ATLANTA — The family of a missing metro Atlanta woman whose body was found in trash bags more than two decades ago is a step closer to seeing her husband stand trial in her murder.
Channel 2 Action News was the only TV station in the courtroom Monday as lawyers worked toward a date to start the trial.
Melissa Wolfenbarger was just 21 years old when she disappeared in December 1998. In April and June of 1999, detectives found human remains in trash bags not far from her home.
It wasn’t until March 2003 that testing confirmed that the remains belonged to the missing mother of two.
Her estranged husband, Christopher Wolfenbarger, was just arrested in August and charged with her murder.
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“It was a relief and just being glad that he’s still going to be sitting in the Fulton County Jail, where he should be. And once the case goes to trial, I’m confident that we’re going to win. And he’s never going to be out of jail again,” Melissa’s sister Tina Patton told Channel 2’s Karyn Green in a previous interview.
“I collaborated with the DA’s office and was able to get the facts together to come up with the probable cause to arrest Christopher Wolfenbarger. Homicide unit, our cases they never closed. We worked the case until the leads are exhausted,” Det. Darian Sheppard said.
While Christopher Wolfenbarger wasn’t in court on Monday, Lawyers discussed starting this trial in July. He already pleaded not guilty to murdering his wife.
“It’s been a long wait, 25 years. But finally, hopefully, we will get justice for Melissa. She didn’t deserve what she got,” Patton said.
Wolfenbarger is still in the Fulton County Jail without bond. Lawyers are looking at starting the murder trial in July.
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