Case Info
Courthouse: Fulton County, Georgia
Charges:
- Malice Murder – Not Guilty
- Felony Murder – Judgement Acquittal
- Verdict Rendered: 22nd August 2025
Judge: Rachel Krause
Prosecutor: ADA Vincent Faucette, ADA Brian Trepanier
Defense Attorneys: Donald Samuels, Joel McDurmon
Victim: Melissa Wolfenbarger (Deceased)
Today’s Witnesses:
- Witness #5 – Ronald Brock – Chris former employer
- Witness #6 – Cynthia Brock – Chris former employer
- Witness #7 – Dorothy Cooley – Neighbour
- Witness #8 – Marlon Sutton – Sergeant – Respondent of the DV call
- Witness #9 – Detective Steven O’Hare – Arresting officer of Chris
- Witness #10 – Norma Patton – Melissa’s mother
Witness #5 – State Witness – Ronald Brock – Chris Former Employer
Direct Exam
- He is a owner of a business called Action glass that was located at Avon Avenue.
- He described the tools that he had at the company including saws etc. He also says that employees can borrow tools and they are to bring it back the next day. Through him, a demonstrative evidence was introduced to show an example of the saw he had in 1998.
- He testifies that Christopher worked for the company from October 1998 to February 1999.
- He testifies to not being sure exactly if Christopher Wolfenbarger borrowed tools from the store but he believes he may have asked
- An audio was played of his wife saying that he borrowed a saw from the business and he testified he never returned with the saw that was borrowed.
Cross Exam
- Defence highlighted that once the store was closed, no one would have access and he agreed.
- Defence highlighted that this is a saw that could be found at any construction site.
No redirect exam
Witness #6 – State Witness – Cynthia Brock – Chris Former Employer
Direct Exam
- She testifies that Christopher was working for them for five months and that he had borrowed the saw from the company.
- She testifies to not remembering much from that time but remembers giving the statement
Cross Exam
- Defence highlighted that she told law enforcement that Chris brought the saw back but she said she doesnt remember.
No Redirect Exam
Witness #7 – State Witness – Dorothy Cooley – Neighbour of Chris and Melissa
Direct Exam
- She testifies to not remembering telling law enforcement her name was Dorothy Jones.
- She testifies to knowing Chris and Chris had told her that was his wife.
- She testifies to not hearing things breaking etc but heard her screaming in some instances whilst living in the neighbourhood.
- She testifies to seeing Melissa with a bruise on her eye because she was wearing glasses. She never called the police.
- She testifies to asking Chris who his wife was and he said she was leaving him.
- She testifies to not knowing Norma or Tina Patton.
Cross Exam
- Defense highlighted the name change and the Jones name she gave to the detective but she says she doesnt remember.
- She tesifies that she knew Chris when he was young.
- The defense narrowed down the timeframe she had seen Melissa to four of five times, he also highlighted if she knew when they got married and she said she doesnt know.
- She testifies to the arrests and the convictions in the time she had supposedly have known Chris and Melissa.
- The frequency of arrest and convictions resulting in jail time around the time of March 1998 – October 1998 was to show its not likely for her to have seen or heard the arguments at this period.
- Defence highlights why its possible that she wasnt honest with the police with her name being Owen due to a prostitution conviction with that name.
Redirect Exam
Very quick redirect highighlighting that she remembers seeing Melissa in the times she was with Chris.
Witness #8 – State Witness – Marlon Sutton – Sergeant
Direct Exam
- He testifies that he responds to domestic violence in his career and explains what the procedures are done.
- He testifies to what temporary protective orders are and why its taken out, usually for reasons of fear.
- He testifies to answering a call about an incident at Christopher’s residence. He testifies to seeing injuries on her back, arms and leg.
- No date was given for this incident. [My Thoughts]
Cross Exam
- The defence asked how many times or hours the incident Melissa reported occurred and he testified that he doesnt remember due to his memory.
- He testifies he doesnt know Chris and never saw Chris. He testifies to have seen injuries to her legs and cant recall if anyone else was with him during the interview.
Redirect Exam
- He testifies to the report about the time he arrived at the scene.
- He was unable to read the time he arrived at the scene due to his handwriting.
Witness #9 – State Witness – Detective Steven O’Hare – Arresting Officer
Direct Exam
- He testifies to preparing a warrant service on August 6th 2024 and he had an outstanding warrant for murder at the time.
- He testifies that the police tried knocking for a long time and then breached it.
- He testifies to doing multiple searches for Christopher in the house, his girlfriend cooperated but he was hiding.
- He testifies that it took at least 20 minutes to apprehend Christopher.
- Bodycam was played of the arrest.
Cross Exam
- The defence highlights that he had given his hair samples and had cooperated previously with law enforcement.
- The defence highlights that they used shocked and awe methods to reach their suspects.
Redirect Exam
- He essentially testified that he had no prior knowledge of Christopher in police custody and they werent out to harm Chris that day
Witness #10 – State Witness – Norma Patton – Melissa’s mother
Direct Exam
- She testified that Melissa had met Chris around the time she was in high school and she was not in the house a lot and she would even report her as a runaway.
- She testifies that when she kept running away she decided to put her on birth control and tried to keep them separated. She became pregnant.
- She testified that Melissa came into stay with her in the house and taking care of her babies after giving birth.
- She testifies to seeing her for the last time in November 1998
- She testifies to the court proceedings regarding the protective order on July 29th 1998 where Melissa was alone talking to Christopher and she left the court alone, Melissa was not with her when she gave the kids to Cathy.
- She testifies that Melissa would send cards and always call on her birthday.
- She testifies she began being concerned for Melissa when she was locked up around september or october 1998 in the county jail.
- She testified that Christmas 1998 she didnt visit her or call for her to give Melissa the photograph of her pawpaw that she wanted.
- Birthday cards and letters were introduced into evidence.
- The letter from Melissa was read regarding Chris and her moving away, she said that Chris got mad when she was talking about giving her children to Cathy Wolfenbarger Chris’s mother.
- The state highlights the criminal case that involved Carl Patton, the serial killer that was her husband and she said that she testified against him.
Testimony continues on Day 3.
Court Adjourned for the day!
Downloadable Timeline Of Events For This Trial, Availbale Online (PDF): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lUpmmlHHWRQzd65-ajqogjaGV3Ljpm7m/view?usp=drive_link
Hope you are now caught up with the substance of what happened in court on Day 2.
Thanks for reading xo
Sources:
Trial Footage, Available on Youtube via Law & Crime Trials, Youtube page: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pX4SHg630QI
All court filings pertaining to the trial courtesy of @Happily_Angry_Lawyer aka Jim Robichaud, Available online, PDFs: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1uXAurgwIdxLj5vum-hnMkvv9ZnDSZV_M
