Identified! GA - Cherokee Co, Remains in Woods Behind Home on Purcell Ln, July 2018 - Gary Farris *wife arrested

[Snoopster]

Good points Snoop. I didn’t watch the entirety.

He did lie. I found that he was trying to get them to back off a bit and to avoid the intimate details. I didn’t think he was lying to cover up a murder though.

I will give it another look, it could have been that I had too much coffee! Ha!

Of course I understand your view. It would be natural for someone to try to hide those details. And I gave him "room" for that. But then his lies extended beyond the 'personal'. IMO.
Thanks again for your views. I am not necessarily right.

 

[Luna20]

Hey, I liked him at the beginning of his testimony as well. I thought he was trying to be honest and forthcoming. And then I saw why the prosecution 'warned' the court that this witness was not a cooperative witness.

He tried to wiggle his way through certain topics. And now I wonder why. In the end his statement to police on July 24 2018 pretty much sunk Melody (where she told him on July 4 that Gary was on the burn pile). So why wasn't he more cooperative with the prosecution during the trial? Why did he make himself look like the liar that he is? My take...is that Melody was in the room and he wanted to show to her that he was 'defending her'.

He still cares for her. Even now that he "knows in his head, if not his heart" that she killed Gary.

Absolutely! He still has feelings for her. Do you know if he is dating anyone now?

 

[RickshawFan]

Absolutely! He still has feelings for her. Do you know if he is dating anyone now?

It sounded from his testimony like he was dating someone else when he was involved with Melody.

 

[RickshawFan]

I too just happened on to this case and am trying to catch up watching videos from Law&Crime on youtube. So, the only thing that gets my hinky meter going is that this woman is so small. How did she move the body?? We have a tractor and side-by-side similar to those shown on their farm. Even if she knew how to operate them, the noise from either would be noticeable at any time of the day or night. Also, why was the burn pile started earlier in the days before the murder?? We also have burn piles going at times but we do not leave them unattended or going on for days. This wealthy family is not unusual in that well in to their adulthood, the parents supplement the income of their kids. At this point , I'm suspecting one or both sons.

Gary liked to burn things. He’d accumulate a pile and have exciting bonfires.
There was no one around to hear Melody on a tractor. Scott was at the lake or otherwise has an alibi, which means he wasn’t at the farm.
I find it curious that although Rusty was in TN during the window of the murder, he’s a tractor salesman.

 

[RickshawFan]

OK, I've finally caught up with the end of Rusty's testimony.
At the July 24/18 interview with LE Rusty, after discussion with his lawyer, came back in the room and said that during a conversation between 2 - 2:30 am on July 4 Melody told him that "Gary was on the burn pile". He told her "don't say anything more."

Case closed.
No one in the family considered him missing or was even looking for him at that time.
I'll give a final reprieve to Rusty for finally offering up something of relevance.

P.S. Melody was not looking happy at this point in the courtroom.

She got her hair with a new salon treatment for Rusty’s appearance. She wore her most expensive oufit. And wasn’t that a diamond and sapphire brooch? I’ll bet Rusty gave it to her, or was with her when she got it. She had it displayed prominently.

 

[RickshawFan]

Hey, I liked him at the beginning of his testimony as well. I thought he was trying to be honest and forthcoming. And then I saw why the prosecution 'warned' the court that this witness was not a cooperative witness.

He tried to wiggle his way through certain topics. And now I wonder why. In the end his statement to police on July 24 2018 pretty much sunk Melody (where she told him on July 4 that Gary was on the burn pile). So why wasn't he more cooperative with the prosecution during the trial? Why did he make himself look like the liar that he is? My take...is that Melody was in the room and he wanted to show to her that he was 'defending her'.

He still cares for her. Even now that he "knows in his head, if not his heart" that she killed Gary.

I’m not sure what he was lying about? He couldn’t remember a few things, but pros got enough IMO.

 

[RickshawFan]

OK...I've listened to more of Rusty's testimony.
The prosecutor asked him about what Rusty said to LE about who bought the second burner phone. Rusty said he didn't recall what he said. Prosecution showed him the text from the interview with LE on the topic. And Rusty said he still didn't recall. If you look at your own words and still deny it...well, that's not helpful.
He's a clear liar. JMO.

And then prosecution asks Rusty about Gary's bank account and how much would be in it on any day. Gary said that it could be anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand. Prosecution asked if there were days when an amount like $40,000 would be transferred in and the shortly after be transferred out. Gary said that that was true.
HOW did Rusty know the day to day details of Gary's bank account?

I can't understand how you find Rusty credible. (JMO, naturally!) He admittedly lied to LE during his interviews. He bought her burner phones after she was arrested. He lied to police about telling her that he was recording their conversations. He told prosecution he didn't remember his comments even after they showed him his comment to LE. He doesn't care about a murdered man.

"He paid for everything." Of course he did since Gary was monitoring every expenditure that Melody made. And this is not surprising since she had spent many dollars in the past on her previous amour, Ted. I don't find this a strong point for Rusty. It was a cloaking strategy.

And, yes, she has tattoos. Rusty was with her when she got them. One was "XO" which was the short form for his whiskey. It was also her contact name for him on her burner phone. And yet again he denied knowledge of this.

I'm still listening to the testimony for the day and can't wait to hear what Melody says to Rusty on the call(s).

ETA: typo.

He didn’t remember making some comments. That’s not necessarily a lie.

I wonder when she got the tattoo? After Gary was gone? Otherwise, Gary didn’t notice them? It seems very strange that you’d get tattoos while sneaking around behind your husband’s back, especially since she didn’t want a divorce.

 

[RickshawFan]

I agree with you. There was not enough blood evidence for her to have shot him inside.

So where did she shoot him? She seems to have used the Kubota to cart him around, since there was blood on it, and it was parked in the wrong place. Perhaps she shot him once inside, it didn’t work, and he fled outside. Some scenario has to explain why there was blood in the basement suite, but not a whole lot. A shot to the ribs must have caused a veritable fountain of blood.

 

[rescuemom]

I think she lured him to the burn pile and shot him there. She may have carried something that had blood on it (e.g. a jacket or gun) into the basement from outside. Just my theory at this time.

Wasn't there a cartridge found in the basement

 

[rescuemom]

Just finished Chris' first day of testimony and started the cross. He looks rough, maybe had a bad night. IMO, he's a typical kid from an affuent family who was not made to grow up and he hasn't, JMO, but he had nothing to do with murder.

 

[arielilane]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1846931006324089211

 

[arielilane]

DAILY TRIAL HIGHLIGHTS​

DAY 8 – 10/16/24​

• Jurors hear testimony from Melody Farris’ paramour, Rusty Barton.
  • Barton told investigators during an interview on July 24, 2018, that he spoke with Melody in the early morning hours of July 4, 2018, to which she told him that ‘Gary was in the burn pile.’ Barton said he and his attorney tried repeatedly to recant his statement because he felt he was under duress.
  • During a July 8, 2019, jailhouse call, Melody Farris asked ‘Rusty’ Barton to please stop talking and that he [Rusty] ‘would singlehandedly hang me.’
  • Rusty Barton drove Melody Farris to the police station in Tennessee so that she could turn herself into the police.
    • WATCH: Melody Farris’ Affair Partner: I Turned Her In to Police
  • Rusty Barton’s girlfriend in 2017 wrote an email to Gary Farris that he was having an affair with his wife.

GA v. Melody Walker Farris: Burn Pile Murder Trial

Melody Walker Farris accused her son of murdering his father at her sentencing after a jury found she killed her husband, Gary Farris.

www.courttv.com

October 17, 2024

 

[alexwood]

It seems that she got him to the burn pile and shot him from behind. He was found face down. She may have said she saw something and wanted him to take a look at it.

Rusty did well for being questioned for most of the day. I like him and find him credible. I’m pretty convinced that she is guilty.

What stands out to me is in the calls between them she doesn’t sound incensed about her innocence. If I were blameless I would be saying loudly that they need to leave no stone unturned for who it may have been. ‘I can’t believe they think I killed him, that’s crazy’ sorta thing.

Instead she is talking about what to say and how to say it. “Don’t say anything more because they might hang me” I’m not convinced that he was aware of it beforehand. He is very straightforward, and he isn’t insecure as a man. He paid for everything.

The surprise of the day was that she has 2 tattoos. The lady with the pearls has tattoos!

I wonder WHERE those tatoos are?

 

[alexwood]

It sounded from his testimony like he was dating someone else when he was involved with Melody.

Yes. He was. But I imagine that relationship took a nose-dive when that woman sent an email to Gary letting him know of Melody's affair with Rusty. Rusty and Ted are worms of opportunity.

 

[arielilane]

Melody Farris trial day 8: Daughter's testimony sheds light on family turmoil

The murder trial of Melody Farris, accused of killing her husband, Gary Farris, and burning his body on their Cherokee County property, continued this week.

www.fox5atlanta.com

October 16, 2024 7:22pm EDT

 

[alexwood]

Defense Slams Accused Husband Killer's Secret Lover [Roy Henry Barton, Jr., a/k/a "Rusty"] for Lying

As an aside, at 0:58/16:12, is a view of the "rock" to which I referred in an earlier post. [Just being petty here.]

 

[alexwood]

Melody Farris trial day 8: Daughter's testimony sheds light on family turmoil

The murder trial of Melody Farris, accused of killing her husband, Gary Farris, and burning his body on their Cherokee County property, continued this week.

www.fox5atlanta.com

October 16, 2024 7:22pm EDT

"An RTV shifter is a shifter for a rugged terrain vehicle (RTV), which is a heavy-duty vehicle designed to navigate rough terrain. RTVs are often used for tasks like crossing small creeks, mending fences, and traveling through brush." [Per Google]

I had to know.

 

[alexwood]

She got her hair with a new salon treatment for Rusty’s appearance. She wore her most expensive oufit. And wasn’t that a diamond and sapphire brooch? I’ll bet Rusty gave it to her, or was with her when she got it. She had it displayed prominently.

Ain't THAT the truth!

 

[Luna20]

Wasn’t able to catch all of it but did they say she told Rusty that Gary was in the burn pile before he was reported missing??

When she told Rusty on the phone about Gary in the burn pile he didn’t say what do you mean he’s in the burn pile? What happened, how do you know? Have you called the police, tell the kids? She sounded cryptic and not fazed.

Instead he tells her not to say anything. That’s a weird thing to immediately say. The only thing that he can say in his defense is that he immediately thought the sons did it and he wanted to protect her.

If someone told me ‘so and so is in the burn pile’ I would be very vocal about it. ‘Are you positive, did you see it yourself? Were you kicking leaves and saw something in the leaves? Was he charred or identifiable? And on and on.

 

[arielilane]

DAILY TRIAL HIGHLIGHTS​

DAY 9 – 10/17/24​

• Melody Farris’ paramour, Rusty Barton, returned to the witness stand to finish direct and for the defense’s cross-examination.
  • Barton told the jury he “lied” about Melody having said “[Gary] was in the burn pile,” and tried repeatedly to recant his statement.
  • Barton said none of his guns were missing and that his stepmother, Martha Jane, was not missing any guns. Barton’s .357 Magnum was confiscated by the police for testing but was determined not to be the murder weapon.
  • Barton was dating another woman in Tennessee while having an affair with Melody.
    • WATCH: Melody Farris’ Affair Partner Admits He was Seeing Two Women
  • Law enforcement asked Barton to record his telephone conversations with Melody. Barton told her their phone calls were being recorded, then purchased a pre-paid cell phone so she would be comfortable that the police weren’t recording their conversations. Barton said he was trying to find out whether she killed her husband and burned his body.

GA v. Melody Walker Farris: Burn Pile Murder Trial

Posted at 8:01 AM, October 17, 2024