Police later examined the spot where they believe Kelsey's body was burned. He told investigators he often dropped trash in accessible bins to avoid paying to have it disposed of at a landfill. Then, she says, she drove to Kelsey's home. Aya Gruber: And then that confession to shooting chipmunks becomes a major piece of incriminating evidence against him. CONEJOS COUNTY, Colo. (KKTV) - As the investigation continues into an unsettling case centered around a rural area in Colorado, authorities have . The neighbor of a Salida, Colorado construction site where the husband of Suzanne Morphew, who has been missing since Mother's Day, worked as a landscaper is now reporting she heard a mysterious, ongoing loud noise emanating from the property the night before mom of two disappeared, the Daily Mail reports. She didn't poison the coffee and when Frazee found out he was angry. In exchange for her testimony against Frazee, sheagreed to plead guilty to evidence tampering. The El Paso County District Attorney's Office to file nine additional charges against his stepmother, including one count of first-degree murder after deliberation and eight counts of committing a crime of violence. So, it wasn't a surprise when a Colorado cowboy named Patrick Frazee caught Kelsey's eye on a dating website in 2016. Ashley Franco: They want to find Kelsey, they want to know what happened to her, so they're staying in Kelsey's townhome and things kind of get a little odd there was a mat like a rug of some sort in the bathroom. Ashley Franco: Waits in the alleyway, walks up to Kelsey's door, knocks on the door, and tells , Ashley Franco: Kelsey opens it, tells Kelsey this elaborate story. Aya Gruber: The theory that the prosecution is going to put forward is that that was Patrick with her phone and he's texting, pretending to be Kelsey. In the days, weeks and months after Suzanne Morphew was reported missing on Mother's Day 2020, her trail went cold, but the mother of two's disappearance had become the biggest story in Colorado. Nikki Battiste: Your last witness, I think jaws dropped when he started testifying. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Hiker Steve Grunwald went missing at Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? She says, "I'm new to the neighborhood, someone had told me that you had helped get my dogs out of trouble" and Kelsey says, "no, I didn't do that.". In this still image from video, Barry Morphew, center, appears in court in Salida, Colo., on May 6. He loves her and he misses her, and he wants to know where Suzanne Morphew is. And when the FBI went back at Lee a second time, she too was ready to talk. "When something like this happens when somebody goes missing you want answers," Aya Gruber, a law professor at the University of Colorado and a former defense attorney, tells "48 Hours" correspondent Peter Van Sant. Gannon's younger sister, Laila, also sat down with the parents for the statement. I don't like to pay to have it disposed at a landfill, I this is just what I do. Going to jump in the shower. "We are going to find Gannon, and that's the main goal that we all have. Two months before Kelsey went missing, Lee says she drove 12 hours from Idaho to a Starbucks near Kelsey's home in Colorado. Suzanne competed for homecoming queen. At the time of Kelsey's disappearance, phone records show that Patrick Frazee was in touch withKrystal Kenney Lee a nurse and avid horsewoman who grew up here. That's what she liked. Barry, investigators say, told them he didn't know how the cap got there, but admitted he was an experienced tranquilizer dart gun shooter. Updated: Feb 25, 2022 / 12:55 PM EST (NBC News) Friday on "Dateline," when Colorado mother Suzanne Morphew vanishes on Mother's Day in 2020, investigators are left with minimal clues until a. And he says he met Suzanne a handful of times; she even made cookies for his wife and kids. Cody Cox: I talked pretty highly about Barry 'cause I was with him all the time. The inside of the Morphew family's garage with Barry's collection of deer heads and a pile of antlers. On nearly the anniversary of Suzanne's disappearance, Barry is arrested in May 2021. A few days later on September 20, 2021, Barry Morphew and daughters Mallory and Macy are all smiles as they leave the jail. Dan Ridenour [riding in car with Peter Van Sant]: What happened on this road is a real mystery. Investigators created a Berla report, meaning they tapped into the data in Barry's Ford truck to track its movements after his cell phone went into airplane mode. By Amy Zimmer: Published on February 3, 2017. "Weve decided we finally want to break the silence," Mallory said. He only began cooperating after he was located by investigators, who learned Jeff had taken steps to hide the nearly two-year affair. Michelle Stein: I was just in shock and disbelief . Bolstering the theory that Barry and Suzanne had a confrontation the day she disappeared were apparent scratches seen on Barry's left arm. Dan Ridenour: And that's when the call to 911 was placed, that Suzanne is missing. A neighbor comes forward with surveillance footage that he says shows Letecia Stauch leaving the house with him and returning hours later alone. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Part of his problem, Aya says, is that Barry granted between 30 and 40 interviews all without a lawyer to everyone from a county detective to members of the FBI. Chromebooks are excellent alternatives to traditional laptops and have built-in security software. Patrick Frazee, seen in court before his trial for the murder of Kelsey Berreth, was sentenced to life in prison plus 156 years. I excuse me [in tears]. I wiped the there was blood on the front of the dishwasher. Ben LeMere is an expert in the new field of vehicle forensics. Cody Cox was part of Barry's landscaping crew for nearly two years when Barry first arrived in Colorado. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Ashley Franco: He says the last time he sees his wife is when she's sleeping in their bed. In comparison, Arkansas has 25.77 missing persons per. Gannon Stauch, 11, has been missing from his Colorado Springs, Colo., home since Jan. 27, 2020. Thats not my job. But he didn't. We asked Dan Ridenour to read some of what Barry told investigators. Experts say a human female tooth fragment was recovered from Frazee's ranch near the burn site, but there wasn't enough DNA to determine a profile. Aya Gruber: Everything. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Did you encounter any technical issues? Ashley Franco: Investigators found Suzanne's bike helmet up that road. Gas prices are dropping, Cron powers Rockies to 12-4 win over Diamondbacks, Former Broncos players daughter drowns in pool, Avs forward Cogliano fractured neck in Game 6, Barry Morphew arrested on murder charge in disappearance of wife, Suzanne Morphew, Timeline: What we know about the disappearance of Suzanne Morphew, Video: See the moment Barry Morphew was arrested, While Barry Morphew has been charged with murder, 5 brands that consistently make great Chromebooks, Surprise your mom with one of these Mothers Day. It took FBI agents six months before they uncovered the identity of Suzanne's secret lover: Jeff Libler, a man Suzanne and Barry knew from their Alexandria, Indiana, high school. I kept telling her to call and tell somebody. Stein says she pushed Lee to call the police. COLORADO There are more than 524 people currently missing for more than a year in Colorado. Cheryl Berreth: You can't eat, and you can't sleep and the stress won't end until we find her. Ashley Franco: I think at that point she kind of knows, "I have to come clean.". At one point, Suzanne sends Jeff a selfie. I'll poison the coffee.". Ashley Franco: He calls her back and says, OK, I'll give you a second chance. ", She added: "And the prosecution has chosen not to follow those leads.". Barry Morphew pleaded not guilty to all charges and on September 20, 2021, he was released from jail on bond with his daughters by his side. Dan Ridenour has covered the story for his local morning show. Barry Morphew previously said investigators were trying to blame him for the May 10 disappearance of his wife, Suzanne. This is completely out of character. She also denied knowing Patrick Frazee. Almost a year after Kelsey Berreth's disappearance, there was a long line to get a seat in the courtroom at Patrick Frazee's murder trial. They argued that they felt they were close to finding Suzanne Morphew's remains, which could help or hurt their case against Barry. The defense tried mightily to blunt the state's case, countering that the clear, plastic cap found in the dryer means nothing because no one could say how long it had been there. Neither parent addressed the rumors about Letecia Stauch. She pointed out where she claims she intentionally left blood for them to find. At that time in early December Woodland Park Police had not publicly named a suspect. and she had also noticed that the refrigerator looked like it had been wiped down recently, you could see streaks. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Lee claims Frazee invited his fiance to play a guessing game with candles. AGENT GREGG SLATER: When you came in what did you see? "I love you, Bubba," she said at the end of the video. Aya Gruber:Yeah, that is you know just something that feels really unbelievable. Linda Stanley, district attorney for Colorado's 11th Judicial District, said during the briefing she is "confident" in the charges. Clint Cline: I think a lot of people that knew Patrick they don't think that the candle story adds up. Andy Moorman, Suzanne Morphews brother, announced in mid-September he was recruiting volunteers to conduct an independent search. Andrew Katers: She could. Nationally, there are 374 missing persons cases that remain open from the year 2000. Ashley Franco: Krystal tells authorities she opens a door and the scene is horrific. CHERYL BERRETH [to reporters]: Kelsey we just want you home. "So, what this case lives and dies on is the testimony of Krystal Lee. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. He pleaded not guilty. Nikki Battiste: Do you remember Kelsey talking about wanting to be a pilot? A spokeswoman for the sheriff's office told ABC News that investigators have a copy of the video and do not dispute Drayton's description. Ashley Franco: She says, "I don't have a personal relationship with Patrick Frazee. First published on January 22, 2022 / 11:02 PM. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Suzanne and Barry Morphew with their daughters Macy, left, and Mallory, right. He told agents he took a left upon leaving his home instead of a right because, even though it was dark, he remembered seeing some elk. That day, a neighbor called 911 to report that the 49-year-old had gone for a bike ride and never returned, the sheriff's office said. After three-and-a-half hours of deliberations, there was a verdict. Gannon's biological mother and father make a gut-wrenching plea together for anyone with information to come forward. Berreth is carrying a poinsettia plant she had just purchased at Safeway. Prosecutor Beth Reed painted a picture of Patrick Frazee. I would only ask, "Where's Suzanne?". Barry offered a $100,000 reward for information that was later doubled to $200,000. Aya Gruber: This DNA discovery is so significant. They both attended Purdue University and married in 1994. Michelle Stein: This is the thing. Decades passed until Suzanne reached out to Jeff, out of the blue, in 2018. Cody Cox: So, when I heard about the news, I didn't believe it I heard it actually on the radio. Ashley Franco | KKTV reporter: Right the last day she's seen publicly. I met her one day, she came out during one of the trimmings and spent the day. Investigators also discovered they'd sent intimate photos to each other, talked of becoming husband and wife, and even mentioned leaving the United States. The Associated Press contributed to this report. If you want a pest-free patio this spring, the most important thing you can do is take away those elements that bugs find desirable. He entered the courthouse through a white tent -- out of sight from the media. But more than 5,600 cases for missing Native women or . That is the connective thread for everything," says University of Colorado law professor Aya Gruber. Colorado mom Suzanne Morphew has been missing since May 10, with investigators now zeroing in on her social media presence By KC Baker Published on November 19, 2020 01:15 PM Michelle Stein: I think that she was to a point. What you need to know about bank, BestReviews.com - Top gifts to make everyone happy this spring, Mothers Day inspo: This foot massager has 20,000, Drew Barrymores Walmart collection is perfect for, Best Mothers Day gifts for the budding plant mom, Best Mothers Day Gifts for moms obsessed with books, Search continues for missing Lakewood man, Denver restaurant closes after 50 years in business, Set of quadruplets set to graduate from MSU together, Air pollution on the Front Range has gotten worse, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Thanksgiving Day, 2018 the last time Kelsey Berreth was seen in public. That text pinged off a cell phone tower 800 miles away. She claimed she feared for herself and her children. Peter Van Sant: It's something like eight out of 10 times, when a spouse dies the other one's involved. Kelsey's mother Cheryl alerted investigators who returned to the house. She could have saved Kelsey so many times over so many months, and it's totally inexcusable. Ashley Cogburn: It does feel a little bit incomplete without Kelsey, because usually it was us four all together all the time. They said that weather complicated recovery efforts, but believed they were close to locating her body. Despite the murder charge, Kelsey's body had not been found. "But this case is incredibly unique when you started to dig a little bit deeper. Suzanne Morphew, 49, disappeared on Mother's Day last year. ", Jeff's response at 2:06 p.m. was: "Want to strip down and get naked? The text read in part: "He's also been abusive emotionally and physically I feel more angry now. There's plenty of places to dispose of of a body. DA Dan May: A heck of a lot more time than three years. But first, Lee wanted a deal. Melinda Moorman: Barry was very dominant in the relationship, and my sister was a very passive, gentle soul he had a great tendency to overpower, intimidate people to get what he wanted. A cadaver dog alerted to the area. Jul 20, 2020; JeffCo Deputies Find Missing Girl The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office is . AGENT: I believe yesterday you said that you also collected wood and put it into the burn pit? And it's gone. What really happened to Suzanne Morphew? She said she hoped that, with more time, searchers will find Suzanne's body and win "a solid conviction in her murder. As investigators began trying to verify Barry's alibi, they were pulled in a new direction. Police say this is likely when Frazee killed her: CHIEF MILES DE YOUNG [to reporters]: investigators have recovered a number of items that make us suspicious that the crime did occur at Kelsey's residence. After Lee said she couldn't go through with the poison plan, she told investigators Frazee came up with a different idea. Ashley Franco: "Howdy Stranger." Gannon disappeared on Jan. 27 from his home in Lorson Ranch, a neighborhood southeast of the Colorado Springs Airport. Nikki Battiste: You think that had to be a woman's idea? Initially, Barry told police that he set his alarm for 4:30 a.m. on Mother's Day and left the house by 5 a.m. to drive to a job site in Broomfield, a town near Denver, 150 miles from Salida. Her mother still had hope of finding Kelsey alive. CHIEF MILES DE YOUNG [to reporters]: Reports are correct that Kelsey's phone gave a location near Gooding, Idaho, on November 25. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. It's unfortunately a part of my profession that sometimes in order to solve a case we have to give a deal to the devil. But Barry helped fill in some of the missing data. Authorities believed that it was Krystal Lee who travelled to Idaho with Kelsey's phone. On November 22, 2018 at 1:23 p.m., a neighbor's surveillance camera captures Kelsey Berreth, Patrick Frazee and their daughter Kaylee entering Berreth's home. It was very powerful. And then that's it. She says Lee called and confided in her about a disturbing conversation she and Frazee had a month before Kelsey disappeared. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Colorado, by comparison, has 186 missing persons cases still open from 2000 to the present, the 21st highest number in the country. When investigators tell Barry of the affair, he denies knowing anything about it. They happened to meet at the site where Suzanne's mountain bike was found and Tyson secretly videotaped Barry: BARRY MORPHEW [to Draper]: The first night there was a mountain lion that officers seen that walked by the car. But the truck's computers show that someone was opening and closing the truck's doors around 3:30 a.m. Investigators believe Barry began driving toward Broomfield much earlier than he claimed, but there is a 4-hour windowapproximately 4 a.m. to 8 a.m.when no activity was recorded by the vehicle's computers. Police say Frazee told them Kelsey struggled with depression hinting that she may be suicidal. This time, with an aluminum baseball bat. Ashley Franco: She had been out here multiple times to see him and it was type a type of affair. (Jerilee Bennett/The Gazette via AP). Nikki Battiste: But, I think, Michelle, people watching will say "call the police." The 5,798 missing kindergartners and 13,802 students missing in first through fifth grade account for almost two-thirds of the enrollment decline.
Hats Comparable To Richardson 112,
How To Calculate Indirect Cost Rate For Federal Grants,
Articles M