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

[MassGuy]

Is there not an element of weirdness with this case? Morphew family behaviour? Lauren Scharf? Barry’s ‘cultic’ followers? Or is this typical in cases such as this and the strangeness will eventually prove to have little or no relevance?

Barry’s behavior isn’t strange if he’s guilty, as God knows we’ve seen behavior like this before (hello Patrick Frazee).

As far as the other immediate family members go, that’s normal in a murder case. It seems that the vast majority of children side with the surviving spouse, even with overwhelming evidence.

What makes it strange in this case though, is that there isn’t a body. Human nature is to want to do everything you can to find your mom, yet we have seen no overt efforts in that regard.

Why? I think that comes down to their father. There’s just got to be some sort of manipulation involved, “the cops are trying to frame me,” or something along those lines.

As for the apparent support of people close to Barry, I don’t find it all that strange. Context is everything, and these people may think they know him, when in reality they only saw one side of him.

 

[Dave F.]

One can go through chemo without “deep spousal involvement.” Some people literally have no one.

Suzanne’s brush with death may have spurred her to reevaluate her life and happiness, and it’s entirely possible that she was exploring moving on.

Couple this with both girls reaching an age where they would soon be out of the house, and you very well could have a recipe for change.

That’s just one possibility of course, but it shows how money could factor in.

Divorce is money, and money could be motive.

So the motive was to get rid of the wife in such a way that a certificate of death could not be issued. and the result would be that he could only serve as guardian of her share for five to seven years? Doesn't that seem a little complex?
IMO, IANAL

 

[MassGuy]

So the motive was to get rid of the wife in such a way that a certificate of death could not be issued. and the result would be that he could only serve as guardian of her share for five to seven years? Doesn't that seem a little complex?
IMO, IANAL

Who said killers are smart, or that this was planned well in advance after making complex calculations?

 

[Curiousobserver]

One can go through chemo without “deep spousal involvement.” Some people literally have no one.

Suzanne’s brush with death may have spurred her to reevaluate her life and happiness, and it’s entirely possible that she was exploring moving on.

Couple this with both girls reaching an age where they would soon be out of the house, and you very well could have a recipe for change.

That’s just one possibility of course, but it shows how money could factor in.

Divorce is money, and money could be motive.

Becoming an empty nester you are forced to re-introduce yourself to your spouse. Sometimes people find out they don't really like each other.

 

[AmandaReckonwith]

Is there a consensus more or less that any arrest is waiting on changes in the DA's office?

 

[Warwick7]

I’m sure he could find a sympathetic hungry reporter who will ask him preapproved fluff questions, and he could make a carefully crafted statement with his girls standing beside him. Problem is he knows he can’t pull it off.

Yes, a female, sympathetic, hungry, reporter who will ask him preapproved fluff questions...

 

[mom2chloe]

Becoming an empty nester you are forced to re-introduce yourself to your spouse. Sometimes people find out they don't really like each other.

Especially during Covid! MOO

 

[al66pine]

Poor planning? Or Failure to Understand the Law?

So the motive was to get rid of the wife in such a way that a certificate of death could not be issued. and the result would be that he could only serve as guardian of her share for five to seven years? Doesn't that seem a little complex? IMO, IANAL

@Dave F. If not complex, then perhaps self-defeating, by unknowingly tripping self up.

Perhaps the perp (if BM?) learned of a few instances where a Gone Girl is declared dead, without recovery of remains or death cert., and her spouse inherits, and he figured if wife went missing, he could get the same result. Jackpot.

Did BM (if he caused her death?) not understand the differences btwn those few, rare outlier cases and his planned actions & circumstances?
Did BM consult atty about $ consequences to him -
--- from divorce?
--- from SM's death? Disguising his motive by speculating about losing SM to cancer the second time around?

I do not know and am not trying to read his mind, just considering possibilities. my2cts.

 

[al66pine]

Who said ... this was planned well in advance after making complex calculations?

@MassGuy sbm
Was SM's death shoddily planned on the fly based on overly optimistic calculations, then poorly implemented? IDK.

 

[MassGuy]

@MassGuy sbm
Was SM's death shoddily planned on the fly based on overly optimistic calculations, then poorly implemented? IDK.

Personally, I think the killer lost his temper, but in the back of his mind he knew the stakes. I think he had enough time after the fact to think about what came next, which helped his cause a bit (effective body disposal).

It is of course completely possible that this was a planned event, but poorly executed (didn’t have a solid alibi that would withstand scrutiny). I just don’t lean that way at this point.

 

[BeckyF]

DBM- duplicate

 

[303gmf]

Yes, a female, sympathetic, hungry, reporter who will ask him preapproved fluff questions...

Handpicked CBS Denver channel 4’s Jamie Leary was rather unsuccessful at her fluff
Hoping another gives it a go!

 

[kkdj]

.

 

[Hoss569]

Is there a consensus more or less that any arrest is waiting on changes in the DA's office?

I feel that's a yes/no answer. I think the new DA will appreciate the current DA's demand for diligence, if that is the case. Also, CO has what I would call more of a sympathetic court system. They need to make sure they have an extremely solid case, regardless of the DA. The new DA may be more lenient on letting them try some new angles tho. IMO.

 

[Seattle1]

It’s easy to attack BM: his behaviour, his alibi and his character are all questionable.

However, if someone were to defend him, what would they say?

‘Barry was a loving husband to Suzanne and is a great father. His daughters love him. There is no evidence to suggest that their relationship was rocky, or that he was abusive or violent at any time. Financially the Morphews were doing well for themselves. They spent time together as a couple and often wrote love letters to each other. There is no evidence to suggest that Barry or Suzanne ever cheated on each other.’

Why would this man kill his wife?

Money, greed. Always follow the money...MOO

 

[GordianKnot]

Is there a consensus more or less that any arrest is waiting on changes in the DA's office?

There's no way that charges will be filed before the current (politically appointed) DA leaves office.
So in that respect, yes, any arrest will have to wait for Kaitlyn Turner's departure.
My own opinion is that had she been elected, we would not have seen charges filed for at least the next four years.

This case begs for a prosecutor with a passion for nailing bad guys to the wall.

I'm hoping that the incoming, duly elected DA makes SM's case her office's #1 priority.

If I were her, I'd be reaching out to outgoing District 4 DA Dan May and asking him if he'd be willing to come on board short-term as a District 11 task force member, or even as a consultant, for SM's case.

He has recent experience with prosecuting no-body cases successfully.

If nothing else, I think Dan May could give DA-Elect Stanley excellent counsel with regard to the strength of the case as it stands, if/where it needs to be bolstered, etc.

At the very least, she should offer to buy him lunch and pick his brain.

So that's one idea for the suggestion box.

JMO.

 

[kittythehare]

There's no way that charges will be filed before the current (politically appointed) DA leaves office.
So in that respect, yes, any arrest will have to wait for Kaitlyn Turner's departure.
My own opinion is that had she been elected, we would not have seen charges filed for at least the next four years.

This case begs for a prosecutor with a passion for nailing bad guys to the wall.

I'm hoping that the incoming, duly elected DA makes SM's case her office's #1 priority.

If I were her, I'd be reaching out to outgoing District 4 DA Dan May and asking him if he'd be willing to come on board short-term as a District 11 task force member for SM's case.

He has recent experience with prosecuting no-body cases successfully.

If nothing else, I think Dan May could give DA-Elect Stanley excellent counsel with regard to the strength of the case as it stands, if/where it needs to be bolstered, etc.

At the very least, she should offer to buy him lunch and pick his brain.

So that's one idea for the suggestion box.

JMO.

Oh YES!
Dan May is utterly brilliant and truly human at the same time.

 

[MoeInVA]

Personally, I think the killer lost his temper, but in the back of his mind he knew the stakes. I think he had enough time after the fact to think about what came next, which helped his cause a bit (effective body disposal).

It is of course completely possible that this was a planned event, but poorly executed (didn’t have a solid alibi that would withstand scrutiny). I just don’t lean that way at this point.

100% agree he lost his temper

I see a man who:
-lacks self control and is easily angered (see interviews)
- copes with his self-hatred and feelings of failure as a man and provider by being defensive, reactive and blaming and lashing out at others (see interview)

I don’t think he planned it, I think he lost his temper. I agree with @10ofRods that divorce did not even need to come up.

I think BM’s self-loathing and growing anger problem was all it took. (Not money per se)

I am hopeful that all of the inconsistencies in his statements combined with GPS, vehicle, digital and some limited physical evidence will lead the new prosecutor to press charges in the first half of the new year even without the body, much like the Gannon Stauch case (originally without the body). JMO.

 

[kittythehare]

100% agree he lost his temper

I see a man who:
-lacks self control and is easily angered (see interviews)
- copes with his self-hatred and feelings of failure as a man and provider by being defensive, reactive and blaming and lashing out at others (see interview)

I don’t think he planned it, I think he lost his temper. I agree with @10ofRods that divorce did not even need to come up.

I think BM’s self-loathing and growing anger problem was all it took. (Not money per se)

I am hopeful that all of the inconsistencies in his statements combined with GPS, vehicle, digital and some limited physical evidence will lead the new prosecutor to press charges in the first half of the new year even without the body, much like the Gannon Stauch case (originally without the body). JMO.

I feel it was pre-planned, girls away that weekend would have been planned for some time, coast was clear... disposal site readied in advance, possibly.
The rage would have been a constant thing, most likely..
IMO

 

[Hair of the Dog]

IMO money was at least one of the sticking points in the marriage. They both knew the sale of their previous residence was due to close and may have disagreed about the allocation of the proceeds.

IMO the reason they didn't have a mortgage on the current residence or a Home Equity Line of Credit before Suzanne disappeared, is they probably didn't have the verifiable income required for loan approval. The days of the "Stated Income Loan" aka "Liar Loans" are gone and self employed people have to provide a lot of documentation with their application to show they have a consistent source of income and provide tax returns to back it up.

Purchasing health insurance through an exchange for 4 people, would be very expensive, plus paying the deductible. The leading cause of bankruptcy in the US are medical expenses.

Add to that: property taxes, income taxes, utility bills, car insurance, gasoline, homeowners insurance, maintenance, food, any car loans or credit card debt, education costs, the cost of running a business, business taxes, equipment maintenance and costs, memberships, travel, etc. Savings can dwindle very quickly.

IMO, there were underlying resentments in the marriage that reached a tipping point and somebody lost control in the broadest sense of the word. Not necessarily planned but executed by someone whose wants and needs were paramount.

MOO