Found Deceased CO - BARRY ARRESTED AGAIN - Suzanne Morphew, 49, Chaffee Co, 10 May 2020 *Case dismissed w/o prejudice* *found in 2023* #116

[Seattle1]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1936484744281420188

 

[Wishbone]

I think things take time and the Grand Jury could have taken a while.

a year and a half

 

[waldojabba]

Anyone want to hazard a guess on how long it will take to come to trial?

From the last time I remember that in Colorado, a criminal defendant is entitled to a speedy trial, meaning the prosecution must bring the case to trial within a specific timeframe after the defendant enters a not guilty plea.
Generally, this timeframe is 6 months from the date of the not guilty plea.
I would guess that the defendant can also waive their right to a speedy trial but IANAL.
JMO

 

[otto]

Sorry, haven't followed this in years but I'm confused as to why BM is just now being rearrested. Wasn't SM's body found two years ago with that drug in her bones? Why such a long wait for arrest? tyia

It might have taken longer to gather digital evidence, to rule out others as DNA contributors, and to prove that Suzanne had begun to metabolize the BAM - important in terms of proving that Barry, rather than some other person during the past 4 years, used the tranquilizer on her.

 

[Rolo]

YAY! I am so grateful and relieved that Barry is behind bars once again. It’s been a long time coming and worth the wait. This prosecution team has it together and will not make the foolish mistakes of the first one.
I can’t keep up with this fast moving thread, but will enjoy reading every post as we move forward.
JUSTICE FOR SUZANNE!!!

 

[Seattle1]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1936446212624036144

 

[Skigh]

a year and a half

Maybe they waited until Barry's attempt at claiming damages was dead in the water and that the new DA was settled in.

 

[Momofthreeboys]

BM cheating is not confirmed by the investigation and I believe investigators even stated there was no evidence of it. LE had full access to BM’s phones, devices, financial records, locations, and personal contacts. If there was verified evidence that he cheated in Indiana, with SD, or with anyone else, it would have been documented. The first AA was messy and basically threw everything at the wall. What is fully documented is SM’s long-term affair, and that she was actively taking steps to leave the marriage. There’s a tendency to assume both sides were doing the same thing, but that simply isn’t supported by the evidence. Whether or not someone might still come forward claiming an affair with BM doesn’t change what drove this case. He didn’t need to be cheating to have motive. The loss of control, rejection, and humiliation over SM’s affair and her plans to leave were enough to drive his actions. Nothing justifies what BM did. And no, pointing out what the evidence actually shows isn’t “giving him too much credit.” The facts are bad enough on their own without needing to invent more. imo

Agree. I suspect much of the old speculation will seep into these new conversations as well as unverified info from earlier years. I truly believe this trial will be very fact based and devoid of speculation which is a good thing and hopefully will result in a legally “clean” trial. Right now for me the only evidence available to the public that would connect Barry to doing the murder is the BAM but again they have charged Murder 1 so the trial will be interesting to watch both the prosecution and the defense.

 

[Wishbone]

Found this very recent article on new evidence....No date listed when LE located the new evidence but maybe fairly recently? I'm just confused about the hold up since LE seems to have an abundance of evidence.

Now, over two years later, new information tied to those sedatives has led Morphew to be charged once again for her murder.
According to an indictment, law enforcement located a locked gun safe in the Morphew residence, which held a tranquilizer rifle. Investigators also discovered packages of darts in the safe, and found a needle cap for one of those darts in the Morphews' dryer.

New evidence leads to Barry Morphew's arrest in the alleged murder of his wife

Officials held a press conference with the latest updates on Friday evening. You can watch above. CHAFFEE COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) – Barry Morphew, the Salida

krdo.com

 

[10ofRods]

I haven’t found this to be the case in my personal experience but happy to learn more.

Can anyone confirm this? Like, we know they found the port, and she had one, but has it been confirmed this one was hers via DNA or drug remnants? Was this done through confirmation from her medical records by matching a serial number? (Not could it be, please, was it.) Or still unknown?

They used dental records as well, so they knew the body was hers. The port may be circumstantial evidence. Whose else could it be, if the skull belonged to Suzanne?

I have seen a few people inquiring about whether BM helped her administer any sort of medicine through the port. She was going to a treatment center for chemotherapy and had, just the week before, been declared in full remission and had completed her final treatments.

Suzanne Morphew Vanished 5 Years Ago. Inside Her Disappearance — and Why Prosecutors Claimed She Was ‘Hunted’ By Her Husband (mentions she had "Beat cancer")
While searching for the articles about her celebrating the end of her chemotherapy (I was unsuccessful in finding them on the media thread - but I know they are there), I also found this chilling paragraph from the local news:

Coroner’s reports are factual. In the end, what was left of Morphew’s life was contained in three bags of bones, seven brown paper bags of materials and clothing found with her partial skeletal remains, and a few envelopes. One envelope now contains the medical port. But perhaps the most telling are the other six envelopes that remain in the custody of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. They contain five fabric fragments — and one weathered bullet.

Coroner's Report Reveals Brutal Homicide and a Callous Disregard for a Brave Life - by Jan Wondra - Ark Valley Voice

This week Ark Valley Voice requested and received the coroner's report that confirmed the remains found near the town of Moffat in Saguache County seven

arkvalleyvoice.com

This article also mentions her "coming out the other side" of chemotherapy and being in remission.

 

[PunishThenForgive]

a year and a half

I hear you. I kept checking back with this thread, wondering when on earth they wound finally arrest that scoundrel.

But the murder took place in a rural district. The new prosecutor, Anne E. Kelly, had to build up her office by attracting attorneys who might have been reluctant to join her in such a “backwater.” She also had to establish relationships with big-city agencies that have more resources and expertise.

Kelly seems to have done a fine job, and based on BM’s appearance on arrest, he hasn’t spent the last few years in ease and comfort. IMO, he knew his number was up. He was just waiting ‘til it was called.

The San Luis Valley gets a new district attorney after months of turmoil in the office

Grand Jury Indictment

Press Conference

 

[waldojabba]

I saw that, but still wondered why it didn't happen sooner after finding her body and evidence of the drug.

They needed to get it done correctly this time - no errors. There is no time limit to recharge, so they got all their ducks in a row quietly it seems and then went to the GJ.
Colorado small county pooling resources budgets yada yada but then -
Presto - AN ARREST,

I am remembering that his Mom's/Shirley house back iin Indiana was in BM's name. And Marcy the sister was squarely his staunch supporter.

I suspect we sill see these people again shortly.

JMO

 

[Momofthreeboys]

If BM moved her, you have to wonder when. You would think he was being surveilled like a hawk after LE was involved.

I wonder if we will ever know how she ended up in Moffat or if it’s all going to be speculative. It definitely sounds like her body was somewhere else for a long enough period of time to decompose. Part of me doesn’t think she could have been moved by Barry until after after he was off probation for the voting issue but maybe he wasn’t watched during that period. After that I wonder how often he was actually in the Salida area since their home was sold. For me probably one of the more interesting aspects for the trial.

 

[PunishThenForgive]

They needed to get it done correctly this time - no errors. There is no time limit to recharge, so they got all their ducks in a row quietly it seems and then went to the GJ.
Colorado small county pooling resources budgets yada yada but then -
Presto - AN ARREST

SBM



Yes! The prosecution did take their sweet time to get things right before the second arrest. Bring it on Barry, they are ready for you.

IMO

 

[iQuill]

Well ... hello fellow sleuthers! Yesterday was my birthday ... and Barry Morphew aka Lee Moore was arrested and charged again with the murder of beautiful Suzanne! Don't think I could have received a better birthday gift. I truly believe they will be successful in prosecuting him this time ... and pray that M&M can eventually process the truth of their mother's murder and some how, some way forgive themselves for believing their father and judging their mother. I wish them peace ... no matter how long that takes.

This time Barry ... they are coming for you ... and they will get you!

 

[Puzzles8]

I could not hope for better mugshot. He looks like h*ll. Clearly he has not kept his botox up and I've never seen such dark circles under his eyes.
He kind of looks like the proverbial 'Deer caught in Headlights.'
Oh Barry, I don't think you're going to get out of this one!

JMO

Colorado husband Barry Morphew seen in new mug shot

Suzanne, 43, vanished from the couple's stunning $1.5 million home in Marysville, 150 miles from Denver, in May 2020, with Barry, 53, charged on Friday.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[Momofthreeboys]

Sorry, haven't followed this in years but I'm confused as to why BM is just now being rearrested. Wasn't SM's body found two years ago with that drug in her bones? Why such a long wait for arrest? tyia

I think there were holes in the original case attempt and everyone now wanted as much of those holes buttoned up. Telematics, gps, phone logs, dna, the broken dart gun, the needle cap. And I think this time they took the time to pull it all together knowing getting a grand jury indictment would not be difficult.

 

[justtrish]

When insects or animals interact with bones, they typically leave evidence. It's microscopic. The method I was trained in involves using a thin layer of gold on the bones and a special, high power microscope. Since then, they have even more powerful scopes.

There would certainly be organic matter from the bugs. The clothing showed no evidence of the byproducts of decomp, so she decomposed somewhere without that set of clothing.

I agree with those saying he put her into one of his large hunting coolers (probably wrapped in something). I think that if bleach or peroxide or similar were poured onto her that this too would be detectable in the bones (if she was left to decompose with those chemicals applied). He likely rewrapped her before transporting her (leaving behind the hair). Knowing Barry, he probably just tipped the contents of the first package into a tarp or something.

The part that's mystifying me, a bit, is how he managed to transport her skeleton to the grave site and whether the bones were scattered in a manner consistent with the bones being still somewhat intact (held together by cartelige fibers?) It has occurred to me that he may have simply dumped what was in the container (unwrapped) at the burial site. We don't know when he put the bones there. They could have sun bleached in situ. Being 3 feet under sandy soil out there would result in fairly warm temperatures in the summer. If the bones were scattered by animals, the most likely animals would be birds and so far, no mention of that in the forensic reports (which have not been fully released).

Microscope marks on the bones should also give evidence of any birds or other wild creatures interacting with the bones. I can see how they might leave that part out, as it's not relevant to establishing guilt and would be hard for family members to read, until they are ready to know all the details.

IMO

In your opinion how long would she have been at the first location before being moved in order for there to be no signs she was decomposing at that second location? Is it safe to say how she was found is likely the same condition she was in when Barry moved her? Or maybe the better question is how long are bugs usually present before they aren't? I am trying to figure out if he moved her before he was arrested or after the charges were dropped after his first arrest. I am sure many things impact decomposition, but if you can give a general idea on this, I'd appreciate it. Would she be only bones after 1 year or would it take a bit longer like 2 years?

This is all so baffling!

 

[Sadi]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1936446212624036144

Has there been any comments from Macy or Mallory about their dad’s arrest etc.? I feel bad for them and hope they have support from family and friends.

 

[Herat]

Yes - I hadn't even considered the compensation - I thought that in his arrogance, he just thought he would prove himself right to all those who doubted him and thus exonerate himself by including some sort of biking gear with her remains. But same outcome

Yes. The bleach was likely intended to destroy a lot of DNA and give the impression the bones had been there since the day she went missing.

The port left there, despite not having intact skin or veins that should have been attached to, in order to provide identification through a possible ID number on the port. I

I wonder if LE found her DNA identifiable on the clothing associated with her bones.