Earliest Christians who believed Jesus's body was gone did not see it as especially worthwhile evidence for Jesus's resurrection.1 (Scholars often make this point.)2 This is relevant because if they did not see it as especially worthwhile evidence, then they would not really be motivated to acquire an argument that makes use of it.
Even in the synoptic Gospel traditions where Jesus's missing body is explicitly reported, it simply did not function as apologetics/evidence for his resurrection. This is relevant because if early Christians desired to use the empty tomb as apologetics, then it would sooner play the role of evidence in the gospel traditions.
Early Christians who believed Jesus's grave was empty did not much use or emphasize it in their apologetics for Jesus's resurrection. This is relevant because if Christians really cared to use the empty grave as an apologetic for Jesus's resurrection, then we sooner would be seeing reports of it used as apologetics.