Found Deceased CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, did not return from bike ride, Chaffee County, 10 May 2020 #20

[TKG]

And how long did it take for the neighbor to get to the Morphew home, (not sure if neighbor walked or drove) look around, call out for her, maybe walked around the house, etc., and determine bike was missing? If SM had a medical emergency such as a stroke, heart attack, fall, head injury, or something else very serious, talk about wasted time!

Right? And how would this neighbor know what to look for? She had to have been given very specific instructions on how and where to enter, what to look for and what red flags may be facing her.

 

[BeckyF]

Right? And how would this neighbor know what to look for? She had to have been given very specific instructions on how and where to enter, what to look for and what red flags may be facing her.

Yep, instructed by BM. And if he had time to do that, he most definitely had time to dial 911.

 

[OldCop]

bbm
I'm especially interested in the second search.
What brought LE back to the house ?
Everything keeps coming back to something occurring within the house. IMO.

Plus, we know LE had to have probable cause to get that second search warrant for the home. So there was something compelling that brought them back there. Also, although we don’t know the exact length of the search, it seemed as though they were not there very long. That tells me they were zeroed in on something specific and found it rather quickly.

 

[24Brix]

She “went on a bike ride,” and hadn’t yet returned. There are a ton of innocent explanations, especially if he didn’t know when she had actually left.

RSBM.
This has always bothered me as much as anything. Her car is there, her bike is not. Ergo, she’s probably out riding somewhere. No one knows how long she’s been away from the house. Her morning ride may have become an afternoon ride for some reason. Or she went out twice.

Honestly, if it was me talking to my daughters (or the neighbor), I’d most likely say, “She’ll probably be back shortly. Keep me posted. We’ll call 911 if she’s not back in an hour or so.” I don’t think I’d be getting cop-calling panicky until it started getting dark.

Why does BM jump straight to a misadventure assumption in the late afternoon? (Hint: Because the narrative demanded it.)

 

[JnRyan]

Who was it that called the neighbor when Suzanne couldn't be reached. Barry or the daughters?

 

[Chocoholic]

Sorry this point has been discussed ad nauseum, and is getting old, very old. The 911 procedure changed in 2014 as posted by Seattle 1 CO - CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, did not return from bike ride, Chaffee County, 10 May 2020 #19


"And if you're unaware, it was August 13, 2014 that the FCC began implementing the "Text-to-911 " service and established an initial deadline of December 31, 2014 for all covered text providers to be capable of supporting text-to-911 service.

This means there's actually a digital code for every Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP call center) (including Salida, Co), where emergency calls (like police, fire brigade, ambulance) initiated by any mobile or landline subscriber are terminated.

PSAP coding enables you to dial 911 from anywhere and give the dispatcher the code for the emergency locale you want to reach or they can look it up and connect you. It's that simple. Of course, you can still call the non-emergency number for Salida from anywhere for the same result."

Seriously, I can't imagine a volunteer firefighter would not at least know how to google the non-emergency number for Salida. And
seriously???

Add to that it's your loved one? I see No, Nada, Zero excuses for foisting that call on someone else to make. . and then wouldn't you be wondering if they made it? And anxiously waiting to hear what was said ?

I have the non emergency number for my local PD saved in my contacts in case I ever need it. Probably did so as a result of one of the wonderful posters here! I would suggest for everyone to do so.

 

[Chocoholic]

If he was in Denver he could not call 911 and talk to the 911 for his home. He would have gotten Denver's 911 center.

I could be wrong on this, but when I set up my phone I recall entering my home address for 911 calls. It’s an iPhone, so maybe all phones don’t request that during set up. I would think it’s an easy thing to do on androids as well. JMO

 

[Dave F.]

RSBM.
This has always bothered me as much as anything. Her car is there, her bike is not. Ergo, she’s probably out riding somewhere. No one knows how long she’s been away from the house. Her morning ride may have become an afternoon ride for some reason. Or she went out twice.

Honestly, if it was me talking to my daughters (or the neighbor), I’d most likely say, “She’ll probably be back shortly. Keep me posted. We’ll call 911 if she’s not back in an hour or so.” I don’t think I’d be getting cop-calling panicky until it started getting dark.

Why does BM jump straight to a misadventure assumption in the late afternoon? (Hint: Because the narrative demanded it.)

Possibly she had prior medical issues, or had been recently threatened by someone.......bringing an urgency to checking, and then urgency to the 911 call. Many people in the western states make sure their trusted neighbor has a key, and is familiar with the house, garage, propane tank, and fresh water cistern........and such a plan would have greatly increased importance had there been a risk that we know nothing about. IMO

 

[AbigailHobbs]

Who was it that called the neighbor when Suzanne couldn't be reached. Barry or the daughters?

I think the daughters after being unable to wish their mom a happy mother's day and running late to get home. Then they called BM but I'm not 100% positive. It's just how it sounded to me

 

[Murphy1950]

Possibly she had prior medical issues, or had been recently threatened by someone.......bringing an urgency to checking, and then urgency to the 911 call. Many people in the western states make sure their trusted neighbor has a key..., IMO

RSBM
Not unique to "western States" IMO, I live on the heavily populated East Coast, and share the same (keys etc.) with my trusted neighbors. The comment made she could have been possibly recently "threatened" (?) by someone but that was kept under wraps and that is why the case suddenly necessitated urgency by involving LE (?) Just too hard for me to buy MMO.

Why are some people excusing Barry, like he was an idiot, and incapable of calling or dealing with 911, is my question?

 

[KLM6]

RSBM
Not unique to "western States" IMO, I live on the heavily populated East Coast, and share the same (keys etc.) with my trusted neighbors. The comment made she could have been possibly recently "threatened" (?) by someone but that was kept under wraps and that is why the case suddenly necessitated urgency by involving LE (?) Just too hard for me to buy MMO.

Why are some people excusing Barry, like he was an idiot, and incapable of calling or dealing with 911, is my question?

Agreed. It is my understanding he had the girls call the neighbor, then he had the neighbor call 911. Imo, BM wanted no part of this.

 

[DellaC]

DBM

 

[Dave F.]

RSBM
Not unique to "western States" IMO, I live on the heavily populated East Coast, and share the same (keys etc.) with my trusted neighbors. The comment made she could have been possibly recently "threatened" (?) by someone but that was kept under wraps and that is why the case suddenly necessitated urgency by involving LE (?) Just too hard for me to buy MMO.

Why are some people excusing Barry, like he was an idiot, and incapable of calling or dealing with 911, is my question?

I can't answer that, because I see nothing to question about it. I don't think there is a proper procedure written for the best reaction to being informed your spouse is ,missing while you are out of town. I traveled for work extensively, and had emergencies at home (though none were a traumatic as a wife missing). In the same situation, I can't say that I would have done anything differently than BM did.
I just don't have a problem with it.
IMO

 

[FelicityLemon]

A 3 day search while saying the homeowner doesn't appear to be involved? That is a lot of time to waste digging around for curiosity

Even if they didn't find anything, it wouldn't be a waste of time. It's due diligence. If they didn't follow up and investigate something they believed credible, they wouldn't be doing their job. Many leads -even those with enough for a search warrant- don't produce evidence of a crime; it's all part of the investigative process. Like investigating people to rule them out as well as in.

We don't know what they found in any searches. We only know for sure that there were three search warrants.

 

[FelicityLemon]

I agree with you. Even if there is a new work-around, I wouldn’t think of that in the moment. Not would I waste time googling it.

But I’d call my personal LE contacts to go check on my wife. I would do that.

MOO

I would be shocked if he didn't do that, too. I can't imagine the three hour drive waiting to hear from LE or the neighbor to let me know what's going on.

 

[Dave F.]

Speaking of red lights, does anybody here think that BM ran through a bunch of red lights in his rush to get back to Salida from Denver as soon as he possibly could to help look for SM?

Yeah. Me, neither.

JMO.

What red lights?

Google Maps and Directions
DIA to 19057 Puma Path

3 h 1 min (173 miles)
via US Hwy 285 S
Fastest route, the usual traffic
Denver International Airport
8500 Peña Blvd, Denver, CO 80249
Note: Right turn on red legal at any Colorado intersection not otherwise marked

"Head north on Peña Blvd
46 ft
Use the right lane to turn slightly right onto Terminal E (signs for Terminal East)
0.2 mi
Take the exit toward E 80th Ave
0.2 mi
Turn left onto E 80th Ave
0.1 mi
Turn right onto Harry B Combs Pkwy
0.6 mi
Continue onto E 75th Ave
1.1 mi
Turn right onto Jackson Gap Rd
0.2 mi
Turn left onto the ramp to I-70
0.3 mi
Merge onto Peña Blvd
8.2 mi
Use the left 2 lanes to merge onto I-70 W
24.7 mi
Use the right 2 lanes to take exit 260 for 470 toward Colorado Springs
0.6 mi
Merge onto CO-470 E
5.1 mi
Take the exit onto US-285 S/US Hwy 285 S toward Fairplay
12.8 mi
Continue onto US-285 S/US Hwy 285 S
110 mi
Turn right onto US-50 W
Street View
8.9 mi
19057 Puma Path
Salida, CO 81201"

(zoom out at link to see entire route in screen)
خرائط ‪Google‬‏‏

 

[al66pine]

Breach of Contract? Specific Performance Suit? Legal defense?

Well, recall that Barry Morphew (& his attorney) stated under penalty of perjury in the guardianship petition that the "real estate is sold on land contract with a closing date of June 6, 2020." If Judge Casati had denied the petition, a breach of contract would have been inevitable. Absent proof* of some attempt on Barry's part to frustrate justice somehow, a court is not going to upset the settled expectations of the buyers & sellers....

@lamlawindy sbm bbm Yes, this is what I posted about earlier today. Some here may see 'no pressing need' for either buyers or sellers to close the contract (azz-uming there had been a contract pending prior to SM's disappearance). But ppl 'tangentially' involved in contract may be paid only if and/or when the transaction closes, for ex, surveyor, appraiser, mortgage broker, and lender title ins. co at corporate or local branch level, et al. Technically may not be true for real esate agents under typical MLS or equivalent contracts, as agent's commission may be due under contract, even if sale does not close. May not be urgent need on parts of ^ ppl, but collectively they all want the contract to close. And buyers may have wanted to lock in low long term mortgage rates now available or to make improvements on prop, after closing. Some ppl seem to think the only person to want to close was BM as seller, but he is not the only who wants to seal the deal.
Any legal defence BM could try to present to a breach of contract suit seeking specific performance? I don't see any. If Buyers were gung-ho to close their purchase (and I'm not saying they were or were not), I don't see a seller in BM's shoes had much choice other than the route he took, seeking gdn'ship & apptmt as gdn. I could be overlooking something or multiple issues. jm2cts.

I welcome comment, clarification, correction, esp'ly from our legal & real est professionals.

 

[Charlot123]

The mountain lion theory didn’t originate with BM. IMO It was already in play when he got back from Denver. Unlike Letecia, who clearly threw out numerous “original” theories, BM has never steered this investigation in any direction. MOO He has been blindsided from day 1. He has never attempted to control the narrative. This speaks to his innocence as well, had he pulled off this sort of a disappearance, and 2 months later, SM is still missing. surely he would have premeditated a better scenario than mountain lion. JMO
We can’t have it both ways.
I believe empathy exists in most of us, but in just the basic form. Some, indeed never have it, and will never develop it.
I remember nurturing it in my children, different techniques. The golden rule, put yourself in the other person’s shoes. One of my newer favorites, anonymous quote, “be kind, everyone you meet is fighting a terrible battle”. The key word for me, kind. I cried when one of my difficult teenage daughter’s counselors, described her as kind. It gave me hope.
Point to this, most of us have put ourselves in BMs place, and judged him as we think he should have reacted. We’ve based it on our own personal experiences, or our past cases here.
I’d like to challenge us all to take those preconceptions and set them aside.

To really walk in the other persons shoes, you have to go back to the very beginning.
A simple, very happy family, yes SM was alone on MD, no big deal, she knows she is loved and cherished, on a daily basis. Consider this, who the heck planned a MD camp out? They weren’t the only ones missing for MD.
Things are totally normal. You have plans for Monday, to be a special day, and so on.
And then the unthinkable happens. Consider you have not planned anything, you truly have no clue. Then you get conflicting advice, scream from the highest mountaintop, vs no, let’s not panic this person!

Sometimes, I did have to get creative in my empathy teaching, sometimes the person really was not likable, but it really wasn’t about them, it was about my children. Soooo, pick a very happily married couple, that you know personally. suddenly the husband disappears. Use kindness, and judge BM not from a PF perspective.

It is very important for me, to somehow at least get more of us open to the real possibility that BM might be innocent.
We have enough collective brains and insight in this forum to actually sleuth for the truth here and find SM.
We need to at least be open to other POIs. We shut the investigation down on this forum long before LE has. JMHO

I make progress, I continue to sleuth, and the few of us still sleuthing are finding things. Sure is nice to have encouragement from some, and even better to be treated w/ respect here... thank you!

Ironically, I started from putting myself precisely in BM’s shoes. Only it was too scary to post. You see, it is beyond scary to imagine - how your beloved one vanishes. I can’t express how I sympathize for all poor families of victims. All who had to go this way. And then I started unwrapping it further - what one says to the police, how one communicates with the police. How often does one call them, even? Not to make them upset, but push for the case? I asked myself, if it is important to make a statement, and if yes, what should be in this statement, it is for the public. (Description! Identifying traits! Details! How the person looks like, just in case someone saw them).

I know I would be too scared to even imagine how a mountain lion could.... I would be thinking about people, what kind of a person could harm my beloved one?

I think we all need hope and consolation. In situations like this, our behavior becomes irrational. I am not a frequent churchgoer - I think this would change. I don’t believe in psychics - I wouldn’t put it past myself to visit one. I think I would be hysterical, panicky.

But that’s me. BM might be different, introverted, even. I don’t judge him, but I see too many gaps in the narrative. Starting with, I don’t know if they were a happy family. I truly don’t know.

I agree that we should not zoom on BM only, as other options, undoubtedly, exist.

 

[FelicityLemon]

Possibly she had prior medical issues, or had been recently threatened by someone.......bringing an urgency to checking, and then urgency to the 911 call. Many people in the western states make sure their trusted neighbor has a key, and is familiar with the house, garage, propane tank, and fresh water cistern........and such a plan would have greatly increased importance had there been a risk that we know nothing about. IMO

That's what I think too, Dave F. Wife has been going through cancer, they live outside of town, neighbors not exactly next door to hear a fallen person calling for help. It would be reasonable, even prudent to have that kind of relationship with your nearest neighbor (if good relationship) and it works both ways. Neighbor could be older person possibly living alone; exchange keys to houses, have each other on speed dial perhaps. Some people even arrange a daily check-in call, not unheard of.

 

[FelicityLemon]

Ironically, I started from putting myself precisely in BM’s shoes. Only it was too scary to post. You see, it is beyond scary to imagine - how your beloved one vanishes. I can’t express how I sympathize for all poor families of victims. All who had to go this way. And then I started unwrapping it further - what one says to the police, how one communicates with the police. How often does one call them, even? Not to make them upset, but push for the case? I asked myself, if it is important to make a statement, and if yes, what should be in this statement, it is for the public. (Description! Identifying traits! Details! How the person looks like, just in case someone saw them).

I know I would be too scared to even imagine how a mountain lion could.... I would be thinking about people, what kind of a person could harm my beloved one?

I think we all need hope and consolation. In situations like this, our behavior becomes irrational. I am not a frequent churchgoer - I think this would change. I don’t believe in psychics - I wouldn’t put it past myself to visit one. I think I would be hysterical, panicky.

But that’s me. BM might be different, introverted, even. I don’t judge him, but I see too many gaps in the narrative. Starting with, I don’t know if they were a happy family. I truly don’t know.

I agree that we should not zoom on BM only, as other options, undoubtedly, exist.

I really like the way you've worded this! Good, honest thoughts well expressed in a non-confrontational manner. I don't mean to sound condescending, just very appreciative.