HEARING SET IN SCOTT CITY WOMAN'S DEATH

BENTON, Mo. -- Two Scott City, Mo., men charged with murder demonstrated different demeanors during their first appearance in court on Tuesday.

Gary W. Biggs, 36, walked confidently in to see Associate Circuit Judge David C. Mann. Biggs gave a short wave to friends and relatives seated in the front row of the Scott County courtroom.

With his left hand on his hip, Biggs stood next to public defender Christopher Davis as the judge assigned Sept. 20 as the date for his preliminary hearing.

As he exited the courtroom, Biggs held up a fist as he looked confidently at the group assembled to watch his court appearance.

Charles "Scott" Biggs, 31, didn't appear immediately following his cousin. While Gary Biggs sat in a back room of the court waiting with other inmates to make a short appearance before Mann, Scott Biggs was brought in the front doors. Scott Biggs only appeared after Gary Biggs and the other inmates were moved from the Judicial Building to the jail.

Scott Biggs sat in the jury box, filling out documents, as he waited for his turn before Mann.

Scott Biggs stood with his hands folded in front of him as the judge said his preliminary hearing would be the same date as his cousin's.

Both have been charged with first-degree murder in the death of 57-year-old Willie Mae Vasquez of Scott City. Sheriff's deputies discovered Vasquez's body buried close to the Mississippi River on Aug. 9.

Scott Biggs has stated that Gary Biggs hit Vasquez with a hatchet three times in the back of the head and once with a shovel after Vasquez lay on the ground, a probable cause affidavit says.

Vasquez was last seen alive on July 26, Sgt. Rick Sheren of the Scott City Police Department had said earlier.

This changed an original police report that a Scott City animal-control officer had seen Vasquez on July 27.

After checking radio logs sheet by sheet with the animal-control officer last week, Sheren said it was determined that the officer had made a mistake and had actually seen Vasquez between 9 and 10 a.m. on July 26.