Found Deceased CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, did not return from bike ride, Chaffee County, 10 May 2020 #38

[Boxer]

Good luck searchers!
Your coverage of the area is incredible.
Bless you all.

 

[steeltowngirl]

The fact that he doesn't live there doesn't mean that he can't reasonably protect his property. IMHO, it's prudent to protect one's property even if it's not one's primary residence. I can't say whether his actions are "normal" or not for a person who's lost his wife and is being presumed to be at fault for her disappearance. I can only measure his actions based on what is legally permissible.

Let’s try this. If you were Barry’s lawyer right now, and you truly believed he is innocent of any wrongdoing in his missing wife’s case, what would you recommend he do during this search?

a. Open his property and help with the search
b. Install trail cameras and patrol his property with a gun
c. Stay at his new condo and out of everyone’s way
d. Something else

 

[Madeleine74]

IMO Barry's acting like a Silverback gorilla on alert. He physically reminds me of a large gorilla in the TD video, the angle that TD was recording from. That's the vibe he puts out, right down to chest beating, pacing, and physical domination.

 

[swedeheart]

You're quite correct that the optics are bad. From the very start, Barry has done things that look bad, even if I cannot say that there is a "right" way to act when one's wife has disappeared.

That being said, Barry should've retained a family spokesman immediately. He could've hired an attorney to do this: I'm sure that some attorneys would give him a discount because of the earned media they'd receive by being the "face" for the family. This person could've been much more informative, holding biweekly press conferences, discussing what police were doing*, and expressing the thoughts and feelings of the family from an outside view.

* Even if officers asked the Morphews to not discuss the investigation, they or their attorney are not legally bound by such a request.

he did have a family spokesman: trevor, who's been MIA since about day 2.

 

[Trackergd]

Unless searchers back off the pressure of searching near his home, this dude is on a path to self-destruction. He's that loose right now.

Respectfully snipped.

When a search operation is active, the more agitated the suspected actor is, the closer you generally are to either evidence or the remains. Keep in mind that the actors friends (what ever their motive) are keeping tabs on what LE is doing, the searchers are doing and what groups like this are doing.

I don't ever remember a suspected actor taking shots at searchers. Only time I ever came close to that was when I was tracking an armed bank robber. Attacking searchers would be just WAY too obvious and I would hope his friends would make that clear to him.

And while we are on the subject of the actors friends, if you are reading this and know something but are keeping quiet, you too could be charged for withholding evidence. Is it worth losing your family, home and everything you have worked for? Think about that long and hard.

 

[Boxer]

The fact that he doesn't live there doesn't mean that he can't reasonably protect his property. IMHO, it's prudent to protect one's property even if it's not one's primary residence. I can't say whether his actions are "normal" or not for a person who's lost his wife and is being presumed to be at fault for her disappearance. I can only measure his actions based on what is legally permissible.

It's Suzanne and his property, not "his" property.

BM is keeping the brother of half owner of the property out,
MOO reasonably assume that SM, the co-owner would want her brother to be allowed to look for her.

 

[MadTing]

Pretty sure Suzanne would give her own brother and or LE permission to search her home in the event she ever went missing.

 

[EggSalad]

BM hanging trail cameras yesterday brings me back to a theory I had a few weeks ago that where SM was located, BM had set up a few trail cameras in the area to watch activity of who is coming or going.

Along those same lines, I’d be very interested in knowing what trail cams BM’s hunting buddy GD has set up and synced to any of his devices.

 

[elliefant]

Again, I don't see his actions as suspicious. The search is open to anyone, including anyone who may be intent on causing Barry Morphew or his property harm. To me, it seems that placing cameras on one's property & protecting oneself with a shotgun while outdoors is simply a reasonably prudent reaction when one knows that danger is possibly close.

And yet he saw no such need when, he claims, he was under threat from an angry drug addict (paraphrased) when he, his wife and children were living in the house

 

[Warwick7]

What's ironic about them is they work off cellular service.

What I understand is they needed to download the "app" at base camp. Then as they are walking they don't need cellular service. Once back at base camp the app will download itself.

 

[lamlawindy]

Let’s try this. If you were Barry’s lawyer right now, and you truly believed he is innocent of any wrongdoing in his missing wife’s case, what would you recommend he do during this search?

a. Open his property and help with the search
b. Install trail cameras and patrol his property with a gun
c. Stay at his new condo and out of everyone’s way
d. Something else

Well, first, I have only had one truly innocent client: he was in the Marion County Jail when the crime he was accused of committing (a domestic battery) "happened." With that exception, I've never "truly believed" that a client was innocent.

If I was his attorney, though, I would've told him to install the trailcams months ago. As U.S. v. Bundy has shown us, government agents do sometimes go onto private property without warrants for nefarious purposes. Having trailcams in such a situation is helpful.

As for the search, I'd inform the public that my client would like to take part but will only do so if
Andy & Profiling Evil agree to not turn around & argue that he "wasn't searching hard enough" or in any other way attempt to use the search against him.

This accomplishes 2 things. First, it makes it appear as if Barry wants to help with the search for Suzanne. Second, it may create a rift between Andy and Profiling Evil, the former already being on record as asking rhetorically why Barry will not assist in helping find Suzanne. If
both refuse, then Barry can argue that the entire plan was an attempt to get him to participate and then use the search against him: After all, he can argue, if this is about "finding Suzanne," then why won't they agree to a simple "anti-backstabbing" provision?

As for the property: that's easy. Nobody will search the property without a warrant signed by a judicial officer. If Barry was my client & I think he did something, then I would not want to make it easier to find evidence that will be used against him. Even if I don't think he did it, it would be borderline malpractice to advise Barry to let the searchers in: there's at least a possibility that a searcher might plant something on the property.*

* While I think this likelihood is tiny, I'd also not want to have to argue the fact if I was sued for legal malpractice. The best way to avoid a malpractice claim is to think about worst case scenarios & guard against them.

 

[NuttMegg]

And yet he saw no such need when, he claims, he was under threat from an angry drug addict (paraphrased) when he, his wife and children were living in the house

Didn't even bother to note the type of vehicle the angry drug addict drove, although he worked in Barry's neighborhood.

 

[skyvoyager]

Just catching up. In tonight’s PE video around 25:41, Andy says people around there are nervous and that he doesn’t know what that is all about.

Who is he referring to? The locals? Are they in fear of BM - or - of something being uncovered?

Any ideas?

caught that as well... it is going to be one of those 'that is all i can say right now ' deals where we won't hear what that means for a while ( if we ever do )
typical of all information regarding this case

 

[lamlawindy]

And yet he saw no such need when, he claims, he was under threat from an angry drug addict (paraphrased) when he, his wife and children were living in the house

I agree that he should've been armed when the "drug addict" accosted him. Unless a person is a felon, legally incompetent, a minor, or in any other way disqualified from owning a firearm, s/he should be armed unless carrying arms disturbs the person morally or psychologically. Remember, the police have no legal duty to protect an individual.

That being said, Barry may believe that multiple persons pose more of a threat than the "drug addict," which is not an unreasonable assumption, though it could be wrong. Moreover, he may feel more under threat now because of all the social media posts engendered by Suzanne's disappearance.

 

[nrbc4]

It's Suzanne and his property, not "his" property.

BM is keeping the brother of half owner of the property out,
MOO reasonably assume that SM, the co-owner would want her brother to be allowed to look for her.

Y’all he was trying to catch that Mountain Lion or at least get it on camera this time Sorry this isn’t a time for jokes but come on, it may not be illegal but it’s just wrong on so many levels. He’s not made a single attempt to put up cameras before and he chooses now of all times to do it? He is pissed at AM for trying to find “the love of his life”. This is a poor attempt to intimidate, control and manipulate the situation. He needed an reason to be out on his property at the same time they were there searching. Pretending to protect his property by putting cameras up, gave him a way to keep eyes on them since his selfish *advertiser censored* couldn’t be bothered to help with the search. Good post btw Boxer. IMO

 

[happyday]

People carrying guns on their property is pretty common place in rural America. This is especially true in mountainous areas like Colorado. It certainly would not be seen as illegal, even if the person cursed at someone and told them to stay away from their property. Private property rights are big in the rural U.S....IMO

It might not be illegal, but when the people you’re warning away are just searching for your missing wife it just makes you look PSYCHO and GUILTY.

 

[MadTing]

Well i am looking forward to what today may bring, Wishing AM and all those involved in the search the best of luck, i hope today takes us one step closer to either finding Suzanne or finding out more of the truth to what happened.

 

[Minordetails]

I’d like to know how confrontational BM was in his interaction with the searchers yesterday? Was he calm? Was he ‘seething’? I’m not sure the act alone of patrolling your property with a shotgun is a sign of an ‘unhinged’ individual, but, considering the context, it’s awfully suspicious. BM’s actions are becoming a defence attorney’s nightmare.
JMO

 

[Inquisitive2018]

wow, I unfortunately do not believe they will find her but I am rooting for her brother. He is determined to bring her home , I remember him saying that he wanted to do it as their father is not doing to well. I know he will not let those responsible have a good nights sleep. I know we can't sleuth the daughters but aren't they adults? Not even a word from them on their beloved mom?


I thought of this case the other day when I opened my door and my place smelled so much of chlorine. I had pour a bit on my carpet because I was to lazy to bend down and remove the ketchup that fell. I wonder what he was cleaning up.

 

[happyday]

My family owns land and it’s disconcerting knowing one or a few people have been trespassing on our property. Imagine 500 people showing up nearby, most are amateurs, and some are howling for your blood. I don’t blame Barry for not allowing trespassers, putting up trailcams, and carrying a gun to protect himself. As said upthread, all it takes is one guy - that one loon - to cause trouble.

Also, someone could plant items on your property, which could make it worse for the investigation, or cause other kinds of harm. Even if I weren’t suspected of murder, I’d be very wary of all the people out roaming around.

Really? They’re not rioters and looters. They’re searching for HIS missing wife. He should be helping them, not worried about property rights or whatever. Unhinged!