Melody Walker Farris, the wife of prominent Atlanta-area attorney Gary Farris, has been found guilty of his murder and the subsequent burning of his body. The incident occurred on July 5, 2018, at their 10-acre working farm in Alpharetta, Georgia. Initially, investigators thought Gary might have suffered a medical issue and fallen into a fire, but the discovery of a .38-caliber bullet in his rib bones led them to suspect foul play.
Melody Farris was charged with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, concealing the death of another, and making a false statement. The prosecution presented evidence that Melody shot and killed her husband inside their home and then attempted to dispose of his body by burning it on their property. The couple had a rocky marriage, with Gary having filed for divorce in 2010, though the petition was later dismissed.
Melody had been involved in an extramarital affair with Roy 'Rusty' Barton, which she initially denied but later admitted had not ended as she claimed. Detectives found that Melody's affair with Barton was ongoing at the time of Gary's death. Financial disputes, particularly Gary's refusal to give Melody money and instead giving it to their adult children, were cited as a motive for the crime.
The trial revealed that Melody made several incriminating statements, including a phone call where she told Barton that 'Gary was in the burn pile.' Despite her defense team's arguments that there was insufficient evidence, the jury found Melody guilty on all counts. She was immediately taken into custody and is scheduled for sentencing in December.
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