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According to prosecutors in their opening statements, money was the motive for this murder. Next, Melody Farris' defense delivered their opening remarks to the jury. They claimed police acted on confirmation bias when they allegedly narrowed erroneously on the defendant for the death of her husband, Gary. A complicated family coupled with a complicated police investigation all led to fingers pointing at Melody Farris for first-degree murder.
S1, EP31 "Challenging His Alibi And Motive"
An intense cross-examination was underway. Melody Farris' defense argued that the state got it all wrong. It was Scott who was the real killer in this homicide because he was living and working at the farm when Gary disappeared and then turned up dead. Scott was the defense's straw man. The Defense wanted to poke holes in his take on what happened to his father and raise doubts that he had nothing to do with Gary Farris' death.
S1, EP32 "Life Back Home"
Jurors listened to his son's troubled life after coming back home from his three tours in Iraq. After he returned and before his father, Gary, was killed, Scott struggled to get and keep a job. He was essentially forced to live at home and work for the family as a farmhand. Melody Farris' attorney brought jurors back to the family money which prosecutors claimed was her motive to kill her husband, Gary.
S1, EP33 "The Money Exchanges"
Who had the debit card? Gary Farris' son living at the farm or his wife, Melody? That was a question raised during Scott Farris' cross-examination. The Defense dismissed the State's assertion that Melody killed her husband so she can reap money from his multi-million dollar estate. A murder weapon was never found. The .38 caliber bullet found in the Gary's remains did not match the revolver Scott came across. Jurors also learned there were a share amount of firearms on the family property.
S1, EP34 "Pointing The Finger At The Son"
The reality of the broken marriage between Gary and Melody Farris was explained further for jurors. The couples' youngest son happened to be a 35-year-old farmhand who lived and worked on the 10-acre property. Despite the Defense's hints of Scott Farris in being the real killer in this case, prosecutors argued instead that he had no motive to kill his father. One, he was completely reliant on him financially and two, he emotionally testified through tears that he loved his father.
S1, EP30 "Suspecting The Mother"
Jurors listened to more descriptive testimony from the person who discovered Gary Farris' human remains. After his youngest son, who was living on the family farm, discovered the corpse in that burn pile he told police he was missing a gun and he found some blood inside the home. It didn't take long for Scott Farris to suspect his mother, Melody, in shooting and killing his father. Scott pointed out for jurors the fights and suspicious behavior of the defendant leading up and after the homicide.
S1, EP29 "The Family Search And 911 Call"
It was the second day of the defendant's youngest son testifying against her. Scott Farris broke down details of those weeks leading up to his father, Gary's, shooting death. Scott emotionally recalled coming across his father's remains while he family was looking all around for him and immediately calling 911. He also recalled how his mother, the defendant, was faking her emotions when Gary's corpse was discovered.
S1, EP28 "The Son And The Family's Farmhand"
On the stand, Scott Farris explained to the jury how his father, Gary, operated and managed the burn pile on the family farm. It was there where his charred remains were found. Later in their deliberations, the jury would have to weigh heavily Scott's alibi that July 4th holiday. He was living and working on the property where his father was killed and then later buried in this burn pile. The Defense wanted to raise any evidence that pointed to Scott to exonerate Melody Farris for malice murder.
S1, EP27 "The Family's Finances"
Jurors learned about the lavish lifestyle of the Farris family. On the stand, Scott Farris, the youngest son of Gary and Melody, recalled how Melody liked to shop and had full access to the family account until months before the murder. The financial arrangement between her husband, Gary, and their youngest son was made clear to jurors. From the time they brought the 10-acre family farm, Scott was living and working as a farmhand.
