Found Deceased CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, Chaffee County, 10 May 2020 #63 *ARREST*

[Error505]

SBM
Just jumping off of this post re: the wedding, I think the wedding is being overplayed too. I can't imagine why a virtual wedding that you (and your family) aren't in or any part of, happening in another time zone is either important or interesting to SM. This idea is a write-off in terms of significance regarding SM's fate IMO.

Re: The Wedding. It was stated in previous thread that SM was to do a reading for the wedding. Almost all weddings were being held virtually during Covid lockdown. This wedding was for the daughter of one of SM’s best friends. I don’t think the actual wedding is significant, but the conversation between SM and her very, very good friend will be. MOO IIRC @10ofRods has posted about the wedding and SMs role as far as a reading goes. When you’re a part of someone’s wedding, it does carry a little more significance. MOO

 

[al66pine]

Mandatory to Prosecute?
Recent posts differed about whether prosecutors/district attys must pursue criminal cases after all arrests.
No, they are not required to do so. as prosecutorial discretion exists at both fed & state levels.

A quote here from the US Dept of Justice's "Justice Manual"* (Was title chosen by Captain Obvious?) which recognizes that prosecutors exercise discretion in pursuing cases and provides guidance to atty's employed in DoJ offices. Dip your toe into the water w this purpose stmt:
"9-27.110 - PURPOSE
The principles of federal prosecution set forth herein are intended to promote the reasoned exercise of prosecutorial discretion by attorneys for the government with respect to:

1. Initiating and declining prosecution;
2. Selecting charges;
3. Entering into plea agreements;
4. Opposing offers to plead nolo contendere;
5. Entering into non-prosecution agreements in return for cooperation; and
6. Participating in sentencing." bbm

From manual's Table of Contents, you can wade into the water:
"9-27.200 Initiating and Declining Prosecution—Probable Cause Requirement
9-27.220 Grounds for Commencing or Declining Prosecution
9-27.230 Initiating and Declining Charges——Substantial Federal Interest
9-27.240 Initiating and Declining Charges—Prosecution in Another Jurisdiction
9-27.250 Non-Criminal Alternatives to Prosecution
9-27.260 Initiating and Declining Charges——Impermissible Considerations
9-27.270 Records of Declined Prosecutions
9-27.300 Selecting Charges—Charging Most Serious Offenses
9-27.310 Charges Triggering Mandatory Minimum Sentences and Recidivist Enhancements in Certain Violent Crime Cases Including Drug Trafficking Crimes
9-27.320 Additional Charges..."

(I’m using this ^ re fed, since it’s rather straightforward, and I did not easily locate any CO-specific discussion re prosecutorial discretion.)
______________________________________
* 9-27.000 - Principles Of Federal Prosecution

 

[155etta]

Re: The Wedding. It was stated in previous thread that SM was to do a reading for the wedding. Almost all weddings were being held virtually during Covid lockdown. This wedding was for the daughter of one of SM’s best friends. I don’t think the actual wedding is significant, but the conversation between SM and her very, very good friend will be. MOO IIRC @10ofRods has posted about the wedding and SMs role as far as a reading goes. When you’re a part of someone’s wedding, it does carry a little more significance. MOO

I don't think "the reading" was ever verified. I think it is one of those things that grew legs. MOO.

 

[MassGuy]

SBM
Just jumping off of this post re: the wedding, I think the wedding is being overplayed too. I can't imagine why a virtual wedding that you (and your family) aren't in or any part of, happening in another time zone is either important or interesting to SM. This idea is a write-off in terms of significance regarding SM's fate IMO.

Andy said this wedding was the daughter of one of Suzanne’s closest friends. Let’s just say that it does appear to check out.

Not only do I not believe this wedding is being overplayed, I believe it is going to be vital to the state’s case.

I believe those Saturday communications did in fact take place, and they are crucial to both the timeline, and the context surrounding what was to come.

I think this friend is going to be the single most important witness here.

 

[DizzyB]

I think this friend is going to be the single most important witness here.

I remember way back when, I was starting to think Barry was never going to be charged. You were absolutely sure it would happen. You knew it would take time, but I should have bet the over. We will circle back and see on this one. Single most? Bold.

 

[roguelady]

If Suzanne was supposed to do a reading at the wedding and didn't show up (even online), wouldn't there be cause for concern? I really don't understand the timeline for the wedding window on the weekend. I'm just putting myself in that scenario. My son or daughter is getting married, my best friend is going to speak and give a blessing, and she doesn't show up....nobody is concerned or looks into why she's not there? I'm sure they did, and that's why we are not aware of all of the digital evidence. I think the wedding IS important, unless Suzanne confided in her friend beforehand why she would not participate, and that makes everything even more (fill in blank.) MOO

 

[MassGuy]

I remember way back when, I was starting to think Barry was never going to be charged. You were absolutely sure it would happen. You knew it would take time, but I should have bet the over. We will circle back and see on this one. Single most? Bold.

I’m convinced Suzanne’s last signs of life are going to be those communications. I think they’re going to tell us when this happened, and what was going on when this happened.

From that, at least in part, we may even be able to draw a picture of why this happened.

It’s entirely possible that no one other than Barry saw Suzanne on the day she was murdered. But at least one person heard her (maybe not literally), and will be able to speak for her.

 

[RumorMonger]

Andy said this wedding was the daughter of one of Suzanne’s closest friends. Let’s just say that it does appear to check out.

Not only do I not believe this wedding is being overplayed, I believe it is going to be vital to the state’s case.

I believe those Saturday communications did in fact take place, and they are crucial to both the timeline, and the context surrounding what was to come.

I think this friend is going to be the single most important witness here.

I'm not questioning the fact that the wedding happened or who was getting married or that there were communications about it. But since it wasn't SM's daughters getting married I just don't think a distant, virtual wedding can be that important or exciting. Therefore, what communications would be happening such that they could be crucial to a timeline? I can easily see the friend overselling how excited SM was about the event. Surprise surprise, my opinion is unpopular. IMO

 

[MassGuy]

I'm not questioning the fact that the wedding happened or who was getting married or that there were communications about it. But since it wasn't SM's daughters getting married I just don't think a distant, virtual wedding can be that important or exciting. Therefore, what communications would be happening such that they could be crucial to a timeline? I can easily see the friend overselling how excited SM was about the event. Surprise surprise, my opinion is unpopular. IMO

Virtual or otherwise, these things tend to be important to most people.

Next to your actual wedding, the wedding of your daughter is a big deal. I don’t think it’s weird to expect that Suzanne would be there for her friend, who I’m sure was nervous.

It was a big day.

 

[TKG]

Virtual or otherwise, these things tend to be important to most people.

Next to your actual wedding, the wedding of your daughter is a big deal. I don’t think it’s weird to expect that Suzanne would be there for her friend, who I’m sure was nervous.

It was a big day.

Considering the long friendship they shared as well as, sharing of milestones in their lives, this was undoubtedly important to both the friend and SM.

Beyond being important, it would be highly unusual for one of them to be a "no show".

IMO MOO

 

[Error505]

My guess is if the FBI wants a You Tube video they can get it either directly from the person who created the video or from You Tube.

YouTube doesn’t duplicate videos uploaded to their platform for record keeping purposes. If a YouTube account deletes a video uploaded by that account, YouTube would have no way of turning over said video to LE. Speaking from personal experience regarding deleted videos on my YouTube channel. If the creator loses said video, I guess LE is **** out of luck , huh? MOO

 

[Boxer]

@Momofthreeboys - Yes BM really did say that. I’d be very surprised if FBI would deliberately LIE in the Affidavit over “voter fraud” and their conversation with BM.
Barry Morphew accused of using missing wife's ballot to vote for Donald Trump - KRDO

SALIDA, Colo. (KRDO) -- Barry Morphew, the man accused of murder in the disappearance of his wife, is now accused of using his missing wife's ballot in the 2020 presidential election to vote for Donald Trump.

Morphew, who's already in custody for first-degree murder and several other charges in connection with Suzanne Morphew's disappearance, faces new charges, according to court records updated this week. Those charges include forgery and "offenses relating to mail ballots."

According to an affidavit filed in Colorado Court, Chaffee County Clerk Lori Mitchell reported on Oct. 22 that the office had received a ballot that was "predesignated for a missing person, identified as Suzanne Morphew." Morphew has been missing since last Mother's Day.


The County Clerk gave the ballot to a Chaffee County Sheriff's Office sergeant as evidence, and the ballot had an address listed as 19057 Puma Path in Salida, which is where the Morphews resided. The ballot didn't have a signature, but it did have a "handwritten date of 10/15/20" and the handwritten name of "Barry Lee Morphew on the designated signature line of Witness' Legal Name," according to the affidavit.

A detective got the evidence, and on April 22, 2021, FBI agents met with Barry Morphew in person near the Franz Lake area. This was before Morphew was taken into custody for a first-degree murder charge.

During the interview, the agents asked Barry why he submitted Suzanne's election ballot.

According to the affidavit, Barry replied, "Just because I wanted Trump to win ... I just thought, give him another vote, I figured all these other guys are cheating."

Barry also told the FBI agents, "I know [Suzanne] was going to vote for Trump anyway."

The FBI agents asked Morphew if he knew that it was illegal, and he replied saying, "I didn't know you couldn't do that for your spouse."

The arrest affidavit for the murder charge that Morphew is facing is still sealed, and opposing parties have until May 27th to submit documents in response. Few other details have been released in the alleged murder.
MOO[/QUOTE]

IMO the neighbor actually said that she was hard of hearing and waited 20 or 30 minutes before acting.

She said at first she thought a refrigerator truck was idling outside her house, but then decided the noise was from the worksite.

 

[Boxer]

Re: The Wedding. It was stated in previous thread that SM was to do a reading for the wedding. Almost all weddings were being held virtually during Covid lockdown. This wedding was for the daughter of one of SM’s best friends. I don’t think the actual wedding is significant, but the conversation between SM and her very, very good friend will be. MOO IIRC @10ofRods has posted about the wedding and SMs role as far as a reading goes. When you’re a part of someone’s wedding, it does carry a little more significance. MOO

Agree. She was part of the wedding and and was important part of things with her friend.

 

[Boxer]

I’m convinced Suzanne’s last signs of life are going to be those communications. I think they’re going to tell us when this happened, and what was going on when this happened.

From that, at least in part, we may even be able to draw a picture of why this happened.

It’s entirely possible that no one other than Barry saw Suzanne on the day she was murdered. But at least one person heard her (maybe not literally), and will be able to speak for her.

Exactly.

 

[Boxer]

I'm not questioning the fact that the wedding happened or who was getting married or that there were communications about it. But since it wasn't SM's daughters getting married I just don't think a distant, virtual wedding can be that important or exciting. Therefore, what communications would be happening such that they could be crucial to a timeline? I can easily see the friend overselling how excited SM was about the event. Surprise surprise, my opinion is unpopular. IMO

A friend stops communicating during wedding prep, then fails to show up?
MOO is super important as it brackets a point on the timeline:
communicating SM then absent SM.
It's very sad actually.

 

[K9Enzo]

@Seattle1 if you can fact check me please. The wedding turned into a private event on Sunday- Mother’s Day, correct?

SM is a no show for this virtual wedding on Sunday? To me, it appeared her girls were not concerned about that, it was they couldn’t reach her for themselves. I was never under the impression everyone was freaking out Sunday because she no showed for a virtual wedding. Her own sister doesn’t even mention that. I don’t think the wedding is an investigation secret. IMO

 

[DizzyB]

I'm not questioning the fact that the wedding happened or who was getting married or that there were communications about it. But since it wasn't SM's daughters getting married I just don't think a distant, virtual wedding can be that important or exciting. Therefore, what communications would be happening such that they could be crucial to a timeline? I can easily see the friend overselling how excited SM was about the event. Surprise surprise, my opinion is unpopular. IMO

I’m not as sure that Suzanne had a role in the wedding. But I’m sure that as close friends, Suzanne and her friend chatted a lot about it. They might have texted, or zoomed, FaceTimed, shared photos back and forth. People logged on and watched the wedding live. Of course Suzanne would have watched- it wasn’t as if Suzanne had a full dance card that day. Empty house.Why wouldn’t she watch? Heck I’d watch. If Suzanne and her friend were chatting on Saturday and suddenly Suzanne went dark, or Suzanne had shared in the days prior and now was unreachable, red flags are up.

 

[MrsWatson]

RE: Wedding Reading

I think I may have been the one to originally suggest Suzanne might have been doing a reading for the wedding. That is only an opinion I had, maybe I didn't make that clear, for which I apologize.

I think Suzanne's absence during the wedding is going to springboard to all kinds of information. No matter if Suzanne was giving a reading or not, she had a been a part of the planning and likely support for her friend. Suzanne suddenly going dark would be glaring.

And BFFs know things.

All MOO

 

[CGray123]

I really don't think so -- just based on there not being any federal charges in the Colorado cases cited and/or reported in MSM.

I also thought this an interesting comment about ballot fraud:

“They don’t make really good criminal cases because it’s difficult to prove criminal intent, that there was a knowing violation of election law,” District Attorney John Newsome said.

Hundreds in Colorado investigated for voter fraud

Note that this 2005 article relates to the November 2004 election, and the ballots at issue then were absentee ballots under a law no longer on the books. I believe Colorado's all-mail ballot system and the technology and rules supporting it was first implemented in 2013: After 7 Years of Voting by Mail, Coloradoans Aren't Taken In by Absentee Ballot Drama.

I suspect the problems with prosecution of ballot fraud cases have been removed intentionally by the changes. MOO.

 

[Momofthreeboys]

I think any communication, device use, vehicle locations, cell phone pings for both Barry and Suzanne are critical to establishing a timeline. The items that for me relative to the wedding that are critical: The time Suzanne was online discussing wedding plans with her friend and if as stated by posters that she did not sign-on to virtually attend the wedding...something she indicated she had planned on doing. I assume that LE has developed a "Suzanne timeline" and a "Barry timeline". The data points are almost more important than the conversations unless there was something in the conversations (digital or otherwise) that supports the charges. In other words in my mind what they were doing was of lesser important than when they were doing it. Another point that "could" support the timeline if the prosecution needed additional support for the timeline would be if she told her daughters or Barry "remember don't call me between x o'clock and y o'clock because I'm going to be online watching so and so's wedding. But my opinion is prosecution will keep their story tight and clean if they are able to and not introduce unnecessary actual witnesses and open them to cross.