Peter Van Sant

Later, he told detectives that during that same search, Melody walked up to him, holding something that belonged to Gary.

She came back out with his wallet.

That didn't sit right with Scott.

He had looked earlier for that wallet because he said his father only kept it in two places, a dresser or his back pocket.

Detectives spoke to Scott that night until the early morning of July 6th.

That's when Detective Hayes decided to let Scott in on a major new discovery.

I got to tell you something, and it's not easy, but there's no good way to say it.

Detective Hayes told Scott that investigators had recorded a temperature of 230 degrees Fahrenheit in the spot where they found the remains.

destroying a ton of DNA, but the extreme heat hadn't destroyed an ominous object.

Due to the conditions of the remains, the autopsy report would take almost a year to confirm it was Gary Ferris who had been shot and killed, and that it was his body placed in that burn pile.

He weighed 300 pounds, but when the bones were actually, the skeletal remains were actually removed, how much did they weigh, do you remember?

And why would somebody want to burn a body?

Detectives knew for sure they were dealing with a murderer, a missing murder weapon, and that a killer was on the loose.

The Ferris wheel was spinning.

Melody told detectives she worried one of her children might be the killer.

That's next time on Blood is Thicker, The Ferris Wheel.

From 48 Hours, this is Blood is Thicker, the Ferris wheel produced by Sony Music Entertainment.

I'm your host, Peter Van Sant.

Judy Tigard is the executive producer of 48 Hours.

Original reporting by 48 Hours producers Betsy Shuler, Ryan Smith, and Hannah Vare.