Still Missing CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, Chaffee Co, 10 May 2020 *arrest* #97

[Kingsley]

CO. Domestic Violence Fatalities Review Board, 2021 Annual Report.*
List includes SM among the "39 victims who died ... due to domestic violence or occurring within the context of domestic violence..."

Is it appropriate for SM's death to be characterized this way?
In an official state board publication?
W CO.'s. Attorney General's name as Chair?
Of the CDVFRB board estab'ed by statute?**
Before a criminal conviction of BM?
W no civil suit verdict re her death by BM?

I'm not saying BM is a great guy, not arguing that BM did not cause SM's death.

Just wondering if it's appropriate for a state A.G. & a civil board to include her (presumed) death as due to DV or occurring within the context of DV. At least, at this stage, before conviction.
______________________________

*https://coag.gov/app/uploads/2022/01/CDVFRB-report-2020.pdf
** Senate Bill 17-126, signed into law in 2017, now
§ 24-31-701 thru § 24-31-706 C.R.S.
​

I had the same uneasiness. I felt that it left the state vulnerable to include Suzanne in that before anything was proven in the courts, regardless of what most believe. JMO.

 

[CGray123]

Under Colorado law, domestic violence is defined as “an act or threatened act of violence upon a person with whom the actor is or has been involved in an intimate relationship.” Domestic violence can also involve threatened acts upon another person, property, or animal if it is used “method of coercion, control, punishment, intimidation, or revenge directed against a person with whom the actor is or has been involved in an intimate relationship.”

An intimate relationship is “a relationship between spouses, former spouses, past or present unmarried couples, or persons who are both the parents of the same child regardless of whether the persons have been married or have lived together at any time.”

Domestic violence results in mandatory arrest in Colorado. Even if the people involved do not want to press charges, at least one person will be arrested. In situations where two people assaulted each other, they both may face an arrest and charges for domestic violence.

Assault in Colorado involves intentional, knowing, or reckless bodily injury to another person. Bodily injury does not need to be serious to qualify as an assault. Any physical pain, illness or impairment may be considered bodily injury. Spiking a person’s drink with a drug without their consent is also a form of assault.

"Domestic Violence Assault" Laws in Colorado - CRS 18-6-801

I understand that a conviction of Murder in the First Degree requires the judge to sentence the defendant to incarceration for life without the possibility of parole. Can anyone tell us how this sentence can be enhanced? Why was it important to add this element to the charges? Is the prosecution covering the possibility that BM could be convicted of Murder in the Second Degree, and preserving the option to demand enhancement of the sentence for that charge?

 

[K9Enzo]

Looks like BM was due back in court today at 9am for a motions hearing. What are we expecting to come out of this hearing?

 

[HongKongPhooey]

I agree it's odd. It would be interesting to know where they got that information since there is no legal proof yet that she is deceased or has been murdered or that there was domestic violence in the family. It was added after the original charges as a sentence enhancer. Just premature reporting for an important and poignant document. Unfortunately and sadly it adds to the arsenal of defense legal teams in terms of prematurity of this case.

I think Barry admitted to there being domestic violence (e.g. “clipping” Suzanne’s nose) but he was too ignorant to realise it.

JMO

 

[Scootie98]

Lordy Miss @susiQ this is really @Megnut's Forte…But I’ll give it a shot, because I am quite serious.

I think the girls have long accepted that Dad either accidently killed mom or she took her own life to end the distress she felt with herself. He painted mom in a beautiful light when he let them know, she had regrets realizing the unnecessary fights and pain she had caused him and them because of her affair. I’m sure he told the daughters…Besides her affair, it could have an accumulation of things the cancer, chemo, illegal drugs and alcohol influencing mom, we know how bad it's been the last 6 months. Who knows what led where (?) but mom regretted it, she loved us. So, I covered it up, to spare the you and the family embarrassment and people judging my dear Suzanne, your mom. I was mainly concerned about someone else getting blamed knowing they had nothing to do with this (her lover or the lover’s wife, family member, or one of the Moorman siblings angry/jealous about Gene's loans, then there’s the nephews who needed her blessings for land to be shared for their drug business) So he admits to them, staging a scene in hopes to spare all and says he sincerely prays everyone will go with the default, a mountain lion or abduction. His goal is to keep Suzanne’s reputation and the Family intact and no one be blamed.
This is between God and Suzanne.

The only crack in this I can see is that by "confessing" to staging a scene....it implicates BM for knowing where Suzanne's remains are. That is one thing I would expect him to avoid at all costs....disclosing his knowledge of the location. His only source of power is this very secret.

 

[Seattle1]

I understand that a conviction of Murder in the First Degree requires the judge to sentence the defendant to incarceration for life without the possibility of parole. Can anyone tell us how this sentence can be enhanced? Why was it important to add this element to the charges? Is the prosecution covering the possibility that BM could be convicted of Murder in the Second Degree, and preserving the option to demand enhancement of the sentence for that charge?

In addition to the procedural error, I'm sure that had to be a consideration.

If I recall correctly, citing sentence enhancers including DV (and/or extraordinary risk and crime of violence) is a timing issue -- there's no retroactive endorsement for the enhancer if omitted from the complaint. This subject came up during the Frazee trial (Kelsey Berreth murder) where his Complaint was similarly amended. MOO

 

[Cindizzi]

Looks like BM was due back in court today at 9am for a motions hearing. What are we expecting to come out of this hearing?

You’re a day early. It’s tomorrow March 10.
Hopefully we will hear the Judge’s ruling on Defense Motions for sanctions and Motion to dismiss.
JMO
I’ll see if I can find what other Motions might be addressed.

Colorado Judicial Branch - Court Docket Search

 

[Warwick7]

CO. Domestic Violence Fatalities Review Board, 2021 Annual Report.*
List includes SM among the "39 victims who died ... due to domestic violence or occurring within the context of domestic violence..."

Is it appropriate for SM's death to be characterized this way?
In an official state board publication?
W CO.'s. Attorney General's name as Chair?
Of the CDVFRB board estab'ed by statute?**
Before a criminal conviction of BM?
W no civil suit verdict re her death by BM?

I'm not saying BM is a great guy, not arguing that BM did not cause SM's death.

Just wondering if it's appropriate for a state A.G. & a civil board to include her (presumed) death as due to DV or occurring within the context of DV. At least, at this stage, before conviction.
______________________________

*https://coag.gov/app/uploads/2022/01/CDVFRB-report-2020.pdf
** Senate Bill 17-126, signed into law in 2017, now
§ 24-31-701 thru § 24-31-706 C.R.S.
​

You know at first similar feelings crossed my mind, but after I read everything, moo, I think her name was added because of "occurring within the context of domestic violence." I think she met their criteria because her husband was arrested for her murder.

 

[K9Enzo]

You’re a day early. It’s tomorrow March 10.
Hopefully we will hear the Judge’s ruling on Defense Motions for sanctions and Motion to dismiss.
JMO
I’ll see if I can find what other Motions might be addressed.

Colorado Judicial Branch - Court Docket Search

Ha! Apologies. That means tomorrow is not Friday- bummer. lol

 

[Cindizzi]

Ha! Apologies. That means tomorrow is not Friday- bummer. lol

Nope it’s only hump day today.

 

[BeckyF]

Just to clarify, I said 'I think it's safe to assume...', meaning that I think there's a very good chance they knew she was dead if not immediately then quickly after she disappeared - the reason being they (if not just M1 who was already an adult) did not speak out publicly asking for help in finding their mother.
I don't follow every case like many of you do but in every high profile case that makes the news I've never seen a case where children of the missing person were completely quiet. M2 herself said how she feared they'd had a big fight. She knew her mother wouldn't go silent of her own volition, especially on Mother's Day and when she was to virtually attend her bff's daughter's wedding. She knew her mother didn't bike from the home but would put the bike in the back of her car to bike where she felt safe. They knew their Mother was going to leave their father.
If not immediately, something had to click very early on with the bike being staged, their father portraying a perfect marriage and I'm sure other things we could only guess at that only they were privy to.
I think both of them are intelligent young women.
Could their silence have been because their father has complete control over them and forbade them to speak up? Yes, and that's why I reserve that one possibility. Who knows what Barry was feeding them but I do think deep down they knew.
IMO

Good points, but I disagree that they both knew right off that their Mom was dead. Why would they go on a trip that weekend if they thought she was in danger? MM1 stated during her interview with LE that her parents had a good marriage or something to that effect.

 

[FromGermany1]

Lordy Miss @susiQ this is really @Megnut's Forte…But I’ll give it a shot, because I am quite serious.

I think the girls have long accepted that Dad either accidently killed mom or she took her own life to end the distress she felt with herself. He painted mom in a beautiful light when he let them know, she had regrets realizing the unnecessary fights and pain she had caused him and them because of her affair. I’m sure he told the daughters…Besides her affair, it could have an accumulation of things the cancer, chemo, illegal drugs and alcohol influencing mom, we know how bad it's been the last 6 months. Who knows what led where (?) but mom regretted it, she loved us. So, I covered it up, to spare the you and the family embarrassment and people judging my dear Suzanne, your mom. I was mainly concerned about someone else getting blamed knowing they had nothing to do with this (her lover or the lover’s wife, family member, or one of the Moorman siblings angry/jealous about Gene's loans, then there’s the nephews who needed her blessings for land to be shared for their drug business) So he admits to them, staging a scene in hopes to spare all and says he sincerely prays everyone will go with the default, a mountain lion or abduction. His goal is to keep Suzanne’s reputation and the Family intact and no one be blamed.
This is between God and Suzanne.

bbm black/red
You might be very well completely right with all of it!
Worth for repeating once more.

 

[tmar]

No doubt!

For me, it is the only thing that can explain the prevailing “happiness” as they all stroll into court. They without a doubt believe this is all a terrible mistake, LE were out to get their dad, and I & D are going to exonerate their innocent father. Otherwise, if they’ve read the AA, believe he did it and behaved this way, it could only say that they feel their mom needed to die for having the affair and I just can’t believe that of them. I think the trial is going to be a real shocker for his daughters. Time will tell! JMO

In a trial here, in Australia, (Ristevski) the father lied +++.

Finally, during trial, he confessed : manslaughter.

Daughter, (daddy's girl) a smart person, to this day during media specials etc 'seems to be in the clouds', visiting him in prison, ignoring the fact, 'her father killed her mother'.

 

[Kemug]

How in the world could an acquittal be the best thing for the girls?!

Well, obviously they would be happy and relieved. Their world would not be rocked to its foundations. They would still have one parent in their lives. They would resume more or less normal lives, etc etc.

 

[CGray123]

Well, obviously they would be happy and relieved. Their world would not be rocked to its foundations. They would still have one parent in their lives. They would resume more or less normal lives, etc etc.

BBM.
I am not so sure that they would resume more or less normal lives. Even if he is acquitted, BM will not be the same man - he will certainly be diminished financially and will likely struggle to get business, at least for a while. He'll be a pariah in Central and Southern Colorado by the end of the trial and his relocation may or may not fit with the daughters' plans.

And most importantly, the daughters lost their mother, whom they love - IIRC, they burst into tears when her last proof of life photo was presented in the PH. However they rationalize their support for their dad today, they will have to come to grips with the evidence that points to him, and IMO if they don't remain in some sort of Stockholm Syndrome-ish attachment to BM, they will ultimately lose confidence in his denials and his professions of love for them.

If so, IDK what the long term mental health and life impacts could be. This has only recently begun to be studied. Here's an excerpt of an Abstract for a recent study, published in 2018:

Children's perspectives on life and well-being after parental intimate partner homicide

"Background: While there is no doubt that parental intimate partner homicide is associated with strong grief and post-traumatic stress reactions among the children who have been bereaved, there is little in-depth insight into how children and young people see and describe their circumstances and needs. Objective: Our aim was to shed light on children's and young people's perspectives on their life after parental intimate partner homicide. In particular, we were interested in how they experienced their living arrangements, social environment, and general well-being. Method: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 23 children and young people (8-24 years old; 15 females and eight males) who had been younger than 18 years when one of their parents killed the other (21 children lost their mother, two children lost their father). We used thematic analysis to synthesize the findings. Results: While most participants were fairly content with themselves and their living arrangements, they also expressed substantial and persistent difficulties, including distress, conflicts between family members, and feelings of unsafety. Most importantly, children's self-image, their perspectives on their biological parents, and their views on their broader (family) environment varied considerably from participant to participant, and also between siblings. Conclusions: It is unlikely that straightforward guidelines can be given with regard to where the children should live after parental homicide, or whether they should be in contact with the perpetrating parent. Rather, this study's findings underline the need to explore children's individual viewpoints carefully during decision-making processes."

 

[Love Never Fails]

Well, obviously they would be happy and relieved. Their world would not be rocked to its foundations. They would still have one parent in their lives. They would resume more or less normal lives, etc etc.

Sorry I suppose you mean IF BM was an innocent man and was acquitted.

Otherwise then no, it is not obvious to me at all. That kind of happiness would be built on lies and would have no foundation.

 

[susiQ]

Reading all the recent posts and varying views, one thing I think we can be sure of - living a lie is never healthy. Whether that lie is that their father is innocent and has been framed by LE or whether they know he did it and choose to support him in his declaration of innocence. It still amounts to living a lie. If they know he did it, how can they in good conscience not afford their mother a proper burial? Are they not the least bit curious as to where he put their mother?

I’m still of the opinion that they truly believe he is innocent. If after the trial they STILL believe this, Barry has done one hell of a job on their heads. And if they fall for Barry’s lies, will they fall for other guys’ lies too? Will they repeat the mistake SM made by thinking control is love?

 

[MemPat]

DBM

 

[BeckyF]

Well, obviously they would be happy and relieved. Their world would not be rocked to its foundations. They would still have one parent in their lives. They would resume more or less normal lives, etc etc.

BM will never change, IMO. He will control his daughters the same way he controlled Suzanne for years. He will do the same with any girlfriend or new wife. That is not a normal life.

Anyone can google their names and dissect every word or action they have taken for the last almost 2 years.

I would never want to be them, ever.

 

[MemPat]

I agree that Barry, whatever the outcome of his trial, will be a pariah near his home and probably as far as the Internet can reach. Every time his name is Googled and that of his family as well, the story will be laid out in all its glory. Relocating would be futile.

He better just retrofit that fake "Purdoo" degree to Brain Surgeon and change his name!

Given the many choices for landscapers out there I'd definitely scroll right past the jerk who bragged about how well he could hide a body then was tried for doing just that