Melissa Wolfenbarger: The 25-Year Persistent Pursuit for Justice | Part 11

Zone 7 with Sheryl McCollum

April 29th, 1999. A skull is found in a trash bag outside Action Glass in Atlanta, Georgia. Soon after, in different trash bags, various other body parts are found. The remains are identified as the remains of Melissa Wolfenbarger, a 21-year-old married mother of two who is reported missing several months prior. In a remarkable twist, Melissa’s remains are verified only after her Father is arrested in connection to an unrelated murder.

Zone 7 celebrates its 100th episode in alignment with the arrest that solved the 25-year-old case of Melissa Wolfenbarger. Crime Scene Investigator Sheryl McCollum is joined by Norma and Tina, the mother and sister of Melissa Wolfenbarger to discuss the complexities of the cold case, the unwavering dedication from numerous supporters involved, and ultimately what led to the arrest of Melissa’s husband, Christopher Wolfenbarger.

If you’re new to Zone 7 and missed the beginning of Melissa Wolfenbarger's case episodes check those out here:

Melissa Wolfenbarger: Norma and Tina Patton | Part 1

Melissa Wolfenbarger: Karyn Greer | Part 2

Melissa Wolfenbarger: Trace Sargent | Part 3

Melissa Wolfenbarger: Letters From Carl Patton | Part 4

Melissa Wolfenbarger: Victims of Carl Patton - Liddie Evans Children Speak | Part 5

Melissa Wolfenbarger: Joseph Scott Morgan’s Insight on Melissa’s Case | Part 6

Melissa Wolfenbarger: Continued - Joseph Scott Morgan’s Insight on Melissa’s Case | Part 7

Melissa Wolfenbarger: Dr. Angela Arnold Weighs In | Part 8

Closing Thoughts For Now, April 2023 | Melissa Wolfenbarger Part 9

Melissa Wolfenbarger: 8.9.24 CRU Justice For Melissa Part 10

Show Notes:

• (0:00) Welcome back to Zone 7 with Crime Scene Investigator, Sheryl McCollum
• (0:15) Sheryl introduces Norma and Tina back to Zone 7
• (1:20) Brief background of Melissa Wolfenbarger’s case
• (4:00) The identification of Melissa’s remains
• (4:30) Carl Patton’s arrest and confession
• (8:45) The investigation begins
• (12:00) Challenges in the investigation due to changes in law enforcement personnel
• (15:00) Sheryl’s initial meeting with Norma in 2017
• (19:30) The impact of media involvement in advancing the case
• (21:30) “From the series that we did on Zone 7, a witness came forward. Now that by itself to me was amazing. That Nancy Grace had covered it. Dateline had covered it. CrimeCon had covered it. All of this information is out there and that led this person to Zone 7. Once they heard every single episode, they reached out to me on social media and said, are you still covering Melissa's case?”
• (22:00) A witness comes forward
• (24:30) Karyn Greer's Support
• (32:30) Domestic violence awareness
• (34:30) The moment Carl found out about the arrest
• (40:30) “Chris's days are numbered, and I pray I'm there to see the look on his face when his world comes crashing down. On that day, Melissa will be smiling down from heaven and her children and grandchildren will know the truth. She did not desert her children. She was taken away from them.” -C.P
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Sheryl “Mac” McCollum is an Emmy Award winning CSI, a writer for CrimeOnLine, Forensic and Crime Scene Expert for Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, and a CSI for a metro Atlanta Police Department. She is the co-author of the textbook., Cold Case: Pathways to Justice. Sheryl is also the founder and director of the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute, a collaboration between universities and colleges that brings researchers, practitioners, students and the criminal justice community together to advance techniques in solving cold cases and assist families and law enforcement with solvability factors for unsolved homicides, missing persons, and kidnapping cases.

Social Links:

• Email: [e-mail]
• Twitter: @ColdCaseTips
• Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum

• Instagram: @officialzone7podcast

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