Blood is Thicker: The Farris Wheel – Coming March 11 (Preview Episode)

Podcast: Blood is Thicker: The Farris Wheel
Host: CBS News
Date: March 4, 2026
Correspondent: Peter Van Sant

Overview

This preview episode introduces listeners to the gripping case at the heart of "Blood is Thicker: The Farris Wheel." It sets the stage for a six-part series investigating the murder of Gary Farris, a respected attorney and family patriarch from Cherokee County, Georgia. The discovery of his remains and the subsequent investigation expose a tangled web of family secrets, betrayal, and suspicion, where each family member emerges as a potential suspect. The series promises to unravel a true saga “where the blame game goes round and round, much like a Ferris wheel.”

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Discovery and Initial Shock

• Scott Farris, Gary's son, calls 911 after not seeing his father for two days.
  • Quote (Scott Farris, 00:12): “My father has come up missing.”
• The family searches their 10-acre property and soon finds something horrifying.
  • Quote (Scott Farris, 00:38): “Look, there’s human remains down there. I was like, stay away from there.”

2. The Homicide Investigation Begins

• Detectives arrive and quickly determine the death was a homicide due to a bullet wound.
  • Narration (00:43): “There’s a bullet found lodged in a rib bone. It’s a homicide. Absolutely.”
• The family's idyllic outward appearance contrasts sharply with the grim truth within the household.

3. Every Family Member Under Suspicion

• The investigation reveals that each member could have motivation and opportunity.
  • Narration (00:49): “And every member of the Farris family suddenly looked like a potential suspect.”

4. Secrets Unveiled: Money, Infidelity, and Jealousy

• The family is forced to confront painful secrets in the public eye.
  • Quote (Family Member, 01:29): “This is horrible to have to put all the secrets out on the table.”
• Financial disputes involving large sums:
  • Narration (01:34): “Secrets involving money. Around four and a half, five million.”
• Infidelity and shifting blame:
  • Quote (Scott Farris, 01:39): “She was the one having the affairs, not him.”
• Long-standing jealousy and issues swept under the rug:
  • Quote (Family Member, 01:44): “I think a lot of things that have happened in our family get swept under the rug.”

5. Family Tensions and Accusations

• The family dynamic is likened to a Ferris wheel, symbolizing the cyclical nature of blame.
  • Narration (01:49): “Much like an actual Ferris wheel, the blame game went round and round.”
• Paranoia and shocking accusations come to light:
  • Quote (Scott Farris, 01:56): “He just told me that he thinks my mom might try to poison him.”
  • Quote (Family Member, 02:00): “You kill your daddy. You set your mother up, she goes to prison. You get everything.”
• Scott Farris firmly denies involvement.
  • Quote (Scott Farris, 02:05): “I absolutely had nothing to do with my father’s death.”

6. Emotional Weight and Family Legacy

• Family members reflect on the meaning of the “Ferris wheel” metaphor:
  • Quote (Family Member, 02:16): “It has been called the Ferris wheel, and it was. But it was our Ferris wheel. It was our life.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Scott Farris [00:38]: "Look, there’s human remains down there. I was like, stay away from there."
• Detective/Narrator [00:43]: "There's a bullet found lodged in a rib bone. It's a homicide. Absolutely."
• Family Member [01:29]: "This is horrible to have to put all the secrets out on the table."
• Scott Farris [01:39]: "She was the one having the affairs, not him."
• Family Member [02:00]: "You kill your daddy. You set your mother up, she goes to prison. You get everything."
• Scott Farris [02:05]: "I absolutely had nothing to do with my father’s death."
• Family Member [02:16]: "It has been called the Ferris wheel, and it was. But it was our Ferris wheel. It was our life."

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:01: 911 call and initial discovery by Scott Farris
• 00:38: Discovery of remains on the property
• 00:43: Confirmation of homicide
• 01:29: Family grapples with exposing secrets
• 01:34: Introduction of financial and infidelity secrets
• 01:49: Blame shifting within the family
• 01:56: Allegations and speculation regarding motives
• 02:05: Scott Farris's denial
• 02:16: Reflection on family legacy

Tone and Promise

The preview is tense, emotional, and loaded with intrigue — echoing the confusion, suspicion, and heartbreak of a family torn apart by violence. Peter Van Sant and CBS News promise an in-depth journey through a Southern family crime story, filled with shocking revelations and heartbreak, beginning March 11.