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

[Ontario Mom]

They both did their share of bending the truth if that is more palatable than "lie" in the breakdown of their marriage. Whether that is a "good" tactic to pursue to imply motive remains to be seen.

I just call it what it is, they both lied to each other, and to others. It happens.

 

[DizzyB]

BM's message to Suzanne on the 9th 'did you leave'?

This is bugging me, we know Suzanne messaged him on 6th with 'I'm done, let's be civil '
Why the 3 day gap before he asked this? Was he with her continuously 7th and 8th too stop her from leaving?

What happened/said/discussed (?) Friday evening/Saturday morning that prompted that question from him? Was it part of a plan? Cos there was no other message exchange between them 9th to indicate that she was leaving - she was asking bout hiking and picking up hot tub stuff - its weird. I know messages were deleted and not all recovered, but, idk, it seems a little off imo.

I’m also bugged about the long time frame of absolutely no communication between Suzanne and Barry via the iPhone that was in play around the time of Suzanne’s disappearance. Were they not speaking, or was there a second device?

 

[Megnut]

Barry said he never cheated, 100%, but if he did, it was a mistake.

:/

He's still lying about his current arrangement! Men and women can maintain "just friendship" but um I don't think they do flowers and a night at the Antlers.

If he wasn't already having dalliances prior to MDW, he sure didn't waste any time after, resting his nettles in another bed.

JMO

 

[Boxer]

I just call it what it is, they both lied to each other, and to others. It happens.

Right, but one is under the thumb of the other.

 

[Megnut]

I’m also bugged about the long time frame of absolutely no communication between Suzanne and Barry via the iPhone that was in play around the time of Suzanne’s disappearance. Were they not speaking, or was there a second device?

I wonder if that was the calm before the storm. Living separate lives. Separate hours, maybe separate bedrooms, little communication.

Until he came home with his zipper down.

JMO

 

[sk716]

I wonder if LE dialed this in further.

First Barry said he hadn't used any tranquilizers in Colorado.

Then he said he had. Twice. Deer. From the breezeway. For their antlers.

Twice?

Interesting.

And also... the tranquilizer gun LE found appeared inoperable.

So... when he claimed he fired something from the breezeway, did they ask him what he used then?

By his own story, something was operable.

IMO Barry's B-loved chipmunk-seeking .22.

I just hope they asked him. Because I'd like to know his answer. Weird time for a "I don't recall."

JMO

BBM it was broken.

The important thing that has to be said every single time the broken tranq gun is mentioned:

Barry bought the darts that could be fired from a .22 rifle. The same kind of gun that was in his truck when he got home.

 

[JosieMae]

I'm also giving the Arrest Affidavit a second read.

For over a year, many of us assumed that BM hid SM's remains along his route to Broomfield on Sunday morning. We now think those actions occurred sometime Saturday night.

SA Grusing said investigators believe her body is close to where the bike and helmet are. [March 10, 2021]

Now I'm thinking the disposal occurred between 7:33 p.m. when BM tried to disable his truck's GPS and 10:17 p.m. when his phone left airplane mode. Though it could have been later.

What options would be available in the dark of night?
What's the most plausible scenario?
What are the investigators' theories?

 

[sk716]

MOO I would need to be shown lying prior to Colorado for her to be a "liar."
MOO by Colorado she was in a mortally dangerous situation without means to leave by access to her own money.
She had to go to the
"ATM," meaning Barry for everything.

This is the thing a lot of people seem to miss.

Two days after she texted her sister about Barry's abuse she vanished. Less than 48 hours after telling someone who would do something about it, Suzanne had disappeared off of the face of the planet.

The extreme's that Suzanne went to to hide her relationship with JL from everyone are a pretty good indicator of the fear she felt

 

[Momofthreeboys]

Yup. Suzanne's going on trial for the affair.

Like a jury will forget that her husband is on trial for MURDERING HER.

JMO

No she is not going on trial. That seems to be a common refrain. Not sure where you would get that idea. The trial is going to be about proving that BM murdered his wife. The prosecution revealed the affair and obviously they did it to lay the groundwork for suggesting a motive. Not only that they opened the preliminary with this bombshell. Prosecution is "using" her affair...not the defense. But in doing so they opened the door to defense to point out that Suzanne was very secretive and bent the truth at times about her comings and goings. In my opinion the prosecution had no choice. They either revealed it because to put her on some sort of pedestal of virtue and loyalty to her marriage would have backfired anyway.

 

[Megnut]

BBM it was broken.

The important thing that has to be said every single time the broken tranq gun is mentioned:

Barry bought the darts that could be fired from a .22 rifle. The same kind of gun that was in his truck when he got home.

I know that and you know that, but IF they asked him what he used to "shoot deer from the breezeway", what answer did he give?

He boasts that he answered every single question -- with a lot of bluster and a lot of "I don't recalls -- so did they press him? Ask about his technique?

Did he ever volunteer to LE that his .22 fires darts? Or did he blame the garage-vandal bear? Furry meth head stole his tranq gun.

I just want to know how he skirted the question. If they asked it.

It'll be his defense team's job to muddy the facts.

Barry had access to tranquilizer darts and sedative.
Barry used them in Colorado.
Barry admitted to using them in the breezeway of his home.
.22's can fire darts.
Barry had a .22.
Barry said he was firing his .22 on May 9th at 2:44 pm.
.22s can't fire a dart if a bullet is chambered.
Barry was outside Suzanne's bedroom door at 2:47.
A lone bullet was recovered from the floor on Suzanne's side of the bed.
Suzanne did not respond to a message at 2:46 pm.

Or ever again.

That's a problem.

JMO

 

[Megnut]

If LE hadn't recovered the conversation between Suzanne and JL, captured by spy pen, what defense would BM be mounting now? Would he dare propose an affair (the very one he claimed he knew nothing about, 100%)? What a conundrum that might've posed! Throw the affair into the mix (to suggest Suzanne left of her own volition or had boyfriends who may have disappeared her), thereby revealing he knew it, exposing motive, or would he stay quiet? He obviously never thought he'd be arrested. But with his very freedom on the line, would he or would he not have divulged the affair?

Just a curiosity.

JMO

 

[Momofthreeboys]

I think this might come down to having a witness read aloud a statement that they made when first questioned. If a witness now changes a story or no longer recalls, it can be an effective way to present testimony.

I believe that rule 804B only allows that if the person is unavailable for testimony...but I'm not a lawyer. If true then no one else could "read" a statement given by another person unless that other person was unavailable for testimony...but as always I welcome the answer from legal eagles.

 

[Momofthreeboys]

I'm also giving the Arrest Affidavit a second read.

For over a year, many of us assumed that BM hid SM's remains along his route to Broomfield on Sunday morning. We now think those actions occurred sometime Saturday night.

SA Grusing said investigators believe her body is close to where the bike and helmet are. [March 10, 2021]

Now I'm thinking the disposal occurred between 7:33 p.m. when BM tried to disable his truck's GPS and 10:17 p.m. when his phone left airplane mode. Though it could have been later.

What options would be available in the dark of night?
What's the most plausible scenario?
What are the investigators' theories?

I never thought he did anything on the way to Broomfield....there was no timeline known for that at the beginning. Now we've got a 15 minute maybe he went west and turned around before heading to Broomfield so who knows. That area has been pretty thoroughly searched. I do think from Saturday afternoon to Sunday afternoon is wide open to theory based on the data we know about and speculation of all kinds. I'm not assuming he acted alone and never thought he acted alone as it would be way to easy for someone in another vehicle to scooped her body and head west totally undetected and she's hundreds of miles away, although the trial is about Barry and Barry alone so will see how it plays out. I'm hung up on the fact that his vehicle never shows he left the house that night even though there were telematics of opening and closing doors etc. She's not on the property, she's not at the river house, she's not on the way to Broomfield so where is she and how do they prove tampering to bring it full circle to Barry and Barry alone acted?

 

[lonetraveler]

I know that and you know that, but IF they asked him what he used to "shoot deer from the breezeway", what answer did he give?

He boasts that he answered every single question -- with a lot of bluster and a lot of "I don't recalls -- so did they press him? Ask about his technique?

Did he ever volunteer to LE that his .22 fires darts? Or did he blame the garage-vandal bear? Furry meth head stole his tranq gun.

I just want to know how he skirted the question. If they asked it.

It'll be his defense team's job to muddy the facts.

Barry had access to tranquilizer darts and sedative.
Barry used them in Colorado.
Barry admitted to using them in the breezeway of his home.
.22's can fire darts.
Barry had a .22.
Barry said he was firing his .22 on May 9th at 2:44 pm.
.22s can't fire a dart if a bullet is chambered.
Barry was outside Suzanne's bedroom door at 2:47.
A lone bullet was recovered from the floor on Suzanne's side of the bed.
Suzanne did not respond to a message at 2:46 pm.

Or ever again.

That's a problem.

JMO

I love the way you have painted a total scenario. I can visualize every movement. I'll bet that the jury will do the same.

 

[al66pine]

BM. Like a Moth Drawn to the Flame?

.... Men and women can maintain "just friendship" but um I don't think they do flowers and a night at the Antlers....

@Megnut sbm for focus Thanks for your post mentioning name of BM's Valentine hideaway w his special friend.

From hotel's website: "Colorado Springs was founded in August 1871 by General William Jackson Palmer ... named the hotel “The Antlers” as it housed his large collection of deer and elk trophies which was the envy of many."* sbm bbm

From my fuzzy (~ 25 yrs ago) memory of staying there, I don't recall any big game displays, and the hotel's photo-gallery** does not feature antlers now.

I wonder if BM was disappointed. So much for irony. Back on topic.
___________________________________
* History Of The Antlers | Antlers Wyndham Hotel
** Photo Gallery | Antlers Wyndham Hotel

 

[Boxer]

I never thought he did anything on the way to Broomfield....there was no timeline known for that at the beginning. Now we've got a 15 minute maybe he went west and turned around before heading to Broomfield so who knows. That area has been pretty thoroughly searched. I do think from Saturday afternoon to Sunday afternoon is wide open to theory based on the data we know about and speculation of all kinds. I'm not assuming he acted alone and never thought he acted alone as it would be way to easy for someone in another vehicle to scooped her body and head west totally undetected and she's hundreds of miles away, although the trial is about Barry and Barry alone so will see how it plays out. I'm hung up on the fact that his vehicle never shows he left the house that night even though there were telematics of opening and closing doors etc. She's not on the property, she's not at the river house, she's not on the way to Broomfield so where is she and how do they prove tampering to bring it full circle to Barry and Barry alone acted?

Agree. The proof of tampering will be key to proving murder.

 

[DizzyB]

I believe that rule 804B only allows that if the person is unavailable for testimony...but I'm not a lawyer. If true then no one else could "read" a statement given by another person unless that other person was unavailable for testimony...but as always I welcome the answer from legal eagles.

What I meant was that if MM1 was questioned early on in the investigation, she may have provided details regarding certain issues that could come into play. Her story might have changed since then, and she then could be asked to read her own prior statements while she is on the witness stand. I wish I could remember the case, a daughter staunchly believed her Dad was innocent and did not murder her mother. He was found guilty. The daughter had attempted to change her statements since she was first interviewed in the hope of not aiding the prosecution. She had to read her prior statements on the stand. It was a tough watch, and showed what can happen where a child just cannot fathom the truth.

 

[Momofthreeboys]

Right, but one is under the thumb of the other.

That is an assumption or opinion though or grievance of Suzanne's. Suzanne for all appearances seems to have been able to come and go of her own volition. If you recall Barry made a claim that he put his phone on airplane so Suzanne couldn't track him because she had showed up at a worksite raising a ruckus because she thought he was having an affair. This was a marriage that was falling apart with grievances on both sides as well as untruths told. The marriage is not the crux of the trial. The marriage issues really have little to do with the charges other than as a potential motive for the prosecution. People keep thinking Suzanne is on trial, yet they bring up the marriage issues over and over. I really can't see prosecution spending alot of time on the nuances of their marriage. All they need to do is establish that Suzanne was unhappy, found another guy and wanted a divorce and Barry didn't want a divorce. The dynamics of their marriage don't add to the motive in my opinion and could muddy the waters for prosecution. In my opinion they need to keep it clean and simple: make the point the marriage was in trouble and get onto to the why, where, when, how of Barry allegedly murdering his wife sometime on May 9 -10.

 

[Ontario Mom]

Right, but one is under the thumb of the other.

I don't think there's any question about that.

 

[JosieMae]

The second reading of the AA has me even more convinced that BM knew about his wife's affair. He continuously tells the investigators he had "no idea". Every single chance he gets, he repeats this. Over and over.

And we all know what that means. 100%.