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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, EP61 "The Detective's Probing Interview"
After Gary Farris' remains were found police wanted details in the hours leading up to his death. Sergeant Trent Kuykendall testified under cross-examination on what the defendant told him as well as what she didn't tell him. In the second part of police's interview Melody divulged more about her not-so-secret boyfriend, the intensity of the fire that where his remains were found, and a detailed timeline leading up to the murder.
S1, EP62 "Fact-Finding Mission"
According to Sergeant Trent Kuykendall, it was a fact-finding mission early on when police were investigating Gary Farris' death. He was telling the jury how his team wanted to simply collect information on what exactly led to Gary's Remains being found charred in a burn pile on his family Farm. But, Melody's lawyer challenged the role of the detective under cross-examination on the Stand. The Defense hinted the crime scene was messy and unorganized.
S1, EP63 "Limited Information"
The detective working Gary Farris' Death Investigation wrapped up his testimony. Sergeant Trent Kuykendall explained to the jury how careful his team was in drawing conclusions early on in Gary's mysterious death. Next, prosecutors recalled the defendant's granddaughter, Addison. They wanted to give jurors more inside info on the lead up to victim's charred remains being found on a burn pile on the family's property.
S1, EP64 "Ashley Pope"
Another key detective who was assigned to Gary Farris' homicide investigation. Not only did investigators come upon key crime scene evidence they interviewed people of interests as they were gathering their information. While Ashley Pope is an arson Investigator, he was a Sergeant with the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office. He was among the detective team that scoured the large 10-acre family farm Looking for valuable clues and key evidence. Pope interviewed Rusty Barton, Melody's longtime Lover.
S1, EP60 "Two Girlfriends And An Open Marriage"
Cross-Examination got personal with Melody Farris's lover during his testimony on the witness stand. While she was cheating on Gary, her husband, with a man named Rusty Barton, Rusty himself was cheating on Melody with another woman. Rusty told the jury that Melody blamed her two sons in killing Gary. This not-so-secret lover in the Farris's turbulent marriage wrapped up his testimony for jurors.
S1, EP59 "Jailhouse Calls And Police Interviews"
More jailhouse phone calls were played for the jury. After she was arrested for first-degree murder in her husband, Gary Farris's death, Melody called her lover, Rusty Barton, who was afraid the two of them would break up. So, what did Rusty know about the victim's remains being found in a burn pile on the Farris family farm? The State tried raised suspicion on his role with what he said on recorded police interviews played out in Court.
S1, EP58 "He's In The Burn Pile"
Prosecutors accusing Melody Farris of intentionally killing her husband, Gary, had more probing questions of her lover on the stand. According to Rusty Barton, Melody told him, Gary is in the burn pile. More insights and tidbits of conversations between the defendant and Her boyfriend were brought up for jurors. Some of the conversations were of phone calls she made to Rusty Barton after she was arrested for the murder of Gary, her husband.
S1, EP57 "Interviewing The Secret Lover"
The defendant's lover told the jury all that he told police during several interviews he had with him. One of which included an unsigned arrest warrant given to him for the murder of Gary Farris. Rusty Barton told jurors how he knew nothing about the murder and confirmed for the jury his alibi. Melody and Rusty were involved in a long, out-of-town affair months before the homicide, where the two of them would meet halfway between their homes in Tennessee and Georgia.
