Found Deceased CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, Chaffee Co, 10 May 2020 *Case dismissed w/o Prejudice* #102

[Diddian]

It would be a logical step, if she weren't murdered first.

This divorce conversation took place mere days before Barry murdered her.

I agree. IMO, SM had the naïveté to imagine that BM would agree to handle the end of their marriage amicably. Perhaps she had friends who had done such a thing, and only involved an attorney to paper already mutually agreed upon property settlements and child custody/care agreements and appear in court for final resolution and SM imagined she could do the same. Or, perhaps a well-meaning minister or counselor who did not know BM or was blind to his faults suggested such an approach. Who knows?

While she may have been ready to end their marriage for some time, it seems SM was only just waking up to the reality of who she was married to and how abusive he had been and could become.

 

[BeckyF]

I think it is important not to take the AA as gospel as far as an actual trial is concerned.

The AA is simply that - the case to support the arrest of the accused on the charges. It made sense to include the theory, as the lies to officers are a key part of the case against him. But this is quite a low bar at that stage.

At the actual trial, the prosecution will need to advance their theory of the case. Given the trial did not happen, we don't know what the final theory of the case was.

To my mind, it makes complete sense to include the dart material at the AA stage given Barry's highly suspicious answers.

Ok, gotcha. Thank you for pointing that out. AA does not =trial evidence. Noted for future.

 

[Murphy1950]

I just can't imagine that a man would murder his wife of 26 years, the mother of his children, in such a cold and calculating way, because of her desire to divorce him. Just imagine the horror of him darting his wife with a tranquillizer gun, and then chasing her down while she flees...horrible to think of. Assuming he did it, and unless he is a sociopath, I imagine his guilt over the enormity of his crime will eventually lead to him taking his own life sometime in the future. Just my opinion.

RSBM It wasn't Barry's choice, God was saving Suzanne from her self and a life of drinking, drugs and affairs. (only 3 examples, there are lots more)
From the AA page 59
“I truly believe that her disappearance was out of anyone's hands but God's. And God allowed that to happen for some reason and we might never know until we get to heaven."
….. and said that maybe Suzanne's disappearance was a form of God's judgment for the affair.”

Page 62

He added, "I'm telling ya, I had no idea of this until today. But, looking at everything right now, things are making a little bit more sense to me from God's point of view because I would never understand why God could take away my wife after I fought two battles of cancer with her, had two miracle babies that we shouldn't have had, and had a wonderful life together."

Page 64

Barry said, "I tell you what. I've had a very hard time understanding why God did this. And he allowed it.”

Just started reading the AA.

View attachment 346412
Right away I say an instance when LE overstated the facts:



I assume Barry's abuse of Suzanne is clearly stated later on, If not, it's just an accusation with no evidence.

All the steps by Suzanne to divorce Barry were in the early stages , largely complaining to friends about their relationship and gathering evidence by secretly recoding BM. But she never met with an attorney, which I assume she would have done if she was prepared to move forward.

RSBM.. Overstated? Facts are facts, don't see how they can be overstated. Sincerely asking...How?

It has been accepted that Suzanne didn't speak to anyone of the affair, not her sister or best friends. She held some things close to the vest, so who's to say whether she consulted a lawyer?

Early stages? She had been obviously weighing things out for years before.That is one of the reasons for the move to Colorado , a fresh start. Shortly thereafter she initiated an affair. That had been running for a year and a half. She was clearly trying to wait for the youngest to finish high school. But she was well in the later stages,mentally she was 100% done! She had been busy developing a second career as a fitness coach to sustain herself financially as a divorcee, while fighting her second bout of cancer. The only thing left to do was walk out and she was on her way, Barry knew it.
ETA...a Biggie... Suzanne had told Sheila she may get part of her money in January. It seems Barry did agree to give her some if not all (to repay her inheritance money that was used for Puma Path.) The Indiana property was about a month away from settling. I do believe that is why she finally felt free to be looking at other properties, one foot was out the door.

 

[susiQ]

When the hotel rooms were booked is a very important question. I actually don't think we ever got an answer.

As for the Chlorine smell, I'm not convinced it's related. We haven't heard a theory in that regard.

Well, we know he’s not the sharpest tool in the shed. I suspect he bathed in it to rid himself of any scent of cadaverine Maybe not full strength but 50%. That would be enough to make MG’s eyes water .

 

[MassGuy]

Well, we know he’s not the sharpest tool in the shed. I suspect he bathed in it to rid himself of any scent of cadaverine Maybe not full strength but 50%. That would be enough to make MG’s eyes water .

There's just no need. He could have just showered like a normal person, and thrown his clothes away with his boots (which I assume he did).

This is unproven for me. Perhaps we would have heard something at trial, or hopefully, will.

 

[O.Incandenza]

There is definitely something dubious went on with Cahill IMO, but I don't see him as particularly relevant at trial, where experts would slug out the DNA evidence.

Yeah, as long as they manage to get their act together enough to properly qualify a good expert witness on the DNA next time around, then it shouldn't be much of an issue at trial.

 

[Seattle1]

Ok, gotcha. Thank you for pointing that out. AA does not =trial evidence. Noted for future.

Yes, the AA is not evidence and will never be seen/read by the jurors. While we've had knowledge of the contents of the AA for more than a year, just imagine attempting to try this case without 14 of your 16 expert witnesses.

 

[BeckyF]

Well, the overstatement is that SM did not meet with a divorce attorney, or a mediator, or anyone "official" regarding her desire to divorce BM. Her actions were all discussion things with friends, and buying spy pens, and documenting what the prosecution characterized as abuse on her cell phone "notes" program. I wouldn't really call those as clear steps leading towards divorce--"preliminary steps" would be more accurate.

Meeting with an attorney doesn't have to be preparing to "duke it out" in court. Many divorces are amicable, but an attorney has to be involved in all states, so far as I know, for the filings. Meeting with an attorney would be a logical step to take if someone were really ready to divorce.

BBM No one knows for a fact that Suzanne did not see an attorney about a divorce.

She did not buy spy pens. The spy pen was given to her by a friend.

 

[susiQ]

What did we learn today? B is back in town.

Free to B anywhere he pleases, he's back there.

Hmm.

JMO

Indeed! B is back there, likely to keep an eye on how quick the snow is melting . B, of no fixed address (rolling my eyes).

 

[susiQ]

I wonder if continued sightings of Grusing by Barry might eventually panic Barry into fleeing?

He can’t bring himself to leave quite yet. He’s desperate to discover where they are searching or else he would have hightailed it to Gunnison. IE makes me laugh. Does she expect employees of the CCSD to move elsewhere? She really is a piece of work, that one. MOO

 

[BeckyF]

Yes, the AA is not evidence and will never be seen/read by the jurors. While we've had knowledge of the contents of the AA for more than a year, just imagine attempting to try this case without 14 of your 16 expert witnesses.

Thanks. I guess I was picturing in my mind Iris and company shredding this to bits in a trial, had it been brought up as evidence of guilt.

 

[Megnut]

Why did Barry leave his Bobcat home on Mother's Day? It would've lent more credibility to his wallibi. Even if he drove it there and back. So why?

What was Barry doing at the beach on Friday/Saturday?

What would happen if someone tried to make a tranquilizer sedative at home? Out of chlorine and bromide?

Suzanne had said the last few days had been magical. Is there a case to be made that Suzanne thought she had PP to herself? That she thought Barry was staying someplace else? Could he have told her he was up in Denver (for fire fighter training) but she saw him in Salida, a final straw, hence the "I'm done"?

After his late night down by the creek on Friday into Saturday, when did he enter the house again?

When Barry arrived home on Saturday, did he park where he might normally park or did he park in front of Suzanne's spot, to block egress?

When Barry loaded up his truck, surely he gathered up any evidence of chemicals. The darts. The syringe itself. Did he know he'd lost the cap?

Busy B, true to form.

JMO

 

[susiQ]

Why did Barry leave his Bobcat home on Mother's Day? It would've lent more credibility to his wallibi. Even if he drove it there and back. So why?

What was Barry doing at the beach on Friday/Saturday?

What would happen if someone tried to make a tranquilizer sedative at home? Out of chlorine and bromide?

Suzanne had said the last few days had been magical. Is there a case to be made that Suzanne thought she had PP to herself? That she thought Barry was staying someplace else? Could he have told her he was up in Denver (for fire fighter training) but she saw him in Salida, a final straw, hence the "I'm done"?

After his late night down by the creek on Friday into Saturday, when did he enter the house again?

When Barry arrived home on Saturday, did he park where he might normally park or did he park in front of Suzanne's spot, to block egress?

When Barry loaded up his truck, surely he gathered up any evidence of chemicals. The darts. The syringe itself. Did he know he'd lost the cap?

Busy B, true to form.

JMO

Hmmmm…..you bring up something that I have found odd for some time. The statement by SM that “the last few days have been magical.” Iirc, B was at the river property Friday night. However, wasn’t there something about SM and BM going for pizza Friday night? Did she not send a pic to the daughters? Maybe I’m misremembering some things.

I agree that those days since she texted, “I’m done,” would have felt “magical” if BM was not around. I think once SM realized how she was being manipulated and abused by that jerk it was intolerable to have him around. But, what of the alleged “walk” they took by the dumpster? Did that ever really happen, or did the cleaning woman actually see SD and BM at the dumpster? How could those days have been magical? He threatened to kill himself.

When things don’t make sense, I generally conclude I don’t have ALL the information for it to make sense. If anyone can help me out here I would greatly appreciate it. I’m obviously missing something.

 

[crhedBngr]

Why Floyd the Barber knew all the town gossip if anyone is old enough to remember.

I do remember; thanks for Today's laugh!

 

[justtrish]

I could be mistaken, but I would assume that anyone with a gun safe that was as big as Barry’s had guns, plural. He had a love of hunting and I believe he would want to possess his own firearms, rather than borrowing a gun. The bullet on the bedroom floor didn’t seem to be a big shocker in the Morphew home either-although who knows how this would have played out in a trial. If there is an inventory of Barry’s weapons out there, I don’t remember seeing it. I also have no idea what the rules are for transporting guns from Indiana to Colorado.

We've moved many times with the military and when we've moved ourselves we have transported my husbands gun locked in the gun safe. Unloaded of course and the bullets were also locked in the gun safe in a box made for bullets.
When he has went to the gun range or driven with the guns for a hunting trip or other times when we didn't have the gun safe in a moving truck, he has each gun locked in an individual case unloaded. The bullets get transported in a box designed for bullets also locked. The rule is if he's pulled over he discloses immediately that he has guns in the vehicle and where they are located.

I'll also add that at our house the guns are all locked in individual cases and the ammunition is in a separate box designed for ammo and also locked. He never has the bullets out at the house and if he was going to a range to shoot or hunting, he would transport them in their cases and wouldn't load the guns until he was in the woods or at the range ready to shoot. I'm not sure we've ever just had a bullet out laying on the floor for some reason because he doesn't load the guns in the house and he doesn't shoot them at our house either.

 

[justtrish]

BBM I agree that Dart/needle theory should not have been included in the AA if prosecutors could not really cement this as a contributing factor to Suzanne’s disappearance. I’ve thought this for a long time.

I feel they included it for a couple reasons. One being he lied about it. He lied and said he didn't shoot it in Colorado and then when confronted with the evidence in the dryer, he admitted he in fact did fire it in April and the reason he did so was illegal. The second reason is because it one one more possibility in a long line of possible ways he got rid of her. Alone his lying about it and what he admits to using it for is disturbing and shows a lack of character at a minimum. Then, added in with the other things he lied about and admitted to doing (shooting chipmunks, turning left after saying he drove right to Broomfield, waking to the alarm, but not waking to the alarm, etc) it shows a pattern of lies and that he had MANY ways he could have gotten rid of her and a few things he did lie about he later tried to give a legit reason for them but those legit reasons are still pretty alarming (tranqing deer shooting 80+ chipmunks, following elk in the dark)

 

[Murphy1950]

Why?

A heartfelt suggestion on behalf of Aloe. May save us all misunderstandings, a lot of which has been generated as of late. Disagreeing isn't hate, It's disagreeing.

 

[steeltowngirl]

<modsnip: Quoted posts were removed> ... the post addressed the possibility that SM didn’t talk to an attorney before leaving, and therefore wasn’t planning to leave or divorce him.

One thing that is known about intimate partner violence is that the most dangerous time for a woman is when she is leaving an abusive relationship.

I suspect Suzanne was walking on eggshells, knowing BM was going through her phone and notes. We really don’t know for sure that she did or did not talk to an attorney. She may have contacted one online. But it’s likely she would have kept that hidden from BM, so as not to “show her cards” about custody or financials, and risk setting him off. Or maybe he did find something and it did set him off. We really don’t know.

 

[steeltowngirl]

Another bit of information about no-body cases:

No-body cases tend to have a lot in common, DiBiase said. About 53 percent stem from domestic violence. The accused is a man in 91 percent of them, and the victim is a woman 58 percent of the time.

"Because the assailant typically has a relationship with the victim, he knows he's the number one suspect and that he needs to get rid of the body," the former prosecutor said.

The killers' behavior in the hours and days after the disappearance also tends to be similar.

There are often signs that they tried to clean up the scene or hide evidence. Suspicious purchases – such as heavy-duty cleaning supplies, a new rug, mattress, or bedding – are frequently made after the disappearance.

A lack of concern about the victim's whereabouts also is common, DiBiase said. The killers usually aren't the ones to report a person missing and don't participate in searches. They also tend to move on quickly with their lives and don't show much, if any, concern that the victim is missing.

Authorities don’t have body in the killing of Bellamy Gamboa, but the case will still be prosecuted

VIRGINIA BEACH It’s arguably the most essential piece of evidence in a murder trial, and yet sometimes, it’s missing. The body, that is. While some might assume that without a corpse th…

www.pilotonline.com

 

[Aloe]

I have to wonder if Suzanne even had funds for an attorney or with which to leave. BM controlled everything. MOO