Still Missing CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, Chaffee Co, 10 May 2020 *arrest* #89

[DizzyB]

As I've been reading through the AA, I've noted a few more curious things.

When looking at her FB friend request history, people had friend requested her, but she hadn't sent a single friend request from Jan 1st to the May 8th-9th time frame and she sent 20+ requests in those 2 days.

This is the type of data that helps. That is very abnormal for her. If she went one to two requests, maybe no big deal, but to send zero from Jan 1st to May 8th and then send 20+ over a 24 hour period is a red flag.


Second thing is May 8th, the Friday evening Barry's phone last records something at 7pm time frame.. it then registers nothing until 6:48am on Saturday when it powers on. What was he doing for those nearly 12 hours? Maybe he was prepping something that night and he turned his phone off and left it at home? Would love to know what his truck was doing that night if it left or if the doors were open/closed, etc.


Third, this unaccounted for device that was linked to Barry's account. I wish we had more about this device. What was it? A phone, ipad? Could he remotely access her phone with that device? Some of the texts she sent just don't sound like her.. why did she text him "wanna hike" That really bothers me and seems very out of the norm after all the texts we see from her prior to that.

Another read through the AA, and I have decided on what the most damning evidence against Barry is. Page 33-35 of the AA: “Barry’s phone and other GPS sources” seals the deal for me. Between the phones and GPS data, it shows just how abnormal Barry’s movements-and lack of data for Suzanne-were.

https://www.courts.state.co.us/user.../21CR78/21cr78 Morphew Redacted Affidavit.pdf

In addition, a curious statement right above on page 33: Barry made an outgoing 3 second call to Suzanne on May 4th. This was the first logged call in Barry’s phone to or from Suzanne since February 7th. Almost 3 months of no communication between the two via phone? Second device for Barry, or what gives?

 

[Megnut]

Another read through the AA, and I have decided on what the most damning evidence against Barry is. Page 33-35 of the AA: “Barry’s phone and other GPS sources” seals the deal for me. Between the phones and GPS data, it shows just how abnormal Barry’s movements-and lack of data for Suzanne-were.

https://www.courts.state.co.us/userfiles/file/Court_Probation/11th_Judicial_District/Chaffee/cases of interest/21CR78/21cr78 Morphew Redacted Affidavit.pdf

In addition, a curious statement right above on page 33: Barry made an outgoing 3 second call to Suzanne on May 4th. This was the first logged call in Barry’s phone to or from Suzanne since February 7th. Almost 3 months of no communication between the two via phone? Second device for Barry, or what gives?

So many good questions. You know who could fill in a lot of that information? JL. You know who could have filled that information in on May 11? JL

He and Suzanne communicated A LOT. (HE says that had a tacit agreement not to talk about their respective spouses but we know Suzanne talked about Barry. Probably JL's stance on that was closer to self-preservation than principle, seeing as he has a marriage to heal.)

Was there NO phone contact between Suzanne and Barry? Or just no phone calls? No texts, too? Hard to fathom... to go from zero to "I'm done" and "get spa stuff". Surely JL could shed some light on what he knew of those months.

What's especially sad in all this IMO that Suzanne reclaiming her power should've been celebrated! Deciding how she wanted to be treated! That's positive and growthful.

Barry saw it as ballsy.

In one of her moods. Mean. Withholding.

Bass ackwards.

And he couldn't have that. And so...

...it's almost like he felt he needed to put her in her place.

Literally. He put her in A place.

Barry, where is your wife?

JMO

 

[sk716]

Interesting. I suspect you are correct that he staged the bike without the truck whereas the helmet was thrown out on the drive west.

Obviously there will be far more Telematics data in the exhibits than was not covered in the AA, so I am really interested to hear when the ignition start on the Truck is for that drive.

From what you are saying, it will come shortly after 4.32am? But certainly after SM's phone goes dead.

BBM, in the same vicinity, yes. Since we don't have the data to know which path he took to stage the bike, we don't know how long it took him to get there and back.

Barry was shown a picture of the locations around the Morphew house of Suzanne’s phone activity at 4:10 AM and 4:15 AM on May 10, 2020. He said, “Well, if she did that, I have no idea that it went anywhere but the house, but if you was to ask me, I’d say, ‘It was at the house the whole time.”‘ (AA page 72 of 129)​

...
Sergeant Mullenax asked dispatch to ping the number given for Suzanne’s cell phone. Dispatch informed Mullenax that the cell phone appeared to be off and last known activity was at 4:23AM on the present date, with a general location about 11.5 miles west of a cell tower in Poncha Springs, CO. (AA Page 5 of 129)
...
On May 9th, at 10:17 PM, an “airplane mode off’ event started on Barry’s phone and the phone was then powered on at 4:32AM on May 10, 2020. That May 9-10,2020 night, approximately 210 locations for Barry’s phone registered near the Morphew residence, compared to zero-to-two locations on previous nights from May 1st through May 8th.
On May 10, 2020, Barry’s phone display came on and his device was unlocked at 3:56AM.
On May 10, 2020, from 3:25AM to 3:48AM, the Ford F-350 registered 0 mph with GPS at Morphew residence as the doors opened and closed multiple times. SA Hoyland noted over eighty (80) events involving the F350 during this timeframe. (AA Page 35 of 129)
...
Carol McKinley PH Tweets (read from bottom tweet up):

• 
  
  
  • 431 am 5/10 Barry’s phone goes back into airplane mode at the his home. 5:37 am – morphew turns into buena vista & heads towards broomfield. 538 he texts his mom “happy mothers day”(at this time, his sister kelly in fam row grabs shirley’s hand and they have a “moment”) Aug 10, 2021
  • Barry’s phone appears to make a straight line to where 225 intersects 50 close to where Suzanne’s bike was recovered. Experts told Grusing they can’t say this is where BM’s phone is moving. It’s “strafing.” Aug 10, 2021
  • This phone and truck data gives a timeline as to what happened in the middle of the night on May 10. Grusing says that at 3:25 am, 5/10, telematics show Barry’s truck driver doors open and close until 3:52. The truck is at the edge of the driveway. Aug 10, 2021

Ashley Franco PH Tweet:
@KKTV11News Grusing says during the time of the next morning #BarryMorphew phone was moving between 225 and Hwy50 which is close to where #SuzanneMorphew bike was found. Suzanne phone was last pinged around 4:22 am on May 10th in an area that had hard to reach signal. @KKTV11News Aug 10, 2021
​

3:25 AM to 3:48AM - Loading the truck.
3:56 AM - Barry's phone wakes up**
3:58* AM - Moving the bike
4:10 AM - Activity on Suzanne's phone near the house.
4:15 AM - Further activity on Suzanne's phone near the house.
4:23 AM - Last ping from Suzanne's phone. Near the Puma Path house.
4:32 AM - Barry's phone wakes up** again, before going into Airplane Mode.

The Garfield turn. We have no data only what Barry said in interviews and the 14 extra miles on the odometer.

5:00 AM - Roughly. MG hears Barry's truck on US-50.
5:14 am – Barry’s truck seen passing video surveillance on Highway 50 right near the junction with Highway 285.
5:16 am – Barry’s truck was seen passing video surveillance just north on Highway 285
5:37 am – Barry phone exits airplane mode while heading towards Buena Vista, CO
5:38 am - BM texts Happy Mother’s Day to his mom
6:56 am - BM texts Happy Mother’s Day to SM

* I haven't gotten to the spot in the Plunder transcripts where we get the exact time, so I don't have that quote. Going from original timeline.
**using this kind of broadly as an indicator that he activated his phone somehow.

 

[sk716]

I don’t know if they need a more complete timeline but they do need to refine their theory and strategy around what they want a jury to believe without doubt.

I kind of get the feeling that once Lindsey keened onto the defenses plan for the PH, he decided to go with it. Not a lot of point in showing your hand when the other side plans to keep you on mute anyway.

 

[DizzyB]

So many red flags-210 locations for Barry’s phone on the night of May 9-10, compared to 0-2 nightly in the week preceding. 80 truck events from 3:25 to 3:48 am while Barry is supposedly tucked in bed next to sleeping Suzanne. Followed by unlocking his phone, still long before he wakes up.

 

[sk716]

As I've been reading through the AA, I've noted a few more curious things.

When looking at her FB friend request history, people had friend requested her, but she hadn't sent a single friend request from Jan 1st to the May 8th-9th time frame and she sent 20+ requests in those 2 days.

This is the type of data that helps. That is very abnormal for her. If she went one to two requests, maybe no big deal, but to send zero from Jan 1st to May 8th and then send 20+ over a 24 hour period is a red flag.


Second thing is May 8th, the Friday evening Barry's phone last records something at 7pm time frame.. it then registers nothing until 6:48am on Saturday when it powers on. What was he doing for those nearly 12 hours? Maybe he was prepping something that night and he turned his phone off and left it at home? Would love to know what his truck was doing that night if it left or if the doors were open/closed, etc.


Third, this unaccounted for device that was linked to Barry's account. I wish we had more about this device. What was it? A phone, ipad? Could he remotely access her phone with that device? Some of the texts she sent just don't sound like her.. why did she text him "wanna hike" That really bothers me and seems very out of the norm after all the texts we see from her prior to that.

Barry usually went to bed around 8 if he's to be believed. I don't recall any rebuttal to it anywhere. So his phone calling it a day after 7pm wouldn't be abnormal. Considering his plans, he needed the sleep, so I think he was at home in bed Friday night.

The wanna hike text was coming back to him having asked her if she wanted to hike earlier. I think he might have originally thought of hiking up over Fooses and pushing her or something of the like. I would dismiss this plan as too likely to have a witness. It was May and the hikers and bikers were all over the trails.

 

[Momofthreeboys]

Barry usually went to bed around 8 if he's to be believed. I don't recall any rebuttal to it anywhere. So his phone calling it a day after 7pm wouldn't be abnormal. Considering his plans, he needed the sleep, so I think he was at home in bed Friday night.

The wanna hike text was coming back to him having asked her if she wanted to hike earlier. I think he might have originally thought of hiking up over Fooses and pushing her or something of the like. I would dismiss this plan as too likely to have a witness. It was May and the hikers and bikers were all over the trails.

Yes on lack of nighttime phone activity. Somewhere in the documents if i recall he mentions to LE that, and I think if I recall he used the word "they", he/they turn their phones off after dinner. Again, I expect if prosecution presents cell phone activity AND if that activity is normal for him, prosecution knows and will cross examine. If not, then we know.

 

[sk716]

Okay couple more questions...

well first a few notes: When detectives called Barry to let him know her bike was found, he cried and said did you find the phone? Not did you find Suzanne, not where was it, nothing about her, her condition, was the bike wrecked, was it sitting there somewhere, etc.. nope just "did you find the phone"

He put that phone somewhere near the bike, I don't know why it wasn't found, but why would that be the first question he asked?

Second, the younger daughter's text on Mothers Day just before 4pm talks about not even wanting to be at home because they fight so bad. This makes me so sad for those girls. They might be supporting their dad because it's all they feel they can do. They know, they knew, and I think eventually they will see they can love their dad and NOT support him. Trauma does funny things to people. Remember it took Suzanne 25+ years to leave him. Maybe it always wasn't bad, but people don't just turn into controlling narcissists overnight. He was controlling for a long time. Likely cancer and his lack of care for her during that time opened her eyes even more to his selfishness (all my opinion of course, but it's what I see)

Okay questions:

On page 34 of the AA, (actual page 32 of the document), "Barry's Verizon records", it lists getting data for their devices. Things are redacted and you can tell it's Barry, Suzanne, M1, M2, and then the last thing redacted is who?? Even the daughters when redacted just mark out their first names and shows Morphew and another redacted part assuming that is the phone numbers. Then very last redacted one shows no last name and who else is on Barry's plane with a redacted name?

On page 40 of the AA, (actual page 38 of the document), Barry received a call from "redacted", but beside it (Chaffee County Sheriff's Office)... who are the protecting at the sheriffs office? I think they have redacted his daughters and the boyfriend of one daughters family, but why redact the name of someone at CCSO?

BBM

I've puzzled over that, too. I dunno. I looks like three distinct strings(words/phone numbers) have been redacted.

I think that was overzealous redaction.

 

[Love Never Fails]

On the night of the 8th from the AA. BBM:

(Facebook Friend Requests)

Subsequent to the issuance of a search warrant, your affiant received the Face book business record for the account of Suzanne Morphew. FBI SA Grusing and FBI Staff Operations Specialist (SOS) Robert Bos reviewed the results. Twenty males (three of them with the first name “Jeff”, though Jeff Libler was not on the list) and three females were “new friends added” to Suzanne’s Facebook account between Friday, May 8, 2020 at 9:04PM (MST), through Saturday, May 9, 2020, at 6:01 PM.
...
SA Grusing showed Barry a page showing friend requests on Suzanne’s Facebook on Friday, May 8th and asked him if he was responsible.


Barry said, “No.” He added, “I never did anything on her Facebook.”


SA Grusing said by this date in May, Suzanne had the text fight with him, and they were accusing each other of having lovers. Barry was asked if he was sending the requests to see if she had boyfriend.


He said, “Absolutely one hundred percent no. No, I absolutely did not. I never went into her phone, into her Facebook. Ever. The only time I touched her phone was in Mexico when I thought she was secretly doing something- I think I told you that story, and she said, ‘Here,’ and gave me, and, ‘You can look.’ And she gave it to me and let me look cause there’s no way I could find out what you guys found.”
...
SA Harris asked Barry if he had any thoughts now of why she did those friend requests. Barry said, “I just, ’cause she would probably know that, that I would get upset if she would friend men. And she’s probably, from what everything we’ve talked about, in a state of mind where she just don’t care anymore about what I think.”


SA Grusing asked if Suzanne would know Barry would see it and he said, “Probably not.”


SA Grusing questioned why she would do it to upset Barry if she did not think he would see it.


Barry said, “I don’t, I think she knew I just didn’t touch her phone. I mean, maybe she thought I did, but.”


SA Grusing said it seemed like she set a trap for Barry and he said, “I mean, it sounds like that to me. I don’t think she did it for- I don’t know why she did it but I don’t think that she would think that I am gonna look at her Facebook account because I just don’t do it.”
...
Barry was asked about his phone pinging down by the river during the Facebook posts on Friday night and asked if he was outside. Barry said, “I could have been. I don’t remember. I chase critters around the house all the time. There’s a bear that got in the garage. He completely destroyed my garage. And I’ve been looking for him ever since he came in the garage. I wasn’t going to shoot him, but I was just going to scare him off and uh, coyotes, are always outside.”​

And we need to go back a bit:

On November 13, 2020, SA Grusing and SA Harris interviewed Libler in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Libler said after Suzanne’s first message of “Howdy stranger” to him in 20 18, they began talking on the phone. Libler said he was nervous to talk to Agents and what he did was disgraceful. In the summer after Libler’s first year of college in Indiana, he attended a party with some friends at Suzanne’s house. Barry and Suzanne were a couple, but Barry was not at the party. Libler said he and Suzanne “kinda hooked up, not really,” at the party. Libler played golf almost daily at the time and Barry worked on the golf course.

Barry found out about Libler and Suzanne hooking up at the party. Upon seeing Libler on the golf course, Barry “jumped off the tractor and he was ready to beat me down.” Libler told Barry, “You’re gonna lose your job. You’re gonna lose everything.” Libler talked him out of it and that was the last interaction Libler had with Barry.​

JL was the only other dude she had ever been with and Barry knew him. By May 8th, he was looking for JL. He may not have remembered the last name, but I think he knew who he was looking for and it made him very angry. See above.

Your last paragraph really hit home. BM of course remembered JL and I would bet the farm he remembered his last name. Barry was jealous and controlling. Why would he ever forget someone she fooled around with while they were young and supposedly in love? He wouldn’t. During the course of her affair with JL, I am certain Barry figured it out.
If BM gets away with murder, my guess is he will find someone to get rid of JL too.

 

[mrjitty]

BBM, in the same vicinity, yes. Since we don't have the data to know which path he took to stage the bike, we don't know how long it took him to get there and back.

Barry was shown a picture of the locations around the Morphew house of Suzanne’s phone activity at 4:10 AM and 4:15 AM on May 10, 2020. He said, “Well, if she did that, I have no idea that it went anywhere but the house, but if you was to ask me, I’d say, ‘It was at the house the whole time.”‘ (AA page 72 of 129)​

...
Sergeant Mullenax asked dispatch to ping the number given for Suzanne’s cell phone. Dispatch informed Mullenax that the cell phone appeared to be off and last known activity was at 4:23AM on the present date, with a general location about 11.5 miles west of a cell tower in Poncha Springs, CO. (AA Page 5 of 129)
...
On May 9th, at 10:17 PM, an “airplane mode off’ event started on Barry’s phone and the phone was then powered on at 4:32AM on May 10, 2020. That May 9-10,2020 night, approximately 210 locations for Barry’s phone registered near the Morphew residence, compared to zero-to-two locations on previous nights from May 1st through May 8th.
On May 10, 2020, Barry’s phone display came on and his device was unlocked at 3:56AM.
On May 10, 2020, from 3:25AM to 3:48AM, the Ford F-350 registered 0 mph with GPS at Morphew residence as the doors opened and closed multiple times. SA Hoyland noted over eighty (80) events involving the F350 during this timeframe. (AA Page 35 of 129)
...
Carol McKinley PH Tweets (read from bottom tweet up):

• 
  
  
  • 431 am 5/10 Barry’s phone goes back into airplane mode at the his home. 5:37 am – morphew turns into buena vista & heads towards broomfield. 538 he texts his mom “happy mothers day”(at this time, his sister kelly in fam row grabs shirley’s hand and they have a “moment”) Aug 10, 2021
  • Barry’s phone appears to make a straight line to where 225 intersects 50 close to where Suzanne’s bike was recovered. Experts told Grusing they can’t say this is where BM’s phone is moving. It’s “strafing.” Aug 10, 2021
  • This phone and truck data gives a timeline as to what happened in the middle of the night on May 10. Grusing says that at 3:25 am, 5/10, telematics show Barry’s truck driver doors open and close until 3:52. The truck is at the edge of the driveway. Aug 10, 2021

Ashley Franco PH Tweet:
@KKTV11News Grusing says during the time of the next morning #BarryMorphew phone was moving between 225 and Hwy50 which is close to where #SuzanneMorphew bike was found. Suzanne phone was last pinged around 4:22 am on May 10th in an area that had hard to reach signal. @KKTV11News Aug 10, 2021
​

3:25 AM to 3:48AM - Loading the truck.
3:56 AM - Barry's phone wakes up**
3:58* AM - Moving the bike
4:10 AM - Activity on Suzanne's phone near the house.
4:15 AM - Further activity on Suzanne's phone near the house.
4:23 AM - Last ping from Suzanne's phone. Near the Puma Path house.
4:32 AM - Barry's phone wakes up** again, before going into Airplane Mode.

The Garfield turn. We have no data only what Barry said in interviews and the 14 extra miles on the odometer.

5:00 AM - Roughly. MG hears Barry's truck on US-50.
5:14 am – Barry’s truck seen passing video surveillance on Highway 50 right near the junction with Highway 285.
5:16 am – Barry’s truck was seen passing video surveillance just north on Highway 285
5:37 am – Barry phone exits airplane mode while heading towards Buena Vista, CO
5:38 am - BM texts Happy Mother’s Day to his mom
6:56 am - BM texts Happy Mother’s Day to SM

* I haven't gotten to the spot in the Plunder transcripts where we get the exact time, so I don't have that quote. Going from original timeline.
**using this kind of broadly as an indicator that he activated his phone somehow.

Thanks for this! Awesome!

So what will be super interesting to find out at trial, is what time are the truck door opening, ignition on events after 4am - as this will give us the time he sets out to Garfield.

As you have commented on previously, there is a lot of time between 3.48 am (loading truck) and 5.14 am (H50 surveillance camera) to fill in!

 

[sk716]

Your last paragraph really hit home. BM of course remembered JL and I would bet the farm he remembered his last name. Barry was jealous and controlling. Why would he ever forget someone she fooled around with while they were young and supposedly in love? He wouldn’t. During the course of her affair with JL, I am certain Barry figured it out.
If BM gets away with murder, my guess is he will find someone to get rid of JL too.

Nah. No way he'd get away with it twice. JL will have to live with himself. Which if he's even half the person Suzanne thought he was, should be a pretty horrible existence thinking that Suzanne is dead because of him.

 

[Love Never Fails]

Nah. No way he'd get away with it twice. JL will have to live with himself. Which if he's even half the person Suzanne thought he was, should be a pretty horrible existence thinking that Suzanne is dead because of him.

I think while he lives with himself, he will be watching his back if BM is let loose. I think BM would pay someone to get rid of JL. And, imo, JL being the coward he is, will be shaking in his boots daily. JMO.

 

[Seattle1]

Nah. No way he'd get away with it twice. JL will have to live with himself. Which if he's even half the person Suzanne thought he was, should be a pretty horrible existence thinking that Suzanne is dead because of him.

The affair was ongoing for 18 months. SM is not dead because of JL -- she's dead because she wanted to leave BM and nobody leaves BM (with 50% of 'his' assets).

 

[Love Never Fails]

The affair was ongoing for 18 months. SM is not dead because of JL -- she's dead because she wanted to leave BM and nobody leaves BM (with 50% of 'his' assets).

I agree but since BM thought of Suzanne as his “possession”, he would never stand for JL being her lover and then having a nice life with his own wife and family.

 

[Seattle1]

I agree but since BM thought of Suzanne as his “possession”, he would never stand for JL being her lover and then having a nice life with his own wife and family.

I don't think they saw themselves SM/JL together post divorcing BM. SM intended to remain in Salida near her daughters and JL confirmed to investigators he wanted to help her through getting out on her own. I think they were old friends (with benefits) that trusted each other during their respective difficult times. MOO

 

[sk716]

The affair was ongoing for 18 months. SM is not dead because of JL -- she's dead because she wanted to leave BM and nobody leaves BM (with 50% of 'his' assets).

I meant he would feel guilty that it was his fault. Not that it actually was.

 

[Love Never Fails]

I don't think they saw themselves SM/JL together post divorcing BM. SM intended to remain in Salida near her daughters and JL confirmed to investigators he wanted to help her through getting out on her own. I think they were old friends (with benefits) that trusted each other during their respective difficult times. MOO

Ok but I wasn’t really speaking of what SM and JL were planning. I was speaking of what BM was thinking and how BM would not want JL to go on with his current wife and children.

 

[sk716]

I don't think they saw themselves SM/JL together post divorcing BM. SM intended to remain in Salida near her daughters and JL confirmed to investigators he wanted to help her through getting out on her own. I think they were old friends (with benefits) that trusted each other during their respective difficult times. MOO

While I tend to agree with you, there was a lot of fantasy in their relationship, the defense is planning to bury the jury in lovey-dovey-we-should-get-married texts.

 

[Seattle1]

While I tend to agree with you, there was a lot of fantasy in their relationship, the defense is planning to bury the jury in lovey-dovey-we-should-get-married texts.

Fortunately, the state will have JL that can put them straight.

 

[Auntie Cipation]

If I lived where the Ritters live, I would probably have game cameras aimed at the creek to capture wildlife coming to drink. Since their property is between PP and the bike location, I wonder if we will learn at trial that they had cameras which captured anything interesting such as BM in the creek the day TD found him, or even BM on the way to or from placing the bike. Or would any real juicy evidence like that have necessarily been mentioned in the PH?

I've just caught up from a dozen pages or so back, and there were several posts mentioning cadaverine on the Bobcat or his truck. Can someone confirm for me that LE actually says they found that? I only recall them saying the Bobcat had no apparent involvement in SM's case. Cadaverine found on the Bobcat would seem to conflict with that? They found a barefoot print (can they get DNA from that?) but I didn't recall cadaverine. I mean officially she's missing and not even known to be deceased. Wouldn't the presence of cadaverine cause it to be formally changed from missing to known deceased?