Detective Hayes

The only thing he really has to go upstairs for is the kitchen, you know, food. You know, otherwise, he's in the basement.

The only thing he really has to go upstairs for is the kitchen, you know, food. You know, otherwise, he's in the basement.

Well, now we need to know where people were. over these last couple days. It's the last time Gary Ferris was seen alive until the day we got there. Who was on the property? Who could have done this? Who would want to do this?

Well, now we need to know where people were. over these last couple days. It's the last time Gary Ferris was seen alive until the day we got there. Who was on the property? Who could have done this? Who would want to do this?

Any feuds with the boys lately?

Any feuds with the boys lately?

It's one of your rights.

It's one of your rights.

Never. The unfortunate thing is that somebody did, and we don't know who did, and it's our job to determine that. You know, you're the spouse. We have to do everything in our power to rule you out or to rule you in, you know?

Never. The unfortunate thing is that somebody did, and we don't know who did, and it's our job to determine that. You know, you're the spouse. We have to do everything in our power to rule you out or to rule you in, you know?

And Detective Cockendall looks down and sees something kind of shiny. Upon closer inspection, he discovers a bullet, a spent projectile.

And Detective Cockendall looks down and sees something kind of shiny. Upon closer inspection, he discovers a bullet, a spent projectile.

Had you spoken to Gary after Chris left? Yes. Okay, so Chris left, Gary was still... Yeah, he was still here. So he went down and started the fire, and you said it was, you don't know exactly what time, but it was still daylight, no?

Had you spoken to Gary after Chris left? Yes. Okay, so Chris left, Gary was still... Yeah, he was still here. So he went down and started the fire, and you said it was, you don't know exactly what time, but it was still daylight, no?

The last time you talked to him Tuesday was around dinner time? Yeah. You'd estimate 8, 8.30?

The last time you talked to him Tuesday was around dinner time? Yeah. You'd estimate 8, 8.30?

How big was the fire when he lit it?

How big was the fire when he lit it?

And it showed that Gary was usually putting that CPAP on between 11 and 1 a.m. There was no data for the night of the 3rd or past. That led us to believe that Gary was killed before his normal bedtime of between 11 and 1 a.m.

And it showed that Gary was usually putting that CPAP on between 11 and 1 a.m. There was no data for the night of the 3rd or past. That led us to believe that Gary was killed before his normal bedtime of between 11 and 1 a.m.

There were drops of blood on the carpet, on the stairs, the carpeted stairs leading down to the basement.

There were drops of blood on the carpet, on the stairs, the carpeted stairs leading down to the basement.

At the edge of a rug in the basement on the wooden floor, the hardwood floor, upon closer inspection, he discovers a bullet, a spent projectile in the basement floor.

At the edge of a rug in the basement on the wooden floor, the hardwood floor, upon closer inspection, he discovers a bullet, a spent projectile in the basement floor.

There was some blood on the wall near the front door. There was some blood droplets that appeared to have been cleaned up. They appeared to have been in a smear pattern in the kitchen near the basement door.

There was some blood on the wall near the front door. There was some blood droplets that appeared to have been cleaned up. They appeared to have been in a smear pattern in the kitchen near the basement door.

Did you hear any gunshots that night?

Did you hear any gunshots that night?

It was odd. So that started putting the suspicion in our minds that, okay, maybe that's kind of weird. Maybe something's up.

It was odd. So that started putting the suspicion in our minds that, okay, maybe that's kind of weird. Maybe something's up.

There was loose .38 ammo in Scott's dresser drawer. So we found that kind of odd. Yeah, no kidding. Later, we'd ask Scott, you know, why are we finding all this? And Scott tells us, well, I have friends come over. We go shoot at the back corner of the property, and they sometimes leave stuff behind.

There was loose .38 ammo in Scott's dresser drawer. So we found that kind of odd. Yeah, no kidding. Later, we'd ask Scott, you know, why are we finding all this? And Scott tells us, well, I have friends come over. We go shoot at the back corner of the property, and they sometimes leave stuff behind.

Gary would get mad at her or suspect her of having an affair and cut the credit card or the debit card off or whatever, or cut her phone off so she couldn't make phone calls and things like that.

Gary would get mad at her or suspect her of having an affair and cut the credit card or the debit card off or whatever, or cut her phone off so she couldn't make phone calls and things like that.

So Gary believed that when Melody prepared his food, she was poisoning it, and that's why he had the spells that he had.

So Gary believed that when Melody prepared his food, she was poisoning it, and that's why he had the spells that he had.

Unfortunately not. The condition of the body, you know, there wasn't much to test for toxicology.

Unfortunately not. The condition of the body, you know, there wasn't much to test for toxicology.

In Melody's wallet, we found a credit card with a man's name on it that none of us recognized.

In Melody's wallet, we found a credit card with a man's name on it that none of us recognized.

So your statement is you didn't do anything to harm Gary? No.

So your statement is you didn't do anything to harm Gary? No.

Melody said that he has what she called spells where he would feel faint. They found a bullet lodged in my dad's rib bone. Obviously, the direction of the case changed very quickly.

Melody said that he has what she called spells where he would feel faint. They found a bullet lodged in my dad's rib bone. Obviously, the direction of the case changed very quickly.

So that was the topic of our interview. One of our interviews was, who is this Roy Barton?

So that was the topic of our interview. One of our interviews was, who is this Roy Barton?

Rusty had known about Gary and how controlling Gary was over Melody and the money. And so she eventually said that she had gotten the credit card from him in case she needed money, in case of emergencies, basically.

Rusty had known about Gary and how controlling Gary was over Melody and the money. And so she eventually said that she had gotten the credit card from him in case she needed money, in case of emergencies, basically.

And that's when we started discovering the extent of her relationship with Rusty Barton and how often they were talking. From the moment they woke up all throughout the day, calling and texting until the moment they went to sleep. So we decided it's time to go talk to Rusty.

And that's when we started discovering the extent of her relationship with Rusty Barton and how often they were talking. From the moment they woke up all throughout the day, calling and texting until the moment they went to sleep. So we decided it's time to go talk to Rusty.

He knows more than everyone's let on. We know this relationship's a lot deeper than Melody told us.

He knows more than everyone's let on. We know this relationship's a lot deeper than Melody told us.

Rusty's attorney came back into the room during this time and said, he's got something I think y'all want to hear.

Rusty's attorney came back into the room during this time and said, he's got something I think y'all want to hear.

In Georgia, if a husband and wife and one of them is killed or dies, the wife is the immediate heir to the estate. Melody gets everything. So Scott kills Gary and Scott's money's gone. He knows Melody's not going to give him anything. Same with Chris. So why would Chris kill Gary?

In Georgia, if a husband and wife and one of them is killed or dies, the wife is the immediate heir to the estate. Melody gets everything. So Scott kills Gary and Scott's money's gone. He knows Melody's not going to give him anything. Same with Chris. So why would Chris kill Gary?

The only person that benefited immediately from Gary dying was Melody Ferris.

The only person that benefited immediately from Gary dying was Melody Ferris.

Investigator Daniel Hayes. I thought, that's the missing piece to this puzzle. That's where that gun that Scott Ferris saw in that basement came from. Melody took it from Martha's house without Martha knowing. So you brought her in to testify? We did.

Investigator Daniel Hayes. I thought, that's the missing piece to this puzzle. That's where that gun that Scott Ferris saw in that basement came from. Melody took it from Martha's house without Martha knowing. So you brought her in to testify? We did.

I thought, that's the missing piece to this puzzle.

I thought, that's the missing piece to this puzzle.

My heartbeat finally slowed down for the first time in a month. Yeah. You know, I was just ready to get her sentenced and put this all behind me.

My heartbeat finally slowed down for the first time in a month. Yeah. You know, I was just ready to get her sentenced and put this all behind me.

It was hot. It was, you know, July the 5th. It was so hot outside.

It was hot. It was, you know, July the 5th. It was so hot outside.

So we thought a guy was probably cleaning up his yard, burning some things, burning some debris, got hot, passed out, fell into the fire.

So we thought a guy was probably cleaning up his yard, burning some things, burning some debris, got hot, passed out, fell into the fire.

I think everyone that arrived on that property probably looked around and thought, man, I'd love to have this.

I think everyone that arrived on that property probably looked around and thought, man, I'd love to have this.

She was crying when I first walked up. And when I took her down and sat down, she pretty quickly gathered herself and we started having a conversation.

She was crying when I first walked up. And when I took her down and sat down, she pretty quickly gathered herself and we started having a conversation.

She said that he has what she called spells where, you know, he would feel faint and he would be down and out, basically in bed for a couple of days during these spells. And, you know, nobody knew what was wrong with him.

She said that he has what she called spells where, you know, he would feel faint and he would be down and out, basically in bed for a couple of days during these spells. And, you know, nobody knew what was wrong with him.

She pointed out he smoked two packs of cigarettes a day and, you know, probably drank a 12-pack or more of Mountain Dew. I mean, he was very overweight.

She pointed out he smoked two packs of cigarettes a day and, you know, probably drank a 12-pack or more of Mountain Dew. I mean, he was very overweight.

A bullet was found lodged in some meaty flesh on a rib bone. A fragment of a bullet in the rib cage. It was a whole bullet. You could see the back of the bullet.

A bullet was found lodged in some meaty flesh on a rib bone. A fragment of a bullet in the rib cage. It was a whole bullet. You could see the back of the bullet.

So we for sure knew at that point we were investigating a homicide. It was no longer, this may be an accident. It was, this is a homicide.

So we for sure knew at that point we were investigating a homicide. It was no longer, this may be an accident. It was, this is a homicide.

It was obvious that the body had been burning, in my opinion, for some time. And you've got to figure out what happened here. What is that like?

It was obvious that the body had been burning, in my opinion, for some time. And you've got to figure out what happened here. What is that like?

It's a lot of pressure. There are a lot of people there, a lot of things to figure out.

It's a lot of pressure. There are a lot of people there, a lot of things to figure out.

Yep, as soon as the supervisor says, Hayes, you're lead, everybody's looking at me.

Yep, as soon as the supervisor says, Hayes, you're lead, everybody's looking at me.

They've been sifting through the remains in the ashes, and they have found a projectile and some bones. So you were the last one to see Gary alive on Tuesday night. Right. Did you hear any gunshots?

They've been sifting through the remains in the ashes, and they have found a projectile and some bones. So you were the last one to see Gary alive on Tuesday night. Right. Did you hear any gunshots?