Still Missing CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, Chaffee Co, 10 May 2020 *arrest* #88

[Love Never Fails]

I’ve been intrigued by true crime stories forever. My Mom and I used to swap Ann Rule paperbacks and watch Dateline stories. I moved to Colorado in 1998 and there have been, unfortunately a lot of cases in my backyard.

One I never followed was the Watts case. I just couldn’t. My local news told me all I needed to know about those poor babies. Plus, there was no trial. I am much more interested in following the Judicial process than the gory details.

The other night I went down a a YouTube rabbit hole on Watts and learned of a long statement that S.Watt’s Mother wrote where she said that when they first got together Shan’nan was ill with Lupus and Chris would rub her feet and sit for hours on the couch without moving as to not disturb her.

It reminded me of when Suzanne’s sister said that when SM was young and going through Chemo, BM would carry her from room to room because SM was so weak. She said that SM and her Mother were so impressed and thought he was her Hero.

Sorry, it just gave me the creeps big time.

I’m sure both couples were in love at one time.
JMO

I think with both Watts and Morphew, it wasn’t really about pleasing their wives or taking care of them. It was more about the men making themselves look good. I can’t explain it and I would certainly hope my husband would step up and do all he could for me. I would do it for him. But how does a person go from carrying his sick wife around to murdering her? I would need a lot of psychological training to understand that. Watts was almost a lap dog for his wife until he found another woman to have sex with. I can’t figure it out. I’m glad I don’t have to.

 

[Love Never Fails]

Talking about Grusing, I'm going through the PH.

Nielsen: And to be clear your theory is that Barry is carrying his phone as he's supposedly moving from porch to porch, correct?

Grusing: I didn't know how else it would get there.
​

I love this guy!

Oh yes, love his answers!

 

[sk716]

I watched some YouTube interviews with Agent Grusing. I noted in discussing cases in general like the Berreth case, he said we might say “he never loved her or he couldn’t have killed her”. But Grusing said that’s not true when you are talking about couples.
That puzzles me. I don’t see how a narcissist like Barry could have ever loved Suzanne.

Narcissism isn't really that black and white. Narcissists can form attachments. It's not love, but 'attachments' can be even more endangered than 'trophies'.

 

[rainbowshummingbird]

I think with both Watts and Morphew, it wasn’t really about pleasing their wives or taking care of them. It was more about the men making themselves look good. I can’t explain it and I would certainly hope my husband would step up and do all he could for me. I would do it for him. But how does a person go from carrying his sick wife around to murdering her? I would need a lot of psychological training to understand that. Watts was almost a lap dog for his wife until he found another woman to have sex with. I can’t figure it out. I’m glad I don’t have to.

Barry saw Suzanne as an object from which he benefited. He wanted her around as long as she made him look good. When she no longer wanted to live her life as a prop for Barry, he disposed of her.

 

[swedeheart]

Kind of agree.

She is not far away, but it is still a lot of ground to cover.

I have touched down in Colorado, and the vastness of this place is absolutely mind-blowing.

Got Suzanne on my mind this evening, sitting here in a hotel room in this state.

 

[crhedBngr]

Barry saw Suzanne as an object from which he benefited. He wanted her around as long as she made him look good. When she no longer wanted to live her life as a prop for Barry, he disposed of her.

Well said.

JMVHO.

 

[NoSI]

I have touched down in Colorado, and the vastness of this place is absolutely mind-blowing.

Got Suzanne on my mind this evening, sitting here in a hotel room in this state.

Welcome to Colorado @swedeheart! Please let me know if there is anything I can help with.

 

[Megnut]

Lol. The same thing happens to me when I read portions of the AA now. I can totally picture it.

I can see why Barry would respect him, as Grusing just has this aura about him. No way would Barry open up to some detective, as Barry would view himself to be way above a person like that.

Barry's statement to Grusing when he was sitting handcuffed in the back of the police car says it all:

"How could you do this to me? I trusted you."

Gold. Pure gold. Suzanne trusted you, BM.

Just want to underscore this. Credit goes to @MassGuy and @MrsWatson.

Easy to imagine that being Suzanne's last thought, as her life ended -- how could you do this to me? I trusted you.

I imagine the last image of her alive, the one to which he wouldn't/couldn't give voice wasn't Suzanne with drunk eyes (drunk, no... tranqued, yes) but Suzanne eyes with the sad pain of betrayal. And fear for her babies.

JMO

 

[mrjitty]

Talking about Grusing, I'm going through the PH.

Nielsen: And to be clear your theory is that Barry is carrying his phone as he's supposedly moving from porch to porch, correct?

Grusing: I didn't know how else it would get there.
​

I love this guy!

Do you have a transcript of the hearing?

 

[mrjitty]

Oh, I'd bet the farm on that. Poetic justice that his own arrogance buried him.

I've listened to some of the Necrosearch audio book. It's great!

 

[mrjitty]

Lol. The same thing happens to me when I read portions of the AA now. I can totally picture it.

I can see why Barry would respect him, as Grusing just has this aura about him. No way would Barry open up to some detective, as Barry would view himself to be way above a person like that.

Barry's statement to Grusing when he was sitting handcuffed in the back of the police car says it all:

"How could you do this to me? I trusted you."

It's also perfect psychopath behaviour - going for the emotionally manipulative line.

He probably did believe there was some relationship between them.

 

[mrjitty]

I first heard of Jonathan Grusing during another Colorado case last Summer. The trial of Mark Redwine for the murder of his young son, Dylan. I recommend watching Grusing’s entire testimony. Especially starting at 39:00
here

I love the trick of getting the subject to put % chances on what happened to the victim

 

[DeDee]

He's just delightful. After Wild Crime, I re-read his interviews with Barry and I laughed a lot because I had these incredulous expressions to go along with Barry's answers.

Do you have a link handy for the FBI interviews with Barry? (It seems it's double posting again)

I watched some YouTube interviews with Agent Grusing. I noted in discussing cases in general like the Berreth case, he said we might say “he never loved her or he couldn’t have killed her”. But Grusing said that’s not true when you are talking about couples.
That puzzles me. I don’t see how a narcissist like Barry could have ever loved Suzanne.

Yes! JMHOO... PBBM

A slick guy like Barry coveted what Suzanne stood for. He needed her physical assets. Good, clean, All American, Christian, naturally beautiful, gorgeous daughters, money, status. Having Suzanne by his side, gave Barry authentication, almost immediately, in any setting. Get it? Men soak in energy from being with a beautiful lady who possesses a pleasant attitude.

Suzanne was beautiful to him, and as irreplaceable for Barry as a shiny black truck with triple seats or the BobCat's blades. And, Barry got ShoSho with the trade in. To Barry, Suzanne was a thing of beauty like a vehicle, no more no less.
The End.
.

 

[mrjitty]

I have touched down in Colorado, and the vastness of this place is absolutely mind-blowing.

Got Suzanne on my mind this evening, sitting here in a hotel room in this state.

That's why I am enjoying @MassGuy 's book reco - imagine trying to scour Colorado for a grave in the olden days! (It's also amazing how the 80s and 90s feel like the olden days now - let alone the 70s)

Even now - it's a needle in a much smaller haystack

The dogs are clearly the best bet, but I guess if she is down a deep mine - that might be too much for them, even if they came close by

 

[mrjitty]

Narcissism isn't really that black and white. Narcissists can form attachments. It's not love, but 'attachments' can be even more endangered than 'trophies'.

Yes - as an abuser, power and control has a lot to do with it. They get narcissistic supply from the unhealthy close personal relationships they create. Seeking to break out from the abusers control will likely lead to escalating threats/intimidation etc. I know from other cases that many on this forum experienced this.

Also Psychopaths/Narcissists are known to discard their partners at the drop of a hat once no longer useful. I think partly SM was simply in the way. He didn't want to share the matrimonial property with her (inconvenient to him), nor did he want to go through separation and have to admit to himself the relationship was over - so the answer was just to kill her.

 

[Momofthreeboys]

I think with both Watts and Morphew, it wasn’t really about pleasing their wives or taking care of them. It was more about the men making themselves look good. I can’t explain it and I would certainly hope my husband would step up and do all he could for me. I would do it for him. But how does a person go from carrying his sick wife around to murdering her? I would need a lot of psychological training to understand that. Watts was almost a lap dog for his wife until he found another woman to have sex with. I can’t figure it out. I’m glad I don’t have to.

That is what the prosecution has to prove. In this case that he went from loving his wife to killing her.

 

[Love Never Fails]

That is what the prosecution has to prove. In this case that he went from loving his wife to killing her.

I don’t think the prosecution has to prove he ever loved her. Agent Grusing was giving his opinion that we don’t know what goes on in the dark of a couples relationship. He was speaking of the Gabby Petito/Brian Laundrie case. It’s his opinion that a person can love and still kill. Personally, I don’t agree. Genuine love trumps everything. And when you love someone, their welfare comes first. So no, I do not believe BM was capable of love. Maybe it was elusive to him because he is a narcissist. All the prosecution has to do is lay out the facts of the case, even the mere facts as we know them and the jury will convict BM. <modsnip>

 

[rainbowshummingbird]

I don’t think the prosecution has to prove he ever loved her. Agent Grusing was giving his opinion that we don’t know what goes on in the dark of a couples relationship. He was speaking of the Gabby Petito/Brian Laundrie case. It’s his opinion that a person can love and still kill. Personally, I don’t agree. Genuine love trumps everything. And when you love someone, their welfare comes first. So no, I do not believe BM was capable of love. Maybe it was elusive to him because he is a narcissist. All the prosecution has to do is lay out the facts of the case, even the mere facts as we know them and the jury will convict BM. <modsnip>

Loving or not loving Suzanne has nothing to do with Barry murdering her. It’s irrelevant.

 

[Momofthreeboys]

I don’t think the prosecution has to prove he ever loved her. Agent Grusing was giving his opinion that we don’t know what goes on in the dark of a couples relationship. He was speaking of the Gabby Petito/Brian Laundrie case. It’s his opinion that a person can love and still kill. Personally, I don’t agree. Genuine love trumps everything. And when you love someone, their welfare comes first. So no, I do not believe BM was capable of love. Maybe it was elusive to him because he is a narcissist. All the prosecution has to do is lay out the facts of the case, even the mere facts as we know them and the jury will convict BM. <modsnip>

No, in Barry's own interviews he claimed over and over and over he loved her. Prosecution is not going down some of the rabbit holes we do and they can't attack his character by law with very, very few exceptions. We can chat about his character flaws or speculate he's got some personality trait that doesn't allow him to love, all that stuff but trying a man for murdering his wife is very different. Grusing is right...we don't know. LE doesn't know and the prosecutor's office doesn't know if he genuinely loved her.

 

[Love Never Fails]

Loving or not loving Suzanne has nothing to do with Barry murdering her. It’s irrelevant.

I was only discussing what Agent Grusing had to say about killers in relationships who loved their spouse/partner.