Going West: True Crime – Melissa Wolfenbarger // Episode 553

Release Date: November 11, 2025
Hosts: Daphne Woolsoncroft & Heath Merryman

Episode Overview

In this harrowing episode, Daphne and Heath delve into the cold case—and eventual murder trial—of Melissa Wolfenbarger, a young mother who disappeared from Atlanta in 1998. The episode stands out for its shocking intersections of Melissa’s fate with a decade-spanning string of murders committed by her own father, Carl Patton, an unmasked serial killer. As new details emerged following Chris Wolfenbarger’s 2025 trial, the hosts chart a tangled, multi-generational web of violence, betrayal, and missteps by both family and law enforcement.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Disappearance of Melissa Wolfenbarger

• Background:
  Melissa Dawn Patton, later Wolfenbarger, was born in 1977 outside Atlanta, remembered as “quiet and sweet, almost to a fault…naive and far too trusting of others.” (Heather, 02:52)
• Early Relationship:
  Melissa had a turbulent relationship with Chris Wolfenbarger, whom she married at 17. Family blamed her “rebellious behavior” and legal trouble on Chris’s influence.
• Thanksgiving Vanishing (Nov 26, 1998):
  Last seen after a phone call home to her mother, Norma, making Christmas plans. Holidays passed with no word from Melissa; family traveled to her Atlanta home, found the house abandoned—Chris and the kids gone, no forwarding information (04:55–07:00).
• Delayed Missing Person Report:
  Family’s suspicions grew after Melissa missed her mother's birthday (Feb 24, 1999), which was unlike her—“There was no call, no card, no visit, nothing. That just wasn’t her.” (Norma, recollected by Heather, 07:00)
  Police were reluctant, citing lack of foul play: “Police discouraged them from doing so…That is why Melissa wasn’t officially reported missing until January of 2000, over a year after she was last seen.” (Heather, 09:23)

Investigation & Family Dynamics

• Chris’s Story:
  Chris claimed Melissa left abruptly, on foot, after an argument, supposedly to start fresh in California—leaving behind her kids and possessions (10:25–11:56).
  “We’re not talking about one day she was there and the next she wasn’t. I just figured she’d come back when she was able to…We were, you know, like Bonnie and Clyde, just small time criminals. But we didn’t do anything bad bad.” (Chris, 11:56)
• Abuse & Restraining Orders:
  Melissa had filed a restraining order and temporarily stayed with her sister due to Chris’s violence. Domestic turmoil was well known in the family:
  “It’s always been a domestic violence issue from day one. She had already left because of his abuse.” (Norma, 14:20)
• Chris’s Parenting:
  After Melissa’s disappearance, Chris moved in with his uncle, and their two young children were sent to live with his mother. Chris “really didn’t even raise the kids.” (Heath, 13:36)

The Patton Family's Dark Legacy

• Serial Murders in the Family:
  “Years earlier, a string of brutal unsolved murders could be traced back to the Patton family as well. But they weren’t the victims—they were the perpetrators.” (Heather, 15:45)

• Recap of 1977 Murders:

  • Bodies of Betty Jo Efflin and Liddy Evans were discovered in the Flint River, both wrapped and concealed, killed via gunshots and possible sexual assault in Liddy’s case.
  • Liddy was last seen heading camping with her boyfriend, Joe Cleveland, and another couple—Carl and Norma Patton (26:01).
  • Joe Cleveland remained missing until found dead, likewise dumped in a river, murdered with the same gun.

• Inside Job & Mounting Evidence:

  • Carl’s trunk and home contained bloody evidence; investigators found stolen items from Betty Jo’s house.
  • “Linda, [Betty Jo’s daughter]…was shocked to find that their entire bedroom set was furniture that had been stolen from Betty Jo.” (Heather, 27:20)
  • Forensics were limited at the time; despite circumstantial evidence, cases grew cold until advancements decades later.

• Multiple Motives, Chain Murders:

  • Carl and his friend Joe Cleveland were motivated by greed, loyalty, and retaliation against mistreatment and romantic betrayal within the criminal circle.
  • “It really is just a web of criminals.” (Heath, 38:59)
  • “It’s like digging a hole of murder. Like a snowball of murder rolling down a hill.” (Heath, 35:51)

Break in the Case: Justice After Decades

• Cold Case Revival (2002):
  • New DNA testing confirmed Liddy’s blood on evidence from the Patton home. Norma Patton quickly testified against Carl:
    “She folded so quick she’s folding.” (Heath, 32:41)
• Carl’s Confession:
  • Faced with evidence and his wife’s testimony, Carl admitted guilt, detailing his role in multiple murders and implicating others. He justified his actions as “only killing those who were truly deserving…not random, innocent victims.” (Heather, 39:04)
• Arrest & Sentencing:
  • Carl Patton pleaded guilty and received five consecutive life sentences for the murders of Richard Jackson, Betty Jo Efflin, Fred Wyatt, Liddy Evans, and Joe Cleveland (47:29–48:19).

The Shocking Fate of Melissa Wolfenbarger

• Discovery of Remains:

  • Melissa’s remains were discovered in two stages: a decapitated head and bones in bags near her former home and Chris’s workplace (Hartford Place & Avon Avenue, Atlanta), but not identified for years (49:17–50:09).
  • Her torso—possibly holding evidence of pregnancy—was never found, fueling speculation that Chris destroyed it to hide paternity. Melissa had confided to her mother about being pregnant (50:59).
  • “Her autopsy concluded her head had been severed with a saw. And what did Chris steal from his work around the time of her disappearance? A reciprocating saw.” (Heather & Heath, 52:07–52:26)

• Failure to Convict:

  • Chris arrested in August 2024, stood trial in August 2025. Evidence was circumstantial; DNA on the bags didn’t match his.
  • “The prosecution seemed to have a very thin amount of circumstantial evidence here, and they just hoped that the jury would be comfortable convicting Chris despite there being some reasonable doubt.” (Heath, 57:11)
  • Jury delivers not guilty verdict after three hours of deliberation. Chris freed; the case cold once again.

Aftermath & Family Reflections

• Family Belief:
  • “From day one, we knew it was Christopher. There was never, ever any doubt in our minds who did this.” (Tina, 59:21)
  • “I didn’t know her, but she’s my mom, and I know she would have never walked out without us. I’m a mom now, and I can’t imagine doing that to my child.” (Christina, Melissa’s daughter, 55:21)
• Carl Patton’s Death:
  • Carl died in December 2024, never knowing the final outcome of Chris’s trial; no charges were brought against Carl in Melissa’s death.
• Law Enforcement Statements:
  Detective Jerrion Shefford: “I want to protect the integrity of the case going forward, so I can’t disclose certain evidence. But we look at everything when it comes to a cold case.” (58:44)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Evidence and Justice:
  • “I'm shocked that they didn’t have enough evidence to convict anybody…there’s certain details I can't give up. Like the reciprocating saw, that Chris stole from his work, the fact her remains were mutilated. ‘Cause when we look at Carl Patton, that was not his M.O…He didn’t mutilate his victims.” —Heather (61:18)
• On the Patton Family as Perpetrators:
  • “Years earlier, a string of brutal unsolved murders could be traced back to the Patton family as well. But they weren’t the victims—they were the perpetrators.” —Heather (15:45)
• On Generational Violence:
  • “We've not seen anything like this where a woman goes missing and somebody in her family is actually kind of a serial killer. And they're not involved in what this new case is.” —Heather (39:54)

Emotional Testimony

• Linda Delaney (Betty Jo’s daughter):
  • “She didn't shed a tear. It was like she was talking about something that she had seen on TV or read out of a book.” (About Norma Patton in court, 48:30)
• Norma’s Public Plea:
  • “We have finally made it and he’s in custody. My last words to her were, I love you, and you know where I am if you need me.” —Norma, at Chris's arrest (56:54)

Notable Timestamps

• 02:52: Start of Melissa’s background and disappearance timeline
• 14:09–15:42: Details of Melissa and Chris’s troubled marriage & domestic violence
• 15:45–26:01: Explosive reveal of the Patton family’s history with serial murders
• 32:39–38:59: Carl and Norma's confessions, chain of killings, motivations
• 49:17: Melissa’s remains discovered, delayed identification
• 57:11–60:10: Chris’s trial, family verdicts, and the cold case’s unresolved conclusion
• 61:18: Hosts’ final reflections on evidence and case closure

Tone & Style

The hosts maintain Going West’s trademark conversational but empathic approach—balancing intricate, sometimes overwhelming details with context and emotional resonance. They offer candid reactions, tragic ironies (“digging a hole of murder”), and periodic asides, reflecting genuine astonishment at the case’s many turns.

Episode Takeaways

• Generational Crime:
  Melissa’s tragic end is magnified against the chilling backdrop of her father as a confirmed serial killer, blurring the lines between victim and perpetrator across generations.
• Investigative Hurdles:
  The episode underscores how police inaction, limited forensic tools, and convoluted family dynamics let multiple killers go free for decades.
• Lingering Uncertainty:
  With Chris acquitted and Carl dead, Melissa’s murder remains an open wound, a stark reminder of justice’s limits—especially when familial violence and systemic failures converge.

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