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

[OldCop]

SBM...
Yes the dogs would be able to smell a body wrapped in plastic.
Contrary to popular belief, dogs cannot SMELL THROUGH things.
They can smell under things, around things and into things. They can even pick out a single smell hidden among thousands of others. Short of vacuumed packed and sealed so no air can escape, any material used will release smells that will carry through the air.


Dogs probably didn't "hit." Part of this sounds more like a reporters interpretations of what they witnessed. Dogs are only as good as their training and their handler. Often overrated. We learned later the dogs used against Scott Peterson, had a dismal record. They shouldn't have been a part of the case. IMO.

I am disappointed CCSO didn't supply/recommend or source dogs that were Colorado certified, could have save a lot of time, money and heartache.

Attached is an article on Dogs, I find the contents a bit snarky, but factual in that the information agrees with other articles on dogs I have read.

How to Fool A Sniffer Dog

Thanks for this info, @Murphy1950. I’d like to add a copy of another article on cadaver dogs. It is a bit dated, but discusses some of the issues surrounding their use in LE, in trials, and associated costs.
'Cadaver dog' work more accepted by cops, courts

 

[brooks]

I hope the abduction of Suzanne has been investigated during the time period she has been missing.

 

[Seattle1]

Profiling Evil[URL='https://twitter.com/ProfilingEvil']@ProfilingEvil[/URL]

See how #GIS was used by the #ProfilingEvil team in the search for #SuzanneMorphew. Watch it Friday on
@DrPhil
https://drphil.com/shows/exclusive-brother-finds-possible-break-in-case-of-missing-colorado-mom/…

#truecrime #missingperson #drphil #murder #police #sheriff #investigator #victims #searchandrescue #publicsafety #firstresponder



10:43 AM · Sep 30, 2020·

 

[Seattle1]

Chris McDonough[URL='https://twitter.com/187Cjm']@187Cjm[/URL]

RT - Watch how cadaver dogs find human remains for police https://youtu.be/hr00GUHnGnM

via
@YouTube
#suzannemorphew #helpfindsuzannemoorman #SuzanneMorphew #truecrimecommunity #bringsuzannehome #shinebrightforsuzanne
@profilingevil
@PAULANEALMOONEY
@crime_it

Watch how cadaver dogs find human remains for police
Spring weather means police will be able to excavate potential crime scenes as the investigation into alleged serial killer Bruce McArthur continues. Derrick...
youtube.com
6:19 AM · Sep 29, 2020·Twitter Web App

 

[Dalgliesh]

The Washington Post interviewed former prosecutor Tad DiBiase, author of a book on prosecuting no-body murder cases. I highlighted some data from the article that I think important for both the community and the perp to keep in mind. The book is very interesting and worth reading.

---------

Murder cases without the victim’s body are difficult, prosecutors say, but winnable

By Keith L. Alexander and Dan Morse
for The Washington Post, April 17, 2017

When the man charged with killing Pamela Butler appeared in D.C. Superior Court for the first time after his arrest this month, his defense attorney questioned whether prosecutors could even prove a crime occurred.

Butler, a 47-year-old computer analyst from Northwest Washington, disappeared shortly before Valentine’s Day 2009. Authorities insist that Jose Rodriguez-Cruz, Butler’s then-boyfriend, killed her in a jealous rage. But because Butler’s body has never been found, Rodriguez-Cruz’s attorney argued, there is no evidence of a murder — let alone evidence that proves her client is a killer.

<modsnip: Copyright violation. No more than 10% of any article can be copied >

 

[Moonchime]

I suspect that GPR was used on all 4 locations. Perhaps GPR showed something at the Salida job site dig which is what prompted all of that effort. I still suspect they found pieces of her phone at that site or something along those lines.

The three sites that AM’s team found - I’m wondering if GPR was used but nothing was identified. Perhaps that is why we didn’t see a full blown dig at any location. I do think LE might have taken soil samples from all 3 locations which are now being analyzed. My hope is that these samples can:

-Tie some type of evidence of SM to all three locations
-Help LE tighten up their timeline on BM’s activities and where SM might be located.

I doubt the CBI person jumped out of their seat when AM produced Tree invoices and that area was secured and looked at only for this all to be a big nothing burger.

Her body wasn’t at those sites but what if we have 4 dogs hits and evidence at 4 separate sites, all associated with BM. That is a great piece of a no body trial.

I believe that Andy may not be aware of it yet, but he and his team of searchers have likely found things that have advanced the case against Suzanne's murderer. It's astounding that they were able to cover so much ground. I believe Suzanne is very proud of her big brother. MOO

 

[Dalgliesh]

Highlights didn't come through, so here they are:

"Since the early 1800s, about 480 no-body cases have gone to trial. Of those cases, about 89 percent resulted in convictions, DiBiase said.

Of the four cases tried in the District, all four resulted in convictions, DiBiase said."

 

[MassGuy]

I hope the abduction of Suzanne has been investigated during the time period she has been missing.

It appears that was ruled out in the beginning, and nothing has changed.

Hence the intense focus on BM.

 

[303gmf]

Welcome to the 21st Century. Like it or not, crowdsourcing is here to stay. Instant access to information, the ability to search using all sorts of fields including images, people posting every moment of their lives on platforms, is what we are now part of. GPS data, Ring doorbells and trail cams, security cams everywhere, public opinion, the 24 hour news cycle, is what we have evolved to. Like it or not, we now have a lot more influence than we once did. There is certainly bad that goes with it. I do remember Richard Jewell, which was before social media is the way it is now. I went through the images along with so many others during the search for the Marathon bombers. I listened to the apprehension of the second suspect, on a live feed. Should I have? Maybe not. But I choose to think that there is good to be gained from all of these new tools, that outweigh the bad. I might be wrong, but there’s no going back.

So agree! Just had this conversation with my long time websleuther daughter
MSM is slowly looking more & more irrelevant in cases like this one, the lack of on the ground investigative reporting , especially locally lead us to sources outside the too slowly to evolve “news” of the day

An updated definition of mainstream seems necessary in 2020

 

[OzzieB]

My gut feeling tells me Suzanne is nowhere near Salida. She could be somewhere on property along the drive to Broomfiled. There is more to Broomfield than an alibi. She is somewhere on the 3 hour drive which is a lot of miles to search. I couldn't imagine she would have been left close to or on morphew property. Also as sick as this might sound.... Asphyxiation doesn't leave too much to clean up....unless something natural occurs after death. She may have been moved in a car and left somewhere along the way.

 

[lamlawindy]

If you’re a bit player in all of this, let’s say an employee, and you get asked to come into the station. You’ve had some experience with the law in the past. Do you answer their questions if you had nothing to do with anything, or do you call an attorney anyway? I’m assuming a few people have had conversations with LE about a certain mountain lion’s whereabouts and timeframes. If the mountain lion was lying, it certainly boxes him in a bit more. But how much is enough? If the only thing that can be proven is that he lied about timeframes and whereabouts, but there is no physical evidence of a crime, just a missing wife, how do you get him?

1. Consider long and hard whether speaking to investigators is a good idea. Ask yourself:
* Can talking to them hurt me in any way?
* Can talking to them help me in any way?


2. Always consult an attorney. Do not speak to investigators w/o a lawyer.

3. If you -- after consulting an attorney -- decide to speak to investigators, make sure that counsel is present during questioning.

4. If at all possible, get permission for your attorney to record the interview (the investigators will be recording it as well, but they have no obligation to share a copy of the recording with you).

 

[MsBetsy]

Thanks for this info, @Murphy1950. I’d like to add a copy of another article on cadaver dogs. It is a bit dated, but discusses some of the issues surrounding their use in LE, in trials, and associated costs.
'Cadaver dog' work more accepted by cops, courts

Where have you been, OldCop? We could have used you the other day! Someone asked your opinion about the way LE handled the scenes the dogs alerted on, but that was before we knew they processed the scenes. It still would be great to hear your opinion on the way the case is being handled.

That article in the OP states that 75% of positive hits by dogs turn out to be false alerts. I always thought they missed the scent more often than falsely alerting. It's amazing what they can find, but it seems there are many things that can distract them.

What are your thoughts on the search and LE response overall? I may have missed your answer.

 

[Diddian]

For those legal experts out there... I'm curious whether a law could be passed that would allow the collection of the extraordinary investigation costs associated with investigating a "missing body" or "longtime missing body" murder case from the assets of the person(s) successfully convicted of murder or conspiracy to commit murder when the person(s) are also convicted of tampering with, altering, or concealing evidence to delay the discovery of the remains.

 

[citygirl]

It appears that was ruled out in the beginning, and nothing has changed.

Hence the intense focus on BM.

Are you beginning to rethink this?
Was BM more prepared than we thought?
Or has he just gotten lucky?

 

[MassGuy]

Are you beginning to rethink this?
Was BM more prepared than we thought?
Or has he just gotten lucky?

The more we’ve learned, the less prepared I believe he was.

All he did right was disappear for a few hours, and use that time to hide Suzanne’s body.

It’s not so much that he’s gotten lucky, as much as it is that he had a huge advantage. There are no shortage of places to hide a body in that area.

 

[ivegotthemic]

For those legal experts out there... I'm curious whether a law could be passed that would allow the collection of the extraordinary investigation costs associated with investigating a "missing body" or "longtime missing body" murder case from the assets of the person(s) successfully convicted of murder or conspiracy to commit murder when the person(s) are also convicted of tampering with, altering, or concealing evidence to delay the discovery of the remains.

Some states allow a Wrongful death suits where the vicitms family can get monetary damages. Wrongful death statutes confer a right of action for the fact and consequences of the victim's death itself where such death results from the defendant's wrongful or negligent act. But you can only sue 1 person,1 time. Unfortunately there needs to be defintive proof the person has passed before a wrongful death suit can be brought

 

[oviedo]

The more we’ve learned, the less prepared I believe he was.

All he did right was disappear for a few hours, and use that time to hide Suzanne’s body.

It’s not so much that he’s gotten lucky, as much as it is that he had a huge advantage. There is no shortage of places to hide a body in that area.

Yes but I do think the thought was in his head prior to that specific moment IMO

 

[Boxer]

So agree! Just had this conversation with my long time websleuther daughter
MSM is slowly looking more & more irrelevant in cases like this one, the lack of on the ground investigative reporting , especially locally lead us to sources outside the too slowly to evolve “news” of the day

An updated definition of mainstream seems necessary in 2020

Agree.
Fox 21 pulling Lauren amounted to suppressing the case, to the detriment of AMs efforts. Public interest was there.

 

[bestill]

1. Consider long and hard whether speaking to investigators is a good idea. Ask yourself:
* Can talking to them hurt me in any way?
* Can talking to them help me in any way?


2. Always consult an attorney. Do not speak to investigators w/o a lawyer.

3. If you -- after consulting an attorney -- decide to speak to investigators, make sure that counsel is present during questioning.

4. If at all possible, get permission for your attorney to record the interview (the investigators will be recording it as well, but they have no obligation to share a copy of the recording with you).

Great advice!! Hopefully I won't ever need it.

 

[oviedo]

I’m reminded tonight, after watching the new Netflix documentary on the murders of Shanann, Bella, CeCe and Nico Watts, that when a man murders his current or ex partner, it is (as per the documentary end credits) nearly always premeditated.

IMO, Barry did plan this, his motive was purely financial and although pretty much all of his behaviour has been sloppy, his disposal of Suzanne wasn’t sloppy. He has her hidden incredibly well.

I hope for her daughters sake that she is found and that Barry is held accountable.

I saw it too and it reaffirms my belief that there was a plan perhaps not the exact timing but a plan - I think the house being empty was part of it ...
JMO