1 00:00:00,440 --> 00:00:09,559 Speaker 1: Crimeal Art Hourly Update, Breaking Crime US Now Crime a 2 00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:12,360 Speaker 1: Art Hourly Update Breaking Crime US Now. 3 00:00:13,039 --> 00:00:16,919 Speaker 2: I'm Jennifer Gould. A jury has reached a verdict in 4 00:00:16,960 --> 00:00:20,320 Speaker 2: the trial of Robert Tellis, the former Clark County public 5 00:00:20,360 --> 00:00:25,360 Speaker 2: administrator accused of murdering investigative reporter Jeff Jerman with the. 6 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:28,319 Speaker 3: Dream above title case find the defendant Robert Tellis as 7 00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:31,280 Speaker 3: follows murder with the use of a deadly weapon victim 8 00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:34,520 Speaker 3: sixty years of major older. Guilty a first agree murder 9 00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:37,199 Speaker 3: with use of a deadly weapon victim sixty years a 10 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:37,840 Speaker 3: major older. 11 00:00:37,920 --> 00:00:40,960 Speaker 2: Tell Us was found guilty of first degree murder, capping 12 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:45,199 Speaker 2: off a two week trial that featured testimony from dozens 13 00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:49,440 Speaker 2: of witnesses and included evidence linking tell Us to the 14 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:53,760 Speaker 2: crime scene. The verdict came after three days of deliberations. 15 00:00:54,280 --> 00:00:58,200 Speaker 2: Prosecutors had argued that Tellus was driven by a desire 16 00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:03,120 Speaker 2: to protect his reputation and silenced German, who had exposed 17 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:08,360 Speaker 2: turmoil in Tellis's office and an inappropriate relationship with a 18 00:01:08,400 --> 00:01:13,160 Speaker 2: female employee. Tellis had been under investigation for a series 19 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:18,560 Speaker 2: of allegations, including creating a hostile work environment, using county 20 00:01:18,680 --> 00:01:24,640 Speaker 2: resources for personal gain and engaging in inappropriate conduct. German's 21 00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:29,360 Speaker 2: reporting had exposed these allegations, leading to Tellus's eventual defeat 22 00:01:29,480 --> 00:01:33,399 Speaker 2: in a primary election. German, a veteran journalist with the 23 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:37,880 Speaker 2: Las Vegas Review Journal, had a long history of investigative reporting. 24 00:01:37,959 --> 00:01:41,880 Speaker 2: He was known for his fearless approach and his willingness 25 00:01:41,880 --> 00:01:46,480 Speaker 2: to expose corruption and wrongdoing. His reporting on Tellis had 26 00:01:46,520 --> 00:01:52,120 Speaker 2: been particularly critical, detailing the allegations against the former public administrator. 27 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:55,600 Speaker 2: The day before German was murdered, tell Us learned that 28 00:01:55,960 --> 00:01:59,600 Speaker 2: county officials were about to provide German with email and 29 00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:03,480 Speaker 2: text messages that tell Us and the woman shared in 30 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:08,320 Speaker 2: response to the reporter's request for public records. Prosecutors argued 31 00:02:08,360 --> 00:02:11,639 Speaker 2: that this was the final straw for Tellus, who had 32 00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:17,519 Speaker 2: become increasingly frustrated with germans reporting. Tellus allegedly followed German 33 00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:21,760 Speaker 2: home and attacked him, stabbing him multiple times. German was 34 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:25,680 Speaker 2: found dead outside his home the next day. The defense 35 00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:29,359 Speaker 2: had attempted to frame tell Us as a victim of conspiracy, 36 00:02:29,440 --> 00:02:32,720 Speaker 2: claiming that he was being targeted for his efforts to 37 00:02:32,880 --> 00:02:36,799 Speaker 2: root out corruption within his office. However, the jury ultimately 38 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:41,480 Speaker 2: rejected this argument, finding tellus guilty of all charges. 39 00:02:41,760 --> 00:02:44,320 Speaker 4: I'm Drew Nelson. A Georgia man is indicted for murder 40 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:47,400 Speaker 4: twenty five years after his wife's dismembered remains are found 41 00:02:47,760 --> 00:02:49,440 Speaker 4: and a story we first brought to you on Crime 42 00:02:49,480 --> 00:02:53,800 Speaker 4: Stories with Nancy Grace. Christopher Wolfenbarger, a forty, was indicted 43 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:56,800 Speaker 4: on murder charges for the death of his wife, Melissa Wolfenbarger, 44 00:02:56,840 --> 00:02:59,560 Speaker 4: who disappeared from their Atlanta home in November of nineteen 45 00:02:59,639 --> 00:03:02,679 Speaker 4: ninety eight. He had been arrested three weeks earlier after 46 00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:06,040 Speaker 4: police reopened the cold case. Melissa's body was discovered in 47 00:03:06,080 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 4: April of ninety nine, but her remains were not identified 48 00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:13,160 Speaker 4: until two thousand and three. The victim's family members are relieved. 49 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:14,040 Speaker 2: We had finally made it. 50 00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:17,320 Speaker 5: He's in custody and now we just need to get 51 00:03:17,360 --> 00:03:20,840 Speaker 5: over the last hurdle and get him convicted. In a 52 00:03:20,919 --> 00:03:25,360 Speaker 5: long way twenty five years finally, hopefully we were good 53 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:28,200 Speaker 5: justice for Melissa. She didn't deserve what she got, and 54 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:32,600 Speaker 5: I hope anybody who's in a domestic violent situation please 55 00:03:32,639 --> 00:03:33,000 Speaker 5: get up. 56 00:03:33,120 --> 00:03:37,480 Speaker 4: Melissa's disappearance when unreported by her husband, her mother, Norma Patten, 57 00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:40,560 Speaker 4: who we just heard there filed a missing person's report 58 00:03:40,560 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 4: in early nineteen ninety nine. After not hearing from her 59 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:46,280 Speaker 4: daughter for months. She last spoke to Melissa on Thanksgiving 60 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:49,920 Speaker 4: Day in nineteen ninety eight. After receiving no news, Norma 61 00:03:49,920 --> 00:03:53,320 Speaker 4: and Melissa's sister Tina went to Melissa's home around Christmas. 62 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:55,680 Speaker 4: They found it empty, with a neighbor saying Christopher had 63 00:03:55,680 --> 00:03:59,720 Speaker 4: moved everything else. Atlanta police eventually found Melissa's remain scattered 64 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:02,240 Speaker 4: in a way wooded area near her home. A skull 65 00:04:02,360 --> 00:04:05,200 Speaker 4: was first discovered on April twenty ninth of ninety nine. 66 00:04:05,280 --> 00:04:08,600 Speaker 4: Weeks later, more remains were found in garbage bags. DNA 67 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:11,600 Speaker 4: testing in two thousand and three finally confirmed the remains 68 00:04:11,640 --> 00:04:14,760 Speaker 4: belonged to Melissa, linking her to her father, Carl Patten, 69 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:18,400 Speaker 4: who had been arrested for other murders. Though investigators suspected 70 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:21,479 Speaker 4: foul play, it took years to build the case. Melissa's 71 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:25,000 Speaker 4: family never stopped pushing for answers. Sister Tina says, quote, 72 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:27,440 Speaker 4: we always knew it was him. There's just evil in 73 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:30,600 Speaker 4: his eyes. Though police did not release many details, they 74 00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:34,760 Speaker 4: indicated domestic violence as a possible motive. Christopher Wolfenbarger remains 75 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:38,240 Speaker 4: in custody at the Fulton County Jail awaiting trial. Melissa 76 00:04:38,279 --> 00:04:40,640 Speaker 4: was known for her kindness and love of animals. Her 77 00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:45,400 Speaker 4: family remembers her as sweet, quiet, and always smiling. Tina says, quote, 78 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:47,560 Speaker 4: she was a loving mom with a bright future. 79 00:04:48,400 --> 00:04:51,680 Speaker 6: I'm Nicole Parton in Nashville on a story we have 80 00:04:51,839 --> 00:04:56,640 Speaker 6: been covering. An update on missing boy Sebastian Rodgers. The 81 00:04:56,720 --> 00:05:00,240 Speaker 6: latest development, a fifty thousand dollar reward is b being 82 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:04,040 Speaker 6: offered for information in the disappearance of the fifteen year old, 83 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:08,320 Speaker 6: who has now been missing from Hendersonville for six months. 84 00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:13,240 Speaker 6: Seth Rogers, Sebastian's biological father said, quote six months of 85 00:05:13,279 --> 00:05:17,360 Speaker 6: a long nightmare. This in a statement, the FBI Memphis 86 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:22,800 Speaker 6: Field Nashville Resident Agency announced that anyone that provides information 87 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:26,520 Speaker 6: leading to the location or return of the missing boy 88 00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:30,599 Speaker 6: or to the arrest or conviction of those responsible for 89 00:05:30,680 --> 00:05:35,359 Speaker 6: his disappearance could receive the fifty thousand dollar reward. The 90 00:05:35,480 --> 00:05:38,400 Speaker 6: father went on to say, quote, I appreciate the fact 91 00:05:38,440 --> 00:05:41,760 Speaker 6: that my federal government stepped in where my local and 92 00:05:41,839 --> 00:05:45,719 Speaker 6: state office has failed. Maybe someone will open their mouth. 93 00:05:46,160 --> 00:05:49,880 Speaker 6: Young Sebastian was last seen on February twenty six, twenty 94 00:05:49,920 --> 00:05:53,360 Speaker 6: twenty four, in Hendersonville, at his home with his mother. 95 00:05:53,800 --> 00:05:58,200 Speaker 6: He was wearing a black sweatshirt, black sweatpants, and black glasses. 96 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:04,320 Speaker 6: According to his family, Sebastian has multiple medical conditions, including autism. 97 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:10,000 Speaker 6: Several statewide and countrywide search efforts ensued. Law enforcement has 98 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:14,560 Speaker 6: covered hundreds of miles trying to find Sebastian, with neighbors, friends, 99 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:17,800 Speaker 6: and families checking their backyards and looking for any sign 100 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:21,320 Speaker 6: of the team. His father, Seth, and others also led 101 00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:25,200 Speaker 6: their own search efforts in various parts of Middle Tennessee. 102 00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:28,320 Speaker 7: Seth the father, I'm just looking for my son and 103 00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:31,960 Speaker 7: a woman to come home. I need people to look 104 00:06:31,960 --> 00:06:36,040 Speaker 7: at his picture. Keep your eyes open, keep your head up. 105 00:06:36,279 --> 00:06:38,880 Speaker 7: If you see him, please call it on one one. 106 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:42,039 Speaker 7: I need my son back. I have no idea what 107 00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:45,320 Speaker 7: to think. It's not like him. I'm missing something. This 108 00:06:45,440 --> 00:06:48,480 Speaker 7: puzzle just doesn't makeing sense. There's missing pieces to it. 109 00:06:49,400 --> 00:06:52,200 Speaker 6: According to the FBI, they are working closely with the 110 00:06:52,240 --> 00:06:56,279 Speaker 6: Sumner County Sheriff's Office. Anyone who has information on the 111 00:06:56,320 --> 00:07:00,440 Speaker 6: whereabouts of Sebastian is asked to contact the Summer County 112 00:07:00,480 --> 00:07:04,400 Speaker 6: Sheriff's office at six one five four five one three 113 00:07:04,560 --> 00:07:08,440 Speaker 6: eight three eight or the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation at 114 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:13,239 Speaker 6: one eight hundred TBI find for the latest crime injustice news. 115 00:07:13,280 --> 00:07:17,239 Speaker 6: Follow Crime Alert hourly update on your favorite podcasting app 116 00:07:17,560 --> 00:07:19,800 Speaker 6: with this crime Alert. I'm Nicole Parkner.