Fulton County Jury Acquits Man in Cold Case Murder of Young Wife After 27 Years of Legal Battles

• Share on:

A Fulton County jury acquitted Christopher Wolfenbarger last week of murder charges related to the cold case killing of his wife, Melissa Dawn Wolfenbarger, whose remains were discovered months after her disappearance in the late 1990s. The jury took just two hours to reach a verdict after Judge Rachel Krause dismissed a felony murder charge due to lack of evidence, with defense attorneys arguing that the prosecution's case relied heavily on circumstantial evidence and failed to establish a direct link to the defendant. Former prosecutors noted the challenges of prosecuting cold cases, emphasizing that aging evidence and fading memories can hinder the ability to secure convictions.