Police say attorney's wife killed spouse, burned his body

The TBI is investigating an officer-involved shooting in Cookeville.
The TBI is investigating an officer-involved shooting in Cookeville.

MANCHESTER, Tenn. (AP) - Police say the wife of an Atlanta attorney shot him and then burned his remains in a wooded area on their property.

News outlets report 59-year-old Melody Farris was arrested in Tennessee on Tuesday and charged with malice murder, aggravated assault and concealing a body. Farris' son found the remains in July 2018 in Cherokee County but the badly charred remains were difficult to identify.

The remains were later identified as that of 58-year-old Gary Farris, the founder of the Atlanta office for the regional law firm Burr & Forman. Police say the couple had marital issues.

Melody Farris is being held without bond in Manchester, Tennessee, and is expected to be extradited to Georgia.

It is unclear whether she had a lawyer who could comment on her behalf.

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