Identified! GA - Cherokee Co, Remains in Woods Behind Home on Purcell Ln, July 2018 - Gary Farris *wife arrested

[SeekingJana]

Woman charged with murdering husband now in Cherokee jail

“A .380 caliber bullet was recovered from the charred remains of the victim. This investigation remains ongoing, but at this time no firearm has been recovered,” Baker said Wednesday morning. According to her arrest warrant, Gary Farris was shot more than once.

Detectives recovered evidence indicating Melody Farris shot and killed her husband inside their home and then tried to dispose of his body and evidence by burning it on their Purcell Lane property, Baker said Wednesday.

She is scheduled for a first appearance at 1 p.m. Friday before Cherokee County Magistrate Court Chief Judge James Drane.

I'm just going to float this out there into the ether. I think we may well find out there were long standing mental health issues regarding Melody, but how on earth did she move his body outdoors and to a rather remote spot, I assume, to burn?

He was a large man who favored his father greatly in appearance. The family members I knew looked much more like their mother ( reference Betty Farris's obituary photo) than their father. Gary resembled his father more. I never met his brother.

Would you use a farm tool like a wheelbarrow, or maybe strapped and taped/ wrapped to a large dolly? I'm trying to figure out how she could have shot him fatally inside the house and gotten him out and onto the property beyond where they routinely traversed.

 

[SeekingJana]

Woman charged with murdering husband now in Cherokee jail

“A .380 caliber bullet was recovered from the charred remains of the victim. This investigation remains ongoing, but at this time no firearm has been recovered,” Baker said Wednesday morning. According to her arrest warrant, Gary Farris was shot more than once.

Detectives recovered evidence indicating Melody Farris shot and killed her husband inside their home and then tried to dispose of his body and evidence by burning it on their Purcell Lane property, Baker said Wednesday.

She is scheduled for a first appearance at 1 p.m. Friday before Cherokee County Magistrate Court Chief Judge James Drane.

IDK anything about firearms, but I did note at least one gun or what appears to be a gun in the home as it was photographed for sale.

If anyone wants to see, it's in what appears to be a more casual family room with a great deal of leather furniture. Over the door is what appears to be a shotgun. I do not know calibers of shotguns, so cannot give any opinion. For all I know, it could be a decorative- only antique gun or something. Just pointing out what I saw. Thanks.

 

[SeekingJana]

Noted that it has been listed for 49 days. Trying to raise money for a defense?

OK, I reread this ( and my reply). You are clearly saying maybe the wife planned to stay on the farm, but put it up for sale because of the legal charges against her and need for a great defense attorney.
Yes, this makes perfect sense.

However, I'm not sure how likely she is to be represented by a top tier criminal defense attorney in Atlanta considering that Gary was apparently extremely well known in Atlanta as a financial civil attorney.

Also, because of his specialty, I'd expect the couple to have ample cash assets in the bank in various short term and long term funds. I could be wrong, but if there aren't monetary assets, then that's another avenue to pursue in the crime, more than likely. Were there financial problems before he died? Or did she go all out in her "time of freedom" and spend a million dollars or so from bank accounts since she killed him?

BTW, I do think the house/ property stands a good chance of being on the market a long time unless an investment firm thinks it's a great buy maybe for a corporate client short stay retreat ( it's not a huge house at all,and I have no clue about zoning laws there), or the price is cut, etc. Reason is as stated before: A murder is said to have occurred inside the residence. Very few people will want a house with that history to live in and make it " home".

 

[dixiegirl1035]

OK, I reread this ( and my reply). You are clearly saying maybe the wife planned to stay on the farm, but put it up for sale because of the legal charges against her and need for a great defense attorney.
Yes, this makes perfect sense.

However, I'm not sure how likely she is to be represented by a top tier criminal defense attorney in Atlanta considering that Gary was apparently extremely well known in Atlanta as a financial civil attorney.

Also, because of his specialty, I'd expect the couple to have ample cash assets in the bank in various short term and long term funds. I could be wrong, but if there aren't monetary assets, then that's another avenue to pursue in the crime, more than likely. Were there financial problems before he died? Or did she go all out in her "time of freedom" and spend a million dollars or so from bank accounts since she killed him?

BTW, I do think the house/ property stands a good chance of being on the market a long time unless an investment firm thinks it's a great buy maybe for a corporate client short stay retreat ( it's not a huge house at all,and I have no clue about zoning laws there), or the price is cut, etc. Reason is as stated before: A murder is said to have occurred inside the residence. Very few people will want a house with that history to live in and make it " home".

I did note in one of the articles that said the house was put up for sale last year. I don't remember which article it was in, but the current listing that was linked here did say it was this year.

 

[dixiegirl1035]

IDK anything about firearms, but I did note at least one gun or what appears to be a gun in the home as it was photographed for sale.

If anyone wants to see, it's in what appears to be a more casual family room with a great deal of leather furniture. Over the door is what appears to be a shotgun. I do not know calibers of shotguns, so cannot give any opinion. For all I know, it could be a decorative- only antique gun or something. Just pointing out what I saw. Thanks.

I don't know about guns either, but I do know that shotguns do pellets, and not 38 caliber bullets. But a rifle might? Someone who is more familiar with guns might want to take a look at that and see if it is a rifle or a shotgun.

 

[SeekingJana]

I don't know about guns either, but I do know that shotguns do pellets, and not 38 caliber bullets. But a rifle might? Someone who is more familiar with guns might want to take a look at that and see if it is a rifle or a shotgun.

You are right. I saw inside my daddy's shotgun shells when he went bird- hunting when I was a child and then saw the bullets he used when he hunted deer with a rifle. There was obviously a huge difference.
However, I can't tell what type of long gun it is but some of the guys here who hunt and things might know.

There's also a .38 handgun, right? I was once married to someone who collected rare unfired guns and he had some rare Colts which I think were .38 caliber. Also, Smith and Wesson handguns.
They ALL stayed in a huge safe cemented into the basement floor, so I never really saw them. That was just fine with me.

 

[coonhound]

A couple things that I have read on here are inaccurate:

1. Cherokee County SO is more than capable of handling this investigation. Other than size, Cobb PD doesn't have much more capability.
2. Cherokee County does not have a drug problem any more than any other metro Atlanta county. The specific area of this incident is very affluent and you would not know the difference between Fulton/Cherokee/Cobb other than taxes.
3. The victim was shot with a .380. This is not a .38 nor is it fired from a rifle. A .380 is a small, concealed carry handgun.

 

[Transplant]

Per prelim news reports, she did not enter a plea at today's hearing but, per her attorney, she maintains her innocence. It looks like there is a preliminary hearing next week (?), at which point some of the evidence against her will be presented.

Also, this: Wife charged in lawyer husband’s death proclaims innocence, but couple’s children have doubts

Looks like the family might be a bit divided over this. I feel so bad for everyone who's not culpable, but still having to deal with this.

 

[SeesSeas]

Per prelim news reports, she did not enter a plea at today's hearing but, per her attorney, she maintains her innocence. It looks like there is a preliminary hearing next week (?), at which point some of the evidence against her will be presented.

Court Date not yet listed on Clerk of Court case details:
https://www.cherokeeclerkofcourt.com/mainpage.aspx
Case # Defendant Judge Status Filing Court Date
19PI0937 FARRIS, MELODY WALKER DAVID CANNON, JR. OP 6/19/2019

 

[Transplant]

I saw something saying the next hearing is a week from today -- June 28.

 

[SeesSeas]

I saw something saying the next hearing is a week from today -- June 28.

Wife charged in attorney husband’s death makes first court appearance
June 21, 2019
[...]
Authorities have released few details about the evidence against Melody Farris. That could come June 28th if a preliminary hearing in the case proceeds as scheduled.
[...]

 

[MFH]

Per prelim news reports, she did not enter a plea at today's hearing but, per her attorney, she maintains her innocence. It looks like there is a preliminary hearing next week (?), at which point some of the evidence against her will be presented.

Also, this: Wife charged in lawyer husband’s death proclaims innocence, but couple’s children have doubts

Looks like the family might be a bit divided over this. I feel so bad for everyone who's not culpable, but still having to deal with this.

The article linked says the house has been listed since LAST August! ... about a month or so after the murder. Zillow also says it has been listed that long as well. She must have known it was only a matter of time for her...

 

[dorothyland]

Speculation:

If she did commit this crime (as she has been charged) and her husband was a larger man, perhaps she had assistance. This leads me to the most likely scenario of her having an affair in which the partner helped her dispose of the body.

I know that I could not remove a heavy body from a home without making a HUGE mess (especially one with bullet wounds) by fighting to drag a body outside.

I wonder what the prosecutions theories are.

 

[jazzbo]

Yes, this has me confused, too. I’ve met Melody several times, @ Burr & Forman social events. She’s shy, and she’s not a big girl. I would describe her as delicate. She loved her kids; conversation was mostly about them.
Gary was a BIG guy. He was not only very tall, but he was heavy. It doesn’t seem possible to me that she could move his body very far. I wonder if she’s covering for someone.

 

[Gardener1850]

From Jun 26, 2019

Wife Accused Of Burning Body Of Husband Claims Innocence

[...]

Melody Farris, 59, of Alpharetta, was arrested in Tulahoma, Tennessee, on June 18. She is charged with murder with malice, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and concealing the death of another, records show.

Scott T. Poole and Michael A. Ray with Grisham & Poole, a criminal defense law firm with offices in Canton and Jasper, are representing Farris and issued a statement on the matter.

"While the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct prohibit us from commenting on the evidence of the case or the credibility of witnesses associated with the charges, we can say that Mrs. Farris will plead not guilty and we anticipate vigorously contesting these charges," the statement said. "While it is easy to make allegations, proving them is another thing entirely. We look forward to challenging the State's theories about what happened and will be conducting our own investigation into other parties connected to the case. Finally, we would also like to remind everyone that the charges against our client are merely accusations and that, like all persons accused of a crime, Mrs. Farris is presumed to be innocent."

[...]

Wife Accused Of Burning Body Of Husband Claims Innocence

 

[dixiegirl1035]

DNA evidence, admission to boyfriend led to murder charges

NEW DETAILS: "He's on the burn pile." DNA, admission led to wife’s murder charges

 

[Gardener1850]

DNA evidence, admission to boyfriend led to murder charges

NEW DETAILS: "He's on the burn pile." DNA, admission led to wife’s murder charges

Some quotes from above

Investigators became even more convinced Melody Farris was involved in the death of her husband, 59-year-old Gary Farris, when they interviewed her boyfriend about a phone conversation one day before her husband’s smoldering remains were discovered, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office Det. Daniel Hayes testified Friday at a probable cause hearing.

Rusty Barton, engaged in a long-term affair with Melody Farris, said she told him, ‘He’s on the burn pile,’” Hayes said.

“Rusty said, ‘What?’” the detective said. Melody Farris repeated: “He’s on the burn pile,” he said.

Droplets of blood matching the deceased lawyer’s DNA were found all over the large home where the couple resided, on separate floors and in separate bedrooms, Hayes said. They also found blood matching Gary Farris’ DNA on a blouse and pair of shoes belonging to Melody Farris.

 

[dixiegirl1035]

'He's on the burn pile.' Grisly new details revealed in Atlanta attorney's death

..She was arrested last month in Tennessee..Hayes said Farris was having a long-term affair with a man in Tennessee and that the two would meet halfway -- in Dalton -- to see each other.

Hayes told the court that Farris called her boyfriend the night the victim was killed and told him disturbing details..."I found a T-shirt in the hamper that appeared to have ... some ash on it and blood," Hayes said. "Also a pair of shoes. I found on the bottom, you could tell someone had stepped around in some blood."

Hayes said investigators found a bullet on the basement floor where the victim slept. DNA found on the bullet matched Gary Harris. Investigators compared that bullet with the one found in the victim's ribs. ... She's scheduled to be back in court in two weeks for a bond hearing.

 

[MFH]

'He's on the burn pile.' Grisly new details revealed in Atlanta attorney's death

..She was arrested last month in Tennessee..Hayes said Farris was having a long-term affair with a man in Tennessee and that the two would meet halfway -- in Dalton -- to see each other.

Hayes told the court that Farris called her boyfriend the night the victim was killed and told him disturbing details..."I found a T-shirt in the hamper that appeared to have ... some ash on it and blood," Hayes said. "Also a pair of shoes. I found on the bottom, you could tell someone had stepped around in some blood."

Hayes said investigators found a bullet on the basement floor where the victim slept. DNA found on the bullet matched Gary Harris. Investigators compared that bullet with the one found in the victim's ribs. ... She's scheduled to be back in court in two weeks for a bond hearing.

He slept on the basement floor??

 

[Gardener1850]

He slept on the basement floor??

I think it's poorly worded and means that he was sleeping in a bedroom in the basement. That makes me think they were separated as a couple but still living in the same house. For context, here are some pictures that seem to be the basement (MOO):

It's a walk-out basement. The french doors in that last photo go out under a deck/side porch that can be seen in the outside photos.

2155 Purcell Ln Lot 1265-6, Alpharetta, GA 30004 - realtor.com®