Decades-Old Cold Case Reopened with Arrest of Husband
In a significant development in a decades-old cold case, Atlanta police have arrested Christopher Wolfenbarger for the 1998 murder of his wife, Melissa Wolfenbarger. The arrest comes 25 years after Melissa’s remains were discovered in trash bags, a case that has haunted her family and law enforcement for years. Wolfenbarger, who had long been a suspect, was apprehended at his Atlanta home on Tuesday, where he was found hiding behind a dryer.
Melissa’s last Contact and mysterious disappearance
Melissa Wolfenbarger, then 21 years old, last contacted her family on Thanksgiving Day in 1998. She called her mother, Norma Patton, from her husband’s grandparents’ home. However, after that call, Melissa vanished. Despite the family’s concerns, no one reported her missing until January 2000, when her mother filed a report. For years, Melissa’s whereabouts remained unknown, and the case grew cold.
Grim discovery and misidentification of remains
In April 1999, Atlanta police found human remains in a trash bag dumped in a neighborhood. At the time, the remains were misidentified as belonging to another missing person. Two months later, additional remains were discovered in another bag. It wasn’t until 2003, following DNA testing, that authorities confirmed both sets of remains belonged to Melissa. By then, years had passed since she was last seen, and her family was left with more questions than answers.
For years, Melissa’s family harbored suspicions about her husband, Christopher Wolfenbarger. At a press conference following his arrest, Melissa’s sister, Tina Patton, expressed the family’s long-held belief that Christopher was responsible for her sister’s death. “From day one, we knew it was Christopher,” Tina told reporters. She recalled her mother’s early impressions of him, noting, “There was just evil in his eyes.”
Melissa’s mother and sister attended the press conference, wearing shirts with her photo, as they processed the news of Christopher’s arrest. They described Melissa as a loving mother who would never have willingly left her children. “Melissa was very loving,” Norma said. “She loved her kids, and there’s no way on this Earth that she would have left him because she wanted her kids.”
Before her disappearance, Melissa had left Christopher in the summer of 1998, after he allegedly assaulted her, dragging her by the hair down a sidewalk. Despite the abuse, she later returned to him after he convinced a judge to let him speak to her alone. This tragic decision ultimately led to her death, as her family believes Christopher’s violent tendencies culminated in her murder.
Police investigation and arrest
The arrest warrant, obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, states that Christopher “knowingly and intentionally” killed and dismembered Melissa. For years, he remained a person of interest, but it wasn’t until now that police gathered enough evidence to make an arrest. On Tuesday, officers found Christopher hiding behind a dryer in his Atlanta home, bringing an end to his years of evasion.
The case, which had stumped investigators for decades, has now been transferred to the attorney general’s office for further prosecution. As the legal process unfolds, Melissa’s family hopes for justice and closure after a quarter-century of pain and unanswered questions.
Norma Patton, reflecting on her daughter’s memory, recalled their final conversation. “I love you, and you know where I am if you need me,” she had told Melissa. Those words now echo as a poignant reminder of the love and concern that persisted even as her daughter’s fate remained unknown for so long.
With the arrest of Christopher Wolfenbarger, the family’s long nightmare may finally be coming to an end, though the scars of their loss will endure.
