Found Deceased CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, Chaffee County, 10 May 2020 #64 *ARREST*

[jeni256]

Can some one please tell me what a spy pen is. It sounds like something out of James Bond!

Also, a great educational. My students who are slow note-takers use one in class. Approved via school counselor and with teacher informed. Very helpful.

 

[SouthAussie]

Also, a great educational. My students who are slow note-takers use one in class. Approved via school counselor and with teacher informed. Very helpful.

Being a previous teacher, I wonder if Suzanne subscribed to any teaching magazines/websites, and learned about spy pens there. Then adapted the use of one for her own purposes.

 

[Scootie98]

My take on the cross examination of Melinda: she is a grieving sister, who never disparaged Barry in the past, and barely did so even now. She believes in forgiveness. To go at her heavy handed, or appear to be argumentative with her, or attack her in any way, could really turn a jury. She is a sympathetic figure who has no reason to lie. To question her aggressively would not be a good idea.

I think its a reasonable assumption that the defense is going to be aggressive, but they will be selective about it. LE witnesses, and any tech witnesses will be sliced and diced to the max if possible. I also expect that they will need to paint Suzanne as somehow responsible for her own demise; which means they will employ the straw man abductor theory. So Suzanne's BFF may be questioned about any and all male names Suzanne may have discussed with her...while not singling out any one guy by name....creating the possibility that Suzanne may have been looking around is all they want to do...who better to question about Suzanne's inner most thoughts than her best friend? Its doubt they are are wanting to create...and since the BFF would not be a Barry supporter...that makes them fair game for the defense, imo.

 

[Scootie98]

Other Issues w Spy Pen?
If BM bought spy pen & planted to capture SM's calls, I wonder how that worked in practice.
I skimmed user-review survey of several spy pens (sorry, forgot who posted link to that great article, but TYVM).
Short battery life: looks like pens run for only 60 to 90 min.
Some are voice activated, so might pick up TV audio.
Some start only by manual switch. Who'd be around to do that every time?
And speaker's proximity to pen. How well or poorly would the mic pick up sound from one room to another, one level to another? And maybe other poss snags.

If BM chose a spy pen for eavesdropping, likely not optimal results imo.
Seems if SM picked a spy pen for her phone convos, it was an appropriate tool. my2ct.

I think we will find out the origins of the spy pen...which will be quite insightful. For example...if shopped for online, the household computers may have that data....along with any purchase order. If it was bought locally, that should be easily identifiable. But, imo, who acquired the spy pen is just as important, if not moreso, than what is on the pen.

 

[Error505]

The lead prosecutor, Jeff Lindsey, was for years the right hand man of legendary El Paso County District Attorney, Dan May.

An office that has had recent experience with the no-body case of Kelsey Berreth, and initially, the no-body case of Gannon Stauch.

He has prosecuted countless homicide cases, and knows exactly what he’s doing. If he’s good enough for Dan May, then he’s good enough for anyone.

It is not uncommon for defense attorneys to complain about issues with discovery, but it is uncommon to have this much evidence (a staggering amount that I’ve never before seen in a case like this).

I have seen absolutely nothing that gives me any cause for concern.

Encouraging Post on Jeff Lindsay, that I may refer back to from time to time as the trial approaches! Thank you for your insight @MassGuy moo

 

[Scootie98]

I just have this sense that Barry planted the spy pen to monitor Suzanne. I say that because the defense implied how critical the contents of the communications were to their case. That means either they need to project the ownership of the pen to Suzanne in order to poo poo the communications...or, they intend to challenge the validity of it due to poor quality, which they will claim is not definitive enough. I think Barry knew Suzanne was about to bolt and bail...and acted quickly...just like LE acted quickly to arrest him because he was getting ready to bolt and bail. There has been talk about a possible PE...well, maybe Barry hired a PE...to watch Suzanne and document anything that can be construed or misconstrued as her looking around for love type of contacts. Plus, if Suzanne hired a PE, how did she pay that person? Barry handled the money, didn't he? Unless her family or friends somehow was involved in helping her with that from the outside. If there is a PE...I think LE would know who that is...and you can add that person to the witness list.

 

[Scootie98]

Question for the legal experts:

Apparently there are differences in the preliminary hearing and criminal trial where the presentation of evidence is concerned...i.e.. the evidence presented at the prelim is not necessarily all or the same evidence. Correct me if this is wrong, please. So, how about witnesses? If there are, for example, 18 witnesses who may be called at the preliminary hearing (by the prosecution)....can there be additional witnesses called by the prosecution at the criminal trial, who did not testify at the preliminary hearing?

 

[GordianKnot]

Question for the legal experts:

Apparently there are differences in the preliminary hearing and criminal trial where the presentation of evidence is concerned...i.e.. the evidence presented at the prelim is not necessarily all or the same evidence. Correct me if this is wrong, please. So, how about witnesses? If there are, for example, 18 witnesses who may be called at the preliminary hearing (by the prosecution)....can there be additional witnesses called by the prosecution at the criminal trial, who did not testify at the preliminary hearing?

BBM:

Definitely.

There will likely be many more witnesses called to testify at trial than take the stand at the preliminary.

In the Kelsey Berreth case, for example, the DA didn't even call their star witness, KK, to testify at the preliminary hearing.

They only called a couple of LEOs: Courtroom updates: Preliminary hearing for Patrick Frazee, who is accused of killing Kelsey Berreth | 9news.com

 

[kshultz06082]

I think it was to help with a timeline of events. They are all closely connected and presumably in contact with each other often.

Separate opinion- I do think the AA might contain info that is not complementary towards one or both the daughters. It’s just a feeling I have, but I can’t give any specific examples. IMO

100% speculation and my opinion only - I would assume that the girls phones were taken for multiple reasons, but I imagine part of it was to clear them of having anything to do with SMs disappearance. And as for why they are being so protected in regards to the AA, I wonder if one or both lied to LE/covered for Barry. That definitely would get people upset to the point of potentially harassing them. Jmo but it's one of the few scenarios that makes me understand the AA issue. I guess we will find out soon enough.

 

[Fireflize]

100% speculation and my opinion only - I would assume that the girls phones were taken for multiple reasons, but I imagine part of it was to clear them of having anything to do with SMs disappearance. And as for why they are being so protected in regards to the AA, I wonder if one or both lied to LE/covered for Barry. That definitely would get people upset to the point of potentially harassing them. Jmo but it's one of the few scenarios that makes me understand the AA issue. I guess we will find out soon enough.

Interesting post. Made me wonder, if the D word was brought up, did BM turn them against Suzanne or try to. I could imagine him trying to use them to pressure her to get back in line. Moo

 

[DizzyB]

I’m expecting the prelim witnesses to be LE people. Put together the digital trail of evidence, highlight Barry’s lies having to do with that trail, show why it must be presumed that Suzanne is no longer alive. If necessary, one witness to represent Suzanne and show just how much trouble there was in paradise, and the lengths that Suzanne was going to in order to extricate herself from Barry.

 

[kshultz06082]

I'm late to the party, but thought I would link Lauren's tweets on today's hearing. If you read from bottom to top, she does a great job of recapping key points.
https://twitter.com/LaurenScharfTV

What I found most comical were BM's attorney's whining comments regarding the DA's discovery submittals, and issues with the hard drive. I loved the DA's responses, as well as Judge Murphy's. BM chose/hired from the apples found under his own tree

I was waiting for the defense to say "see? This is why we offered to provide the hard drive" referring back to when they implied that the DAs office couldn't afford to buy hard drives and the judge let them know that although they are in the sticks, he was confident the statecould afford to purchase their own hard drives. Jmo

 

[kshultz06082]

Important distinctions to clarify the recording.

"FBI played the recording for a man, and he had to wear headphones to listen to the FBI enhanced audio because of the quality of the recording which was poor"

Could the man be Barry then, afterall? I wouldn't think the Prosecution would ignore a significant piece of recorded evidence for any reason. Spy Pen evidence does not cross your desk but once in a lifetime, jmhoo & forevermore, or until this Spy Pen Saga is straightened out.

"one recording on the spy pen that Suzanne recorded -- which was between her and another individual on the telephone"

When did this Spy Pen recording between Suzanne and the mystery man take place? Does anyone know or is there a clue? We may need an entirely new thread named for Suzanne's Spy Pen Saga.

I wonder if "the man" was a divorce attorney or a pastor or someone related to domestic violence groups. Suzanne could have recorded their conversations to make sure she was able to reference back to it if they offered any suggestions on how to get away from Barry and protect her daughters and her assets. This makes sense to me because she would not want to leave any recordings or messages on her phone because Barry potentially had access to her phone or I icloud account. The spy pen could have been what she used to backup items of interest and keep them from being discovered by BM. I don't feel BM is technologically advanced and doubt he even would know that spy gear was available to the general public. I think he didn't even find out the technology existed until he either read about it in the AA, or he may have been just as surprised as the rest of us on the 22nd. IMHO, I do not believe BM was the purchaser or user of the spy pen. IMO, Suzanne was documenting important info related to her escape plan. Jmo

 

[Scootie98]

I wonder if "the man" was a divorce attorney or a pastor or someone related to domestic violence groups. Suzanne could have recorded their conversations to make sure she was able to reference back to it if they offered any suggestions on how to get away from Barry and protect her daughters and her assets. This makes sense to me because she would not want to leave any recordings or messages on her phone because Barry potentially had access to her phone or I icloud account. The spy pen could have been what she used to backup items of interest and keep them from being discovered by BM. I don't feel BM is technologically advanced and doubt he even would know that spy gear was available to the general public. I think he didn't even find out the technology existed until he either read about it in the AA, or he may have been just as surprised as the rest of us on the 22nd. IMHO, I do not believe BM was the purchaser or user of the spy pen. IMO, Suzanne was documenting important info related to her escape plan. Jmo

If BM hired a PE...it may be the PE who introduced the spy pen into the situation...as part of his job to monitor Suzanne, and/or anyone else associated with her potential escape, or relationships BM did not approve of.

 

[kshultz06082]

I am following up on my own post here because I vaguely recall that a late search warrant was served on BM’s sister’s house (TN’s mother’s property) in Indiana, not far from the Morphew’s former home in Arcadia. So, I wonder if the person the CCSO was reaching out to in that Nov 10 press release came forward, verified the conversation with SM documented by the spy pen recording (thus becoming a “consequential witness”) and provided further information that led LE to seek the warrant for that search.

WHAT could LE have expected to find in that late search in Indiana that would have been relevant to SM’s disappearance months earlier in Colorado? Did BM leave something with his sister when the Morphew’s moved to CO, or did he deliver something there after SM disappeared?

I believe that is the same sister that is the mother of BMs nephew TN. Could BM have sent TN home with some piece of evidence he didn't want the police to find? And then never anticipated that LE would search the sister's home in IN?
I might be grasping straws, but who knows. Jmo

 

[kshultz06082]

Without discounting that Suzanne's reading history may be very useful, a kindle can also be used for a few other things that may pertain to this case - with the investigators wanting to check closely in case these features were used by Suzanne.

One of the things is that you can browse the internet on a kindle, additionally you can save screenshots.

Another thing is that you can upload and store photos on a kindle.

(There are other features as well ... play games, play music)

Your Kindle Is More Than an eReader: 5 Hidden Kindle Features

A kindle could be a good place to hide photos and/or browsed items if someone checked your other technology for what you had been doing/saving, and did not realise that a kindle has these included features.

Additionally, a Kindle would not upload to her icloud where BM could be monitoring her electronic footprint.

 

[LandManatee]

100% speculative thoughts on my part for discussion and consideration: It now makes me wonder if BM wasn’t searching for the spy pen in the trash can in front of the bike shop. I have not been convinced he was looking for the bike helmet as so many have thought or he may have suggested. A helmet tossed in such a small confined space would have been easy to retrieve by just feeling around for it. BM seemed to have had plenty of time to encounter it if it was in the trash can before he was interrupted by the shop employees that day.

He was definitely looking for something discarded that was smaller and had to be dug for in a pile of trash. Likely something that would have weight to it and settle to the bottom.

What if somehow Suzanne managed to discard it while in town during her last visit and BM was on the hunt for it? However, Suzanne confided in someone about where it was tossed and that information ultimately allowed LE to retrieve it first. BM however, was left to retrace her/their last steps to locate it first, thus the digging in the trash can in town in front of the bike shop.

It gives a little credence to BM being adamant about not wanting to be voice recorded for interviews or take the voice test LE offered up. It makes me wonder if BM was trying to avoid being recorded because he knew his voice was on the spy pen and it would easily incriminate him.

IMO MOO Just thinking out loud about possible scenarios to fit some of the actions and details being released.

 

[kshultz06082]

I struggle to think that Suzanne had money for any independent enterprise, such as hiring a PI. Having been married to a purported control freak.

But I bet she could have asked any number of her family members or friends to help her get a PI in ways that Barry couldn't follow the money trail.

 

[DizzyB]

More spy pen stuff: the recording was played for a “very consequential witness”. Would Barry be considered a “very consequential witness”? Maybe I am just too literal. If anything, I would have thought that the defense would use something like “individual” if they were referring to Barry, if not by his name.

 

[charminglane]

Additionally, a Kindle would not upload to her icloud where BM could be monitoring her electronic footprint.

Exactly.
Every Kindle has its own email address to receive documents.
This would be the perfect way to have a "secret" account that BM would not realize Suzanne had.
Amazon.com: Send to Kindle by E-mail

I forget I even have this option as alternative email document storage.