Peter Van Sant

In a final exchange of words, Melody said she warned him not to leave the burn pile burning.

As massive as the fire might have been, Melody said something else caught her attention that night.

The horses had escaped the gated pasture.

She called Scott, who spent the day at his friend's lake house.

Scott remembered getting back to the farm that night at around 11 or 11.30 when he saw a glow in the distance.

He assumed Gary was being irresponsible.

Early the next morning, Scott said he called Melody.

He needed the debit card.

He and Melody used the same card that had Gary's name on it.

He had a 7.30 a.m.

round of golf planned and then was heading back to his friend's lake house.

Melody was heading to the same lake as Scott, but a different area.

She was going to spend the day with her daughter Amanda, along with Amanda's fiancé and his daughter.

According to Amanda, Gary didn't accept an earlier invitation to join in the holiday fun.

Melody said they didn't see him when they returned in the evenings.

In the Ferris family, that was just normal for Gary.

After spending the Fourth of July at the lake, two of the Ferris grandchildren slept over at the farm.

By the time Amanda showed up at the house the next morning, the grandkids were asking Melody if they could see their grandpa, Big Daddy.

In 2024, Detective Daniel Hayes drove us to the Ferris' family property.

He told me about the moment he got that call.