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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, EP21 "Getting Personal On The Stand"
Cross-examination began on the oldest child of Gary and Melody Farris. Melody's defense team wanted to poke holes in the family drama which the State claims was the motive for her to kill her husband, Gary, of 38 years. But, things got personal with Chris Farris on the stand. He admitted that he struggled with alcohol addiction which affected his relationship with his family.
S1, EP22 "Family Drama"
Family drama was the aim for Melody Farris' defense during their cross-examination of her oldest son. After all, the problems at home was what the prosecution team claimed led her to shoot and kill her husband and then burn and bury his body. Jurors learned about the problems in the Farris Household over the years. Chris, the oldest child, admitted to issues like theft of money among family members, alcohol addiction and mental disorders.
S1, EP23 "Family Matters"
Cross-examination continued on the eldest child in the Farris home. The Defense raised doubts in the state's case against her claiming other people in the family had issues and their own motivations to have Gary Farris killed. Who would benefit from his death ? If the defendant, Melody, who was the beneficiary to His Life Insurance, 401K and the family farm, were convicted of his murder technically her oldest son, Chris, will get everything.
S1, EP24 "The Son's Ex-Wife"
Prosecutors accusing Melody Farris of first-degree murder brought in her son's ex-wife in their case. They wanted to show jurors more perspective on that fateful July Fourth holiday where Gary was fatally shot and later buried in a burn pile. Jenna Pawlowski was asked a series of specific questions in the days leading up to Gary Farris' death on his property.
S1, EP20 "Temporary Administrator To The Estate"
Chris Farris told jurors that he and his siblings were frantic and confused after their father's remains were found. As the oldest of the children, Chris was given the role of the temporary administrator to his father, Gary's estate. On the stand, he told the jury that his father's accounts were all frozen during the police's investigation.
S1, EP19 "First Confusion Then Suspicion"
Melody Farris' oldest son learned how awful it was to find out that his dad, Gary, was dead and his remains were found in a burn pile on the family farm. Chris Farris gave the jury his memory of events that led up to that tragic discovery. After Gary's remains were discovered and the police began their investigation, confusion was the first to set in among his four adult children and then suspicions arose.
S1, EP18 "Death Of The Family's Patriarch"
According to the defendant's oldest adult child, family tension was brewing in the weeks leading up to Gary Farris' death. This family tension involved accusations of mischief with finances and spousal cheating. Gary went missing out of the blue during the July 4th holiday. All of his four adult children were panicking and went on a search. Unbeknownst to them at the time, their father was shot to death at home and his remains were burnt up and buried outside.
S1, EP17 "Chris Farris"
The jury learned about the family problems that led to a tragic murder and an attempted cover up. The defendant's own son testified against her. The State alleged that family drama dealing with finances and extramarital affairs led to Gary Farris' death at the hands of his wife. Chris Farris, the couple's oldest child, gave background of his family. Context was important for jurors in understanding how the Farris' home life gradually turned turbulent leading to murder.
