A murder trial is under way in Carbon County minus one key piece of evidence - a body!

Investigators say a Kenyan immigrant who lived in Allentown was murdered by her husband back in 2007 even though her body was never found.

Earnest Freeby is the man on trial but you wouldn't have known it during the first day of testimony as the defense hammered the family of Edwina Onyango, about the details of her life.
During opening arguments the prosecution said Earnest Freeby is a man without a conscience who in December of 2007 killed his estranged wife, Edwinna Onyango, in his Carbon County home disposed of her body and then misled police.

Prosecutors said Freeby who has a new family with another woman wanted his estranged wife out of the picture.
Onyango, a Kenyan immigrant living in Allentown was married to Freeby in 2001.

Investigators say Freeby was the last person to see her alive, and pointed to blood found in the basement of his Lansford home, linked to Onyango, as proof of the murder.
"Very difficult, an agony," said James Onyango.  " It's been agonizing in this
process.  Tough."

In court Onyango's family was put on trial.

The defense hammered several of Edwina's siblings about details of her life.

Pressing them on Edwina using different identities, her immigration status, their claim that she was set to be deported and the fact Edwina had left Freeby for an extended period of time before.

However Edwina's family contended they are a tight knit group and if Edwina were still alive they'd know.

"It's been awhile you would have known if she were somewhere," said Nelson Kondulh.
The defense said Freeby had been actively helping Edwina to get a green card and had even transferred property into her name.