Found Deceased CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, Chaffee Co, 10 May 2020 *Case dismissed w/o prejudice* #108

[Megnut]

IIRC MG said that Barry was watching his trail cams while they were raking the beach at the worksite.

We know he had at least one mini cam, we just don't know where it was.

And we know Suzanne was engaging with JL throughout the morning and early afternoon, including the infamous sunbathing photo.

I suspect BA sped home because he'd seen enough.

JMO

 

[SleuthBee]

I am wondering. BM reads news too. Maybe he moved her bones (or asked someone to move them) trying to create another "Gilgo beach". If a place is known for a local dumping ground, I mean, there will be victims of several unrelated crimes.

In addition to the area being remote, the soil appears to be sandy which makes it an easy dig for someone in need of burying a body. A skilled excavation-er like BM, could dig a shallow grave faster than we can imagine.

 

[Charlot123]

I'm not sure whether you're taking into account the metadata embedded in the photo, it will say when it was taken, and other details depending on the phone that took it, including data that identifies the phone that took it.

JMO

This is what I was thinking of today. Metadata, yes, but what if I take another photo and edit it? I have a couple of phones, for work and home, I shall try to experiment. I usually edit the photos or may take the photo of a photo and edit on my favorite one. Google would keep Metadata of the one you sent. Further, if you delete the initial from the cloud, but keep the second photo and edit it, what does it tell? (I am making it too complex today).

 

[Seattle1]

Did you hear any more about a news conference today? I do not believe anyone told IE that. JMO

I also don't believe it either-- I think IE's referring to the remains of James Montoya, 26, who was recovered near Saguache Peak (not Moffat) on July 28, and identified in August. If there's any pending announcement, it might be limited to a status update on the investigation of his homicide, and not about an additional body. JMO

 

[10ofRods]

@10ofRods. Isn’t it true that if he used bleach on the tools in the hotel, that would have erased any sign of blood or soil?

Pretty much. More the blood than the soil (which is denser particulate matter). But a trip through a full bathtub with a heavy dose of bleach would remove most (heme) evidence of red blood cells (what luminol looks for). Would it remove *all* DNA? Maybe, maybe not. I'm learning that experiments on this topic are actually fairly limited, and each forensic situation is different.

But yeah, he could probably clean that shovel well enough that none of his own DNA would remain (and since it was his own shovel - that's to be expected anyway, so sort of a forensic dead end).

It would be Suzanne's blood that LE would want to find (or other sign that she interacted biologically with that shovel).

 

[ajaylee]

When would that have happened? Police had the home for several weeks and then again for a second search and we all know BM was under surveillance most likely from the day Suzanne disappeared so when would he have had time to move a body unnoticed? I personally don't think the body was "moved" except one time and that was to where she was found.

Was he under round-the-clock surveillance? If so, when did it start? I can't rule out the possibility that he moved the body - it's only 45 minutes from home, he could have done it at night.

Sadly, just my opinion, but I think he's gotten away with it. Even if the cause of death can be determined, that doesn't really get us any closer to WHO the killer was - only how the murder was carried out.

This case reminds me so much of the Frazee case. He almost got away with it because local police were so quick to take his word for what must have happened. Only a stroke of extreme good luck and Kelsey's parents hounding law enforcement saved the day and got justice for Kelsey.

 

[Seattle1]

this is why his tweet is interesting





Marc Sallinger
@MarcSallinger

I called Barry Morphew's attorney minutes after the press release was sent out notifying the public that Suzanne's remains were found His lawyer had not been told the news. I told her on the phone Don't know if Barry was told the news about his wife before the press release

Except we already know for a fact that Barry was the first to be notified by the Coroner as the next of kin. If he did not tell his daughters or his attorney, that's on him. But we should also consider the source here -- Iris. JMO

 

[bestill]

Being the alpha boy that BM is, if he had known who the affair was with prior to Suzanne becoming a missing person he probably would have made a visit to confront the lover. I doubt he could have kept his cool once he knew who it was and that there was an actual affair going on. I guess the lover is lucky in that regard. JMO

 

[waldojabba]

She'll probably blame it on Adre "Psycho" Baroz... and his friends.

If I was related to IE or a friend of hers, I think I would call in a wellness check to her house. Like Brittany Spears loved ones do. This current IE, in contrast to the old IE before the body was found, is using very poor judgement. The old IE was very strategic and got out ahead of things in mostly effective way - albeit still distasteful and nasty.
IMO SHe has ramped up the nasty edge and lost the savvy strategic approach in those two "statements".

It may still just be that she was caught off guard rendering her unable to control the narrative but she really presents as unhinged. JMO

 

[ajaylee]

Being the alpha boy that BM is, if he had known who the affair was with prior to Suzanne becoming a missing person he probably would have made a visit to confront the lover. I doubt he could have kept his cool once he knew who it was and that there was an actual affair going on. I guess the lover is lucky in that regard. JMO

I agree. BM's such an aggressive hothead, I don't know what he would have done, but he would have 'gone after' the lover somehow. Maybe just by calling his wife and exposing him.

 

[JerseyWasHome2]

This is what I was thinking of today. Metadata, yes, but what if I take another photo and edit it? I have a couple of phones, for work and home, I shall try to experiment. I usually edit the photos or may take the photo of a photo and edit on my favorite one. Google would keep Metadata of the one you sent. Further, if you delete the initial from the cloud, but keep the second photo and edit it, what does it tell? (I am making it too complex today).

I'll bet that it would depend on how it was edited and where, what software was used, etc., and the new edited version could then contain identifying information about the person's device doing the edits.

I just opened a photo I took with my Nikon camera last week and looked at the various very detailed metadata, which includes my name, date and time taken, GPS location, etc. I resized that image in Photoshop Elements and resaved it under a new name using the "save as for web" feature. Closed the file and reopened it. Was surprised to see no meta data at all other than my name in the new version, and date and time saved.

EDITED TO ADD - Interesting, too, as I also did a test where I did one minor edit to a camera photo in Photoshop Elements and saved it under a new name, and this time it DID keep all of the camera metadata, so perhaps it depends on the type of edit.

Aha! The method of saving does seems to affect the metadata. If I save as a jpg, it retains the camera metadata, but if I "Save as for web" (which is another method of saving as a jpg, but provides you with a smaller, more compressed version) it strips most of the metadata out.

I also took a screenshot of the same image and looked at the metadata for that, which was pretty sparse. I saved it, closed it and reopened it, and it tells me the date and time I saved it, and that I used Photoshop Elements 2023 to save it, but nothing else.

 

[RickshawFan]

Pretty much. More the blood than the soil (which is denser particulate matter). But a trip through a full bathtub with a heavy dose of bleach would remove most (heme) evidence of red blood cells (what luminol looks for). Would it remove *all* DNA? Maybe, maybe not. I'm learning that experiments on this topic are actually fairly limited, and each forensic situation is different.

But yeah, he could probably clean that shovel well enough that none of his own DNA would remain (and since it was his own shovel - that's to be expected anyway, so sort of a forensic dead end).

It would be Suzanne's blood that LE would want to find (or other sign that she interacted biologically with that shovel).

There is, though, the possibility that plant and/or soil matter migrated to whatever tools and equipment he had on site. What are the possibilities, @10ofRods ?

 

[Skigh]

A retired FBI agent appearing on STS opined that the suggestion to search that area may have come from an inmate/snitch but I'd not heard "CI" as in one formally working with LE. Personally, I think SM being found was a higher power, divine intervention. Suzanne wanted to be found for the sake and protection of her daughters. I just hope they get the message. MOO

I cannot believe that Barry would speak to anyone about what he did to Suzanne,so find it hard to think any information would have come from a prison snitch.

 

[O.Incandenza]

I cannot believe that Barry would speak to anyone about what he did to Suzanne,so find it hard to think any information would have come from a prison snitch.

I agree. Plus if the location came from a CI, I'd expect there to be a near-simultaneous arrest. Any informant who could lead them to Suzanne's body would almost certainly possess enough information to make the already-decent case against Barry rock solid.

Seems more likely to me that the official story is true and this was just a lucky find.

 

[Seattle1]

If I was related to IE or a friend of hers, I think I would call in a wellness check to her house. Like Brittany Spears loved ones do. This current IE, in contrast to the old IE before the body was found, is using very poor judgement. The old IE was very strategic and got out ahead of things in mostly effective way - albeit still distasteful and nasty.
IMO SHe has ramped up the nasty edge and lost the savvy strategic approach in those two "statements".

It may still just be that she was caught off guard rendering her unable to control the narrative but she really presents as unhinged. JMO

Spot on, @waldojabba!
And no doubt this goes back to not being informed of SM's recovery by her client but by a well-known, respected, reporter-- certain to share his story of breaking the news to IE!

 

[BeachSky]

Plus she was very active - including the Proof of Life photo -- with JL right up until she wasn't.

Jmo

Dozens of evidence photos released in Suzanne Morphew case

For the first time since Barry Morphew’s arrest last year, the public is able to see in-color photos of evidence from the investigation into the murder of his wife, Suzanne Morphew.

news.yahoo.com

Last photo

 

[I am not Sherlock H.]

I think this clearly indicates how self serving IE is.

For all she knows, a smoking gun has been found in that gravesite, in which case her comments are going to be very embarrassing. But she is simply shameless.

Any credible attorney states that her client maintains his innocence, delivers a message from her client, and says they will wait for what the investigation will reveal.

You don't stake your own personal credibility on a grave find where you have no idea what has been found. Especially you don't start manufacturing a new theory of the case based on wild speculation

So true. I am reminded of an old adage: Sometimes the attorney suggests to their client that something not be done. And in some cases, the client in discussion with the attorney suggests that something not be done. In this particular case, neither is clear. MOO.

 

[Vaderman]

I hadn't heard about this case and was very confused about the general animosity towards her husband and couldn't readily find information about the case.

After reading the arrest affidavit, holy smokes. If by some chance he is innocent, he certainly still remains an incredibly unsavory individual.

 

[BeachSky]

BM claims to this day he did not know about the affair until he was informed by FBI SAs in 2021

Barry said "I, this is a complete surprise to me. I have had no idea of this and would not suspect her of doing it."

Then later he says, "This just blows my mind and it's gonna blow anybody's mind that finds out. And when they find out, they're gonna say, 'Old hot head Barry found out and killed his wife'"

ETA: these quotes are from the 2021 AA

There’s always some truth in his lies.
I betcha . JMO

 

[imstilla.grandma]

'Barry was the most scrutinized, dissected, surveilled individual, minute by minute, hour by hour using law enforcement cameras posted by his home, phone taps and GPS devices placed on his car – all during the time frame of her disappearance and the years following,' said Eytan.

'At no time did the FBI, CBI, Chaffee County Sheriff Office or DA's Office pinpoint or even generally claim that Barry was in any area south of his home, near Moffat or anywhere near Saguache County at any relevant time frame.

'It would be ludicrous for anyone to now try to fit the now known facts to prior false assumptions and accusations.'

Lawyer for Suzanne Morphew's husband lashes out at accusers

Iris Eytan, attorney for Barry Morphew, on Thursday spoke out against the 'finger pointing' at her client, and said it would now be 'ludicrous' to claim he was ever near his wife's shallow grave.

www.dailymail.co.uk