Found Deceased CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, Chaffee Co, 10 May 2020 *Case dismissed w/o Prejudice* #103

[MassGuy]

This is all my opinion. The thing is, they have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that BM murdered her. I don't think they can do that, unless they start over and produce more conclusive evidence than before, and drop some of the more improbable theories-like BM using a tranquiller gun on SM.

Just because there is not a proven reason for her disappearance doesn't automatically mean her husband murdered her. Again, there is that reasonable doubt thing.

In fact, there is reasonable doubt all over this case. First and foremost reason for reasonable doubt now is that the prosecution dismissed the charges against him.

They way this case is playing out in public opinion, it reminds me in a way of the Curtis Reeves shooting of Chad Oulson in a Florida movie theatre. Not because the dynamics of the cases, but because probably 90% of people were loudly convinced Reeves was guilty. But they were surprised when the jury came back with "Not Guilty" In this case, it also seems like 90% of the people are loudly convinced BM is guilty, but in my opinion, a jury could only come back with "Not guilty" based on the evidence we saw in the AA and in the media.

But I think we're going to have to live with BM living not in prison, but life ruined nonetheless, by government overreach because, in my opinion, there will never be another murder case filed against him. Unless some government informant worm's his way into BM's life at taxpayer expense, and BM breaks down and confesses. Or unless they find SM's body and there is evidence there.

Percentages stated above and everything else is just my opinion.

I see no reasonable doubt; I would literally bet my life on his guilt (I say the same for OJ).

Innocent people have no reason to lie about anything, and Barry lied about everything.

She asks for a divorce, and he tells investigators they have the perfect marriage.

She goes dark forever when he's the only one there, and he tells an insane story about that night that is contradicted by his phone, her phone, his truck, and his own conflicting stories. Then her phone last pings just before he left the house.

Then he drives to Broomfield for no reason, dumps trash, spends hours in his hotel, lies about his movements, lies to the Ritters when they call him, lies to CBI multiple times, and is literally caught on camera staging his alibi.

He admits to a frantic event in the backyard, confirms he used a tranquilizer (deer antler lie), places himself at the helmet location, deletes texts, and lies some more.

One of my favorite lies is when he said he and Suzanne had lunch together, eating veggie soup, which was actually a day or two before.

His phone, his truck data, and Suzanne's texts to JL about being alone, soundly refute this. Further evidence comes from a phone call Barry placed to Suzanne shortly after leaving, which makes no sense as they just spent a couple hours together.

To explain all of this, Barry claims he was looking for a long dead turkey in the backyard.

All of his lies are blown apart by multiple pieces of evidence, and every single one must be believed in order for Barry to be
innocent.

So you'd have to believe Barry was chasing chipmunks, looking for a turkey corpse, framed by a herd of elk, shooting deer that don't even have antlers to saw their antlers off, and looking for a bear or coyote in the darkness when Suzanne's Facebook requests went out.

Even then there are other pieces of evidence that must be explained:

You'd have to believe Barry and Suzanne breaking all established digital patterns means nothing (she is completely quiet and his location event count is off the charts)

That Suzanne went on a bike ride in a strange location, without things she would usually bring, and with a powered down cell phone that she never bothered to check on Mother's Day, with her daughters traveling home, on the day of her best friend's wedding.

Barry had had the motive, means, and opportunity. He tells us why he did it, and he tells us how he justified it to himself.

Basically, "God judges Suzanne for cheating, and I had every right to do it."

Barry is a pathological liar, a fake Christian, a confirmed abuser (psychologically controlled Suzanne via threats of suicide), and a killer.

He just got one thing right...

It's frustrating that not everyone can see it, but that's the nature of almost all murder cases.

 

[Aloe]

Big SHOUT OUT to all of you who've been here for Suzanne since day 1! You knew what was up since before the AA!

 

[Murphy1950]

.even if thought he destroyed all the evidence on his end they had talked plenty over the time they were having the affair that I have to think he would have been able to articulate to LE if something felt amiss.

RSBM RBBM

My apologies, don’t mean to sound flippant but

In 6 months’, time, he never opened his mouth or made any attempt to send an anonymous message. All he did was cover himself. There may have been a chance early on, when she could have possibly been saved? Who knows? “Just give me his last name, Suzanne”
All Jeff did was cover himself. He had 6 months to try and help. I think Suzanne, his lover of close to two years, dropping off the face of the earth after 58+ text the day before, that most would consider something might be "amiss"

This is CYA…

Libler said they never made concrete plans, but she told him several times when she does leave Barry, she would go without contacting Libler for a while….” This statement only serves Libler, doubt that conversation ever happened.

This was the truth..

Libler said he thought two things could have happened to Suzanne: "He (Barry) either learned about us and snapped or... maybe she told him she was gonna leave him." Tells me Jeff Libler knew just how volatile the situation was. He knew Barry for 20+ years, oddly enough from a previous nasty confrontation and he knew Barry was bad news.

And maybe Suzanne told Libler Barry has a first name , how else can you explain the friending of 3 men named Jeff by either Barry or Suzanne the evening before she disappeared? Coincidence? A bit much IMO.

 

[scapa]

Respectfully disagree....two arduous bouts of cancer...countless visits to dr. with treatments. To not have her insurance card with her, along with her ID is senseless. She was anticipating financial freedom as well....not attainable without those documents.

This is an excellent point, IMO.

Speaking both as a doc and a patient, someone in recovery from a life-threatening illness is highly aware of the margins of safety and strongly motivated and habituated to respect them. Leaving behind a phone with a replacement set up is one thing, but leaving behind the medical apparatus that has helped SM from diagnosis through treatment is IMO a non-starter. Any "civil" separation/ divorce proceeding with BM would, I am certain, have foregrounded expectations of medical care/ insurance. Her illness and ongoing care and responsibilities with respect to it will have been a central fact of her life. It will have been calendared and anniversaried. She will have carried it everywhere.

Health card, financial dox, something to carry important photographs, a means of communication. The idea that SM, for whom faith, family and motherhood would not have been easily discarded but revised in accordance with her hard-won freedom and prospects, disappeared voluntarily and finally -- to what end? -- seems utterly at odds with what we know of her. Of course people can change, but not all at once -- as Dashiell Hammett famously documented in his story of the vanishing salesman.

And the Ecuador / Gone Girl scenarios require IMO that level of implausibly wholesale change -- pointlessly, since what SM seemingly wanted above all was to be herself without Barry, not to be herself without being herself.

 

[waldojabba]

I see no reasonable doubt; I would literally bet my life on his guilt (I say the same for OJ).

Innocent people have no reason to lie about anything, and Barry lied about everything.

She asks for a divorce, and he tells investigators they have the perfect marriage.

She goes dark forever when he's the only one there, and he tells an insane story about that night that is contradicted by his phone, her phone, his truck, and his own conflicting stories. Then her phone last pings just before he left the house.

Then he drives to Broomfield for no reason, dumps trash, spends hours in his hotel, lies about his movements, lies to the Ritters when they call him, lies to CBI multiple times, and is literally caught on camera staging his alibi.

He admits to a frantic event in the backyard, confirms he used a tranquilizer (deer antler lie), places himself at the helmet location, deletes texts, and lies some more.

One of my favorite lies is when he said he and Suzanne had lunch together, eating veggie soup, which was actually a day or two before.

His phone, his truck data, and Suzanne's texts to JL about being alone, soundly refute this. Further evidence comes from a phone call Barry placed to Suzanne shortly after leaving, which makes no sense as they just spent a couple hours together.

To explain all of this, Barry claims he was looking for a long dead turkey in the backyard.

All of his lies are blown apart by multiple pieces of evidence, and every single one must be believed in order for Barry to be
innocent.

So you'd have to believe Barry was chasing chipmunks, looking for a turkey corpse, framed by a herd of elk, shooting deer that don't even have antlers to saw their antlers off, and looking for a bear or coyote in the darkness when Suzanne's Facebook requests went out.

Even then there are other pieces of evidence that must be explained:

You'd have to believe Barry and Suzanne breaking all established digital patterns means nothing (she is completely quiet and his location event count is off the charts)

That Suzanne went on a bike ride in a strange location, without things she would usually bring, and with a powered down cell phone that she never bothered to check on Mother's Day, with her daughters traveling home, on the day of her best friend's wedding.

Barry had had the motive, means, and opportunity. He tells us why he did it, and he tells us how he justified it to himself.

Basically, "God judges Suzanne for cheating, and I had every right to do it."

Barry is a pathological liar, a fake Christian, a confirmed abuser (psychologically controlled Suzanne via threats of suicide), and a killer.

He just got one thing right...

It's frustrating that not everyone can see it, but that's the nature of almost all murder cases.

Yes honestly this is an easy one for me - I totally agree with you
IMO to sincerely think otherwise you’d have to throw all common sense and logic out the window and be in total denial of what is right in front of you. To me there is no doubt what so ever.
I am firmly in the camp that if this goes to trial with a skilled prosecutor it is a very winnable case.
Just all in my opeinion of course -

 

[BeckyF]

That, plus this was El Paso Texas and not Colorado.

No, it was not. It was El Paso County, CO.

 

[waldojabba]

This is an excellent point, IMO.

Speaking both as a doc and a patient, someone in recovery from a life-threatening illness is highly aware of the margins of safety and strongly motivated and habituated to respect them. Leaving behind a phone with a replacement set up is one thing, but leaving behind the medical apparatus that has helped SM from diagnosis through treatment is IMO a non-starter. Any "civil" separation/ divorce proceeding with BM would, I am certain, have foregrounded expectations of medical care/ insurance. Her illness and ongoing care and responsibilities with respect to it will have been a central fact of her life. It will have been calendared and anniversaried. She will have carried it everywhere.

Health card, financial dox, something to carry important photographs, a means of communication. The idea that SM, for whom faith, family and motherhood would not have been easily discarded but revised in accordance with her hard-won freedom and prospects, disappeared voluntarily and finally -- to what end? -- seems utterly at odds with what we know of her. Of course people can change, but not all at once -- as Dashiell Hammett famously documented in his story of the vanishing salesman.

And the Ecuador / Gone Girl scenarios require IMO that level of implausibly wholesale change -- pointlessly, since what SM seemingly wanted above all was to be herself without Barry, not to be herself without being herself.

@scapa and @Scootie98 great points and posts IMO I had not really thought through the sickness angle and like many of us, who have had similar health experiences, I believe you are both spot on. Excellent points All IMO

 

[GatorFL]

I have stated my opinion all along that the original trial could have gone either way based on what the AA said minus the information in the AA that was hearsay or characterization that was never going into the trial and the weak preliminary. The prosecution closing arguments with time left on their 50 percent time allotment stunned me. I have also said since then that I thought the arrest was premature. I do not see this going to trial anytime soon without stronger evidence. I have seen images of locals putting up banners and trying to support a re-energized investigation to find Suzanne which in my opinion is the best way to keep local pressure on local law enforcement and prosecutors. Right now local media is most likely going to be focussed on Fibark so the next week will show if local media picks up the Find Suzanne cause.

I agree. I don't see a trial without substantial new evidence, such as Suzanne's remains.

Remember, CBI also said the arrest was premature. And we know the AA was filled with stuff that wasn't going into the trial because that fact has been reported, and has been talked about here.

IMO, the arrest was Linda Stanley and Spezze's premature version of a victory lap and they both stumbled upon their faces.

Now, I do agree that Barry seems like the most likely suspect. But, as we have seen, the most likely suspect can walk away scot-free from this kind of highly circumstantial case.

 

[BeckyF]

I see no reasonable doubt; I would literally bet my life on his guilt (I say the same for OJ).

Innocent people have no reason to lie about anything, and Barry lied about everything.

She asks for a divorce, and he tells investigators they have the perfect marriage.

She goes dark forever when he's the only one there, and he tells an insane story about that night that is contradicted by his phone, her phone, his truck, and his own conflicting stories. Then her phone last pings just before he left the house.

Then he drives to Broomfield for no reason, dumps trash, spends hours in his hotel, lies about his movements, lies to the Ritters when they call him, lies to CBI multiple times, and is literally caught on camera staging his alibi.

He admits to a frantic event in the backyard, confirms he used a tranquilizer (deer antler lie), places himself at the helmet location, deletes texts, and lies some more.

One of my favorite lies is when he said he and Suzanne had lunch together, eating veggie soup, which was actually a day or two before.

His phone, his truck data, and Suzanne's texts to JL about being alone, soundly refute this. Further evidence comes from a phone call Barry placed to Suzanne shortly after leaving, which makes no sense as they just spent a couple hours together.

To explain all of this, Barry claims he was looking for a long dead turkey in the backyard.

All of his lies are blown apart by multiple pieces of evidence, and every single one must be believed in order for Barry to be
innocent.

So you'd have to believe Barry was chasing chipmunks, looking for a turkey corpse, framed by a herd of elk, shooting deer that don't even have antlers to saw their antlers off, and looking for a bear or coyote in the darkness when Suzanne's Facebook requests went out.

Even then there are other pieces of evidence that must be explained:

You'd have to believe Barry and Suzanne breaking all established digital patterns means nothing (she is completely quiet and his location event count is off the charts)

That Suzanne went on a bike ride in a strange location, without things she would usually bring, and with a powered down cell phone that she never bothered to check on Mother's Day, with her daughters traveling home, on the day of her best friend's wedding.

Barry had had the motive, means, and opportunity. He tells us why he did it, and he tells us how he justified it to himself.

Basically, "God judges Suzanne for cheating, and I had every right to do it."

Barry is a pathological liar, a fake Christian, a confirmed abuser (psychologically controlled Suzanne via threats of suicide), and a killer.

He just got one thing right...

It's frustrating that not everyone can see it, but that's the nature of almost all murder cases.

I agree. There was and is enough evidence to convict him. I do wonder if the DA would ever refile murder charges without finding Suzanne’s body. I don’t know.

 

[MassGuy]

I agree. There was and is enough evidence to convict him. I do wonder if the DA would ever refile murder charges without finding Suzanne’s body. I don’t know.

This one wouldn't, but Jonny Grusing is still on this case.

That makes me feel a hell of a lot better.

 

[mom2chloe]

This one wouldn't, but Jonny Grusing is still on this case.

That makes me feel a hell of a lot better.

And we know Grusing continues to make his presence known at the barber shop and elsewhere. God Bless him!

I agree. I don't see a trial without substantial new evidence, such as Suzanne's remains.

Remember, CBI also said the arrest was premature. And we know the AA was filled with stuff that wasn't going into the trial because that fact has been reported, and has been talked about here.

IMO, the arrest was Linda Stanley and Spezze's premature version of a victory lap and they both stumbled upon their faces.

Now, I do agree that Barry seems like the most likely suspect. But, as we have seen, the most likely suspect can walk away scot-free from this kind of highly circumstantial case.

Refresh my memory please. CBI thought the arrest was premature? Because I thought that was all Cahill who is known for his truth and veracity? Thanks:

 

[BeckyF]

This one wouldn't, but Jonny Grusing is still on this case.

That makes me feel a hell of a lot better.

Yes, same here.

 

[MassGuy]

And we know Grusing continues to make his presence known at the barber shop and elsewhere. God Bless him!

Refresh my memory please. CBI thought the arrest was premature? Because I thought that was all Cahill who is known for his truth and veracity? Thanks:

Apparently they wanted to wait for test results and to conduct more interviews.

In retrospect the prosecution should have done the former, as it would have closed the door on the defense's ability to argue the glove box DNA was relevant.

As for the latter, it's ridiculous. Barry was done talking to CBI months before, and was dealing only with Harris and Grusing. In that final interview, Grusing presented Barry with evidence, and allowed him to bury himself. The cards were on the table at that point, and it was over.

 

[Kemug]

I'm definitely no poet, but I hope you'll appreciate the sentiment:

My poor sad heart is breaking and bruising,
All my happiness I'm losing,
I need to know who did this to me,
But it seems to be beyond LE.
I really need Jonny Grusing!

 

[Nikynoo]

RSBM RBBM

My apologies, don’t mean to sound flippant but

In 6 months’, time, he never opened his mouth or made any attempt to send an anonymous message. All he did was cover himself. There may have been a chance early on, when she could have possibly been saved? Who knows? “Just give me his last name, Suzanne”
All Jeff did was cover himself. He had 6 months to try and help. I think Suzanne, his lover of close to two years, dropping off the face of the earth after 58+ text the day before, that most would consider something might be "amiss"

This is CYA…

Libler said they never made concrete plans, but she told him several times when she does leave Barry, she would go without contacting Libler for a while….” This statement only serves Libler, doubt that conversation ever happened.

This was the truth..

Libler said he thought two things could have happened to Suzanne: "He (Barry) either learned about us and snapped or... maybe she told him she was gonna leave him." Tells me Jeff Libler knew just how volatile the situation was. He knew Barry for 20+ years, oddly enough from a previous nasty confrontation and he knew Barry was bad news.

And maybe Suzanne told Libler Barry has a first name , how else can you explain the friending of 3 men named Jeff by either Barry or Suzanne the evening before she disappeared? Coincidence? A bit much IMO.

Perhaps Suzanne covering her a, to through Barry off the scent maybe?

I agree with everything you say about JL - if he really thought B dangerous, he would/should have raised the alarm. Absolute silence from the supposed 'soulmate'.

 

[mrjitty]

Apparently they wanted to wait for test results and to conduct more interviews.

In retrospect the prosecution should have done the former, as it would have closed the door on the defense's ability to argue the glove box DNA was relevant.

As for the latter, it's ridiculous. Barry was done talking to CBI months before, and was dealing only with Harris and Grusing. In that final interview, Grusing presented Barry with evidence, and allowed him to bury himself. The cards were on the table at that point, and it was over.

I agree re the final interview.

They nearly broke him IMO, but when he didn't give them anything, the game was over.

 

[Nikynoo]

It's possible.

My guess, and it is only a guess, is she likely used the web client for linkedin, so there was no app/notification on her phone. So basically BM would have to go to linkedin, and have her pass to get access. This is IMO why he couldn't discover JL and was messing around with FB. It was clever because he probably didn't realise she had an active LI account.

Then on the WA end, all she needs to do is delete the call record each time.

Possibly they had each other stored as innocuous contacts.

If she didn't have the Linkedin app, but accessed the site through mobile web or even desktop, you get email notifications when you receive a message. Those notifications show the entire content of the message as well as who sent the message.

 

[mrjitty]

But. What if JL sent a message other than through Linkedin? If BM 'killed' SM, presumably, he would have unfettered access to her phone; apps, emails etc. If you message via Linkedin, a notification would show up on the app or in email (or possibly both).

Again - here is how I think they did it

For Linkedin, she used the web client and not the app. So no app notifications. Email notifications off. That is the whole reason to communicate via linkedin for their messages. So there is nothing for spouses to find. BM would have to look in her Safari history to see she was on LI. And if he didn't have her password, he has no way to access the messages.

On WA - i think they only did calls. So I bet you, she had JL's number under an innocuous name.

This is why they tell each other to change to WA, and he goes back to LI when he missed her. They never text on WA. Maybe there was one missed call.

Again the whole reason for this is so BM couldn't find anything because she knew from previous experience he would access her phone or demand to. If he didn't, then she wouldn't have needed to worry about any of this. Ditto for JL. So i do not believe there would be anything so obvious as an email or notification.

Secondly I think what may have happened is that once he <allegedly> murdered her, BM could not access her phone due to biometrics.

One thing I wanted to learn at trial, was whether there was any human activity for any of SM's apps that could be seen from the cloud.

One reason i suspect this, is because BM did not fake any messages/activity that we know of.

 

[Nikynoo]

Not sure about the unfettered access. If Suzanne’s phone had a lockscreen, Barry may have needed the passcode. if Suzanne went to the trouble of never communicating via text or email with JL, she may have changed her passcode frequently on her devices. Her communication, and lack of it, is key. She went dark when she had absolutely no intention to. If we are to believe an alternative theory, she told JL she was switching platforms and then walked off into her new life, with nothing more than some money, a brown towel, a cell phone and a charger that she never used again. Scratch that-first she spent a blissful day and night with Barry.

If there is mistrust in a relationship (especially a long standing marriage) - it is likely a partner will have access (or will know how to access) the other partners phone. I know from the AA that both Suzanne and Barry had iphones. I seem to recall that Barry's was an older version. Does anyone know what model phone Suzanne had?

 

[mrjitty]

If she didn't have the Linkedin app, but accessed the site through mobile web or even desktop, you get email notifications when you receive a message. Those notifications show the entire content of the message as well as who sent the message.

It's easy to turn these off.

Again i think it is obvious that they were using LI precisely so they didn't have emails, WAs, Facetimes, imessage that could be discovered - otherwise they'd just use imessage and Facetime

This is why even Law Enforcement took so long to find the affair

Do you think they would not have gone through her email?