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)
Witnesses for today:
1. Witness #10 – Norma Patton – Victim’s Mother
2. Witness #11 – Thomas Dixon – Supervisor at Wafflehouse
3. Witness #12 – Christina Garrett – Daughter of Melissa
4. Witness #13 – Alton B Calhoun – Former Police Homicide Detective
- The continuation of Norma Patton testimony.
- Direct Exam:
a. September 9th was Melissa’s testimony.
b. She testified that Carl Patton died 2024 and he lived at College Park. She testified to not visiting the area of Atlanta when the daughters were growing up.
c. She testified that Melissa was released from custody on November 9th 1998 and says that Melissa informed the judge that she was pregnant.
d. She testified that she only began doing podcasts in 2021 and says the reason of doing the podcasts was to bring Melissa’s case to the forefront.- This is done in anticipation that the defence will be painting her as being in this case for the money and not justice after it was done with her daughter Tina. The state didnt ask this line of questioning with Tina. [My Thoughts]
- Cross Exam:
a. After highlighting of her podcast appearances, the defence highlights the moments that they learnt that Melissa was missing and Christopher moving.
b. The defence highlights that Norma went to Christopher’s mother house back in 1999 when she was missing. She testifies to not liking Christopher and did all she could to prevent them from dating.
c. Defence highlights the physical custody she had regarding the custody of the kids then the next week, they had a court date also but she chose Chris on July 29th 1998.
d. Defence highlights that Norma didnt mention bruises to Detective Calhoun contemporaneously
e. Defence highlights that Melissa was arrested for violation of probation, she doesnt know the details of the violation.
f. The defence highlights the criminality of the family regarding Carl Patton and her involvement with them and how Carl had an accomplice how he would kill people for their insurance money.
g. The defence highlights her part with Carl’s murders and how she got immunity.
h. The defense highlights that the mother had been advocating for Carl’s parole from prison so where the podcast hosts and Carl was writing letters to them thanking for them their efforts.
i. Defense highlights why she would not search for Melissa had she known she was missing but failed to report her missing. - Redirect Exam
a. She testified that he wanted her to testify against him so she can raise her grandkids.
- Direct Exam:
- Witness #11 – Thomas Dixon – Supervisor at Wafflehouse
- Direct Exam
a. He testifies that Melissa was his waitress. He testifies that he became intimate with Melissa during the fall. He says that Chris had come through and Melissa was crying.
b. He testifies that he watched her leave with Chris and he was upset, he saw his tyres spinning and veering of the road.
c. He testifies that Melissa would talk to him about the abusive relationship with Chris, saying he could see it even though she didnt say it, describing that she had marks, scratches and bruises.
d. He also told law enforcement the same thing he testified to in December [I believe 1998, but this was never established and really sloppy with the prosecution not giving a timeline or dates. My thoughts] - Cross Exam
a. He testifies to having an affair with a woman called Deborah and Deborah had found out about Melissa so they had trouble at Wafflehouse.
b. He testifies to saying that he had sex with Melissa two or three times even though he told law enforcement it was multiple times.
c. The defense highlights that he told the detective Calhoun that Melissa never spoke about her children despite him testifying that she would mention her kids once or twice saying she missed them.
d. He testifies to saying that he would have done something had he had a cellphone but in 2003 he says he had a cell phone.
e. The defense highlights that he had never mentioned abuse or signs of abuse to the detective in 2003.
f. He testifies to having a criminal conviction in 2010. - Redirect Exam
a. He testifies to Melissa’s pictre was on a playing card about a cold case file.
b. He testifies that Christopher would have been involved in her disappearance.
- Direct Exam
- Witness #12 – Christina Garrett – Daughter of Melissa
- Direct Exam
a. She testified to being raised by Christopher’s parents and how she thought her parents were her parents due to her being raised with them.
b. She was born in 1995.
c. He testifies to learning about Melissa’s parents during Melissa’s funeral around 2002 or 2003
d. She testifies that Cathy Wolfenbarger had told them that Melissa’s parents were bad people and she should not speak with them. She said that they didnt want to go to the funeral she went to.
e. She testified that it was more of a celebration of life and there was no body in the casket, that it was empty.
f. She testified to thinking that Melissa had just ran off to a different place.
g. She testified to being told by Chris Melissa could be in heaven hell or Stockbridge.
h. She testified that Chris said he could get away and when he had his license in 2013, it was his old address. - Cross Exam
a. Nothing of note.
- Direct Exam
- Witness #13 – Alton B Calhoun – Former Police Homicide Detective
- Direct Exam
a. He testified to working in cold cases and how lead detectives are decided.
b. He testifies that a detective Kelly did the work on the Melissa case in 1999 and he knew certain facts of the case but it was not his case. He said he knew in April 1999 they discovered and in July they saw other body parts 50 yards from the head.
c. He testifies to there being a business called Action glass near where the other body part was found. He says that he also did not have a direct involvement in the case at this time.
d. He testifies that Chris told him that he thought she had moved on and says he saw her in March 1999. Says he knew she had been seeing someone else.
e. He testifies to her and him parting ways and described what she looked like but no timeframe was given for this.
f. He testifies that Christopher was a suspect and he needed to get hair samples from Chris and says he didnt cooperate. There was no matches to Chris after the sample testing.
g. He testifies that when he spoke to Carl Patton he felt the relationship with the family and Melissa was good and he had no reason to believe he would do anything to her. - Cross Exam
a. The defence highlighted that the crime lab had made an error in identifying the skull by saying it was a male skull and he testified yes there was an error and could have caused a delay. The defence highlighted it was through her dental records they knew it was Melissa, this was 4 years.
b. The defence highlights that none of these hair samples matches to Chris and he testifies why they dont match.
c. The defence highlights that he never collected DNA, hair or pubic hair from anyone else.
d. He also testifies why he didnt have Kadaver dogs on scene.
e. He testifies that there was a possibility that Dickson was likely the father of Melissa’s baby. There was also testimony in regards to Dickson and Melissa having dates on top of the roof at the waffle house.
- Direct Exam
Cross exam continues on Day 4.
Court Adjourned for the Day!
Hope you are now caught up with the substance of what happened in court on Day 3.
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
