Still Missing CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, Chaffee Co, 10 May 2020 *arrest* #94

[Murphy1950]

OMgosh! Thank you for this! I kept trying to search for “Barry lies” or “Friend says Barry lies a lot” or “Barry lies about everything” or “We all just put up with Barry’s lies”; I was inundated with other results of his lies.

Suffice it to say IANAL and I wouldn't call on this fellow, too much easily found public baggage (no sleuthing really necessary)

Barry and G W did have a long history and I have no doubt GW is telling it like it is, so don't shoot the messenger.

He served his purpose for the preliminary.

 

[OldCop]

The episode with the wood chipper by the river really bothered me as BM is a landscape guy.

The CSFS office in Salida owns a Vermeer wood chipper that can be towed behind a pick-up truck and handle logs up to 12 inches diameter.
Colorado Firecamp, About Us The Fire Camp is right up the road on CR 240. This is where the volunteer FF’s are trained.

 

[NothingSurprisesAnymore]

As a juror, I would search our every bit of testimony and not pay much attention to the stories either the defense or DA want to weave. With that, I would vote guilty.

Yes, I believe he's guilty too.
The prosecution must be able to link the evidence together showing Barry's guilt. They cannot expect jurors to fill in the blanks!
I wouldn't want that.
The state must be able to prove its case.
Though defense counsel excellent I believe with the evidence available that a competent prosecution can get guilty verdict.

 

[Seattle1]

Interesting. Any telematics/phone data/cameras in the vicinity of MG’s home? Barry could be throwing more stuff against the wall, shading his worker because her past was imperfect and he could deflect suspicion off of him. I have to go back to street view and look for the nearest dumpster.

In regard to noisy trucks, my neighbor has one. He starts it before 5 am most mornings, and goes back into his home while it warms up. Even in the summer. In winter months it might be on for 20 minutes before he roars away. There are some days where I lie there and think about how to approach him (he’s an idiot) and I wonder about engine block heaters and such and if there is a solution. Mostly I want to scream. BUT other days I sleep right through it. I probably would have that MG reaction if I heard my neighbor’s truck. I would know it. Sure there are others, but that one is mine.

Sorry about your neighbor @DizzyB -- sounds like he's an old-school dude still driving an older model diesel. And if he's idling his truck that long during the summer months, he must have a very important destination! I'm recalling when we left our vehicles idling all night-- and this was while the block heater/battery blankets were plugged in. Personally, I think if you first ask him why he idles his truck every morning, he'd be willing to relocate his truck where it doesn't disturb you. Maybe by moving it, he'll even go for a remote starter kit (they're fairly inexpensive today)! Good luck.

 

[Hoss569]

I think he'll be convicted based on the cellular evidence, the telematics, and his pre-trial statements

I never expected the propensity evidence to be admissible.

I still think a fourth will be added with the financial statements / receipts. I would think it would be pretty tough to get ALL four items tossed, or the hurricane will be hoarse after the first day.

 

[Megnut]

I still think a fourth will be added with the financial statements / receipts. I would think it would be pretty tough to get ALL four items tossed, or the hurricane will be hoarse after the first day.

Oh, no. Do we have to add a hoarse to our collection now?

 

[Scootie98]

It's an interesting bit of wizardry to ask to play all 3 30 interviews and simultaneously to have them thrown out.

Barry speaking for Barry is the most compelling evidence against Barry to date! However, no worries, even without that, the overlay of his actions both prior and post along with cellular date and telematics paralleled with the cessation of Suzanne's digital footprint and predictable behavior speaks even louder than he does.

Taken in part or in total, there remains no other reasonable explanation.

Guilty.

JMO

Barry speaking for Barry, indeed. Recall early on when Barry produced love letters from Suzanne to him? I tend to think that this was a pre-emptive strike to negate the obvious knowledge of divorce-related subject matter and/or affairs...which were going to counter Barry's "perfect marriage" narrative. Barry knew that those two issues were arrows pointing at him...and he tried to deflect them with dated love letters from his wife, even before they surfaced. What they didn't do was convince anyone of Barry's love for Suzanne.

 

[Momofthreeboys]

The CSFS office in Salida owns a Vermeer wood chipper that can be towed behind a pick-up truck and handle logs up to 12 inches diameter.
Colorado Firecamp, About Us The Fire Camp is right up the road on CR 240. This is where the volunteer FF’s are trained.
View attachment 333841

Ah, so now we think he either went and got a wood chipper or went to the Fire Station?

 

[O.Incandenza]

IE sure crowed about “ proving TF innocent “.

Iris Eytan, Dru Nielsen - Colorado Lawyers - The Force of Nature and the Steadying Hand
“We didn’t have to prove his innocence, but we did,” Eytan says.



And when I searched for that quote I just happened to run across a case in El Paso County where IE and Mark Hurlbert went toe to toe.

Citing thin evidence, prosecutors dismiss case against Maketa co-defendant

Hurbert told the judge the dismissal should "in no way" be construed as a sign of San Agustin's innocence - a statement Eytan dismissed as "hooey."

In a murder case, it's almost always a good idea for the defense to present an alternate theory of what happened IMO. For lesser crimes, juries may be more comfortable letting defendants off solely on the basis of the state not proving their case well enough. But when someone is dead, juries are generally uncomfortable with letting the likely murderer go free purely based on some holes in the evidence. The defense needs to actually present them with an alternate theory/suspect.

These defense lawyers seem competent, so I think they will present an alternate theory. If I had to guess it will look something like this:

• Suzanne was planning to leave Barry. That's supported by her texts to him, her texts to SO, what she said to JL, etc.
• She enlisted the help of an unknown man (they'll probably imply he was another secret lover). Unfortunately for her, she chose the wrong person. This is the person who left the unidentified DNA on the dashboard of Suzanne's car.
• On Mother's day, this man came to the house after Barry left. Suzanne disabled the security cameras in the house so that Barry wouldn't see him. Hence her DNA on the cables of the security system.
• Something went wrong and this man abducted Suzanne from the house/killed her there and removed her body. That allows them to place the blame for things like the cracked door frame & bullet on this man.
• To draw attention away from the crime scene of the house where his DNA might be present, the man staged the bike and helmet.

A theory like this will allow them to focus on the unknown DNA and on SM's affair.

Obviously there are big holes in this story. It doesn't explain why Suzanne's digital trail stopped on Saturday afternoon. It doesn't explain the odd phone/car activity on the night of 5/9. It doesn't explain the multiple trash stops in Broomfield. It doesn't explain Barry's changing stories. And the explanation for staging the bike is very weak. It's very easy to see why Barry would want to stage the bike (proof that SM was alive on Sunday), but much harder to see why it would be worth it for someone else.

But they'll put on experts to call into question the reliability of the telematics and phone data. And they'll hope that at least one or two jurors buy it.

I don't think it will work as long as the prosecution puts on their case well and focuses on Suzanne going silent the afternoon of the 9th, Barry's bizarre behavior following that and his ever-changing stories. So hopefully they do that.

 

[TwinkieDefense]

This has probably already been discussed and ruled out, and I have tried to find out on my own but cannot. Does anyone know if Suzanne’s home in Salida had a septic system? I read that it does have a well. I suppose they would have been looked into and ruled out long ago.

 

[Cindizzi]

Rbbm

I respectfully disagree.

From Suzanne's list of grievances:

Shame and guilt daily for not meeting expectations

If that's not belittling and if belittling daily isn't verbal abuse, I don't know what is.

We can't ask Suzanne -- because someone disappeared her within about 24 hours of her last update to her list. And since we can't ask her, I think we owe it to her to pay attention to every single word she left behind.

JMO


AA P. 12/14

Colorado Judicial Branch - Chaffee - Cases of Interest - People of the State of Colorado v. Barry Lee Morphew

Not only her written word, but an actual recording of her voice that the spy pen picked up while she and BM were riding in his truck.
Page 29 of the AA

 

[Scootie98]

This has probably already been discussed and ruled out, and I have tried to find out on my own but cannot. Does anyone know if Suzanne’s home in Salida had a septic system? I read that it does have a well. I suppose they would have been looked into and ruled out long ago.

The septic or basically any location on the Morphew property would be ruled out, imo...because it would not jive with Barry's statement that "he could bury a body and no one would ever find it"....He could bury a body on his property....the rest he would have no control over. I think he used his skill set and Mother Nature's secret hiding places.

 

[sk716]

His lawyers absolutely would have warned him about that, as they aren't stupid people. They know it would be very difficult for Barry not to hunt, especially with his penchant for ignoring all sorts of rules, laws, and regulations.

I hope he does go hunting, and gets caught.

I'd be willing to bet he stays under surveillance. CCSO knows he's going to do something, all they have to do it wait.

I'd love for him to head to a gun show thinking no one would know.

 

[sk716]

What did 7 yr old Barry kill??????

7 or 8 is about the first time dad/grandpa takes the kid hunting. In the South, girls go too. I went out the first time around 6, but I'm ADHD so I'm not great to have in a deer stand. My brother went every time he had the option.

 

[Momofthreeboys]

The septic or basically any location on the Morphew property would be ruled out, imo...because it would not jive with Barry's statement that "he could bury a body and no one would ever find it"....He could bury a body on his property....the rest he would have no control over. I think he used his skill set and Mother Nature's secret hiding places.

Now that 2 years have passed any chemicals that would have gone out through the home drains would have leached into the drain field. And even if you wanted to go to the cover out in the drain field those get covered with dirt and debris and really aren't that big. I don't think septic would play any kind of role. There would be drawings most likely on file from the original home build as to the drain field location which after all these years would be covered most likely with plant materials. For a house with as many bathrooms as they have the containment basin if there is one would be quite large but the access quite small. I agree with @Scootie98 that thinking he dug into the drain field or flushed chemicals is not probably a possibility given the vast territory available. Now I know people have been quizzical about her jewelry...that you could flush but again why would you do that when you could just go hide it somewhere.

 

[Cindizzi]

Sorry about your neighbor @DizzyB -- sounds like he's an old-school dude still driving an older model diesel. And if he's idling his truck that long during the summer months, he must have a very important destination! I'm recalling when we left our vehicles idling all night-- and this was while the block heater/battery blankets were plugged in. Personally, I think if you first ask him why he idles his truck every morning, he'd be willing to relocate his truck where it doesn't disturb you. Maybe by moving it, he'll even go for a remote starter kit (they're fairly inexpensive today)! Good luck.

We’ve had the Puffer Law here since 2011. If your vehicle is idling in the driveway you better be in it.
Fines starting at $100.
Warming up your car unattended is illegal in Colorado

 

[Willowwood26]

Ah, so now we think he either went and got a wood chipper or went to the Fire Station?

I don’t know that “we” think anything. This kind of statement I find very misleading. The response was in reference to OP being uncomfortable with the forensic files episode on wood chipper. This was discussed at GREAT length in early threads.

 

[sk716]

What Causes Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma?

According to this article Hodgkin’s Lymphoma is not directly hereditary but if you have a parent who suffers from it, especially if you’re a female your risk of acquiring it increases. Additionally a female’s risk of acquiring an autoimmune disorder increases with a family history of both AI and HL. We know AI disorders are more prevalent in females and that certain stressors can contribute to this. Wasn’t Suzanne diagnosed with HL shortly after her parent’s divorce? Likely a highly stressful time for her as any teenager. And she later blamed her recurrence on stress and it’s leading to an unhealthy lifestyle?
If Barry knew anything about Suzanne’s diagnosis why would he risk this scenario endangering both daughters health? Selfish as can be. They are enduring an ultimate stress that thankfully most of us are not well acquainted with. He is endangering not only their safety and health but possibly contributing to their own lack of peace and risking their future health at a minimum.
When if ever has Barry ever put anyone’s needs above his own?

This is like the worst superpower in the world. Bruce Banner get stressed, he becomes the Hulk. Suzanne gets stressed and she gets cancer.

 

[Momofthreeboys]

7 or 8 is about the first time dad/grandpa takes the kid hunting. In the South, girls go too. I went out the first time around 6, but I'm ADHD so I'm not great to have in a deer stand. My brother went every time he had the option.

Yes where I grew up the legal age is 10 to hunt licensed, but kids go our earlier for sure. I don't remember if the Rod and Gun club ranges had an age as long as the kid was with a parent. I know my kids shot skeet at a pretty young age. The schools used to close for opening day of deer season...called it a teacher's record day LOL. I don't know if they still do that. I'm pretty anti-gun in general and alittle more tolerant of rifles for hunting and even I have shot skeet.

 

[Momofthreeboys]

I don’t know that “we” think anything. This kind of statement I find very misleading. The response was in reference to OP being uncomfortable with the forensic files episode on wood chipper. This was discussed at GREAT length in early threads.

I don't remember that but this case is almost 2 years old with thousands and thousands of comments. It just seemed like a random question with no "reason" and when the thread moves fast sometimes it's easy to miss previous comments. My apologies for not connecting the dots to old comments.