You're Gonna Hang Me

Summary

Podcast Summary: Blood is Thicker: The Farris Wheel

Episode 5: “You're Gonna Hang Me”

Host: Peter Van Sant (CBS News, 48 Hours)
Release Date: April 8, 2026

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Overview

Episode five of Blood is Thicker: The Farris Wheel delves deep into the web of suspicion, forensic evidence, and family intrigue surrounding the murder of Gary Farris, a respected attorney described as a loving family man. Investigators, led by Detective Daniel Hayes, focus on Gary’s wife, Melody Farris, whose alleged motive, opportunity, and tangled relationships place her at the center of the case. The episode methodically unpacks motives, forensic findings, and digital trails, culminating in Melody's arrest and her continuing plea of innocence.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Burn Pile Revelation

• Rusty Barton’s Damning Statement:
  • Rusty Barton (Melody Farris' lover) initially tells detectives that Melody said “He is in the burn pile” on the night of Gary’s murder, seemingly implicating herself.
  • Quote:

    “She said Gary is in the burn pile. No, she said, he is in the burn pile.” — Rusty Barton (01:00)

  • Rusty later recants this story (01:41), undermining its value as direct evidence.
• Detective’s Doubt of Recantation:
  • Detective Hayes believes Melody influenced Rusty’s retraction, but maintains his suspicion of her guilt.

    • “She was the only person that had motive. I think motive was a big part of this case.” — Detective Hayes (03:03)

2. Forensic Evidence: The Tractors, the RTV, and Blood

• Crime Scene Equipment:
  • Investigators theorize that Melody used farm equipment—a tractor and an RTV (rough terrain vehicle)—to move Gary’s body from the house to the burn pile (03:55–04:21).
  • Both vehicles tested positive for blood. The tractor had Gary’s blood, the RTV had Melody’s (04:53–05:34).

    • “When they took a look at them, they found evidence of blood on both of them.” — Detective Hayes (04:53)

• Practical Knowledge:
  • Melody was familiar with both machines and could operate them (06:10).
• Lack of Physical Traces:
  • No tire marks or drag evidence are found between the house and the burn pile—possibly due to time elapsed, allowing for cleanup (07:00).

3. Suspicious Items in the House

• Shoes with Blood:
  • Two pairs of shoes in Melody’s closet: one with visible blood and one freshly laundered, likely to clean off evidence (07:27–07:55).
• Small Shirt:
  • A small shirt, likely Melody’s, found with dark blood and soot stains. All tested blood comes back as Melody’s—possibly explained by prior non-lethal injuries, but the timing is suspicious (08:23–08:34).

4. Digital Forensics & Timeline Analysis

• Phone Data Collection:
  • Analyst Lindsay Harris reconstructs the family’s movements and communications from phone records (11:09–11:47).
• Critical Timeline Before & After the Murder:
  • On July 3, 2018, Gary’s last known communication is a call at 3:51pm, with no activity afterward (13:54).
  • At 5:16pm, Melody texts her daughter that she’s alone, then begins communication with Rusty on a burner phone (14:25).
  • There is a suspicious four-hour gap with no communications from Melody’s phone—uncharacteristic for her (14:41).
• Movements on the Night of Murder:
  • Gary’s phone leaves the home briefly, returns, and then is silent (15:29–15:48).
  • The homicide likely occurred between 9:34pm (when Gary returns) and 2am (when Melody calls her son) (15:55).
  • Melody calls Scott at 10:52pm, possibly inquiring about when others might arrive (16:15).
• Contact with Rusty:
  • Melody and Rusty’s phone contact is unusually late on the night in question, with a call after midnight for the first time ever in their relationship (17:13).

    • “Only one of these 3,478 ever took place after midnight. And that was on July 4, 2018.” — Lindsay Harris (17:13)

  • Harris speculates this call could have involved planning, advice, or mental support (17:47).
• Morning After:
  • After Scott leaves early for golf, phone data places Gary’s phone at different locations on the property, indicating it was likely being moved by Melody (18:48–19:05).

5. Motive: Money and Infidelity

• Inheritance and Financial Motive:
  • Melody would inherit everything as Gary’s widow; his death stops outflows to the children, preserving the estate for herself (23:51).

    • “She was the beneficiary to everything through marriage. She’s entitled to everything as long as if Gary’s dead and she’s alive, it’s all hers.” — Detective Hayes (23:51)

• Tension Over Money:
  • Melody was angry over Gary’s financial support to his children, feeling her “bank account was dwindling” (24:13).
• Potential Marital Breaking Point:
  • Evidence exists that Gary was planning to cut Melody off financially, which could have motivated her to act (24:44).

    • “I do believe it, that he had already taken action to cut her off.” — Detective Hayes (25:07)

• Melody and Rusty’s Relationship:
  • Investigators find evidence Rusty searched for wedding rings; Melody denies plans to marry, but Hayes doubts her (25:43–26:02).

6. The Arrest and Fallout

• Charges:
  • Melody is arrested and charged with murder, aggravated assault, concealing a death, and making false statements (21:43).
  • Melody maintains her innocence.

    • “I didn’t do this. I would promise you all my life. I did not do it.” — Melody Farris (21:43)

• Phone Call Between Melody and Rusty from Jail:
  • Melody expresses concern that Rusty's testimony will incriminate her.

    • “You’re going to single handedly hang me.” — Melody Farris (22:29)

  • Rusty reassures her he hasn’t said anything more.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Burn Pile Confession:

  “She said Gary is in the burn pile… He is in the burn pile.” — Rusty Barton (01:00)

• Blood on Equipment:

  “Tells me that Gary was bleeding and he was on or around the tractor.” — Detective Hayes (05:09)

• Digital Investigation:

  “Only one of these 3,478 [calls] ever took place after midnight. And that was on July 4, 2018.” — Lindsay Harris (17:13)

• Melody’s Financial Motive:

  “She knew that her bank account was dwindling away because of [Gary’s children]... once Gary was gone, the money stopped coming in.” — Detective Hayes (24:13)

• Melody’s Plea:

  “I didn’t do this. I would promise you all my life. I did not do it.” — Melody Farris (21:43)

• Rusty’s Warning:

  “You’re going to single handedly hang me.” — Melody Farris to Rusty Barton (22:29)

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Important Timestamps

• 01:00: Rusty Barton’s “burn pile” statement
• 03:03: Detective Hayes discusses Melody’s motive
• 04:53–05:34: Forensic analysis and blood findings on tractor and RTV
• 07:27–08:34: Discussion of bloody and laundered shoes, shirt with blood/soot
• 11:09–15:55: Reconstruction of the timeline and phone records
• 17:13: Late-night call between Melody and Rusty
• 18:48–19:05: Gary’s phone movements post-mortem
• 21:43: Melody’s arrest and her statements of innocence
• 22:29: “You’re gonna hang me” phone call between Melody and Rusty
• 23:51–25:31: Motive discussion: inheritance and marital tension

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Tone & Style

The episode maintains the investigative, detail-oriented tone characteristic of CBS’s true crime journalism, with interview segments, digital forensic narration, and snippets of actual jail calls that heighten the dramatic, morally ambiguous nature of the case. Listeners are offered insights into the emotional landscape of the family, the painstaking work of law enforcement, and the limitations and interpretations of forensic evidence.

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Conclusion

This episode walks listeners through the labyrinth of evidence—emotional, digital, forensic, and circumstantial—that led investigators to believe Melody Farris murdered her husband, Gary. The interplay of financial desperation, marital dysfunction, and a secret affair, all set against the backdrop of a tangled family drama, presents a complex portrait of motive and opportunity. The final scenes set the stage for Melody’s trial, where the saga of the Farris wheel of blame continues to turn.

Transcript

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[Rusty Barton (Inmate Call)]

she said Gary is in the burn pile. No, she said, he is in the burn pile.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

He's in the burn pile. When Melody Farris lover Rusty Barton said those five words to detectives, he blew the investigation wide open. Rusty claimed Melody told him that key phrase the night her husband, Gary Ferris was was killed. Here's Detective Daniel Hayes.

[Detective Daniel Hayes]

Rusty claimed that his response to her was don't tell me nothing else.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

Now, Rusty eventually recants this story. Correct?

[Detective Daniel Hayes]

He does.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

But he waits almost a year to do it.

[Detective Daniel Hayes]

He does.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

Back on July 24, 2018, Rusty had agreed to secretly record his calls with Melody. But detectives discovered Rusty shared that secret with Melody, tipping her off. They had continued seeing each other for almost a year after Gary was murdered. And Rusty was with her when she turned herself in.

[Detective Daniel Hayes]

When we arrested her, she was actually up in Tennessee spending time with him. We knew Rusty was still with her and spending time with her, so we went back up to interview him and that's when he told us. He was like, oh, by the way, I was, you know, I was wrong. She told me this in person a

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

few days past that I, I was wrong. After her arrest, Rusty took back his dramatic story. He now told investigators that Melody said those words after Gary's murder investigation had started. But during that year, they had talked many times together.

[Detective Daniel Hayes]

Every day.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

Two people who were in love with each other and planning a Life?

[Detective Daniel Hayes]

Yes. They were planning a life together.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

Could Melody have influenced Rusty to change his tune? Whatever the case, Detective Hayes was sure Melody was Gary's killer.

[Detective Daniel Hayes]

She was the only person that had motive. I think motive was a big part of this case.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

According to Detective Hayes, Melody stood to inherit millions. But aside from family accusations and and Rusty's original story, what evidence made detectives so sure? And just how did a petite woman like Melody move Gary Farris 300 pound body from their home to the burn pile some 50 yards away? I'm Peter Van Sant from 48 Hours. This is Blood is Thicker. The Ferris Wheel episode five. You're gonna hang me,

[Detective Daniel Hayes]

Peter, I want to show you some evidence.

[Peter Van Sant (Interviewer)]

All right, let's go take a look.

[Rusty Barton (Inmate Call)]

Where are we?

[Peter Van Sant (Interviewer)]

What is this lot back here?

[Detective Daniel Hayes]

This is part of the Sheriff's office evidence unit. This is our outside impound lot where we store large pieces of equipment or vehicles.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

Back in 2024, Detective Daniel Hayes walked me out to the Cherokee county impound lot where they keep seized property held as evidence for investigations.

[Detective Daniel Hayes]

Right over here, Peter. This is what we're looking at. These two vehicles.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

Hayes led me toward a small orange tractor and a red two seat RTV rough terrain vehicle. Their two vehicles used on the Ferris family farm.

[Peter Van Sant (Interviewer)]

These are the two vehicles that for years people have wondered, was one of these used to move Gary Farris body

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

to that burn pile?

[Detective Daniel Hayes]

That's correct.

[Peter Van Sant (Interviewer)]

And what did you learn when your forensic people took a look at these two vehicles?

[Detective Daniel Hayes]

When they took a look at them, they found evidence of blood on both of them.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

He pointed to where they found the speck of blood they tested. Investigators got a match. It was Gary Farris blood. So what does that suggest to you?

[Detective Daniel Hayes]

Tells me that Gary was bleeding and he was on or around the tractor.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

Then we checked out the rtv.

[Peter Van Sant (Interviewer)]

And where was the blood found on this vehicle?

[Detective Daniel Hayes]

On the RTV we found blood in several spots. There was blood found on the shifter. Evidence of blood on the tailgate in the back.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

Now that's intriguing.

[Peter Van Sant (Interviewer)]

Blood in two different places. Was this Gary's blood?

[Detective Daniel Hayes]

The blood on the shifter was Melody's blood.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

Detective Hayes said they never tested the blood on the tailgate. He explained that even the sheriff's office has a tight budget and those tests and the products needed to do them can be expensive. But was there any evidence that Melody used the RTV to move Gary's body?

[Detective Daniel Hayes]

This family has utilized both of those machines to move dead horses, pull stumps out of the ground. So anyone who's been on the property that saw knew the capabilities of these

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

machines and she could handle both of these. She knew how to use the machinery,

[Peter Van Sant (Interviewer)]

both of these machines she could.

[Detective Daniel Hayes]

And she not only did other family members tell us that she has driven and operated both, she admitted that she drives RTV all the time when Gary's not there and has operated the tractor.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

Detective Hayes had a theory that Melody somehow used the tractor and the RTV to lift and move Gary's 300 pound body.

[Peter Van Sant (Interviewer)]

How about this RTV? Is this something that would be used

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

to drag a body?

[Detective Daniel Hayes]

Could be. This RTV has a dump bed on the back of it, a bed that you can put things in to haul them. It's capable, you know, has a very heavy duty front bumper, it's got a rear bumper that you could attach a strap to, a tow strap or something.

[Peter Van Sant (Interviewer)]

Now, from what I understand, there is no evidence of tire marks that go from the house to the burn pile, is that correct?

[Detective Daniel Hayes]

That's correct.

[Peter Van Sant (Interviewer)]

And no evidence of like something being dragged.

[Detective Daniel Hayes]

That's correct.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

Across the dirt.

[Peter Van Sant (Interviewer)]

So this still remains a mystery, doesn't it?

[Detective Daniel Hayes]

It does. It was days before we got there, so there was plenty of time to rake, cover up whatever, any of that evidence that could have been there.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

Hayes also told me other suspicious evidence his team had uncovered, including inside the master bedroom closet, I actually personally located

[Detective Daniel Hayes]

two pairs of shoes. One pair of shoes were interesting because you could see on the bottom where someone had stepped in blood in them. They were smaller size, appeared to be women's shoes.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

Detective Hayes concluded they were Melody's shoes. Hayes then turned his attention to the second suspicious pair.

[Detective Daniel Hayes]

So I had gloves on. I picked up another pair of shoes. I said, man, these are cold feeling compared to the other ones. And it turns out they were wet, they were freshly laundered.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

Hays saw them on a rack and assumed they were left there to dry.

[Detective Daniel Hayes]

It suggests to me that those pair of shoes likely had some blood on them or some other evidence that someone wanted to, you know, get off of there. It could also indicate they got dirty working on the farm.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

There was one more thing. As Detective Hayes looked through the closet, he checked the dirty clothes hamper and pulled out a small shirt he assumed was Melody's.

[Detective Daniel Hayes]

There appears to be dark blood stains on this shirt and what I believe to be a black, almost sooty looking stain on it.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

Testing revealed that the blood found on the shirt and shoes was in fact Melody's, not her husband's. Detective Hayes later said that he thought the blood could have been from when Melody smashed a plate in an argument with Gary or from when she was working on the farm, he wasn't sure. What detectives did know was where everyone in the family was when they believed Gary was murdered and who Melody called that night.

[Lindsay Harris (Sheriff's Office Analyst)]

Cleanup is for sure in the middle

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

of the night, one of the Sheriff's Department analysts was able to use the Ferris phone records to reconstruct the last moments of Gary's life and when his body could have been moved to that burn pile.

[Lindsay Harris (Sheriff's Office Analyst)]

In the time frame the phone moves from the area of the home to the burn pile,

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[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office had been collecting and reviewing phone data for weeks.

[Lindsay Harris (Sheriff's Office Analyst)]

We had physical phones for Melody Farris, Gary Farris, Scott Farris, Rusty Barton.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

That's Lindsay Harris, an intelligence analyst with the Sheriff's Office. She took a look through the vast trove of Ferris family texts, calls, emails and searches. She even got the data from Melody's burner phone, the one she'd been using to talk to Rusty during their affair,

[Lindsay Harris (Sheriff's Office Analyst)]

every device a little different. But when you do extract the data, you get a good bit of information, a lot of the contents, a lot of the app data, photos, videos, conversations.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

Harris looked for patterns. And if those patterns changed, I'll look

[Lindsay Harris (Sheriff's Office Analyst)]

at patterns of location. Are you in the right place that's normal in your life? Are you calling normal people? Are you calling during normal times of the day? Are you moving at different times of the day that you normally wouldn't?

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

For instance, Harris discovered how Melody's text revealed her changing moods during the days leading to Gary's murder.

[Lindsay Harris (Sheriff's Office Analyst)]

She's upset about a beach condo that was purchased, and she's very vocal in her messages about that.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

Chris had asked Gary to help pay for a beach vacation. Melody texted both of her daughters about it on July 2, 2018.

[Lindsay Harris (Sheriff's Office Analyst)]

She says, I got Gary's phone. This shows us she has the ability to physically look at his phone and read messages and find out information. And she's not happy about it. She says she's beyond furious. And she. She talks here with Amanda about how Scott left this morning at 8 and he's gone to play golf again. And, you know, help me, God. She's upset about Scott's whereabouts and his activities. And again, it's. It's all about. He refuses to help. He, this is my last straw. I'm taking measures into my own hands.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

Harris then analyzed the data from July 3, the last day Gary was seen alive. Two of the grandkids had asked Melody if they could spend the night with her.

[Lindsay Harris (Sheriff's Office Analyst)]

Melody says, how about the following night? And, you know, in totality, she's at home and she stays at home, no real plans. On the night of the 3rd, and based upon statements made, she was always willing to have her grandkids over, especially they're in town. It was definitely odd that she did not want the kids over that day.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

There is also data supporting Chris's story of visiting Gary at the farm with his daughter. He was the last person to speak with Gary on the phone.

[Lindsay Harris (Sheriff's Office Analyst)]

So this call that's a minute and 43 seconds in duration at 3:51 is the last time anyone spoke to Gary on the phone. And then Gary attempts to call Chris back at 3:53, and that is the last proof of life on Gary's device.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

Phone records then indicate that at 5:16pm Melody texted Amanda to let her know that Chris and his daughter had left. Investigators believed Melody was now alone on the property with Gary.

[Lindsay Harris (Sheriff's Office Analyst)]

And immediately at 5:17, Melody begins talking to Rusty on that burner phone. Which is not odd in their relationship, they have a lot of phone contact, but then we get into a little bit of a break of communication on both phones for a period of time.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

There is Nothing. For nearly four hours from 5:36pm to 9:26pm Location data showed that that Melody's phone stayed at the main house. No outgoing calls or texts were sent at that time to anyone. As for Gary's whereabouts, Gary did have

[Lindsay Harris (Sheriff's Office Analyst)]

an Android phone, a Google device, and he did have location services turned on. So this is a very precision location of the handset itself. It helped us create a timeline for Gary's proof of life.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

A couple of hours after Melody's phone went silent, data showed Gary's phone leaving the farm. At around 8:30, his device moves to

[Lindsay Harris (Sheriff's Office Analyst)]

this location and it appears to be a restaurant.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

Harris pointed to a map displaying Gary's movements.

[Lindsay Harris (Sheriff's Office Analyst)]

So this is leaving the area of that strip mall restaurant and headed back into the area of the home.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

According to his phone, Gary arrived back home at 9:34pm Melody is also in

[Lindsay Harris (Sheriff's Office Analyst)]

the area of the home.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

Once Gary made it back, Melody didn't contact anyone for about an hour.

[Lindsay Harris (Sheriff's Office Analyst)]

It's my belief that the homicide took place between 9:34pm on July 3 and 2am on July 4.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

There's a little more than an hour between the time Gary arrived home and when Melody called her son Scott to tell him that the horses somehow got

[Lindsay Harris (Sheriff's Office Analyst)]

out the call with Scott at 10:52. This to me is Melody asking Scott's whereabouts in order to know when is someone going to else arrive at the farm.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

At that moment, Scott was on his way home from the lake. When he arrived, Scott said he saw the glow of the burn pile fire and called Melody.

[Lindsay Harris (Sheriff's Office Analyst)]

It does not appear the phone is answered. Scott's phone location at this time at 11:30 does cover the area of the house. And then Melody calls Scott back at 11:34. So between 5:16pm on July 3 to 11:30pm Gary and Melody are the only two at the farm with the exception of the time Gary's device travels to the area of a restaurant.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

Late that night, Melody was back on the phone with Rusty. Records show there were three separate calls. Lindsay discovered something fascinating.

[Lindsay Harris (Sheriff's Office Analyst)]

So from January 2018 to July 5, 2018, Melody and Rusty made contact 3478 times on the phone. Only one of these 3478 ever took place after midnight. And that was on July 4, 2018.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

This is the call between Rusty and Melody around 2:30 in the morning on July 4th. That same one Rusty told police about in the days after the killing.

[Lindsay Harris (Sheriff's Office Analyst)]

What theory could be they're disgusting. They're coming up with a plan. He's helping her through it. Could he be telling her how to maneuver farm equipment? Could he be giving her advice? Could he be helping her through it? Mentally, we don't know.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

Meanwhile, the data showed that Gary's phone was still inside the main house until the next morning.

[Lindsay Harris (Sheriff's Office Analyst)]

The phone does begin to move.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

The records investigators collected had Scott calling Melody at 6:12 that morning, telling her that he was going to come to the main house to grab the debit card. By 6:21am, Scott was using the Wells Fargo ATM to take cash out to go golfing. Lindsay Harris said that Gary's phone data showed the device moved after Scott had left the property. Melody was now alone. Detectives believe she is the only person who could have been carrying Gary's cell phone.

[Lindsay Harris (Sheriff's Office Analyst)]

The device moves from the area of the home to an area of the burn pile.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

But then, more than an hour later, the phone moved again away from the burn pile.

[Lindsay Harris (Sheriff's Office Analyst)]

By 9:05am, Gary's phone is in the area of the home.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

Harris explanation for that.

[Lindsay Harris (Sheriff's Office Analyst)]

Someone must be moving it.

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[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

Let's take a moment and add this all up. Outside the main house, there was blood evidence tying Melody and Gary with to the tractor and the rtv, bolstering the theory that Melody used those vehicles to move her husband's body. And there was the cell phone data, including how Gary's phone moved the morning of July 4th, when melody was the only other person home. Earlier that morning and the night before, Melody had also made several calls to her lover, Rusty. She also called her son Scott, after a long period where her phone was completely inactive. Nearly 12 months later, on June 18, 2019, Melody Farris was arrested. She was charged with murder with malice, felony murder, aggravated assault, concealing a death and making false statements.

[Melody Farris]

I didn't do this. I would promise you all my life. I did not do it.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

After Melody's arrest, Rusty recanted his damning burn pile story. That reversal could have helped Melody.

[Rusty Barton (Inmate Call)]

This is a prepaid call from an inmate at a correctional facility.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

But she still wasn't happy.

[Rusty Barton (Inmate Call)]

You are.

No.

What's wrong?

Well, you know, like a long time ago, I said stop talking.

Right.

I haven't done anything.

I know that, Darwin, but somehow the

other you know what you keep talking about. You're going to single handedly hang me.

I have not said anything other than the one time and I retracted that and they failed to show that retraction. I haven't said anything else because there was nothing else to say. There wasn't even that to say.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

Melody seemingly knew how damning Rusty's original statement could be. You heard her warn him. You're single handedly going to hang me. She asked for reassurance that he wasn't going to switch sides again, making sure that you understand.

[Rusty Barton (Inmate Call)]

I think I do. But there's. There's nothing. You didn't do anything wrong. I haven't done anything wrong, but there's. There's nothing wrong with us talking.

I understand that.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

After a little more than five minutes, the two lovers, now separated by jailhouse bars, ended their call.

[Rusty Barton (Inmate Call)]

I love you.

I love you.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

The years long romance between Rusty and Melody, combined with her failed marriage with Gary, morphed into what Detective Hayes considered her likely motive. Killing was the only way that Melody could profit.

[Detective Daniel Hayes]

Through the investigation, we determined that she was the beneficiary to everything through marriage. She's entitled to everything as long as if Gary's dead and she's alive, it's all hers.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

Hayes also thinks the breaking point for Melody may have been all that money that Gary was giving the kids. We talked about it during a ride along.

[Detective Daniel Hayes]

She was angry at all the children, except for Amanda, because they were taking money from Gary, which was her money. And she knew that her bank account was dwindling away because of them. She knew once Gary was gone, the money stopped coming in.

[Peter Van Sant (Interviewer)]

Is there any evidence, Detective, that Gary had said to her something like, we're done. I'm going to end this marriage once and for all. And that that could have precipitated an attack?

[Detective Daniel Hayes]

There were some text messages between them where he, you know, had addressed her spending and told her he was taking action to make it stop.

[Peter Van Sant (Interviewer)]

But you believe that Gary had made a decision in this marriage that he was gonna cut his wife off from his funds, completely isolate her so she would not have access?

[Detective Daniel Hayes]

I do believe it, that he had already taken action to cut her off.

[Peter Van Sant (Interviewer)]

And so in her mind then, she's thinking to herself, I'm not gonna have access to this money and I have to kill him so that I can maintain it. I can take over these funds.

[Detective Daniel Hayes]

Gary was what was standing in her way. Between her and the money and her and her life with Rusty.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

Murder would have left Melody with the best of both worlds.

[Peter Van Sant (Interviewer)]

And do you believe that she and Rusty were planning on getting married?

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

Perhaps.

[Detective Daniel Hayes]

Absolutely. When we spoke with Rusty and he let us have his phone, and we found where he was searching wedding bands recently.

[Peter Van Sant (Interviewer)]

Now, Melody told us, oh, no, we weren't going to get married, but do you think she's telling the truth?

[Detective Daniel Hayes]

No, I don't think she's telling the truth. I don't think she's told the truth the entire time.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

Even if Melody and Rusty were planning to take the inheritance and start a new life, the data showed Rusty was not on the ground with Melody. The data day Gary was murdered, his location data proved he was in Tennessee. Melody pleaded not guilty. She now had to decide if she wanted to testify in her own defense and watch as her family's secrets were shared with the world.

[Melody Farris]

The most heart wrenching, gut wrenching thing I had ever sat there in my entire life.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

From 48 hours. This is Blood is Thicker, the Ferris Wheel, produced by Sony Music Entertainment. I'm your host, Peter Van Sant. Judy Tygard is the executive producer of 48 Hours, original reporting by 48 Hours producers Betsy Schuller, Ryan Smith and Hannah Vehr. Jamie Benson is the senior producer for CBS News podcasts, and Mara Waltz is the senior story editor. Recording assistance from Alan Peng and Alana Myers. Special thanks to CBS News podcast Vice president Megan Marcus. Blood is Thicker was written and produced by Alex Schuman. Stephanie Serrano is our editor. Our executive producer is Shira Morris. Our associate producer is Zoe Culkin. Theme and original music composed by Hans Dale Shee. Cedric Wilson is our sound designer and mix the episodes. We also use music from Epidemic Sounds. Fendel Fulton is our fact checker. Our production manager is Tameka Balance Kolasny. If you're enjoying the show, be sure to rate and review. It helps more people find it and hear our reporting. Thanks for listening.

[Melody Farris]

It is my great honor to welcome you all to Starfleet Academy.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

There's never been a better time to enroll in Star Trek.

[Melody Farris]

It's our job to prepare you for the unimaginable.

[Rusty Barton (Inmate Call)]

To the Night Cadet.

[Melody Farris]

In high pressure situations, positive reinforcement is crucial to one's success. You're doing a great job.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

This is what we train for.

[Detective Daniel Hayes]

These friends of mine, they all live for something bigger than themselves.

[Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Host / Narrator)]

Starfleet. Starfleet Academy. New series now streaming on Paramount, cbs, Thursdays.

[CBS Promoter]

Are you ready for something new? Well, CBS is all new all night. It starts with a new episode of TV's number one comedy, Georgie and Mandy's First Marriage. And then you might just die laughing because our favorite ghosts are back new, too. Then we follow up the funny with some good mystery when Kathy Bates returns on a new Matlock. And with Kerri Preston on the case in a new Elspeth. It's all new. CBS Thursdays, 8, 7 Central. And streaming on Paramount.