EXCLUSIVE: A bullet in the bedroom, tranquilizer dart in the dryer and fingernail marks on his arm: The 10 most damning pieces of evidence investigators believe will nail Barry Morphew for the murder of his wife
In the multiple days of dramatic preliminary hearings, authorities have presented a mountain of evidence against Barry Morphew, evidence the believe is convincing enough to prove he murdered his missing wife Suzanne.
Scratches on his hands and arms, a bullet found in the couple's home and a tranquilizer dart located in the dryer are among the most damning pieces of evidence against the Colorado husband and father-of-two.
Barry, 53, stands accused of first-degree murder, evidence tampering and other charges in connection with the disappearance of his 49-year-old wife, whose body has never been found. According to Barry, Suzanne - who was having a two-year affair with married dad-of-six Jeff Libler - disappeared last May after going for a bike ride.
Barry's defense lawyer Dru Nielsen has questioned police's timeline of events leading up to the disappearance as he argues that the case should be thrown out before it goes to a full-scale murder trial.
But investigators have revealed holes in Barry's story that they say prove he murdered his wife.
Investigators presented stunning evidence during days of preliminary hearings that could be damning to Barry Morphew's defense in the disappearance of his wife Suzanne
Here are the 10 most damning pieces of evidence so far:
Scratches to Barry's hands and upper arms
Undersheriff Andy Rohrich told how Barry was interviewed and photographed on May 13 - three days after Suzanne vanished.
The photos show barely-healed cuts to both Barry's arms and what Rohrich described as 'fingernail marks' to his upper left arm.
Barry (seen in a mugshot) owns a .22 caliber pistol which he says he uses to shoot chipmunks
Tranquilizer dart found in the dryer
An empty tranquilizer dart was found in the dryer of the home, along with a pair of khaki shorts.
Barry was caught on security footage in khaki shorts on May 9.
He claimed he has the darts to tranquilize deer in order to cut off their horns. But Rohrich said no cut horns were found in the home.
Bullet by the bed
Rohrich testified that a .22 caliber round was found on the floor of Suzanne Morphew's bedroom next to her side of the bed.
Barry owns a .22 caliber pistol which he says he uses to shoot chipmunks.
Damaged door
Rohrich also spoke of cracks in the door of the master suite at the Morphew home where Suzanne and Barry slept.
He said he spoke to the former owners who said there was no damage to the door when he sold the Morphews the home.
Rohrich said based on his police experience, the door appeared to have been battered down.
Missing 15 minutes
On the morning of May 10, data from Barry's truck shows the door was opened seven times between 3.25am and 3.49am.
At 5am, the truck left the Morphew home and was picked up on camera in Poncha Springs at 5.14am as he drove to Broomfield for a job.
But Barry admitted in an interview that he first made a detour that took him close to the remote Garfield Mine after allegedly seeing a herd of elk.
Police believe he was doing something else.
On the morning of May 10, data from Barry's truck shows the door was opened seven times between 3.25am and 3.49am
Barry Morphew (pictured in court in May) is being held in jail without bond. An undersheriff said he saw photos of barely-healed cuts to both Barry's arms and what was described as 'fingernail marks' to his upper left arm
Deer discrepancies
Barry learned his wife Suzanne had been having a two-year affair with one of her high school classmates, Jeff Libler , in the days before allegedly killing her
Barry has said he followed the elk because he was hoping to see where they stopped so he could collect fallen horns.
But police said deer don't shed their horns in May and that it would have been pitch black at 5am that day.
Police also disputed his story about using his tranquilizer to stun a deer in April to cut the horns off.
No cut horns were found in the Morphew home – and Rohrich pointed out that deer don't grow horns until much later in the year.
Deleted texts
Barry admitted to deleting texts on his phone between him and Suzanne on May 21 – after the police investigation had begun.
Agent Johnny Grusing told court that he claimed to have done so to avoid hurting daughters Mallory and Macy.
One of the texts he deleted was unearthed in July 2020 and read 'I'm done'.
Police confronted him with the text and he claimed she wouldn't have left because she loved her family too much.
Debris in the fireplace
Police said they found the remnants of a piece of lacquered wood in the fireplace at the Morphew home - despite a stack of firewood nearby.
Also found in the fireplace were the remains of burned documents and books. Police had been told Suzanne always kept a bible and her journal by her bed.
They found the Bible but didn't find the journal.
Undersheriff Andy Rohrich spoke of cracks in the door of the master suite at the Morphew home where Suzanne and Barry slept. Rohrich said based on his police experience, the door appeared to have been battered down
The couple with their two daughters, Mallory and Macy, who have been supporting their father
Trash runs
Barry was repeatedly caught stopping as he made his way to Broomfield to dispose of trash, including at a McDonalds and at a dumpster outside a Men's Wearhouse where he purchased a new outfit.
He had claimed to be tidying his truck.
But when he arrived back at the Morphew home on May 10, police said his truck was still filled with clutter and bits of trash, and showed photos to prove it.
Stinking hotel room
Barry had a job in Broomfield, Colorado, on May 11 and was due to collect employee Morgan Gentile at 5.30pm on May 10.
But instead, he suddenly decided to go on May 10 – arriving in Broomfield early that morning.
According to Gentile and co-worker Jeff Puckett, he left the room reeking of chlorine and littered with wet towels.