Convicted murderer says she knows who husband's real killer is

8 hours ago 6

On July 5, 2018, Detective Daniel Hayes of the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office, northbound of Atlanta, responded to a astir antithetic call.

Peter Van Sant: A quality assemblage successful a pain pile. Had you ever received a telephone similar that successful your career?

Det. Daniel Hayes: I had ne'er personally responded to a telephone that — similar that. No.

The assemblage was aboriginal identified arsenic 58-year-old Gary Farris, the larger-than-life, 300-pound patriarch of the Farris estate, present reduced to skeletal remains. Hayes learned Gary Farris was a affluent commercialized existent property attorney, joined to Melody Farris. They raised 4 children: Chris, Scott, Emily and Amanda.

Det. Daniel Hayes: They're each successful their … precocious 20s, aboriginal 30s astatine this constituent … if not a small spot older.

Hayes besides learned Gary and Melody were joined for 38 years and lived successful a location connected their beautifully manicured 10-acre farm. Son Scott, who had served successful the Army, managed the day-to-day operations astatine the farm, and lived successful an flat supra the barn.

Det. Daniel Hayes: Scott's main relation astatine this constituent successful his beingness … is to beryllium the farmhand.

It was a seemingly idyllic life, until Gary's remains were discovered connected that pain pile.

Scott Farris: I ne'er thought specified tragic happening would hap there.

Melody Farris: My satellite was spinning. … I wanted to find retired what happened.

WHAT HAPPENED TO GARY FARRIS?

Melody told Hayes the past clip she saw Gary live was during the evening connected Tuesday, July 3, 2018.

Melody Farris: He came successful and wanted to cognize if I was going to hole dinner. … and I said, Gary, there's capable nutrient successful that refrigerator determination to provender Cox's service … I said, if you don't privation it, past spell get thing to eat.

Peter Van Sant: And that's it? That was the past time?

Melody Farris: That was the past words that were spoken to him.

Melody told Hayes her hubby past went down to his bedroom successful the basement. Gary had slumber apnea and slept unsocial with his CPAP machine. Scott said helium had besides past seen his begetter connected July 3 astatine lunch. Scott spent the remainder of the time retired with his friends. He returned location that nighttime astir 11:30 p.m., and says helium instantly noticed a glow successful the distance.

Scott Farris: When I pulled successful the driveway …. you could look disconnected successful the absorption wherever the pain heap was and you could spot it was burning.

A pain heap — typically a dumping spot for gait discarded and brush.

Scott Farris: … my dada did speech astir … helium was gonna pain that worldly connected that — connected that pile.

The adjacent day, July 4, Scott and Melody told investigators they didn't brushwood Gary.

Melody Farris: It was not antithetic not to spot Gary.

It wasn't until the adjacent day, July 5, Melody says, she realized Gary was missing. Two of the grandchildren who had spent the nighttime asked to thrust the RTV – oregon unsmooth terrain conveyance – with Gary, who they called Big Daddy.

Melody Farris: And I told them, I said, "go inquire Big Daddy to spell thrust it with you all" … And they said they couldn't find him.

Daughter Amanda was there, too. Son Chris arrived soon after, and each the adults started searching the spot — until Scott noticed immoderate bones among the ashes astatine the pain pile.

Scott Farris: I'll ne'er hide it until the time I die.

Melody Farris: His words were, "Oh I recovered him." … "What bash you mean you recovered him?"

When the forensic squad arrived they began documenting the pain pile, moving past acheronian to sift done the ashes. That's erstwhile the slug was recovered lodged successful Gary's rib, and what had started arsenic a imaginable accidental decease — became a execution investigation.

Peter Van Sant: Why would idiosyncratic privation to pain a body?

Det. Daniel Hayes: Cover up a crime. You destruct evidence.

Elsewhere, investigators searched the house, the barn and adjacent the pond. They recovered a shotgun successful the house. Several different guns and ammunition were discovered successful the barn. Both Melody and Scott allowed investigators to trial their hands for accelerants. The tests came backmost negative. Scott besides told the detectives thing intriguing: helium had precocious seen a pistol successful the basement that was present missing.

Scott Farris: It was conscionable precise odd.

And different happening Scott recovered unusual was that his ma had his dad's wallet.

Scott Farris: And I said, "where'd you find that?" And she said, well, it's successful the console of his car. And I recovered that very, precise unusual 'cause my dada ne'er near his wallet successful his car.

As Hayes' probe continued, helium was learning each astir the Farris family's dysfunctional dynamic – which came to beryllium known arsenic the "Farris Wheel." In a tape-recorded speech with Melody, she told the detective determination had been hostility betwixt Gary and Scott.

MELODY FARRIS (police interrogation audio): He and Scott would get into it beauteous heavily. I mean, you know, and they'd travel blows conscionable implicit things due to the fact that Gary was truthful anal astir everything. I mean, Scott's hot. … I mean helium is — he's blistery tempered.

But erstwhile detectives asked Scott what helium thought happened, helium pointed the digit of suspicion astatine his mother.

SCOTT FARRIS (police interrogation audio): I've ever had this gut feeling, if thing ever happened to my dad, that idiosyncratic needed to cheque her out.

With the Farris Wheel starting to turn, detectives asked Scott if his begetter was having an affair.

Scott Farris: My begetter did not bash that. He was a one-woman benignant of antheral and helium joined that woman. … He was not that benignant of man.

Hayes past asked Melody if she was having an affair.

Peter Van Sant: What did she archer you?

Det. Daniel Hayes: She said no.

Police focused successful connected what appeared to beryllium drops of humor connected the room floor, the stairs starring to the basement and connected the basement level itself. When spots successful the basement were tested, they were confirmed to beryllium Gary's blood. Police besides recovered a .38 caliber slug connected the basement floor. The aforesaid benignant recovered lodged successful Gary's rib bony from the pain pile.

Peter Van Sant: And does that suggest successful immoderate way, immoderate benignant of progression of an onslaught connected Gary?

Det. Daniel Hayes: That's what we interpreted as, uh, arsenic we started looking astatine it is that perchance thing happened upstairs, led down the stairs, and into the basement.

Hayes asked Melody point-blank if she had thing to bash with the decease of her husband.

DET. HAYES (police interrogation audio): So your connection is you didn't bash thing to harm Gary?

MELODY FARRIS: No.

DET. HAYES: And you don't cognize who did?

MELODY FARRIS: No.

Hayes was skeptical. Investigators had found, successful Melody's purse, commencement power and a recognition paper with different man's sanction connected it: Roy Barton.

Peter Van Sant: When someone's lying to you … what does that suggest?

Det. Daniel Hayes: They're blameworthy of something.

INSIDE THE FARRIS FAMILY DRAMA

When that recognition paper was recovered successful Melody's purse, investigators did not admit the sanction connected it.

Det. Daniel Hayes: Roy Barton. … Later find retired is Rusty Barton.

Rusty Barton was a workplace instrumentality salesman who spent clip connected the roadworthy successful cardinal Tennessee. In 2014, Melody was helping to instrumentality attraction of Barton's sick stepmother, who happened to beryllium her cousin. That's erstwhile Rusty and Melody became intimate.

Det. Daniel Hayes: We learned that Rusty … is Melody's person that, uh, she's having an matter with and has had an matter with … for rather immoderate time.

Peter Van Sant: Did you autumn successful emotion with Rusty?

Melody Farris: I loved him. Still emotion him. Was I successful emotion with him? No.

Investigators wanted to cognize much astir the couple.

Peter Van Sant: How superior is this narration betwixt Melody and Rusty?

Det. Daniel Hayes: Depends connected who you asked. The grounds showed that it — it appeared to beryllium beauteous serious. They were researching wedding bands.

Peter Van Sant: You know, if you were readying connected getting married, it sounds similar a motive for murder.

Melody Farris: You don't wed the idiosyncratic you were having an matter with.

Scott says Melody and Rusty's emotion matter was the world's worst kept secret.

Scott Farris: She thought she was astute capable to fell it from everybody, but we each recovered out, we each knew.

Including Gary. And erstwhile girl Emily got joined successful 2016, Melody scandalized the wedding by inviting her person for each to see.

Det. Daniel Hayes: Your hubby is determination astatine the aforesaid venue and you're dancing and drinking and — and having a bully clip with this different man. … It was upsetting to Gary, uh, you know. … It was upsetting to each the family.

Peter Van Sant: That wasn't a bully determination connected your part, was it?

Melody Farris: No. In hindsight, no.

It seemed the "Farris Wheel" was spinning faster, with household play becoming much frequent.

Scott Farris: This full "Farris Wheel" term, nary of america truly similar it. But if you wanna cognize who the centrifugal was of turning that "Farris Wheel," was Melody Farris. … She ever stirred up drama, always.

Det. Daniel Hayes: It's a real-life soap opera, that's it.

A soap opera, Hayes believed, that revolved astir what Gary had and others coveted: money.

Det. Daniel Hayes: A batch of bickering, a batch of fights implicit money, a batch of jealousy.

Gary had ever been generous toward his children, adjacent arsenic adults. Investigators learned helium helped Emily bargain a location and financially assisted lad Chris with his concern and children.

Det. Daniel Hayes: It made Melody crook against her children due to the fact that the children were spending money.

But Melody claims she was lone upset due to the fact that the children were taking vantage of their father's wealth.

Melody Farris: Chris, our oldest one, had been stealing money. Like you cannot believe.

Chris says helium and his begetter did not reason implicit money. Detective Hayes looked into the statement Gary had struck with Scott.

Det. Daniel Hayes: He worked connected the workplace and Gary gave him spending money.

Melody Farris: He had gotten wherever helium conscionable would not bash anything. He was each the clip playing golf, going to the lake, going retired with his friends.

Peter Van Sant: And who was paying for each of this?

Melody Farris: He was taking, you know, recognition cards from Gary.

But Scott says that's not existent astatine each and that the statement helium had with his begetter worked good for some of them.

Scott Farris: I was determination to assistance him with the farm. … There was nary mooching.

Scott says it was really Melody who'd tally into a fiscal roadblock with Gary, mostly due to the fact that of her lavish spending connected her matter with Barton.

Scott Farris: She would permission for weeks astatine a clip and past thousands of dollars volition beryllium spent retired of the account.

Det. Daniel Hayes: We recovered substance messages wherever helium confronted her and said, you cognize … your … spending is done. We gotta get a grip connected this.

Peter Van Sant: So what you're saying is that it was Melody who was facing the imaginable of having her — her wealth lifeline chopped off?

Scott Farris: Pretty much. Yes.

Peter Van Sant: Was helium aggravated astatine your spending?

Melody Farris: No. … I had a debit card. It had his sanction connected it. I was escaped to usage it nevertheless I wanted to.

While Melody and Rusty Barton lived successful antithetic states, cellphone records amusement they lived their lives successful changeless communication.

Det. Daniel Hayes: She's connected the telephone with him each hr of each day.

Including the aboriginal greeting hours of July 4, 2018, a day-and-a-half earlier Gary was found. When questioned by investigators, Barton told them that Melody had said thing alarming.

RUSTY BARTON (police interrogation audio): So, astir apt the past infinitesimal of the past conversation, she said, "Gary is successful the pain pile." No, she said, "he is successful the pain pile." And I said, "what?" And she said, "he's successful the pain pile." And I said, "do not accidental different connection and bash not archer maine anything. I bash not request to cognize that."

At that time, lone the slayer could person known Gary was connected the pain pile. Had Melody Farris confessed to murder? As the probe continued, she was present the detective's No. 1 suspect.

Scott Farris: I told them everything I knew.

Scott remembered thing that happened with his parent the time earlier Gary vanished. It present seems similar foreshadowing.

Scott Farris: She comes retired of the location with a sheet successful her manus and she's screaming and cussing. And she throws the sheet up against the partition of the location and … shatters it each into pieces. And she says, "I can't hold 'till that f****** man's dead. I can't hold 'till I don't person to unrecorded with him anymore."

Gary Farris himself took retired his telephone and recorded video of the sheet shards scattered connected the ground. Three days aboriginal helium was dead.

HOW DID GARY FARRIS' BODY END UP ON THE BURN PILE?

On June 18, 2019, aft an astir 12-month investigation, detectives accidental they had gathered capable grounds to complaint Melody Farris with the execution of her husband, Gary Farris.

Peter Van Sant: Why did it instrumentality a twelvemonth to apprehension Melody?

Det. Daniel Hayes: We were waiting connected the autopsy results and the affirmative recognition of Gary Wayne Farris' body.

But for Hayes, determination were unanswered questions. How did Melody get Gary's assemblage retired the basement doorway and to the pain heap astir 50 yards away?

Peter Van Sant: She weighs, what, 130 pounds?

Det. Daniel Hayes: Around that I believe.

Peter Van Sant: And Gary … is six-foot four, six-foot five, 300 pounds. … however successful the satellite could that pistillate person moved that body?

Det. Daniel Hayes: With the tractor, with the RTV.

Two pieces of machinery that were recovered connected the farm.

Det. Daniel Hayes: She admitted that she drives [the] RTV each the clip … and has operated the tractor.

Hayes seized the 2 vehicles arsenic evidence. He took maine to the batch wherever they are stored.

Peter Van Sant: How could each of these vehicles person been utilized to get Gary's assemblage onto that pile?

Det. Daniel Hayes: Uh, some were susceptible of pulling a batch of weight. This tractor has a bucket connected the beforehand that is designed to scoop dense loads.

Det. Daniel Hayes: We recovered tractor marks. But determination were tractor marks each implicit the property, but determination were nary needfully evidently starring close up to the pain pile.

Peter Van Sant: What did you find arsenic your forensic radical took a look astatine these vehicles?

Det. Daniel Hayes: Uh, we recovered blood, grounds of humor connected the vehicles.

Peter Van Sant: Can you amusement maine where?

Det. Daniel Hayes: I can. So connected the tractor, we recovered humor grounds successful this country (points to the step).

Gary's blood. But thing was recovered successful the beforehand bucket. On the RTV, Hayes says, Melody's humor was recovered connected 1 of the cogwheel shifters; thing was recovered successful the back. Hayes considered different scenarios.

Det. Daniel Hayes: There's besides a mentation that she did it nether her ain — her ain powerfulness … rolling him down to the pain pile. … it's downhill each the mode to the pain pile.

Peter Van Sant: Is determination immoderate humor that was discovered going from the location to the pain pile?

Det. Daniel Hayes: Not that we found.

Peter Van Sant: So this inactive remains a mystery, doesn't it?

Det. Daniel Hayes: It does.

It was a mystery, too, for prosecutors Meaghan Frankish and Geoffrey Fogus.

Geoffrey Fogus: We don't cognize precisely however she got him into the pain pile. …

Meaghan Frankish: She was a workplace girl. … She was resourceful. … We cognize she killed him. … however she did it doesn't truly substance 'cause we cognize she did. 'Cause helium was there.

The lawsuit took much than 5 years to bring to trial. During that time, a heavy disagreement formed successful the Farris family. Three of the children, Chris, Scott, and Emily were each convinced their parent murdered their father. Gary and Melody's youngest child, Amanda, believed successful Melody's innocence.

Peter Van Sant: What did it mean for you that your girl Amanda stood by you during each this clip and has believed successful your innocence?

Melody Farris: She's a bully girl. (crying)

When the proceedings yet began successful October 2024, prosecutors Frankish and Fogus spoke to jurors with implicit certainty.

GEOFFREY FOGUS (opening statement): The reply to the question — who did it? — sits close there, Melody Walker Farris.

The motive? According to prosecutors, Melody wanted Gary dormant truthful she could currency successful connected his multimillion-dollar assets and unrecorded happily ever aft with her person of the past 4 years — Rusty Barton.

Peter Van Sant: Why shouldn't radical judge you had the top motive to execution Gary?

Melody Farris: I knew thing astir our fiscal situation. Absolutely nothing.

Prosecutors accidental connected the evening of July 3 – 2 days earlier Gary's assemblage was recovered – Gary and Melody got into a combat successful the room and Melody changeable him.

GEOFFREY FOGUS (opening statement): He goes downstairs, trying to get away. She shoots him again.

Geoffrey Fogus: There's a humor way from the room … and past went down the steps.

In their opening statement, defence attorneys Michael Ray and John Luke Weaver attacked the prosecution's claims... and told jurors there's a harmless mentation for those humor drops.

MICHAEL RAY: (opening statement): Those humor trails ne'er pb retired of the location upstairs oregon downstairs.

MICHAEL RAY (opening statement): Gary had been bitten by 1 of Melody's dogs connected the ankle and was bleeding arsenic helium walked down the stairs.

John Luke Weaver: We're talking tiny small droplets of blood. That would not beryllium accordant with a shooting. … you would expect acold much blood.

And girl Amanda would attest she saw that coiled connected her dad's leg. The defence besides argued Melody is guiltless and raised those questions astir however Gary's assemblage got to the pain pile.

John Luke Weaver: Melody Farris astatine her size … it is intolerable that she moved that assemblage from the determination wherever the authorities says his assemblage was to a pain pile. It is perfectly impossible.

The defence besides raised questions astir the execution weapon.

MICHAEL RAY (opening statement): Where is the gun? … No idea.

They offered up an alternate suspect: Melody's ain son.

Peter Van Sant: And his motive would be?

John Luke Weaver: Financial. … He wanted the property.

MICHAEL RAY (opening statement): One large happening you're gonna hear, and you're gonna perceive it a lot, is Scott Farris.

The defence argues that Scott — from the precise opening — tried to gully attraction of investigators distant from him.

MICHAEL RAY (opening statement): 13 minutes aft instrumentality enforcement arrives Scott Farris is already blaming his mother. From the precise beginning, Scott is saying, Melody, Melody, Melody … Leading instrumentality enforcement down this trail.

When the prosecution enactment Scott Farris connected the stand, they asked him directly.

GEOFFREY FOGUS (in court): Did you execution your father?

SCOTT FARRIS: I perfectly did not execution my begetter … I emotion my father. He was the backbone (crying) — He was the glue to our family.

Sitting conscionable feet away, Melody says Scott's grounds was an act.

Melody Farris: The Scott that was successful that courtroom was not my son. … He was good rehearsed.

On cross-examination the defence pointed retired that Scott, astatine 6'8,'' 280 pounds, was the lone idiosyncratic connected the workplace physically susceptible of moving Gary's 300-pound body.

SCOTT FARRIS (in court): Because of my size and size of my father, yes, I was gonna beryllium looked astatine similar that. But I had thing to bash with it.

To assistance found a motive for murder, prosecutors called Melody's lover, Rusty Barton, to the stand.

GEOFFREY FOGUS (in court): You -- you're from Alabama, is that right? Excuse me, Tennessee. I apologize. …

RUSTY BARTON: I'm from Tennessee.

GEOFFREY FOGUS: And you are a Tennessee –

RUSTY BARTON: There's a large difference.

GEOFFREY FOGUS: That's true. And you're —

Geoffrey Fogus: He's charming … he's smart.

And helium says helium captured the bosom of joined Melody Farris.

GEOFFREY FOGUS (in court): You were successful emotion with her, just to say?

RUSTY BARTON: Yes.

GEOFFREY FOGUS: And she was successful emotion with you, just to say?

RUSTY BARTON: Yes. …

GEOFFREY FOGUS: Recall searching for wedding bands connected the internet?

RUSTY BARTON: I do.

GEOFFREY FOGUS: What benignant of wedding bands did y'all person successful mind? …

RUSTY BARTON: We talked astir plain golden bands. …

GEOFFREY FOGUS: Tell the assemblage what you said ...

Fogus besides asked Barton astir that incriminating call.

RUSTY BARTON (in court): She said that Gary was connected the pain pile.

Remember, Barton had told investigators that telephone had taken spot earlier Gary was found. But a twelvemonth later, aft Melody was arrested, Barton changed his story, saying the telephone happened aft the assemblage was discovered. He said helium had the dates wrong.

RUSTY BARTON (in court): What I told you was correct, but erstwhile it happened was not correct.

But authoritative Fogus didn't bargain it and claims Barton was trying to assistance Melody.

PETER VAN SANT: You judge him?

GEOFFREY FOGUS: No. … He was inactive successful a narration with her. … He didn't cognize however this was going to crook out.

At the clip of the murder, Barton was hours distant successful Tennessee. He was ne'er charged with thing relating to the decease of Gary Farris.

More witnesses would testify, and later, Melody — who was soundless passim the proceedings — would code the tribunal successful a melodramatic and explosive connection that would permission her household reeling.

A FAMILY DIVIDED ON THE STAND

Day aft day, Melody Farris faced witnesses determined to spot her wage for the alleged execution of her husband.

None seemed much dogged than her ain children. Like Chris, Emily, and Scott.

CHRIS FARRIS (in court): I conscionable had my suspicions that she had thing to bash with this.

EMILY FARRIS (in court): She became much hostile. She was much assertive with us. She was demanding money.

SCOTT FARRIS (in court): I mean, she always, you know, talked atrocious astir my dad. … it's similar she ever tried to brainwash us. Like helium was, you know, specified a horrible person.

Peter Van Sant: Can you picture what it was similar to ticker each of your children instrumentality the stand?

Melody Farris: The astir heart-wrenching, gut-wrenching happening I had ever sat done successful my full life.

Peter Van Sant: Because?

Melody Farris: I knew they were lying.

Peter Van Sant: I person to archer you … you seemed truthful stoic during each of it.

Melody Farris: It was that the clip that I'd locomotion outta that courtroom astatine nighttime, I was acceptable to shriek astatine the apical of my lungs.

Melody says 3 of her children are trying to pin their father's execution connected her for 1 elemental reason.

Melody Farris: Money. Absolutely money.

One of the last witnesses called by prosecutors was Lindsay Harris, who leads the Intelligence Division successful the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office.

LINDSAY HARRIS (in court): I was asked successful 2018, July of 2018, um, to analyse immoderate telephone records …

Harris says she was capable to way the precise movements of Gary Farris' cellphone connected the household workplace due to the fact that Gary had an Android telephone with its Google Location Services turned on.

Lindsay Harris: This helps america cognize erstwhile the instrumentality is traveling adjacent wrong a definite area.

Harris discovered that connected the greeting of July 4, erstwhile investigators judge Gary's assemblage was already connected the pain pile, his cellphone moved from the location to the pain heap and backmost to the house.

Lindsay Harris: One 100 percent the instrumentality moves from 7:58 to 9:05. … Someone indispensable beryllium moving it.

Prosecutors accidental that idiosyncratic could lone person been Melody Farris.

Meaghan Frankish: We knew that … the lone idiosyncratic location … was Melody.

Lindsay Harris says that during that time, Scott's telephone was miles distant from the farm.

Lindsay Harris: Scott leaves the residence astir 6:30 a.m. connected July 4th. He does not instrumentality to the location until 8 p.m.-ish, 8:30 p.m. connected July 4th.

The defence tries to situation this seemingly almighty grounds by questioning the accuracy of Harris' findings.

John Luke Weaver: You tin intelligibly spot that sometimes the circle's precise large, sometimes it's small, and sometimes it says you're perfectly obscurity adjacent to wherever you are.

The defence called 7 witnesses; 1 of them was Gary and Melody's youngest girl Amanda.

AMANDA BRUCE (in court): She has told maine that she's not blameworthy and each I tin bash is judge that until idiosyncratic tin beryllium she is guilty. So, I would similar to judge that my parent had thing to bash with this.

AMANDA BRUCE (in court): There's conscionable truthful overmuch pain. I'm conscionable — there's nary bully outcome. He's ne'er coming back. He'll ne'er beryllium determination again. (crying) And that's conscionable the worst portion astir it all. And knowing that my parent tin perchance walk the remainder of her beingness successful situation is terrifying.

It was present clip to wrapper this lawsuit up with closing arguments.

MEAGHAN FRANKISH (closing statement): She had plentifulness of motives. … she despised Gary. She hated that helium was giving distant their money, her money. That was the main motive. … Rusty was a bonus.

In its closing, the defence did immoderate dense lifting to show however hard it would beryllium for idiosyncratic Melody's size to someway get her 300-pound hubby onto that pain pile.

John Luke Weaver: I conscionable — it — it's not realistic. … And past the information that they — they've presented nary existent grounds arsenic to however she did that, that means there's doubt.

On Oct. 30, 2024, the assemblage got the case. But aft 3 days of deliberations, they sent a enactment to the justice saying they were deadlocked. The justice told them to springiness it 1 much try.

Melody Farris: I was perfectly numb. … You don't cognize what to think.

And conscionable a fewer hours later, Melody Farris was recovered blameworthy connected each 5 counts against her, including malice murder, felony execution and making mendacious statements.

Melody Farris: It was horrible. … They carried maine instantly implicit to the jail. … I was alone. Curled up successful the fetal position.

Jurors Sheila Albright and Chris Hyatt accidental the cellphone grounds convinced them of Melody's guilt.

Chris Hyatt: Once we agreed connected the clip of death, past it was OK, well, however is this telephone moving aft Gary's assemblage is — it was successful the pain pile. … who was connected the spot astatine that time.

Peter Van Sant: And who was?

Chris Hyatt: Melody.

As for the question of however Gary got to the pain pile, Sheila Albright had a theory.

Sheila Albright: In my caput I thought that she archetypal changeable him wrong the location 'cause determination was grounds of that. … I thought possibly helium had tally retired the door, trying to get from — distant from her. … And possibly she took him by gunpoint down to the pain heap … I deliberation that possibly the pain heap is the past spot she changeable him.

For Scott and immoderate members of the Farris family, the blameworthy verdict brought alleviation — adjacent though their ain parent was present a convicted murderer.

Scott Farris: Because we got justness for my father. We fought six years to get answers. … My begetter loved my parent … helium fought for my mother. … He was a precise loving father.

But determination would beryllium nary emotion shown by Melody astatine her sentencing erstwhile she was fixed the accidental to explicit remorse and inquire the justice for leniency.

MELODY HARRIS (at sentencing): I person waited for years to marque this connection to everyone.

But alternatively of asking the justice for mercy, she named who she said was the existent killer.

A CONVICTED MOTHER ACCUSES HER OWN SON OF MURDER

MELODY FARRIS (at sentencing): … I privation the satellite to cognize who did this. … I cognize Scott killed his father. … He took my husband, the begetter of Chris, Emily, and Amanda. He took Big Daddy from our grandchildren.

But Melody was acold from done tormenting her son.

MELODY FARRIS (in court): Scott, this is unforgivable. Scott, I person spent my full beingness loving and protecting you. But this, I garbage to screen for you.

When Melody Farris utilized her sentencing proceeding to impeach her lad Scott of being Gary's existent murderer, immoderate of those successful the courtroom were floored.

Det. Daniel Hayes: I'm backmost astatine the … prosecution array … we're each benignant of like, "I cannot judge this is happening."

Meaghan Frankish: So, I was not prepared for that. … It was shocking that that is the accidental she believed was hers to take.

Scott, sitting down his parent with his family, simply stared successful disbelief.

Scott Farris: Oh, I was infuriated. … She did her past last jabs. … That shows you what she was like.

Peter Van Sant: One past crook of the knife.

Scott Farris: One past crook … to marque somebody's beingness a surviving hellhole due to the fact that it didn't spell her way.

Judge David Cannon had small patience.

JUDGE CANNON (in court): All right. Ms. Farris, I'm gonna chopped you off.

But Melody persisted.

MELODY FARRIS (in court): And I plead with you, propulsion this verdict out. Help maine get justness for the close person. (sniffle) As atrocious arsenic it sounds, I privation to beryllium determination to ticker him chained and shackled and brought to justice.

Instead, it was Melody who would beryllium led distant successful chains. The 64-year-old was sentenced to beingness successful prison, with the anticipation of parole aft 30 years. She besides received an further 5 years for concealing Gary's decease by burning his remains and making a mendacious connection to police.

Melody didn't instrumentality the basal successful her trial. Instead, she chose to archer her communicative exclusively to "48 Hours."

Peter Van Sant: I conscionable watched 1 of the astir bonzer moments wrong a courtroom that I person ever seen successful my career. … What bash you privation radical to cognize astir you and this case?

Melody Farris: I privation everyone, but particularly my children, my grandchildren, and astatine this point, the world, I didn't bash this. I cognize who did. And it's our son, Scott, without a shadiness of a doubt. I cognize helium did it.

Scott Farris: I perfectly had thing to bash with my father's death. And it was 100 percent Melody Farris who murdered my father. That is the truth.

Peter Van Sant: Why bash you deliberation she accused you of sidesplitting your father?

Scott Farris: 'Cause I was an casual target. … I lived connected the property. I'm erstwhile military.

Melody claims she hadn't spoken up until present retired of maternal loyalty. She says her ain mother, present deceased, suspected Scott each on and asked Melody to instrumentality the blame. But present her clip arsenic Scott's shield was over. Melody says she believes Scott acceptable her up from the beginning. And she says she knows why.

Melody Farris: Scott wanted that spot to beryllium his. He had made that known to countless people. … It's the cleanable murder. You termination your daddy. You acceptable your parent up. She goes to prison. You get everything.

Peter Van Sant: You understand, though, that to radical listening to this, they're reasoning present is simply a parent consenting to sacrifice … her lad … to prevention her ain skin.

Melody Farris: I do.

Peter Van Sant: What would you accidental to that?

Melody Farris: This is simply a mother's worst nightmare.

Melody stands by her assertion that Gary was getting acceptable to chopped Scott disconnected financially.

Melody Farris: Gary had made it precise good known that Scott needed to get a job. … Things were fixing to alteration connected that property.

But Scott says Gary ne'er issued an ultimatum that helium get a occupation and ne'er accused him of not pulling his weight.

Scott Farris: My dada really made comments to maine saying, "hey, permission immoderate enactment for me," you know? 'Cause helium wasn't determination during the week. … He is like, "well, don't chopped the pasture yet. Let maine bash it."

Melody says she told Detective Hayes she'd seen Scott acting suspiciously the time earlier Gary's assemblage was found.

Melody Farris: I said I saw Scott travel from that pain pile.

Peter Van Sant: Did she archer you that?

Det. Daniel Hayes No.

Peter Van Sant: And wherefore would she prevarication now?

Det. Daniel Hayes: You person to look astatine the timing of the statement. … She has thing to lose. She's gonna … marque each kinds of off-the-wall claims astatine this constituent that are conscionable not provable.

Despite a condemnation that volition apt mean spending the remainder of her beingness successful prison, Melody remains determined to beryllium her innocence.

Peter Van Sant: One time you judge you volition locomotion a escaped pistillate again.

Melody Farris: I surely anticipation so. I do. But I volition beryllium sitting determination close down my lad successful court.

Peter Van Sant: And for those who judge you got precisely what you deserved, you say?

Melody Farris: I didn't bash it. I did not bash it.

Scott Farris: She knows she did it. … She needs to halt with the lies. Just travel clean. Stop trying to ruin each of our lives due to the fact that it didn't enactment retired for you.

Scott Farris: I inactive haven't been capable to fig retired wherefore she would bash this. I don't cognize if I ever will.

Melody Farris volition beryllium eligible for parole successful 2054. She volition beryllium 94 years old.

Betsy Shuller, Susan Mallie and Asena Basak are the producers. Hannah Vair is the tract producer. Elizabeth Caholo is the subordinate producer. Ryan Smith and Jenna Jackson are the improvement producers. Gary Winter, Joan Adelman and Wini Dini are the editors. Anthony Batson is the elder producer. Nancy Kramer is the enforcement communicative editor. Judy Tygard is the enforcement producer.

Peter Van Sant

Peter Van Sant is an award-winning analogous for "48 Hours, wherever his true-crime and justness reporting is featured crossed aggregate CBS News broadcasts and platforms. During a vocation that spans astir 5 decades, Van Sant has covered galore of the astir important events of our lifetime.Additionally, Van Sant hosts the top-ranking podcast "Blood is Thicker."

Read Entire Article