CO - BARRY ARRESTED AGAIN - Suzanne Morphew, 49, Chaffee Co, 10 May 2020 *Case dismissed w/o prejudice* *found in 2023* #118

[Charlot123]

BBM
no one knows - End of story

That's where we always end up everytime the "What about the Ring?" chat comes up.

AFAIK - there has never been any mention in the MSM / court docs or in interviews etc
of where the "diamond" ring is
The actual value of the ring has never been established ( real diamond /lab diamond/ zirconia/
tin foil) We just don't know.

We do have clues though if we look at how the Morphew's lived and what Barry's "values" were.

We have an idea from the investigation that Barry took what I am assuming was Suzannes wedding ring and had it melted down for money. Did he take the" diamond" then too ?

"While Suzanne's phone has not been found, investigators were able to recover documents from her iCloud account. One of those documents was a list Suzanne made on May 8, entitled "grievances." It included notes like "wedding ring," which Barry allegedly took and melted at some point."

It's been more than 3 years since Colorado mom Suzanne Morphew went missing, the mystery is still no closer to being solved

Suzanne Morphew left behind two teenage daughters and a husband, Barry Morphew, who was not only the prime suspect in her disappearance, he was also charged with her murder.

www.cbsnews.com

BM wanted the appearance of wealth but was not wealthy. They moved to Colorado in part to get in state tuition for MM1. They bought a nice house and had Range Rovers. Period. There really were no other trappings of affluence. A Mexican vacation at an all inclusive once a year. No counrty clubs /no golf/no skiing/ etc etc.

Like most of us everyday folk they were TJMaxx, Marshalls, Kohls people. No Gucci or Louis Vuitton. No Neiman or Saks. (That's Iris)
BM = All hat no cattle.

I lean towards the ring being FAKE, just like most things about BM. I imagine the ring was a peace offering at one time from Barry to Suzanne for his bad behavior.

Even if real, the street value is not going to make a dent in what he needs for cash for a defense. I doubt it would be worth more than 5k. And 5k is not going to move the needle for Barry Lee.

I don't know that we will ever know, absent finding an appraisal attached to an insurance rider or the intial bill of sale. . Would Suzanne have questioned the ring being real? Would BM have told her if it was not real diamond.

We just don't know.

JMO

To define, we need the carat weight and the year it was bought. Twenty years ago, diamonds were considered "investment" and "heirloom" (not anymore). They were not that expensive either. So it could have been real. It is not over two carats, rather white, good clarity, but there are tons of such stones and only colored diamonds are rare.

P.S. Nordstrom mall is close by. Next to it there is Tiffany which i believe is useless. There is also Blue Nile which is affordable. All depends on where they went. If there were jewelers in the family they could skip overhead. I would bet on "real".

 

[TIGER0822]

I agree. LE and others searched the grounds around the house property on Puma Path extensively. I think they were fairly confident that SM’s body was not there.
Since the house was virtually surrounded by mountains, perhaps they thought they could flush him out by saying they had a good idea where the body was but needed to wait for the snow melt in the higher elevations to go and retrieve it. They may have even watched/followed him for a while but were eventually pulled away to concentrate on other cases.
Or maybe one of BM’s workers tipped them off. We know MG told LE that Barry told her he could hide a body where no one would find it. Maybe she asked him, “Like where?”. I always thought she had a crush on him and may have felt put out that he had a new gf. Remember her interviews with the press? “I am not the other woman!” Was that with said with regret as well as anger? MG spent several hours with BM on Saturday, May 9th at the riverside job site, (that was later searched by the FBI for several days), and described him as looking stressed and acting weird. The next morning BM called her and she said he sounded as if he had just had “the worst night of his life”. (He probably did.) The other employee, Jeffrey Puckett, was a loose cannon due to his meth use. He was the one who told LE that Barry’s hotel room in Broomfield smelled strongly of bleach. Pucket died of a meth overdose in March, 2023, just a few months before SM’s body was found.

Great summary. I am going to add that;
-MG heard BM truck outside her house (4.30-5am) -( variable times reports). It is unlikely hat BM drove up, stopped outside MG house and drove away without a valid / connected reason.
-MG stated that she 'MOSTLY' cooperated with LE, and that friends of BM (a group of men) gave her an envelope of money 'not to hand over her phone' . This is pure speculation as MG did hand over her phone to LE. IMO there may have been a different reason for the envelope of money other than 'handing over the phone ', IMO the reason was more likely not to pass along specific info. with handing over the phone as a cover story.
-Later MG said that she 'was afraid of BM', and then she moved out of town. -
.-BM made it very public that MG was ' a meth head', which appears to be an attempt at swaying people not to believe anything which she says. In my opinion if MG 'FULLY' cooperates with the Prosecutors she will be an incredible asset. IMO.

 

[New Penny]

We know where Barry was all Saturday evening--having a romantic steak dinner at home with his wife.

On one plate or two? Lol

 

[TIGER0822]

On one plate or two?

And then great sex. It was a perfect night, like their perfect marriage, and perfect house, and perfect home life.

 

[FromGermany1]

In my opinion if MG 'FULLY' cooperates with the Prosecutors she will be an incredible asset. IMO.

^^ THIS!

 

[OldCop]

Great summary. I am going to add that;
-MG heard BM truck outside her house (4.30-5am) -( variable times reports). It is unlikely hat BM drove up, stopped outside MG house and drove away without a valid / connected reason.
-MG stated that she 'MOSTLY' cooperated with LE, and that friends of BM (a group of men) gave her an envelope of money 'not to hand over her phone' . This is pure speculation as MG did hand over her phone to LE. IMO there may have been a different reason for the envelope of money other than 'handing over the phone ', IMO the reason was more likely not to pass along specific info. with handing over the phone as a cover story.
-Later MG said that she 'was afraid of BM', and then she moved out of town. -
.-BM made it very public that MG was ' a meth head', which appears to be an attempt at swaying people not to believe anything which she says. In my opinion if MG 'FULLY' cooperates with the Prosecutors she will be an incredible asset. IMO.

She kept popping up at critical points in the timeline, didn’t she?
Hopefully, she will fully cooperate now that SM’s body has been found with strong evidence pointing to BM as her murderer because of the BAM. I think she was afraid of him in the past and thought people would get to her if she agreed to testify against him back in 2022. She played a big part in so many of his activities leading up to SM’s disappearance and knew him well enough to read his emotions and was kind of a confidant to him. I think he enjoyed her respect/adoration and never thought she would give away anything he confided in her or anything she witnessed to LE.
ETA With any luck, over the past couple of years she has come to realize what a loser BM is and not the rich, suave, gentleman she thought he was.

 

[OldCop]

And then great sex. It was a perfect night, like their perfect marriage, and perfect house, and perfect home life.

The only thing that wasn’t perfect was the murder.
Kind of ironic that two guys who thought they pulled off the perfect crime were taken down by sheaths; a needle sheath and a knife sheath.

 

[charminglane]

The only thing that wasn’t perfect was the murder.
Kind of ironic that two guys who thought they pulled off the perfect crime were taken down by sheaths; a needle sheath and a knife sheath.

Sheath happens.

 

[Ontario Mom]

She kept popping up at critical points in the timeline, didn’t she?
Hopefully, she will fully cooperate now that SM’s body has been found with strong evidence pointing to BM as her murderer because of the BAM. I think she was afraid of him in the past and thought people would get to her if she agreed to testify against him back in 2022. She played a big part in so many of his activities leading up to SM’s disappearance and knew him well enough to read his emotions and was kind of a confidant to him. I think he enjoyed her respect/adoration and never thought she would give away anything he confided in her or anything she witnessed to LE.
ETA With any luck, over the past couple of years she has come to realize what a loser BM is and not the rich, suave, gentleman she thought he was.

My memory isn't what it used to be, but I don't remember having the impression she thought that of him. I seem to recall she kind of thought he was a blowhard.

 

[FromGermany1]

I think, they -BM and MG- were able to coordinate their needs regarding work and working hours quite well. I imagine, that each of them accommodated the other at times, and both benefited from it. He used her, and she probably used him too, perhaps to a tolerable extent on both sides.

Perhaps (and hopefully so) MG can now be more certain, that her ex-boss will be convicted and will no longer pose a threat to her life and limb, if she spills the beans.

MOO

 

[OldCop]

My memory isn't what it used to be, but I don't remember having the impression she thought that of him. I seem to recall she kind of thought he was a blowhard.

I agree. I think she had a kind of love/hate relationship with him. When he told her to jump she always asked, “How high?”. She was always at his beck and call. She worked for him for several years. She struck me as sort of a lost soul.

 

[Diddian]

My memory isn't what it used to be, but I don't remember having the impression she thought that of him. I seem to recall she kind of thought he was a blowhard.

That's what I recalled as well. A blowhard and a tough boss for whom you'd have to say "how high" when he asked you - last minute, on Mother's Day - to jump.

I also remember that she had been telling him of a case she'd heard of where someone fed a body to pigs and the body was fully consumed. And he responded by telling her he could make body disappear so it would never be found.

I think it likely - once SM disappeared and it was clear BM was using the Broomfield job and his workers as "cover" - that she remembered that as a not-so-subtle threat to keep her mouth shut. And having some of BM's friends approach her after SM disappeared to pay her (with what they called "hush money") and remind her that she was not obligated to hand her phone over to police likely just made that threat a little less subtle.

 

[HongKongPhooey]

I agree. I think she had a kind of love/hate relationship with him. When he told her to jump she always asked, “How high?”. She was always at his beck and call. She worked for him for several years. She struck me as sort of a lost soul.

I always thought they might have had a one off tumble somewhere along the way and that complicated how she saw things. Based on nothing at all other than my opinion.

 

[girlhasnoname]

Great summary. I am going to add that;
-MG heard BM truck outside her house (4.30-5am) -( variable times reports). It is unlikely hat BM drove up, stopped outside MG house and drove away without a valid / connected reason.
-MG stated that she 'MOSTLY' cooperated with LE, and that friends of BM (a group of men) gave her an envelope of money 'not to hand over her phone' . This is pure speculation as MG did hand over her phone to LE. IMO there may have been a different reason for the envelope of money other than 'handing over the phone ', IMO the reason was more likely not to pass along specific info. with handing over the phone as a cover story.
-Later MG said that she 'was afraid of BM', and then she moved out of town. -
.-BM made it very public that MG was ' a meth head', which appears to be an attempt at swaying people not to believe anything which she says. In my opinion if MG 'FULLY' cooperates with the Prosecutors she will be an incredible asset. IMO.

If anyone knows some 'dirt' I believe it will be MG and SD, we all know how much BM loves to talk. <ask his "great friend" SSA Grusing from the FBI lol>

How I hope these 2 women help bring down this sad sack of a little man. His ego will not be able to handle it and I'm here for it.

JMO

 

[Seattle1]

I don't believe BM confided the details of SM's murder in anybody, period!

I'm also afraid I don't share the optimism here that MG and SD will be star witnesses at trial-- and not because of their exposure to BM, but because their knowledge of his personality is not going to be admissible evidence at trial (RULE 404. CHARACTER EVIDENCE NOT ADMISSIBLE TO PROVE CONDUCT, EXCEPTION; OTHER CRIME).

For example, while MG can provide direct knowledge of expecting to work at the river house project on Saturday all day, and BM calling it a day before noon-- allegedly to "make the wife happy," yet evidence shows he spent the afternoon at DSI, changing the blade on the Bobcat, etc., MG can't testify about BM's shady business practices, including poaching employees like JP off another job to travel to Broomfield on Sunday for cash wages. MG can't testify about hearsay. She can testify that BM failed to collect her on Sunday morning as planned, and that she had to commute to the project on her own. Again, just the facts in evidence.

In other words, this type of evidence (character) is considered of slight probative value and may be very prejudicial. Courts have ruled it inadmissible because it tends to distract the trier of fact from the main question of what actually happened on the particular occasion. It subtly permits the trier of fact to reward the good man, to punish the bad man, because of their respective characters-- despite what the evidence in the case shows actually happened.

Relative to SD, she's quoted as saying that she told herself that evidence against Morphew was ‘merely circumstantial,’ and that authorities would drop their investigation after his first murder charge was dismissed. She said Morphew ‘never wanted to discuss it’ when she asked him about his wife’s disappearance. ‘He just wanted to heal and move forward.’

SD claims she further distanced herself from BM upon learning of the BAM found in Suzanne’s body. And she said she since has been working with a therapist to understand dynamics involving ‘control and narcissism’ that harmed their relationship.

Again, in a criminal trial, character evidence, which suggests how a person might have acted based on their personality, is generally inadmissible to prove they acted in conformity with that character on a specific occasion. However, Colorado law provides that the strict rules of evidence do not apply to a sentencing hearing. In fact any evidence that a Judge deems to have probative value will be heard. Colo. R. Evid. 1101

MOO

Dark revelations of woman who dated accused wife killer Barry Morphew

Shoshona Darke broke down in tears as she spoke exclusively to the Daily Mail after her ex's arrest on a murder charge.

www.dailymail.co.uk

A Manual - Guide to Colorado Criminal Case Sentencing

Free Consultation - Call 303-627-7777 - H. Michael Steinberg aggressively represents the accused against charges in Crime & Criminal cases. A Manual - Guide to Colorado Criminal Case Sentencing - Denver Crime Lawyer

www.hmichaelsteinberg.com

 

[sapphire blue]

To define, we need the carat weight and the year it was bought. Twenty years ago, diamonds were considered "investment" and "heirloom" (not anymore). They were not that expensive either. So it could have been real. It is not over two carats, rather white, good clarity, but there are tons of such stones and only colored diamonds are rare.

P.S. Nordstrom mall is close by. Next to it there is Tiffany which i believe is useless. There is also Blue Nile which is affordable. All depends on where they went. If there were jewelers in the family they could skip overhead. I would bet on "real".

Carat, clarity, colour and cut all play into the value of a diamond. A secondhand stone or ring isn’t going to be worth current retail price, its value is going to be far less, somewhere around the 30% mark. Scratches, chips or any other damage (which may only be obvious by using a loupe) will lower the value even more.

 

[TIGER0822]

If anyone knows some 'dirt' I believe it will be MG and SD, we all know how much BM loves to talk. <ask his "great friend" SSA Grusing from the FBI lol>

How I hope these 2 women help bring down this sad sack of a little man. His ego will not be able to handle it and I'm here for

Agreed.

 

[TIGER0822]

That's what I recalled as well. A blowhard and a tough boss for whom you'd have to say "how high" when he asked you - last minute, on Mother's Day - to jump.

I also remember that she had been telling him of a case she'd heard of where someone fed a body to pigs and the body was fully consumed. And he responded by telling her he could make body disappear so it would never be found.

I think it likely - once SM disappeared and it was clear BM was using the Broomfield job and his workers as "cover" - that she remembered that as a not-so-subtle threat to keep her mouth shut. And having some of BM's friends approach her after SM disappeared to pay her (with what they called "hush money") and remind her that she was not obligated to hand her phone over to police likely just made that threat a little less subtle.

Red flag right here. Interesting that MG brought up a ‘helpful’ murder technique at a critical time ,on how to make a body disappear and not be found, right after the time BM allegedly murdered SM. This is a very relevant conversation to prior events. And BM response sounds reassuring. ‘I can bury a body and no one can ever find it’ . IMO.

 

[TIGER0822]

My memory isn't what it used to be, but I don't remember having the impression she thought that of him. I seem to recall she kind of thought he was a blowhard.

Quoting from post below “I also remember that she had been telling him of a case she'd heard of where someone fed a body to pigs and the body was fully consumed. And he responded by telling her he could make body disappear so it would never be found@.

Red flag right here. This conversation happened at a critical time, the day after the murder. MG apparently brought up a murder tip on how to dispose of a body so that it is not found. BM replies sounds like it is reassuring her. ‘I could bury a body and no one will ever find it”. If this is correct I am viewing MG level of knowledge in a whole new way. IMO.

 

[Ontario Mom]

Quoting from post below “I also remember that she had been telling him of a case she'd heard of where someone fed a body to pigs and the body was fully consumed. And he responded by telling her he could make body disappear so it would never be found@.

Red flag right here. This conversation happened at a critical time, the day after the murder. MG apparently brought up a murder tip on how to dispose of a body so that it is not found. BM replies sounds like it is reassuring her. ‘I could bury a body and no one will ever find it”. If this is correct I am viewing MG level of knowledge in a whole new way. IMO.

If I'm reading your post correctly, you're suggesting MG had some knowledge of Barry murdering Suzanne.