Found Deceased CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, did not return from bike ride, Chaffee County, 10 May 2020 #42

[MsBetsy]

From the link:

Noticed the author is an independent writer and the article is "special to the Gazette" (i.e., shopped to them -- probably because of lack of local coverage in Salida during the search).

IMO, the info reported did not come from Chaffee County investigators since we know the CCSO has never confirmed the bike recovered or in evidence.

I believe AM previously stated CBI told him the personal item was the helmet.

We also know that there was no property owned by Morphews located in Poncha Springs that cadaver dogs hit on. In fact, this false statement came directly from DM. MOO

The area where the dogs picked up a scent is in Poncha Springs on property owned by Morphew’s family.

Yeah, I don't think LE suddenly started answering questions or giving out information. The Sheriff recently stated he could not answer questions by reporters, since they need to protect the investigation and his main concern is finding Suzanne. Imo

 

[oviedo]

Thank you. Friday seems like months ago. Sorry for any confusion!

no problem - I always appreciate your posts of media content- IIRC we had a lively discussion about the helmet with most sleuthers indicating that they believe the helmet to be the item especially since the publication of the note given to the store clerk which also said helmet - I don't know if it is true because CCSO hasn't confirmed anything about it. but we can speculate.
JMO

 

[Dalgliesh]

Thanks @Dalgliesh. To be clear, I do NOT speculate that SM’s death involved suicide, assisted or otherwise. I believe she was murdered.

While I don’t want to delve too far off-topic, I’m unsure why you are mentioning the Colorado End of Life Options Act, and murder, in the same conversation.

Colorado’s Proposition 106 permits terminally ill patients with under six months to live, as determined by two physicians, to self-administer aid-in-dying drugs to voluntarily die.

I firmly believe the above is NOT the path that SM took, nor do I believe she was terminally ill. But had she done so, even with assistance from her husband, LE would have learned this from interviews with BM, and medical records would support.

With the above in mind, please feel free to provide some clarity on the information you have about procedural protections for assisted suicide.

Please forgive me if I misread your posts, which are on the past thread and can't be forwarded. You were clear then, as now, that you didn't believe SM committed suicide in any form. But the posts to which I responded seemed to be asking if Colorado had a "death with dignity" law that could have been in BM's mind. The CELOA is that law, and if he thought it would protect him he was mistaken.

 

[10ofRods]

It may have been decomposing remains were sitting in that spot for a period of time and body fluids seeped into the ground. After drying, it may not have been visible, but there was a scent.

Other things leave cadaverine too. For example, trash often contains things like feminine hygiene products or condoms, both of which can cause cadaverine hits and which, if a site was used in the past by homeless people or illegal trash dumpers, can sometimes confound LE. Used condoms are definitely a dog-sniffable distractor (and if they are buried here and there by rain and wind-shifted dirt, they may be well decomposed and not particularly obvious on the surface).

 

[Goldenseal]

I am not so sure about that. Each location was readily and fairly accessible to anyone including the riverfront property. Two of three locations would not arouse suspicion if workers or equipment were on the property because both were in various states in of development.

That's the stickiest part of the areas where the dogs made hits -- noooo, the properties don't belong to the Morphew family, but all the areas were either 1) BM's worksite, or 2) within a scant quarter mile or less of a property that DID belong to the Morphew family. Think about that. What are the odds of that happening randomly? Odds are not high. You can feel that our bad guy did it, OR somebody who wants to frame our bad guy did it. I don't see enough randomness to draw any other conclusion. MOO.

 

[Feistyomi]

That's the stickiest part of the areas where the dogs made hits -- noooo, the properties don't belong to the Morphew family, but all the areas were either 1) BM's worksite, or 2) within a scant quarter mile or less of a property that DID belong to the Morphew family. Think about that. What are the odds of that happening randomly? Odds are not high. You can feel that our bad guy did it, OR somebody who wants to frame our bad guy did it. I don't see enough randomness to draw any other conclusion. MOO.

I choose B, as in A or B. Just too hard to fathom LE would not have found majority of items, etc., they had already searched areas.
The search results should at least allow examination of other options. JMHO

 

[K9Enzo]

I'm such a huge supporter of working dogs and know their value to LE. But I also know training and ongoing training matters- the variety of HR that the dog is exposed to, the different environments the dog gets to train in, the various distraction odors the dog is exposed to, the knowledge of the handler big time, the mentor(s) of that handler, training logs maintained and the list goes on. IMO

IMO, only those handlers can speak to their dogs capabilities. That's why it was wild to hear these reports that the dogs couldn't get close to the source but smelled something (paraphrasing). To me, this sounds like a training field scenario that needs further guidance/proofing. My first thought was this dog was not committed to the scent but the handler might have encouraged it (not fraudulently) or the dog was fringing. Then, if I understood correctly, another dog hit on two different locations, then a second dog hit on the site the first dog hit on. Site #2 & #3, maybe. This is just a unbelievable amount of activity going on. I remember thinking this is going to cause so much confusion with the public but more importantly to poor AM.

My conclusion, *I* am discarding all of it as false hits.

IMO only.

 

[rainbowshummingbird]

<modsnip: Quoted post was removed>Is it possible that LE put up a camera in the area and didn’t tell Andy. I don’t believe that LE is lying, but I do think LE does stuff that we don’t know about.

 

[jakat]

no problem - I always appreciate your posts of media content- IIRC we had a lively discussion about the helmet with most sleuthers indicating that they believe the helmet to be the item especially since the publication of the note given to the store clerk which also said helmet - I don't know if it is true because CCSO hasn't confirmed anything about it. but we can speculate.
JMO

I wonder if there were any fingerprints found on the helmet. Seems like Suzanne's fingerprints should be on it seeing as its her helmet. I can't help but wonder if it was wiped clean though.

 

[happyday]

<modsnip: Quoted post was removed> Is it possible that LE put up a camera in the area and didn’t tell Andy. I don’t believe that LE is lying, but I do think LE does stuff that we don’t know about.

Thanks—this is exactly what I meant by my question—what happened here? I guess it could have been a camera set up by LE? That’s a possible explanation.

 

[MassGuy]

I wonder if there were any fingerprints found on the helmet. Seems like Suzanne's fingerprints should be on it seeing as its her helmet. I can't help but wonder if it was wiped clean though.

I’m sure they would have checked for both prints, and touch DNA. The issue is that BM can explain that away, as he can claim he handled it previously.

 

[TKG]

I’m sure they would have checked for both prints, and touch DNA. The issue is that BM can explain that away, as he can claim he handled it previously.

The mountain lion appears to have a solid throwing arm.

 

[K9Enzo]

I’m sure they checked for both prints, and touch DNA. The issue is that BM can explain that away, as he can claim he handled it previously.

IMO, the same with the bike. He could easily say, well I moved it the garage when I was working on my truck (or whatever). My first thought is household community items that everyone in the house could have easily handled.

 

[citygirl]

Lots of highs and lows with PE.
But, they are all we have right now.
Snows are coming to Colorado.
It's gonna be a long , quiet winter.
Having said that, we have a perp who seems erratic.
MOO.

 

[ivegotthemic]

IMO, the same with the bike. He could easily say, well I moved it the garage when I was working on my truck (or whatever). My first thought is household community items that everyone in the house could have easily handled.

Well what do you know, Im pretty sure this is the first time the entire case BM has a reasonable explanation for something. I guess it was bound to happen sometime. I mean he still got the staging of the scene wrong but hey cant win em all. IIRC he was all up in arms at the begining of the case saying LE compromised evidence, for some reason this never felt genuine to me and Ive always kind of thought he was bringing it up just to create some sort of reasonable doubt if they found anything incriminating linked back to him, could be wrong JMO

 

[MassGuy]

Well what do you know, Im pretty sure this is the first time the entire case BM has a reasonable explanation for something. I guess it was bound to happen sometime. I mean he still got the staging of the scene wrong but hey cant win em all. IIRC he was all up in arms at the begining of the case saying LE compromised evidence, for some reason this never felt genuine to me and Ive always kind of thought he was bringing it up just to create some sort of reasonable doubt if they found anything incriminating linked back to him, could be wrong JMO

He needed law enforcement to believe the bike story in order for him to get away with this.

So I believe he was terrified and angry that they didn’t believe it, and his only attack option was to go after the handling of the bike.

 

[jakat]

I’m sure they would have checked for both prints, and touch DNA. The issue is that BM can explain that away, as he can claim he handled it previously.

Yes, you're right about him being able to explain it away. I didn't think about that so thank you!

 

[Seattle1]

I realize that most of the article was apparently written or compiled before the CCSO press release yesterday, so lots of errors there. The reporter tweeted it yesterday. And I did consider the source before bringing it here - I remembered that one of our members last week said they think this reporter is trustworthy due to past Colorado trial coverage.

The Denver Gazette is the new-ish online newspaper as an alternative to the Denver Post. I remember you @Seattle1 talking about it months ago in the Gannon thread.

Anyway, it just jumped out at me that it says LE told them this bit of info. Seems like quite a bold claim.IMO

Hope I’m not sounding argumentative, I’m struggling to get more coffee in my system lol.

I did not read your post as argumentative and hope you did not read me as discounting your MSM post.

I think it's clear the author didn't verify some of her material and the new online paper was anxious for content.

I've said it before that we will be reading untrue information for months to come specifically because the search was not covered past the candlelight memorial by local, trusted reporters, and the latest articles are simply repeating what was incorrectly reported by DM.

MOO

 

[Megnut]

And if oddly the helmet had no fingerprints, well, that's probably because ten meth heads wiped it clean.

It happens.

JMO

 

[ivegotthemic]

He needed law enforcement to believe the bike story in order for him to get away with this.

So I believe he was terrified and angry that they didn’t believe it, and his only attack option was to go after the handling of the bike.

LMAO I was so caught up thinking BM was worried about being caught, i hadn't even considered he was mad LE didnt buy it, great call as always @MassGuy. Classic BM shenanigans, I should have known