Found Deceased CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, did not return from bike ride, Chaffee County, 10 May 2020 #50

[borndem]

RSBM. Also, RBBM. Good points, @Lilypad13, but I think there might be a couple of things at play here. 1) BM is too much of a coward to push his wife off a cliff. 2) He would have to take SM out in broad daylight on MD weekend to do the dirty deed. It was quite busy in the area that weekend as the weather was turning warmer and people sought to escape from Covid lockdowns. 3). There was a well publicized CO case where a husband tried to get away with murder by pushing his wife off a trail in Rocky Mountain NP. Investigators were able to prove that she was pushed rather than fell. BM might have been familiar with the case as there were a couple of specials on it. (Dateline and/or 48 Hours.). See Harold Henthorn. Also, see Steven Scharf, another man convicted of pushing his wife off a cliff. If BM is familiar with any of these cases, he might have realized that it is not easy to do this while making it look like an accident. While BM might have felt he could not look LE in the eye and convince them that his wife fell while she was with him, I do think he felt he was smart enough to stage the perfect scenario and have the perfect alibi, enough so that LE would never even consider him. Except he wasn’t. MOO

I thought about that scenario a while back -- of course with that one, there was a body... SMH. It had to do with where the body was found -- a push would have put the body farther away from where she was said to be; a fall would have put her body closer to the edge where she would have fallen. It's the little things that get-cha, and LE has seen it all -- they have much more knowledge that a first-time murderer.
Many murderers think they have thought of everything -- for example, one of the biggest blunders of all (not an example for this case) is that bleach doesn't get all the blood off the floor or the walls or the carpet, etc., etc. when forensic examinations take place.
I do wonder if there is some way to prevent search dogs from smelling a dead body? The dogs seem to do such an amazing job when searching for victims. How deep would a body have to be buried?
Just thinking...

 

[borndem]

I don't want to seem like I'm exagerating the traffic on the Boulder Turnpike at Broomfield. It's somewhere over 74,000 vehicles per day. So, for every minute that he spent doing something suspicious at the Broomfield jobsite, he would only attract 50 potential witnesses. If he has ever used an augur before, he should have been able to do the job in ten minutes, so that's only 500 witnesses that he would have to worry about. IMO

The mother of all cone zones: Reconstruction of U.S. 36 starts this week – Colorado Hometown Weekly

That's a big "uh-oh." Thanks for the info -- I never thought...

But he's gotten away with it so far -- I'll bet he's feeling pretty cocky about now. SMH. Grrrrrr.

 

[al66pine]

Gathering Evidence. Septic Tank?

... 5 year old Noah Thomas, went missing... He was found a few days later in the septic tank of the rental home he lived in. It had an "easy access" lid that was above ground. His cause of death was hypothermia and drowning so he was alive when he went in...

@hpruitt sbm Thx for your post about a 2015 case I did not recall, a very sad one. From link* one interesting point to me: The day the 5 yr old was reported missing, investigators poked a 4 ft metal rod into tank, but didn't detect a body in tank, which was "filled almost all the way to the top"* with liquefied sewage.
Five days later, they drained tank & HazMat teams recovered him using special hoist apparatus.

A week or two ago, someone posted (sorry, forgot who, but TYVM) about LE using special vid cam to detect remains, at least if mostly intact. I've read about several HRs in septic tank cases but had not thought about a full tank preventing detection, even w new remains. my2cts.

If MSM reported that LE/CCSO drained tank at PP I missed it. Anyone recall? TiA.
______________________________________________
https://wset.com/archive/update-cause-parents-of-noah-thomas-in-court-wednesday 2015.
ETA: Lawsuit over Noah Thomas' death ends with $200,000 settlement
May 2019 article re outcome of criminal case against parents, and parents' civil suit against their landlord/homeowner.

 

[Minordetails]

In my opinion, with regards to SM, a premeditated murder requiring any amount of bleach for clean up, would be poorly planned. Why would you plan a murder in your house when you’re on the door step of a vast wilderness? If the killing happened in the house, it wasn’t planned, or not very well.

JMO

 

[kittythehare]

In my opinion, with regards to SM, a premeditated murder requiring any amount of bleach for clean up, would be poorly planned. Why would you plan a murder in your house when you’re on the door step of a vast wilderness? If the killing happened in the house, it wasn’t planned, or not very well.

JMO

Lack of knowledge about the properties of bleach is not uncommon.
Yes, there were very many outdoor spaces that might have been more appropriate.
It all depends upon manner and method of death. Methodology may well have involved torture of some sort.
And for that, an empty home and a clear coast would be optimal.
I feel like it was pre-meditated.
The perpetrator had chosen to do this some time before he actually allegedly did it.
But, I imagine the victim had to be told why she deserved to die in such a manner that she would fully understand - his will.
MOO

 

[al66pine]

Monument Protection.

Monument protection is common in Germany. AFAIK, we had problems installing an entrance door motion detector, because my rental is under monument protection, for example...

@FromGermany sbm Thank you for your post prompting me to learn something new.*
In visiting Germany years ago, I enjoyed the fabulous architecture in several cities. But my stay was too short.

____________________________________________________________
* Deutsche Stiftung Denkmalschutz - Wikipedia.

 

[borndem]

In my opinion, with regards to SM, a premeditated murder requiring any amount of bleach for clean up, would be poorly planned. Why would you plan a murder in your house when you’re on the door step of a vast wilderness? If the killing happened in the house, it wasn’t planned, or not very well.

JMO

I agree that the murder was probably not done in the house -- he certainly did have the whole world out there in which to do it, and he knew at least a little about what might be possible outside WRT hiding evidence out there somewhere.
But if he did allegedly do it in the house, he did well enuff such that LE apparently has not yet gathered sufficient evidence to enable the DA to make a case solid enuff to take to trial -- so far. Maybe tomorrow??

I do think LE is working solidly on this thing and I have confidence that something will break open, sooner or later.
And still no body, no body, no body. So aggravating, but we WS'ers are a patient bunch, aren't we?

 

[OldCop]

From what I understand on number 2, a restrictive covenant could be written into a deed with something as simple as you can only paint the house these certain colors. It could also be something more complex like don't ever move or disturb that retaining wall or that fresh pile of rocks...

@Hoss569, your post got me thinking. Do we know if that neighborhood has an HOA? If so, the Association itself may place restrictive covenants on the property. I seem to recall the discussion BM & SM had with a cleaning lady who was putting trash in a dumpster on Puma Path. It was noted that it was a “neighborhood dumpster”. I’ve seen HOA covenants that are extremely restrictive as far as physical property changes, including grading, landscaping etc.
Could BM have taken advantage of one of the restrictions to use to his advantage as far as disposing of SM’s remains? For example, if there was a prohibition of changing the grade on a property, he could have dug into an area where that was not allowed knowing a future owner could not dig it up. Grade change prohibitions usually stem from water runoff, sight restrictions etc. Being a landscaper, he probably had enough skills to cover the dug up area. Another common HOA restriction, or even a town ordinance, can prohibit property owners from cutting down trees over a certain circumference. BM with an auger on his Bobcat could plant a tree that could not be felled. All he had to do was deposit SM’s remains in the hole first with the tree on top.
LE wouldn’t have gone around pulling up trees without some indication that the ground had recently been disturbed. The landscaping/hardscaping around the Puma Path home wasn’t very pretty, but was relatively new looking which may have worked to BM’s advantage. MOO

 

[MassGuy]

@Hoss569, your post got me thinking. Do we know if that neighborhood has an HOA? If so, the Association itself may place restrictive covenants on the property. I seem to recall the discussion BM & SM had with a cleaning lady who was putting trash in a dumpster on Puma Path. It was noted that it was a “neighborhood dumpster”. I’ve seen HOA covenants that are extremely restrictive as far as physical property changes, including grading, landscaping etc.
Could BM have taken advantage of one of the restrictions to use to his advantage as far as disposing of SM’s remains? For example, if there was a prohibition of changing the grade on a property, he could have dug into an area where that was not allowed knowing a future owner could not dig it up. Grade change prohibitions usually stem from water runoff, sight restrictions etc. Being a landscaper, he probably had enough skills to cover the dug up area. Another common HOA restriction, or even a town ordinance, can prohibit property owners from cutting down trees over a certain circumference. BM with an auger on his Bobcat could plant a tree that could not be felled. All he had to do was deposit SM’s remains in the hole first with the tree on top.
LE wouldn’t have gone around pulling up trees without some indication that the ground had recently been disturbed. The landscaping/hardscaping around the Puma Path home wasn’t very pretty, but was relatively new looking which may have worked to BM’s advantage. MOO

According to Zillow, HOA fees are $27 a month.

Personally, I hate the idea of Suzanne being buried on that property. Anecdotally at least, it seems that bodies are buried on the property when the perpetrator has a lot of time between the commission of the crime and the report of a missing person (days, weeks, months).

I just don’t see that here, and I don’t think he had the time anyways.

 

[al66pine]

Monarch River Estates FYI. Monarch River Estates | Community in Salida, CO

Plat map, showing the 15 lots in subdivision, w prop lines, driveways, etc. Uploaded 3 yrs ago.
I think M fam home, 19507 Puma Path, is Lot 6. If not pls let me know.
https://www.monarchriverestates.org/file/document/881338593/1HjSZll4mBNKzlnA.pdf

Google map and a satellite map of subdivision.
MRE Google Map | Monarch River Estates

And web cam's, a few along US Hwy 50.
https://www.coloradowebcam.net/webcam-locations/buena-vista-salida-chaffee

 

[al66pine]

... I’ve seen HOA covenants that are extremely restrictive as far as physical property changes, including grading, landscaping etc.
Could BM have taken advantage of one of the restrictions to use to his advantage as far as disposing of SM’s remains? For example, if there was a prohibition of changing the grade on a property, he could have dug into an area where that was not allowed knowing a future owner could not dig it up. Grade change prohibitions usually stem from water runoff, sight restrictions etc. Being a landscaper, he probably had enough skills to cover the dug up area. Another common HOA restriction, or even a town ordinance, can prohibit property owners from cutting down trees over a certain circumference. BM with an auger on his Bobcat could plant a tree that could not be felled. All he had to do was deposit SM’s remains in the hole first with the tree on top.
LE wouldn’t have gone around pulling up trees without some indication that the ground had recently been disturbed. The landscaping/hardscaping around the Puma Path home wasn’t very pretty, but was relatively new looking which may have worked to BM’s advantage. MOO

@OldCop sbm As @MassGuy just posted, yes, there is an HOA. For M home $ 325/yr(approx). Per MLS listing, it provides snow removal.
Subdivision name is Monarch River Estates. Doing a quickie search, I have not yet found the CCRs yet.

Good thinking about possible restrictions on grading and bar on larger tree removal. imo, very likely.

 

[Lilypad13]

RSBM. Also, RBBM. Good points, @Lilypad13, but I think there might be a couple of things at play here. 1) BM is too much of a coward to push his wife off a cliff. 2) He would have to take SM out in broad daylight on MD weekend to do the dirty deed. It was quite busy in the area that weekend as the weather was turning warmer and people sought to escape from Covid lockdowns. 3). There was a well publicized CO case where a husband tried to get away with murder by pushing his wife off a trail in Rocky Mountain NP. Investigators were able to prove that she was pushed rather than fell. BM might have been familiar with the case as there were a couple of specials on it. (Dateline and/or 48 Hours.). See Harold Henthorn. Also, see Steven Scharf, another man convicted of pushing his wife off a cliff. If BM is familiar with any of these cases, he might have realized that it is not easy to do this while making it look like an accident. While BM might have felt he could not look LE in the eye and convince them that his wife fell while she was with him, I do think he felt he was smart enough to stage the perfect scenario and have the perfect alibi, enough so that LE would never even consider him. Except he wasn’t. MOO

Very good points @OldCop. I was imagining the trails on Monarch Pass were pretty isolated. But the photos that @NoSI posted to show the steep drop offs might have been locations visible right off the Monarch Pass Road where other cars driving by could see. I think I saw both of those Datelines. If I am remembering correctly one husband was busted because they found an old map somewhere and he had marked on it the exact spot where she “fell.” I think he wanted to go for a hike on their anniversary and they were taking photos by the cliff and then the husband said he wasn’t feeling well and left to use the bathroom and when he came back his wife was missing and had somehow “fallen” off the cliff. Ok sure buddy, your wife stayed by herself up on this steep mountain trail while you hiked all the way back down to use the toilet...or what they think really happened is he said hey honey go stand in front of that cliff so I can take this amazing photo of you...then he pretended to adjust her hair or something and just pushed her off. Yes you would have to be very evil and brazen to do it that way. I might be mixing up those two cases. I’ll have to go look them up now & thanks for sharing them with me!

The sad thing is now I’m so paranoid that I would be hesitant to go hiking or boating alone with my husband! We WS members should write a True Crime Tips book! Tip #1: If you are on the verge of a divorce and your spouse suddenly suggests a romantic trip to the Grand Canyon to work on things...you might want to pass!

 

[Deleted member 102539]

Lack of knowledge about the properties of bleach is not uncommon.
Yes, there were very many outdoor spaces that might have been more appropriate.
It all depends upon manner and method of death. Methodology may well have involved torture of some sort.
And for that, an empty home and a clear coast would be optimal.
I feel like it was pre-meditated.
The perpetrator had chosen to do this some time before he actually allegedly did it.
But, I imagine the victim had to be told why she deserved to die in such a manner that she would fully understand - his will.
MOO

Premeditated - yes, IMO. Really torture - rather no, IMO. Telling the victim SM, why she had to die - yes, IMO. Beginning the explanation with "LISTEN!" - Idk.

 

[swedeheart]

DBM. Oopsie.

 

[Trackergd]

You have 6 hrs to hide the dead body of your spouse. You have an alibi but police aren’t buying your story. They are on you within 24 hrs and call in the FBI for extra help. Think you could do it?

I don’t care what the terrain is, or what kind of equipment is at your disposal, you need some combination of careful planning, premeditation and blind luck to pull this off.

JMO

There are more than a few bodies buried deep in farmers fields and auto junkyards. Two places where there are no witnesses and available heavy equipment. Then there are always the abandoned mine ventilation shafts. Don't even have to dig a hole. It actually bothers me that I know this stuff....

 

[jakat]

I'm on the fence about premeditation in this case.

When BM told MG at the beach site he had to go home to make the wife happy, I've assumed he went home and planned to murder Suzanne. My theory is there was an argument about money, but he also found out about DV meetings Suzanne was attending and more than likely he was humiliated. It was at that time, I feel he killed her in the house.

Does the fact that he told MG he was going home fall under premeditation? If it does, I'm off the fence.

JMO

 

[Ontario Mom]

REMINDER:

A thread specific decision has been made by Tricia to allow members to discuss Barry Morphew and to speculate about him based on how he is being publicly treated by LE, information from MSM and other WS approved sources (except rumors).

Do NOT sleuth him or his business and do NOT trash him.

 

[oviedo]

There was quite a bit of money realized from the sale of that property in June - is it possible that is really all gone? We do know some went towards the new lot - now I am wondering if there was some restriction on how the proceeds of the sale were handled? of course, retainers for defense attorneys can be $250K-$500K so there's that.
JMO

ETA - and one more thing - wouldn't he just take out a HELOC on the house? If he could? I wonder if his IN Letters weren't recognized and he hasn't made any effort to open guardianship in CO?? guess I should go check the court records to see what's up. - nothing new filed in IN guardianship Indiana Supreme Court public access case search - MyCase
JMO

 

[oviedo]

<modsnip: Quoted post was removed>

50 threads and we still don't know much about those cameras other than they weren't working - IIRC. So in order for all the cameras to "not work" - was the wifi down? were they unplugged? damaged? how could they not be working? I know many think this was a rage situation but (and I don't know why or if I've said this before) if those cameras weren't working - that speaks to planning -
JMO

 

[MassGuy]

50 threads and we still don't know much about those cameras other than they weren't working - IIRC. So in order for all the cameras to "not work" - was the wifi down? were they unplugged? damaged? how could they not be working? I know many think this was a rage situation but (and I don't know why or if I've said this before) if those cameras weren't working - that speaks to planning -
JMO

If the cameras were in fact suddenly not working prior to the murder, then I absolutely agree.

There is another alternative though. Depending on the type of system, BM could have disabled the cameras after the fact, and deleted all the video surrounding the relevant timeframe.

It could merely be a matter of using the camera app to do this, which would take a matter of seconds.