Found Deceased CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, did not return from bike ride, Chaffee County, 10 May 2020 #23

[Warwick7]

And in light of what Lauren Scharf said 'on the "Profiling Evil" broadcast on 5 August, where a neighbour of the Morphews commented on the poor mobile phone reception in that area, to the point where it was nigh on impossible to send texts, etc outside of the residences.

Not having to have a verbal phone conversation makes it infinitely easier for a person other than SM to send a text on her 'phone to the daughters, the intention being to deceive them into thinking they'd heard from her.
If that is the case, the Morphew daughters may well not have had contact with SM on May 9th at all.
MOO

Granted I haven't read all the posts yet, but, when I am where cell service is lousy, I use my private messaging on facebook. It works every time.

 

[Seattle1]

And in light of what Lauren Scharf said 'on the "Profiling Evil" broadcast on 5 August, where a neighbour of the Morphews commented on the poor mobile phone reception in that area, to the point where it was nigh on impossible to send texts, etc outside of the residences.

Not having to have a verbal phone conversation makes it infinitely easier for a person other than SM to send a text on her 'phone to the daughters, the intention being to deceive them into thinking they'd heard from her.
If that is the case, the Morphew daughters may well not have had contact with SM on May 9th at all.
MOO

You make a very good point-- especially since it would not be the first time that the guilty party attempted to impersonate the victim. Fortunately, the digital forensics experts at both CBI and FBI can detect very incriminating information. I recall Frazee was texting Kelsey's phone, and seconds later responding on her behalf when Kelsey was allegedly in Woodland Park preparing to take a nap. However, forensic evidence revealed that both phones were a foot apart in his bedroom in Florissant.

MOO

 

[MassGuy]

^^BBM
I also recall BM alleging that he asked his wife if it was OK for him to work on Sunday to set up his job -- offering how he wouldn't be missed since SM would be with her girls that were returning from a trip.

I just don't recall if BM actually stated when this conversation took place, or the date that he left the residence and drove to Denver.

Did BM anchor himself to a timeline?

Here’s a Crime Online article with the transcribed YouTube interview between Barry and Tyson. I’ve attached screenshots of the relevant portion.

YouTuber who ‘secretly’ recorded video of Barry Morphew discussing wife’s disappearance says he believes Suzanne Morphew’s husband knew the camera was on

 

[Murphy1950]

- offering how he wouldn't be missed since SM would be with her girls that were returning from a trip.

I just don't recall if BM actually stated when this conversation took place, or the date that he left the residence and drove to Denver.

Did BM anchor himself to a timeline?

RBBM

Always felt this info was a bit off IMO. The closest town to Colorado on the very edge/border of Idaho is Fish Haven...a nine hour drive to Maysville with no stops. So if you left at 8:am...you aren't planning on spending the day with anyone. I doubt they were in Fish Haven...would love to know where they were but spending the day or better part of a day, nonsense.

 

[Itsapuzzle]

Just watched the PE Evil update. I don't think it's a tactic or that there's anything odd about not having the $200,000 reward mentioned on the Find Suzanne poster as it's got the Chaffee County Sheriff logo/emblem on it. So if they put the reward on the poster it would look like they were offering the reward and that would be false and misleading, as it's only BM and friend offering the reward. MOO

 

[Seattle1]

Here’s a Crime Online article with the transcribed YouTube interview between Barry and Tyson. I’ve attached screenshots of the relevant portion.

YouTuber who ‘secretly’ recorded video of Barry Morphew discussing wife’s disappearance says he believes Suzanne Morphew’s husband knew the camera was on

View attachment 258525 View attachment 258526

Thank you. It appears to me the alleged conversation between BM/SM could have just as well taken place on Friday. We know that the girls could not and did not arrive home on Sunday based on the distance just from the Idaho border to Maysville.

MOO

 

[OldCop]

DizzyB, I was on the same boat! Just got our power back! Good luck! You are correct. Barry said he saw and spoke to SM that morning. Which makes sense why the daughters were not worried they couldn’t reach SM that morning. They knew their father talked to their mom. I guess they then tried calling later that day and became worried when SM didn’t answer.

I guess I am reading this a little different than most folks here. When Tyson Draper asked BM “when did people first notice she was missing”, he paused for a good long time before he answered. He was not asked when was the last time he saw her and I do not believe he said he saw her on Sunday. I have relistened to the TD interview, and I have screen shot the transcription of which I am pasting the pertinent parts below. He does not say when he had this conversation with SM only that he asked her if she would mind if he went to Denver so that he could set up the job on Sunday, that the girls would be home to spend Mother’s Day with her.
It is possible he did go Sunday morning, but I don’t think he ever really said it. I wish TD asked when BM last saw her instead.
ETA Sorry @MassGuy and @Seattle1. I need to read ahead before I pipe in. You guys have it covered.

 

[Hoss569]

Interesting. I ride MTBs, and wouldn't expect to see much left behind on hardpack, even with a heavier tire, although where a rider is positioned over the saddle or bars, whether s/he is climbing or descending, etc etc might have an impact on tread depth or angle.

Someone could also, in theory, roll rather than pitch a bike down or off a road or trail, but there would be minimal control of direction or angle. Still, that tactic look more like a "natural" fall than winging the same bike from a truck bed -- and mountain bikes are awkward, with all kinds of edges and angles and weight distribution -- never thrown one, but have spent years lifting and carrying them, and it ain't always easy, especially if you're heaving rather than toting.

Final thought. MTBers get used to falling, especially on challenging terrain, but there tend to be particular ways of falling, and using your body to prevent a fall, or a minimizing its impact, dragging a foot in a skid, say, or rounding out at the base of a jump or slope. So I wonder if LE have spent time examining possible trajectories of such a fall, with or without mountain lions, and if that will factor in.

JMO, IMO -- have been away from this case so this speculation may be completely irrelevant.

Good info, wouldn't there be quite a few scuff marks from a fall, or even if a managed fall several deep prints?

Have also had this thought that it is pretty tough to bend a wheel straight on, but fairly easy from the side...

 

[OldCop]

^^BBM
I also recall BM alleging that he asked his wife if it was OK for him to work on Sunday to set up his job -- offering how he wouldn't be missed since SM would be with her girls that were returning from a trip.

I just don't recall if BM actually stated when this conversation took place, or the date that he left the residence and drove to Denver.

Did BM anchor himself to a timeline?

Sorry, @Seattle1. Answered the same way because I didn’t read ahead to see that you had already spoke up on this. I guess we are thinking alike as to whether he saw Suzanne Sunday morning.

 

[Murphy1950]

Thank you. It appears to me the alleged conversation between BM/SM could have just as well taken place on Friday. We know that the girls could not and did not arrive home on Sunday based on the distance just from the Idaho border to Maysville.

MOO

So looking at the attachment...

Barry says " And the girls were running late so they texted happy mothers day . She didn’t text back so we went to well (sic) they called my neighbors and said Listen, it’s Mother day I’m a little worried and will you go check the house. And the neighbor checked the house saw that the car was there, but the bike was gone. She called me in Denver and said Hey we're just a little worried and I go well I am too. Why don’t we call the police to be safe.

I would imagine the corrected interpretation (and only guessing) is he said it went to EMAIL. I'm no guru here but some phones/some systems will show you where the message went, therefore I am assuming, that MAY have meant her TEXT/VM was tuned off. (which may be why a neighbor was called?) Need a Guru here!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm way over my head...

 

[Seattle1]

Just watched the PE Evil update. I don't think it's a tactic or that there's anything odd about not having the $200,000 reward mentioned on the Find Suzanne poster as it's got the Chaffee County Sheriff logo/emblem on it. So if they put the reward on the poster it would look like they were offering the reward and that would be false and misleading, as it's only BM and friend offering the reward. MOO

I did not interpret LS comment that way.

I believe she's questioning why BM's reward was conditional to begin with (a ransom only for her safe return), and why he's not revised the reward to what's typical for a missing person i.e., a reward for information leading to the recovery of SM -- dead or alive, and the arrest & conviction of the person(s) responsible.

I believe the reason CCSO excluded the private reward from their posters is twofold:

First, I don't know that BM initially shared his idea for a "no questions asked reward" for SM's safe return with LE. (We know BM elected to skip the opportunity to announce the reward at the Sheriff's presser, and announced it via nephew TN the following day).

If BM did tell CCSO about his reward, I believe LE would have discouraged this "ransom like" reward because it's ineffective for generating information on a missing person because it's limited or conditional on SM's safe return only. This type of reward will not generate tips. It's a ransom payment only for the abductor!

Second, it's the policy of CCSO to partner with Chaffee County Crimestoppers as the administrator for a reward. Crimestoppers is recognized for and respected as a legal entity that protects the identity of tipsters, and nobody fears getting paid. Citizens also know the money is in place -- as does CCSO.

More important, BM's conditional reward could have legal implications for CCSO and they are correct not to do anything giving the appearance that they endorse it.

MOO

 

[PaulaDC]

His DNA had a reasonable explanation for being on the bike. Regardless of how that bike was dumped, it’s always possible he wore gloves.

I was kind of thinking that by walking the bike in the dark with no car or phone it was less risky. moo I wasn't even considering dna, just dumping.

 

[Puzzles8]

RBBM

Always felt this info was a bit off IMO. The closest town to Colorado on the very edge/border of Idaho is Fish Haven...a nine hour drive to Maysville with no stops. So if you left at 8:am...you aren't planning on spending the day with anyone. I doubt they were in Fish Haven...would love to know where they were but spending the day or better part of a day, nonsense.

This has also always bothered me. Idaho is a big long state. To go from anywhere in Idaho to Maysville IMO would be a long trip. Unless you went out of your way, there would be mountains to drive through. I just don't see it as a one day drive.

Possibly, the girls left their Idaho camp on Saturday am and were anticipating a two day drive.

Regardless, the beautiful thing is that cell phone information for BM, SM, and the girls would be easily accessible to LE.

Recently, they used it to solve the Lori Vallow case. Between cell phone data and security cameras, it's pretty hard to get away with a crime these days.

And that is the good news

 

[TKG]

This has also always bothered me. Idaho is a big long state. To go from anywhere in Idaho to Maysville IMO would be a long trip. Unless you went out of your way, there would be mountains to drive through. I just don't see it as a one day drive.

Possibly, the girls left their Idaho camp on Saturday am and were anticipating a two day drive.

Regardless, the beautiful thing is that cell phone information for BM, SM, and the girls would be easily accessible to LE.

Recently, they used it to solve the Lori Vallow case. Between cell phone data and security cameras, it's pretty hard to get away with a crime these days.

And that is the good news

They went camping, this we know. We don’t know that they drove, that has never been stated as fact. They could have flown and been picked up and met friends etc. Just because they are said to be camping it doesn’t mean they drove. IMO that’s an assumption and I’ve questioned it before.

 

[Puzzles8]

They went camping, this we know. We don’t know that they drove, that has never been stated as fact. They could have flown and been picked up and met friends etc. Just because they are said to be camping it doesn’t mean they drove. IMO that’s an assumption and I’ve questioned it before.

Regardless of how and when the girls got back to Maysville, their communications with SM, BM and possibly the neighbor will be a telling narrative. Right now we are under the assumption they planned to arrive back in Maysville to spend some part of Mother's Day with SM.

IMO, cell phone location and records told LE everything they needed to know...

 

[TKG]

Regardless of how and when the girls got back to Maysville, their communications with SM, BM and possibly the neighbor will be a telling narrative. Right now we are under the assumption they planned to arrive back in Maysville to spend some part of Mother's Day with SM.

IMO, cell phone location and records told LE everything they needed to know...

Completely agree.

 

[Sillybilly]

I don't understand why many members are having an issue with the reward offered for Suzanne's "safe return". IMO it is an attempt to keep a potential abductor from harming the victim.

There are many cases where families have offered rewards for the safe return of their loved ones. To name just a few of many:

Sarah Townsend
Julia Madsen
Mekayla Bail
Jamie Tull
Irene Campbell

 

[MassGuy]

I don't understand why many members are having an issue with the reward offered for Suzanne's "safe return". IMO it is an attempt to keep a potential abductor from harming the victim.

There are many cases where families have offered rewards for the safe return of their loved ones. To name just a few of many:

Sarah Townsend
Julia Madsen
Mekayla Bail
Jamie Tull
Irene Campbell

For me, it comes down to this.

You put up a large reward for Suzanne’s safe return. The purpose of a reward is to draw someone forward who can point law enforcement to where Suzanne is being held.

Don’t you then endlessly publicize this reward, and make continuous appeals to the public?

If you don’t, doesn’t that signal that you believe something else has occurred, and there’s no hope of her safe recovery?

If that’s the case, wouldn’t you then consider changing the terms, and perhaps use some of that money to reward someone who provides a tip that leads to the apprehension of Suzanne’s killer?

As I see it, other than the size of the reward and how soon it was offered, I don’t think it’s that unusual.

It’s everything since then that I can’t find precedent for:

A huge reward, a short video, then radio silence.

 

[Poedelini]

DizzyB, I was on the same boat! Just got our power back! Good luck! You are correct. Barry said he saw and spoke to SM that morning. Which makes sense why the daughters were not worried they couldn’t reach SM that morning. They knew their father talked to their mom. I guess they then tried calling later that day and became worried when SM didn’t answer.

I wonder how true this is. Jmo

 

[Seattle1]

I wonder how true this is. Jmo

The only link for this is BM talking to blogger TD and it's subject to interpretation.

I did not find it definitive that BM saw and talked to SM on Sunday. I know that @OldCop did not -- given the jinx posts!