Man who voted for Trump in place of missing wife appears in court over murder

A Colorado man who voted for then-President Donald Trump in place of his missing wife appeared in court for a hearing to see if there was enough evidence for him to be tried, the Associated Press reported.

Among the murders and fraudulent voting, Barry Morphew, 53, is also accused of tampering with his wife’s dead body and evidence from last May when she was first reported missing in March, about two months ago before his arrest. Morphew will also be charged with illegal possession of a short rifle and using deception to influence law enforcement from the time his wife went missing until her arrest.

The hearing was scheduled to continue tomorrow and resume later this month.

For more Associated Press reporting, see below.

Morphew, who is charged with first degree murder and other crimes in the death of Suzanne Morphew, sat in front of his two daughters in court at the start of the hearing. He sat quietly, occasionally whispering with his lawyers or pointing to papers in front of him. When his lawyer, Dru Nielsen, spoke about him describing Suzanne Morphew as his “angel” and a “special and wonderful person”, Morphew, dressed in a gray striped suit and blue medical mask, appeared to get emotional. and dabbed his eyes with a tissue. .

When questioned by the defense, Chaffee County Sheriff’s Commander Alex Walker said Suzanne Morphew – who was 49 when she was reported missing by a neighbor after failing to return from a bike ride to the mother’s day – had had an extramarital affair two years before her disappearance. , reported the Denver Post. It was not immediately clear whether prosecutors believed this played a role in the case.

During a break in the courtroom in the mountain community of Salida, Morphew turned to face his two daughters and appeared to smile behind his mask, his hands in his pockets. They took off their masks so he could see their smiles. One of them showed her how long her hair had grown.

The courtroom was kept at a limited capacity due to coronavirus concerns. Everyone was required to wear masks and people in the gallery were asked to maintain a social distance of 3 feet (1 meter). Members of the public who wanted a seat lined up outside the courthouse long before the gates opened at 8 a.m. Some wore t-shirts in support of Suzanne Morphew and shook their heads when defense attorneys questioned witnesses.

Lawyers and prosecutors used a projector to display videos and photos during the hearing. Body camera footage showed investigators found Suzanne Morphew’s bike in a short but steep ravine off a county road. In the video, officers tour the bike over rough terrain, calling it by name and noting that the bike has no apparent damage.

A 130-page court document containing details of the evidence leading to Morphew’s arrest in May has been sealed despite media opposition. The hearing should therefore provide a first overview of the case against him.