Melissa and Christopher Wolfenbarger

About this episode

Melissa Dawn Patton grew up in a deeply unstable environment and spent much of her life trying to build something safer for herself and her children. Quiet, shy, and trusting, she married young, became a mother almost immediately, and hoped that starting her own family would bring the stability she never had.<br /><br />Instead, her life became increasingly chaotic. By her early twenties, Melissa was working long hours and trying to leave a volatile, abusive marriage. In late 1998, she disappeared. What followed was years of silence. The only people searching for answers were her family.<br /><br />Support us on Patreon: <a href="https://patreon.com/lovemarrykill" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://patreon.com/lovemarrykill</a><br /><br />Today’s snack: <a href="https://shop.wafflehouse.com/products/waffle-house-waffle-mix" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Waffle House waffles</a> <b><br /></b><br /><br />Sources:<br /><ul><li>Brown, I. (2024, August 28). Husband indicted in cold case murder of serial killer’s daughter. Court TV.</li><li>Cavallier, A. (2025, August 14). How the capture of a serial killer father led to a breakthrough in his own daughter’s separate murder case. The Independent. <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/cold-case-murder-atlanta-melissa-wolfenbarger-b2807816.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/cold-case-murder-atlanta-melissa-wolfenbarger-b2807816.html</a> </li><li>Cavallier, A. (2025). Murder victim’s daughter testifies about chilling statements her father allegedly made about how to hide a body. The Independent.</li><li>Georgia General Assembly. (2023). House Bill 88 (SUB): Coleman-Baker Act.</li><li>Multimedia and Research Notes</li><li>Justice Is A Process!!!! (2025). Prosecutor's Nightmare: DNA Evidence EXCLUDES Defendant | GA v. Wolfenbarger Day 4 [Video transcript]. YouTube.</li><li>McCollum, S. (Host). (2023, February). Melissa Wolfenbarger: Joseph Scott Morgan’s Insight on Melissa’s case | Part 6 (No. 6). In Zone 7 with Sheryl McCollum. <a href="https://omny.fm/shows/zone-7-with-sheryl-mccollum/melissa-wolfenbarger-joseph-scott-morgan-s-insight" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://omny.fm/shows/zone-7-with-sheryl-mccollum/melissa-wolfenbarger-joseph-scott-morgan-s-insight</a> </li><li>[Unknown Author]. (n.d.). Melissa Wolfenbarger research and trial notes.</li><li>r/CrackedColdCases. (2025). 1998: Melissa Wolfenbarger: A serial killer's daughter was decapitated two decades ago. A jury found her husband not guilty for murder. Reddit.</li><li>Unidentified Wiki. (n.d.). Melissa Wolfenbarger. Fandom. <a href="https://unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/wiki/Melissa_Wolfenbarger" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/wiki/Melissa_Wolfenbarger</a> </li><li>Wikipedia. (n.d.). Carl Patton. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Patton" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Patton</a> </li><li>Trial Transcripts (Court TV / Law &amp; Crime)</li><li>Court TV. (2025). GA v. Christopher Wolfenbarger: Trial Proceedings [Transcripts including Opening Statements, Closing Arguments, and Testimony]. <a href="https://www.courttv.com/news/ga-v-christopher-wolfenbarger-killers-daughter-murder-trial/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.courttv.com/news/ga-v-christopher-wolfenbarger-killers-daughter-murder-trial/</a> </li><li>Zone 7 with Sheryl McCollum podcast, 9 part series starting 2/22/2023</li><li>1978.10.25 <a href="https://www.newspapers.com/image/972932676/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.newspapers.com/image/972932676/</a></li><li>2003.03.07 <a href="https://www.newspapers.com/image/422942105/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.newspapers.com/image/422942105/</a></li><li>2003.03.08 <a href="https://www.newspapers.com/image/422952543/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.newspapers.com/image/422952543/</a></li><li>2003.03.19 <a href="https://www.newspapers.com/image/423005666/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.newspapers.com/image/423005666/</a></li><li>2003.04.10 <a href="https://www.newspapers.com/image/424565593/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.newspapers.com/image/424565593/</a></li><li>2003.04.15 <a href="https://www.newspapers.com/image/424569729/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.newspapers.com/image/424569729/</a></li><li>2003.06.22 <a href="https://www.newspapers.com/image/649334787/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.newspapers.com/image/649334787/</a></li><li>2024.08.08 <a href="https://www.newspapers.com/image/1106352246/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.newspapers.com/image/1106352246/</a></li><li>2024.09.16 <a href="https://www.newspapers.com/image/1120767255/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.newspapers.com/image/1120767255/</a></li><li>2025.08.30 <a href="https://www.newspapers.com/image/1244409052/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.newspapers.com/image/1244409052/</a></li></ul>