Found Deceased CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, Chaffee County, 10 May 2020 #71 *ARREST*

[Herat]

Apparently, female deer weigh up to 125 pounds and males up to 300...

I went on some exotic animal/vet training sites and they say 15 minutes to complete unconsciousness for an elephant. Less for other animals.

I bet they had darts at the fire station.

Apparently, one should plan for the victim to move around for at least 5-10 minutes, depending on dose (if shot twice, then quicker). The more adrenalin in the victim, the longer it takes. Then, it begins to wear off as soon as 30 minutes, longer if the prey/victim is smaller.

If it was ketamine, then it is possible she was semi-conscious/loopy the whole time. I'm not liking what we're learning at all.

Was hard to sleep last night.

The wearing off in 30 minutes has some very serious implications, IMHO:

1. He has ~30 minutes to get her restrained, moved, secured if she is kept alive.

2. He has ~30 minutes to kill her. I think drowning in the hot tub is a very real possibility.

In trying to draw attention away from the act, he may have actually called attention to it by spending time at the store to buy all that chlorine.

 

[MassGuy]

I didn't watch the Frazee prelim. Any thoughts on comparing the impact of evidence (so far) as to which way the Judge will go? How strong was Frazee's? I don't want BM out! Worried as many of are.

Frazee’s had a material witness, which meant the whole process was more succinct. She walked them through all the scenes, and evidence was able to be collected that corroborated her claims.

The defense also didn’t use anywhere close to equal time, which sped things right along.

So without a witness like that, the picture has to be painted a very different way. All the connections have to be made the long way, which is time consuming.

The defense has dragged things out, so the prosecution hasn’t gotten anywhere near as far as they would have liked. So the full impact of the evidence has not yet been felt, with 2 more days remaining.

I do feel very good so far, and fully anticipate many of the things that are lacking, are in fact coming.

 

[Seattle1]

Yes I did find it disturbing. I am happy that the prosecution has 2 weeks to review, reset, and troubleshoot their case to ensure the Judge finds probable cause.

Scott had not received the "tranquilizer dart" information at the time of his program. Personally, up until then, I would have to agree. To be clear, probable cause to arraign BM and go to trial is nowhere comparable to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt and securing a conviction (at trial)!

 

[Truecolors]

It’s shocking that the one thing BM admitted to disposing in the 5 trash runs was tranquilizer material. Surely they pressed for a reason he had it, where he got it, etc. No answers yet?

 

[bestill]

Thank you @Seattle1 and @MassGuy!

 

[Diddian]

MOO - On the map shown in court (with the push pins I believe) that showed BM’s movements within the home after it is alleged he shot SM, it was said that the map represents what may have been BM chasing SM around the home until she was rendered unconscious from the tranquilizer dart.

I actually think it was just BM’s rapid movements of adrenaline in engaging the coverup of his act. I do believe it was likely SM was shot while outside sunbathing shortly after her last selfie, and was caught unaware. Even if she stumbled to react, I don’t feel she would have gotten too far before becoming immobile. Had there been a chase around and in the house between SM and BM, I think there may have been some sort of evidence to a struggle. Maybe something broken that shouldn’t be; things of that nature.

What I would look for on that map (especially in the hour after he got home) are the following:

-Did BM go into Mallory’s room? (Stripping of sheets to wrap SM’s body)
-How many times did he go into the garage?
-Did he go into the laundry room?
-How many times did he go in and out of the back patio door area?
-Did he go near the security system box where it was discovered the cords had been disconnected?
-Did he spend time wherever the home computer was located? (Possibly booking the HIE room)

I had read a post that compared the use of a tranquilizer to a scene from the movie What Lies Beneath. In the movie Harrison Ford uses a tranquilizer to subdue his wife and then puts her in a bath tub to drown. I strongly feel this is the first part of what happened to SM but possibly in the hot tub instead of bath tub. I hate to admit, but it’s clever in that it explains no blood being found in the home. BM then likely used the bedsheets to wrap SM’s body in for concealment and transport out of the home. I feel extra chlorine tabs were used to clean up any bodily excretions within the water/tub. Faced with his wet clothes (and towels if used for cleanup and/or bedsheets), he likely put everything on a dry cycle, hence the discover of a forgotten dart cap in the drying machine.

MOO

Good points. I also recall something said by one of the witnesses about BM contacting folks at the Salida Stove & Spa store to discuss repairs to the hot tub. So, I wonder... if he did do this as you've described, did he subsequently empty and clean the hot tub, which he could explain as a step necessary to prepare for those repairs?

 

[10ofRods]

Chaffee County Detention Center (CCDC) has not allowed in-person visitation for several years -- this policy did not commence with COVID. The vendor for video visitation, Securus, also provides inmate e-messaging for digital mail and photos.

There would be no reason for the Morphew's to go to the jail/detention center.

Securus Technologies - Friends and Family Video Visitation System

CCDC (capacity up to 105 inmates) is a private state facility that Chaffee County contracts with as it also holds inmates for other counties in addition to Dept of Corrections (DOC) bound inmates awaiting processing at the DRDC.

There is no charge to visitors that come to the jail to use the County's video visitation equipment but there is a fee (securus.net) for visitors using their home or off-site computers for visitation.

Visitation:

Visitation is only conducted by video-visitation either on-site(free) or from home (for a fee). Appropriate attire and conduct is required. Visits can be canceled at any time for a variety of reasons. Please check your visitation status prior to arriving at our facility. Visits can only be set up online at: Securus Technologies - Friends and Family Video Visitation System

Any issues with video visitation or inmate phone time need to be addressed with Securus via their website or 972-734-1111. Do not contact our facility.

On-site visits require a PIN number that you will receive when you schedule your appointment. If you do not have the assigned PIN number when you come on-sight for your appointment, you forfeit your visit. Be sure to bring a VALID photo ID to your visit. No photocopies or expired documents will be accepted.

Detentions Information - Chaffee County Sheriff

Well, I guess the only reason they would go to the center would be to avoid the small fee - so yeah, doubtful they are doing that.

 

[Momofthreeboys]

How much does a female deer weigh? Maybe 100 pounds? A buck? Maybe 250? How long could a person shot with a tranquilizer dart be able to move around, perhaps running, before the drug overcame them.

Even if BM only shot SM once with a dart it's unlikely she just remained on the lounge chair. She probably jumped up and tried to evade him. He probably laughed at her because all he had to do was wait for the drug to do its thing. Who knows where she ended up. Could have been outside or even in the house.

Ketamine is a date rape drug because it can keep the victim conscious while their limbs are paralyzed. They know what is happening to them when it takes effect but are powerless to stop it.

There are other date rape drugs out there that act as powerful tranquilizers but most are either illegal to use in the US or they are difficult to access. BM probably already had access to Ketamine, either through a business or his fire fighting duties.

The use of the dart is probably why there is no evidence of blood or cadaverine at the home.

More likely a person would tranquilize a predator animal...not the deer.

In May, the sheriff’s office, the FBI and CBI conducted a three-day search at a residential construction site east of Salida. The property owner told CBS4’s Rick Sallinger that Suzanne’s husband, Barry, laid the dirt at the riverfront property.

(credit: CBS)

Officials with the sheriff’s office said they did not make any connection to Suzanne’s case.
Missing Mom: Suzanne Morphew Disappeared 6 Months Ago

so where did this search fit in with their timeline? they haven't said yet what led them to look there - cell phone pings, truck data, etc. In trying to re-create the AA - I'm trying to figure out why they stop at 5:37am on May 10 regarding the steps he took?The affidavit reads, as read by Nielsen: From 2:47 p.m. May 9 until 5:37 a.m. May 10, he took steps to dispose of evidence of Suzanne’s disappearance and death. What about all the trash dumps throughout Sunday ?
https://www.thedenverchannel.com/ne...rs-confirm-suzanne-was-having-a-2-year-affair

timeline
Walker said the last activity on Suzanne’s phone was from 4:23 a.m. on May 10, 2020. Her phone pinged from a cell tower in Poncha Springs,

If there is zero connection to Suzanne at the river site, why would prosecution introduce it during the preliminary or use it in a trial? That would play well with the defense but doesn't support any of the theories. IF the river site DOES support the prosecution perhaps it will be used at trial. But I think there are some things that won't be part of the prosecution because they don't support their charges.

 

[oviedo]

How do you guys think he disposed of her phone?

At 4:44 p.m., BM’s truck door opened and closed. At 5:25 p.m., the gear shift went from park to reverse and moved backward in the driveway 95 feet-At 10:17 p.m. on May 9, BM's phone was taken off airplane mode and it was home.

I think he used a second vehicle to take her somewhere and his phone was in airplane mode the whole time until he returned home at 10:17pm

SM's phone made an outgoing call at 2:53am of May 10. That was a half an hour before the door event occurred on BM's truck.

Curious who the phone called? Was it a mistake - did they have similar phones ?

At 3:25 a.m. May 10, BM’s truck doors were opened and closed. The phone moved toward the location where the bike was found, according to Grusing.

I think he was planting the bike during this time - however, MH said it was very steep so that seems dangerous in the dark?

At 4:31 a.m. May 10, BM's phone went back into airplane mode. His phone came back online and he traveled toward Broomfield. Agent Grusing pointed out that GPS can still be tracked when a phone is on airplane mode.

Walker said the last activity on Suzanne’s phone was from 4:23 a.m. on May 10, 2020. Her phone pinged from a cell tower in Poncha Springs - Around 5:37 a.m., BM was heading towards Buena Vista, driving through Johnson Village.

I think the phone is between that cell tower in Poncha Springs and Broomfield - was he dumb enough to put the cell phone in a public trash can? Poncha Market on May 12 together with the note?
And a store manager at the Poncha Market described an encounter with Suzanne’s husband, a few days after Suzanne’s disappearance was publicized.

“Somebody knocked on the window and it was Barry Morphew,” Tiffany Butala said.

The note left by Barry, Courtesy of Poncha Market
Butala is a store manager at the market and watched Barry on May 12th around 8 p.m. write the note on the back of a receipt.
‘People don’t know the truth’: Suzanne Morphew’s husband breaks silence after three months | FOX21 News Colorado

so many theories we had about what he was doing, why and where - and to only get pieces of the timeline (knowing the AA is full of details) is frustrating.
ETA - the note was written on may 12 so he didn't put that in the trash on May 10 - i just can't believe he would put the phone in the trash in the first place.

 

[Boxer]

Still think it is ODD.

Maybe it's OBB, as in obfuscating.

 

[girlhasnoname]

I don’t post often but I do read mostly everything. I wanted to point something out that hasn’t been considered here very much. During the prelim, the defense gets its first taste of the prosecution’s theory and evidence for their case. We all know this. But also, consider that the prosecution is also getting their first taste of the defense and their theory, methods (cellbrite?), evidence etc. this is important info for the prosecution! The more leeway the judge gives them, the more independent evidence they produce, etc, the better prepared for trial the prosecution will be. Since it seems pretty clear there is certainly enough evidence to bind him over for a trial, I think the rest of the prelim we should all be hoping to see a robust and elaborate defense. It will prepare the prosecutors for the trial, and not give any real benefit to the defense other than temporary publicity.

Good thinking, maybe the Prosecution is letting them 'talk', and keeping their own cards closer to the vest. I think they've already met probable cause to bind over to trial, so they don't have to bombshell much more IMO.

EBM: Spelling

 

[Curiousobserver]

The wearing off in 30 minutes has some very serious implications, IMHO:

1. He has ~30 minutes to get her restrained, moved, secured if she is kept alive.

2. He has ~30 minutes to kill her. I think drowning in the hot tub is a very real possibility.

In trying to draw attention away from the act, he may have actually called attention to it by spending time at the store to buy all that chlorine.

Its a really risky tactic.

I ran an animal unit for drug studies and have administered many of the drugs he would have needed to use. Direct IV and the animal may go down very quickly. Some animals react very badly and don't go down for minutes while in between they get very agitated as they go under. If the drug is not delivered IV then the physiology happens much more slowly. If he shot her with a dart she almost certainly would have had time to scream and even run a short distance.

 

[skyedaze]

I think he shot or jabbed her with the dart and made sure she could not use that phone. And as soon as he could he picked her up and in the hot tub they went.
Then he had wet clothes (with a dart cap in his pocket) that needed to go in the dryer.
I'm guessing he wanted chlorine to clean the hot tub and whatever else?
IDK where she might be or if she is in one piece.
I'm suspicious of the tools.
As far as what he did in the hotel room..well maybe he slept cuz he certainly was busy all hours of the night.
They also mentioned his going down to the creek bind the house...I've always been suspicious of that for some reason.

 

[RedTRex]

Frazee’s had a material witness, which meant the whole process was more succinct. She walked them through all the scenes, and evidence was able to be collected that corroborated her claims.

The defense also didn’t use anywhere close to equal time, which sped things right along.

So without a witness like that, the picture has to be painted a very different way. All the connections have to be made the long way, which is time consuming.

The defense has dragged things out, so the prosecution hasn’t gotten anywhere near as far as they would have liked. So the full impact of the evidence has not yet been felt, with 2 more days remaining.

I do feel very good so far, and fully anticipate many of the things that are lacking, are in fact coming.

But again prosecution says the first 3 were the "meat and potatoes", looking good for a trial maybe.

 

[RedTRex]

have they even tried to prove she is dead yet?

 

[Diddian]

@Knox
Thinking about that. Why disrobe her and get rid of clothes?

I'm not sure, but Fotus Dulos disrobed Jennifer and threw her t-shirt and bra in the garbage. LE found both items.

IIRC, it is believed that Fotis Dulos cut his finger or thumb when attacking his estranged wife, Jennifer. His blood was found on the kitchen faucet as well as on a cabinet door (or possibly it was the kitchen door) at Jennifer's home.

So, it is possible that Fotis removed Jennifer's clothing items and cleaned her body because he feared his own blood might have spilled upon her and her clothing and if her remains were ever to be discovered before they decomposed enough for that blood to be destroyed, he did not want that connection to him to be present.

Others have speculated that Fotis may have used some product to speed decomposition and removed the clothing to allow that product direct contact with her tissues. Bags of lime had been found in a tarp and grill-covered hole that approximated the dimensions and shape of a grave on a hunting club property that Fotis's attorney and co-conspirator had access to.

I wonder if BM paid much attention to the Dulos case or others that discussed using certain products to speed decomposition. My understanding is that lime can in fact slow decomposition and the assumption that it helps speed decomposition is a myth. I believe that Israel Keyes used Drano to speed decomposition of the bodies of the couple he abducted and killed in Vermont.

 

[Lyanna]

Catching up on day 2 of preliminary- is awful to think about what Suzanne endured, just wanted to say chipmunk thing - in Suzanne's birthday vid made by friend, there's a clip of her feeding chipmunks? Sorry if mentioned, just thought it, ummm, coincidental?

eta - thanks to all who posted the tweets!

 

[BUF]

Anyone find Scott R's live from yesterday worrisome? He feels that the prosecution is weak thus far. He's not even sure at this point they have substantiated PC. Come on LS, bring out the big guns!!!

I’m not a big fan of SR. Have to say, isn’t it better for the prosecution to end on on some big stuff in two weeks rather than giving the defense the two weeks to prepare for anything. I have never seen a prelim disrupted like this. 2 days here then two days in two weeks to finish up…but these are unusually times. I also feel like the defense is ‘trying’ to run the clock out and not allowing the prosecution to have all 8 witnesses testify.

 

[Diddian]

Any food-borne tranquilizer would take forever to work. And none of them would produce complete unconsciousness easily - that's why oral meds aren't used for anesthesia.

If Barry used a dose meant for an adult deer, Suzanne would have been incapacited (down on the ground) pretty quickly - as in less than a minute, IMO, and then unconscious.

Barry also didn't want any stomach contents analyzed, if she was in fact found during this crime. With each passing day, after she disappeared, any evidence of the dart prick would be vanishing (by one month it would certainly be gone). At this point in time, I doubt there would be any evidence of the ketamine (or whatever it was). If it had been given orally, traces would last longer (concentrated in the stomach cavity area).

If BM had used the darts on deer and/or elk in the past in relation to his Indiana deer farm,* he likely had a good idea how much tranquilizer to use to put SM down as well as how long she'd stay down.

*CM on The Interview Room was the person who revealed that BM had at one time had a deer farm.

 

[Seattle1]

Yes! I forgot to add that thought! Make that a win-win-win for Barry. He might have been thinking if she were ever found that it still wouldn't tie to him because of COD if he did that. And he did make sure he mentioned her looking drunk and got it out there that she was taking painkillers and he didn't like it. That whole 50 reasons to leave Barry list also concerns me. Why would she put that about him accusing her of having a boyfriend on that list when she actually had one?? And the hydro one? It's just odd to me. Did Barry find and edit her list and throw those in there? It just seems like Suzanne would have known how to spell hydrocodone and spelled out the whole word and maybe Barry would have had to abbreviate it. MOO Just something that bothered me....but as Massguy has pointed out- after Barry arrived home on Saturday, May 9th Suzanne was gone. There is only one explanation for that.

I really don't think SM was referring to opioids here and/or hydrocodone. SM was scheduled for her post-cancer annual when she vanished. I believe her last chemo treatment was around October 2018. I think 'hydro' was an abbreviation for hydroponic cannabis. SM told SO that BM believed using 'hydro' would cause SM to act differently. We previously learned from Andy that BM was very anti-drugs, did not or seldom drank, and was very much opposed to SM bringing cannabis into their home. MOO

What is hydroponic cannabis?

Simply put, hydroponic weed—often called hydro weed—is cannabis grown using a hydroponic method. Typically, hydroponic weed is grown indoors in a fully controlled environment.

Hydroponics Definition & Information - Weedmaps