Gary Farris: How Did He Die? Who Killed Him?

When Gary Farris passed away on his sprawling 10-acre property in Cherokee County, Georgia, in the summer of 2018, the entire community was shaken to its core. Given his reputation and success, the investigation into his murder brought years of familial secrets and conflicts to light, making the case all the more complicated. NBC’s ‘Dateline: A Little Patch of Perfect’ and CBS’ ’48 Hours: The Ferris Wheel’ delve deep into the gruesome killing of the 58-year-old attorney and the investigation that ensued. The episodes also feature interviews with Gary’s loved ones and the officials directly or indirectly linked to the case.

Gary Farris Was a Family Man Through and Through

The beloved son of Carrol Eugene and Betty Parsons Farris, Gary Wayne Farris was born on June 27, 1960, in the city of Tuscumbia in Colbert County, Alabama. Though the Farrises weren’t really affluent, they built a nurturing and stable household packed with warmth and love. While growing up, he had the immense love and support of his parents and siblings — a brother named John and two sisters, one of whom is Sherry. While all four kids shared a great bond, Gary was particularly close to John, and the two brothers would often hang around in the neighborhood, having fun and creating lasting memories. The former was full of energy and knew exactly how to light up a dull room and bring comfort to his loved ones.

Gary was a bright and determined individual with big hopes for his future. From an early age, he was committed to fulfilling his aspiration of becoming a successful attorney and was ready to do whatever it took to make it a reality. When he was just a teenager, Gary met Melody, and one thing led to another, and they started dating. As they began to spend more time getting to know each other, the duo realized it was time to take the next step in their relationship. Though the exact date of their marriage isn’t known, we know that both Gary and Melody were quite young at the time. In fact, around the time he was in his sophomore year of college, the two became parents to a baby boy, Chris.

Despite embracing fatherhood at a young age, Gary was very responsible and shared the parenting role with Melody in the best way he could. He used to stay home during the day to help care for Chris and headed out for work at night. While he strived really hard to support his family, his dedication towards accomplishing his dream of becoming an attorney never wavered. Alongside his work, he put himself through law school. He was a hands-on dad and a doting husband who wanted to build a life of comfort for his family, which also welcomed three more kids — Scott, Emily, and Amanda — in the later years.

Garry Farris’ Remains Were Discovered a Few Yards From His House

As years went by, Gary not only became a thriving attorney for the Atlanta-based law firm Burr & Forman but also built a beautiful home for his family on Purcell Lane in Cherokee County, Georgia. Also referred to as Big Daddy, Gary was a reputed member of the community, known for his resilience and kindhearted nature. Many admired his hardworking nature and his simplicity despite achieving immense success in his field. The family man had everything going well for him until he went missing on the night of July 3, 2018.

When he was nowhere to be seen, his wife and children searched for him in and around the property. With each hour, they grew concerned for his safety until they were hit with tragic news. On the morning of July 5, Scott came across his father’s remains on a burn pile about 100 yards away from their home. When the police arrived and inspected the scene, they launched a homicide investigation as they found a bullet lodged in a rib bone. More evidence of foul play, including a spent bullet and blood spots in different areas, was discovered inside the property. The cause of death of Garry Farris was deemed to be gunshot wounds.

The Investigators Had Multiple Potential Suspects at Their Disposal

As soon as they launched the homicide investigation, the detectives found themselves in the middle of a family drama that made everybody in Gary Farris’ family a potential suspect, from his wife, Melody Farris, to his sons, Chris and Scott. All the members of the family were questioned one by one and asked about their whereabouts and last interaction with Gary on the fateful day. Melody claimed that she last saw her husband around dinner time on July 3, 2018. Meanwhile, Chris and Scott also claimed to have seen him a few hours earlier that same day. Upon deeper investigation into the personal life of Melody, the authorities found hints of an extramarital affair with Ted Wiley, the former partner of one of Gary’s sisters, Sherry. However, that lead turned out to be inconclusive as she denied the affair.

The detectives learned that, leading up to the day of his demise, Gary had been enduring a spell of illness for months. In fact, just three months prior to his death, he was hospitalized due to one such episode. At the time, he allegedly believed his wife had been poisoning him, resulting in the unexplained spells. The couple lived under the same roof but in separate rooms. According to reports, finances were the main subject of their arguments, as she didn’t have her own debit card and had to ask him for money. The detectives also looked closer at their sons, Chris and Scott, and they got a break in the case when they found a credit card belonging to someone named Roy Barton in Melody’s purse.

When asked about it, Melody claimed that the card was given to her by her cousin, Martha Jane Barton, whose late husband’s name was Roy Barton. However, it was later discovered that the card actually belonged to Roy’s son, Roy “Rusty” Barton, with whom Melody had a long-term affair. Although she denied being involved in an affair with Rusty at first, she admitted to it later on. When the detectives interviewed Rusty, Melody claimed she had called him and told him, “He’s on the burn pile,” before his remains were even discovered. Armed with his testimony and other DNA evidence they found in the Farris residence, the investigators finally had enough evidence to take her into custody. In June 2019, about a year after Gary’s demise, his wife, Melody, was arrested for his murder.

The Killer Was Brought to Justice More Than Six Years After Gary’s Death

After multiple delays over the years, in October 2024, Melody Farris stood trial for killing her husband, Gary Farris. During the trial, the prosecution presented a series of evidence, including cellphone data, crime scene photographs, digital records, and more, and brought dozens of witnesses to testify against the defendant. Meanwhile, the defense tried to shift the blame to her son, Scott, who used to live with them. According to them, it would be physically challenging, almost impossible, for the wife to move Gary’s body from the house to the burn pile. On the other hand, they claimed that it would be an easier job for Scott. The defense even called her daughter, Amanda, to testify in favor of Melody.

A turning point came during the trial when Martha Barton claimed that a gun had been missing from her house, indicating that Melody possibly stole it as she had a key to her home. After the prosecution and defense gave their final statements, the jury deliberated for three days before reaching the final verdict. Finally, on November 4, 2024, Melody Farris was found guilty of all the charges against her, including malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, concealing the death of another, and making a false statement. About a month later, on December 5, the 64-year-old woman was sentenced to life in prison plus five years, with the possibility of parole after 30 years.