.

Authorities alleged that Cosby knocked his wife unconscious during a fight, then put her body in the bed of his pickup in a panic. He then dropped her into the Tallahatchie River in Tallahatchie County.

Their two children were riding in the extended cab pickup at the time, court documents showed.  

Windy Cosby’s body was recovered from the river on February 10, 2008. The body had no identification, except for a ring on the left hand, and she remained a Jane Doe for five months.

On July 10, 2008, Sandy Ealy, a sister to Windy Cosby, contacted Panola sheriff’s investigator Mark Whitten to report her missing.

Dennis Cosby, seated on the witness stand in May, was set to plead guilty to murder but changed his story. Windy Cosby had voluntarily jumped off the bridge, he told Champion.

The guilty plea was then withdrawn, setting up this week’s murder trial in front of Judge Andrew C. Baker.

“I never hurt that woman – never touched her,” Cosby testified during questioning from his attorney, David Walker.

The defendant explained that his wife had jumped from their pickup truck and walked into the darkness.

But Cosby stumbled for words, and fumbled for explanations, when Champion reminded the defendant that he had claimed his wife had jumped from the bridge.

Cosby had also told authorities that Windy Cosby had walked down the road, never to be seen again, and also that he had knocked her unconscious and disposed of her body in the river.

“That is your fourth version,” said Champion, holding up four fingers in front of jurors.

During cross-examination, Champion also established a motive, when Cosby also acknowledged that Social Security checks were no longer being used to fuel his late wife’s cocaine habit.

“I’ve been able to catch up on things – proper food and medicine for my children,” Cosby said.

“And why is that possible?” Champion asked.

“Because my children’s money is not being spent on crack cocaine,” Cosby replied.

“And why is that?” Champion continued.

“Because my wife’s not spending it,” Cosby said.

Champion was assisted by Assistant District Attorney Jay Hale in presenting the state’s case against Cosby.