‘Thank you, Lord:’ Family grateful daughter’s husband arrested 25 years after her murder

ATLANTA — Atlanta police have arrested the husband of a missing woman who was found murdered over 25 years ago.

Melissa Wolfenbarger disappeared in December 1998 from her family’s home in Atlanta.

In April and June 1999, detectives found human remains in trash bags off Avon Avenue. It wasn’t until March 2003 that testing confirmed that the remains belonged to Melissa Wolfenbarger.

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Police charged her husband, Christopher Wolfenbarger, who had been considered a person of interest for years.

Channel 2′s Audrey Washington was at a news conference Wednesday where police confirmed they arrested Christopher Wolfenbarger at his home in Griffin. They said it was challenging because he hid inside his home when officers arrived.

“He was captured in his home in Griffin. He hid. It took detectives a little while to find him,” Detective Jarion Shephard with the Atlanta Police Department Homicide Unit said.

Melissa Wolfenbarger’s mother, Norma Patton, said she knew she would eventually see the day the suspect in her daughter’s murder was arrested.

“I yelled, ‘Thank you, Lord,’” Patton told Washington. “We’ve finally made it. He’s in custody,” she added.

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Patton said Christopher Wolfenbarger and her daughter had a violent marriage.

“He had knocked her down on the sidewalk and dragged her by her hair,” Patton said.

Shephard said new technology and re-interviewing people led him to Christopher Wolfenbarger.

“From day one, we knew it was Christopher. There was never a doubt in our minds who did this,” Patton said.

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Husband charged with murder 25 years after missing woman’s body found in trash bags Melissa Wolfenbarger disappeared in December 1998 from her family’s home in Atlanta.

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