Investigators found male DNA on the glovebox in Suzanne Morphew’s car that corresponds with partial DNA profiles found in three unsolved sexual assault cases in different states, a Colorado Bureau of Investigation agent testified Tuesday.
The partial DNA profile developed from the glovebox DNA matched with profiles developed in unsolved sexual assault cases in Chicago, Pheonix and Tempe, CBI Agent Joseph Cahill confirmed during questioning by Barry Morphew’s defense attorney Iris Eytan.
Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office
Suzanne Morphew, 49, went missing May 10, 2020. Her brother is organizing a private search for the woman Thursday.The new information comes as Barry Morphew’s defense attorneys try to convince a Chaffee County judge that prosecutors do not have enough evidence to prosecute their client for allegedly murdering his wife in May 2020.
The preliminary hearing in Barry Morphew’s criminal case began its fourth and final day on Tuesday. After the hearing, 11th Judicial District Chief Judge Patrick Murphy will decide whether there is enough evidence against Morphew for the case to proceed and whether Morphew should be able to post bail while the case proceeds.
Morphew, 53, was arrested in May in connection to his wife’s death and faces felony charges of first-degree murder, tampering with a body, tampering with evidence, possession of a dangerous weapon and attempt to influence a public servant. If convicted of the murder charge, Morphew faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole.
A neighbor reported Suzanne missing on May 10, 2020, which sparked massive searches for her. Searchers found her mountain bike at the bottom of a steep ditch off County Road 225 and her bike helmet less than a mile away. Prosecutors’ theory, outlined through three days of questioning during the preliminary hearing, is that Morphew killed Suzanne on the evening of May 9 before leaving early on May 10 to work in Broomfield.
Morphew’s defense attorneys focused some of their questioning Tuesday on statements their client made to investigators about how he loved his wife. Morphew told investigators that he covered nearly 200 square miles searching for Suzanne in the months after she disappeared, retired FBI Agent Jonathan Grusing said.
Morphew held back tears as his attorney, Dru Nielsen, questioned Grusing about statements Morphew made to investigators about how he loved his wife. He continued to say he loved her after investigators told him Suzanne was having an affair.
“He said, “It doesn’t mean I don’t love her,’” Grusing said.
The defense duo also elicited testimony from investigators that did not support the prosecution’s theory of the alleged crime. Under questioning by defense attorney Nielsen, Grusing said that multiple dogs trained to detect decomposing bodies did not alert to such evidence in Barry Morphew’s truck.
The defense also played body camera footage that showed Chaffee County sheriff’s deputies stating that they didn’t believe a tranquilizer dart gun found in Morphew’s gun safe functioned.
The prosecution repeatedly brought up the tranquilizer gun, empty darts and a cap found in the dryer that is used with a syringe to fill the darts with tranquilizer chemicals.
None of the prosecution’s witnesses explicitly said whether, how or when they believe Morphew used the tranquilizer gun on Suzanne.
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