5 harrowing details about the murder of Georgia attorney Gary Farris on the latest Dateline episode, explored

Aashna
Dateline latest episode investigates the murder of Gary Farris (Image via Youtube/Dateline NBC)
Dateline latest episode investigates the murder of Gary Farris (Image via Youtube/Dateline NBC)

NBC's Dateline latest episode will feature the details of the shocking murder of Gary Farris, a Georgian attorney, who was murdered, and his burned body was found by his son in November 2018.

Gary Farris' Dateline episode will premiere on NBC on January 17, 2025, at 9 pm ET and will be available to stream on Peacock the following day.

Dateline correspondent Keith Morrison will piece together Gary's murder through video footage and interviews with his friends, families, and officers assigned to his case.

Here are five details on the Dateline episode's victim, Gary Farris.


Dateline Latest: 5 harrowing details about Gary Farris's murder

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1) Gary Farris' body was found in a pile of ashes

Gary Farris was murdered in 2018, and his body was found later, burned with a pile of ashes on his Cherokee County property. When the police were called, they thought it was a tragic accident where he accidentally fell into the fire.

But on further investigation, the police found a bullet inside his rib, which confirmed that he was murdered, and later, his body was tossed into the pile of ashes to burn. The police confirmed that this was done to hide Farris' body and cover up his murder.


2) Dateline victim Gary's wife Melody was the prime suspect in his murder

After the bullet was found, the police suspected his 58-year-old wife, Melody Farris, as the prime suspect. They had two big reasons to back this theory up. Firstly, on investigating Gary's friends and families, the police found out that Melody had an affair with a man in 2009, which strained her marriage with Gary.

The couple did not recover from Melody's infidelity, and as confirmed by his relatives, their marriage was on the crux of ending. In addition, Melody would benefit from Gary’s $2 million life insurance policy, which was a solid murder motive to convict her.


3) Melody accused her son Scott on trial

After there was enough evidence, Melody was tried in court, where she accused her son Scott of murdering his father. According to her, she saw her son near the pile of ashes before her husband's body was found in it, believing that he burned him.

In addition, she confessed that she had hidden her son's crime for six years, but now it's time that he should be punished for his heinous crime. According to FOX News, Melody pleaded in front of the Judge at her trial:

"I've had six plus years of being told not to talk, don't say that, take legal advice...I have waited for years to make this statement to everyone."

4) Dateline Latest: Melody's defense attorney presented evidence against her son

Backing up her client, Melody's defense attorney presented the Judge with evidence to prove that it was Scott who murdered her husband and his father, Gary.

The biggest evidence was Scott's .38 caliber ammunition, which matched with the bullet found in Gary's body. He accused the police of intentionally framing his client for her husband's death:

"...Everything that was done in this case was tailored specifically to attempt to convict Melody in the death of Gary Farris...''

5) The Judge overruled Melody's accusation and convicted her

In the end, Superior Court Judge David L. Cannon Jr. dismissed Melody's allegations against her son per the current evidence submitted during her trial.

She was convicted on five charges- malice murder, aggravated assault, felony murder, concealing murder, and making a false statement, and was sentenced to life in prison, with a possibility for parole after 30 years.

Till the end, Melody pleaded for innocence as confirmed by FOX News:

"I know that in my heart, body, and soul, who did this. And I am begging for help. I'm begging you, Judge Cannon. Please do not send me to prison for something I didn't do...I did not do this. If I had done this, I would take this charge gladly."

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Edited by Tanisha Aggarwal
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