Ann was the illegitimate daughter of Cariotta (Lotty) Foster. She had a brother, Thomas, and a cousin, Pauline. She was beautiful, according to all accounts, and although she married James Melton after Tom left for the war, she remained fond of Tom and continued her affair after she was married. To cover her affair with Tom, Ann asked Pauline to sleep with him also.

After the murder, she attacked Pauline after the latter joked about murdering Laura Foster. One of Ann's neighbors testified that she saw Ann choking Pauline. One night after the murder, Ann forced Pauline to accompany her to the gravesite, and when Pauline refused to continue after they had reached a certain point, Ann became angry and threatened to "put her where Laura Foster was."
Ann was arrested with Pauline after Laura was found missing, and Ann remained in prison even after Tom's execution. She is said to have joked, "they will never put a rope around this pretty neck," a remark that proved true when she was exonerated. Colonel Zebulon Vance, who defended Tom, also defended Ann.

Tom Dula - Ann Melton - Pauline Foster - James Melton
Dr. George N. Carter
Laura Foster - Colonel James M. Isbell - Zebulon B. Vance

The Story - Players - The Murder - Who Done It?