Found Deceased CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, did not return from bike ride, Chaffee County, 10 May 2020 #12

[DizzyB]

Do you think Suzanne had a will? I was reading a bit on Indiana law-if she dies intestate BM only gets 50%, kids get the other half. Hmm.

 

[oviedo]

I think it’s straight up incapacity - declaring someone dead is a whole other thing IMO

 

[GordianKnot]

The IN attorney must know that jurisdiction is in that state or they would not have initiated it there - they would have referred him to CO to do the guardianship / weird because we just had a situation where a minor inherited FL property but they are in NY - guardianship has to be in NY because that’s where the minor resides - this will be interesting and btw an interested party can appear and object to this whole guardianship court action
IMO

BBM;

oviedo, what gives an individual legal standing as an "interested party" in guardianship cases?

Can an immediate family member, i.e., a parent or a sibling of a married adult, object to the guardianship action?

"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark," to quote my main man William S.

Actually, not something:

Someone.

JMO.

 

[oviedo]

BBM;

oviedo, what gives an individual legal standing as an "interested party" in guardianship cases?

Can an immediate family member, i.e., a parent or a sibling of a married adult object to the guardianship action?

Any one can say they are interested and the court would rule on it but IMO for standing it needs to be her parent, sibling, or adult child - that would do it jMO
eta - yes an interested party may object then it becomes contested in my state and all the parties have lawyers - nothing ruled on until incapacity is ruled (and we generally have the ward examined by 3 doctors for that ruling in our guardianship court- every. Single. Time.)
Imo

 

[mom2chloe]

BBM
Interesting! I don’t think I considered that he might have invited her to go with him to Denver. After all, no children at home, we only have his word they were “expected” home on Sunday.
An opportunity to get away and go to the city might sound very appealing to SM after being locked in due to Covid 19. An innocent stop along the way ... that’s a lot of ground to cover if LE suspects she might be somewhere between her home and Denver.
If they left Saturday ... he would have had plenty of time to come back and stage bike very late at night, or early morning hours on Sunday. I think when he (they) left is an important clue, video surveillance is also imperative in solving this case.
Wouldn’t he have to go through tolls on the way to Denver?
It could take months going through video footage on that route. It’s exhausting thinking of all that LE must do and is doing to find the truth.

Sadly I could also envision this scenario as a let’s wait until after Mother’s Day to break the news to the girls that we are separating/divorcing. Imo

 

[trujac]

Well, not everyone would do it like that. There are serial killers who planned extensively and there are those who simply killed when the opportunity presented itself - often using the same methods of killing and body disposal. Jesperson had no checklists, he just thought of himself as huge, muscular and a man who could, in one on one combat with any person, get the better of that person. He chose small women as his targets, becasue he was a monster. He was a truck driver and the only planning he did was to get the next load to where it was supposed to go.

I don't think Michael Peterson planned at all, I think he flew into a rage over a marital argument of immense proportions.

I do think that in Suzanne's case there will be some details that the killer overlooked. The only alternative to foul play in this case would be a voluntary disappearance due to an extremely scary domestic situation. Only once in my life have I seen something like that go down. Local police were not clued in right away, but the FBI was involved and LE in another state.

I also believe that some people let their minds wander to "what if" scenarios that are pretty dark, and that counts as a kind of prep.

Was the perp someone who just temporarily lost his/her mind? Followed up their actions by spending a few hours figuring out what to do next? Or did they indeed plan this for the week that the daughters were away? They could have started planning after CoVid isolation, as we know that certain crimes occur to people who are more isolated. Often women.

I think, what makes the disappearance of SM complicated is the location where she lives...isolated and surrounded by wild terrain and animals with a river that has claimed quite a few lives...and SM's health challenges--how having cancer twice made her vulnerable, and how her illness impacted her family dynamics...the way everyone adapted to new ways of coping with what must have been a long and stressful time period.
The way I see it, the fact that Suzanne on Mother's Day was home alone suggests that the family had implemented some social space as a family. The possibility of a stranger or an acquaintance abducting Suzanne seems viable to me, along with her being harmed by someone well known to her. LE immediately putting crime tape around the home and blocking off the road suggests that something major caught their attention when they were first called in--whether it was finding the bicycle off the road, and/or a few of Suzanne's belongings on the road isn't clear...however, the digging up of a property and cutting out some cement from a cement pad, then sifting through a lot of dirt makes me think that LE is looking at this as a homicide that happened within proximity to SM's home--even though the river was also searched, I think LE was looking for thrown out evidence...perhaps BM has also been looking in the river for evidence too?

 

[10ofRods]

We saw in KB's case that the cell phone data was important and available - I believe they can but I've learned - just because the cell phone shows a location doesn't mean the owner is there as well. Proof for me would be a physical sighting or her on video. Texting would not do it for me personally - however a phone call with someone who knows her voice would be proof
JMO

For me, that means her daughters. Or a very close friend. I do believe LE has that information and that may be why they asked for video starting on the 8th. I sure do hope that's the case. At any rate, LE must have a good idea when her voice was last heard by her daughters.

 

[Carrie Ann]

BBM
If he transported her deceased body in his car wouldn't the scent have been picked up by cadaver dogs?

I wonder about this as well. In the recent past tho people have transported bodies. The Le searched a property and the dogs didnt hit on anything but a awhile maybe 2 weeks return to the same place and found remains. I wondering if the dogs need new training cause these killers out there have found away to cover the smell. I do trust the Dogs but their training umm or these people who committ these unthinkable acts have knowledge of covering the smell. The world has changed tons and LE is dealing with diffrent types of crimnals .

 

[GordianKnot]

Any one can say they are interested and the court would rule on it but IMO for standing it needs to be her parent, sibling, or adult child - that would do it jMO
eta - yes an interested party may object then it becomes contested in my state and all the parties have lawyers - nothing ruled on until incapacity is ruled (and we generally have the ward examined by 3 doctors for that ruling in our guardianship court- every. Single. Time.)
Imo

BBM:

Well, then.

That's going to be pretty tough to do in this case, isn't it?

On account of, you can't examine a missing person.

And, why the rush, BM?

What's your hurry?

This move smacks of desperation to me.

JMO.

 

[carbuff]

I can see where you're coming from. What got me raising an eyebrow was imagining the possibility of SM's body being discovered ... and not necessarily by LE. I can't imagine they wouldn't hold a press conference if her body was found, especially if her body was discovered by someone who is non-LE. Again, JMO, but I just get the sense from Spezze's response that he's not even entertaining this as a possibility at this stage. Otherwise, why be so declarative of no press conference this week. It's as if he's saying not only do we not have new information, we won't have any new information that warrants a press conference. MOO

Well, if they're waiting for lab results, and he knows the results won't be back until next week, he could be right.

But also we might be trying to read too much into a simple statement of plans. LE tends to only say what's true at the moment they're speaking. Like when they say "at this point there's no evidence," there's an implied, "but we could find evidence tomorrow." Likewise this case seems to be to have an implied "unless things change" to it.

 

[oviedo]

Do you think Suzanne had a will? I was reading a bit on Indiana law-if she dies intestate BM only gets 50%, kids get the other half. Hmm.

My guess is she did based on other public documents available in IN public records - they know what’s required to convey title IMO

 

[Sillybilly]

I'm thinking it could just be that BM needs the courts approval to sign documents that would normally require both their signatures for a property transfer. If he is appointed her guardian, he can sign on her behalf.

 

[10ofRods]

IMO, for a submerged body to eventually rise to the surface (gas) depends on water temps, as an example. Warm waters, several days. Cold water several weeks to months, maybe. Water can also move remains great distances. Eventually you have skeletal remains - lighter bones tend to move down stream further, while heavier bones don't. They become scattered. Critters & invertebrates play a role.

Then you have decomp - fully submerged bodies will delay flies from entering orifices and furthering the process along. It will eventually happen however. Bodies that sustained wounds and trauma can decompose faster because egg laying flies can enter easier. This is true on dry land. Then you consider flood waters, drought water levels. Bodies being caught up in downed trees, tangled in grass, trash, etc. What a mess.

IMO

Good summary. That's why I would expect a few more water searches in the near future, and if no results, then in a couple of months. As the stream goes down in July/August, if there are still large bones around, it's a typical time for them to be exposed and be found.

Any thoughts on how long it would take a fully submerged body in snow melt water to experience enough decomp that dogs might alert? Ballpark guess?

I don't have a clear map of the area in my head, but I should pay more attention to the terrain.

 

[Jo in Calif]

Not sure if this helps.

courts.IN.gov: Adult Guardianship

 

[Fireflize]

Seems like BM is setting in motion major decisions for some new plans...

There was a moving van at the house when the youtuber was filming him. Moo

 

[GatorMDR]

They probably don’t divulge what they have or the perp would know they are on to them and could be a possible flight risk. Better to keep the perp guessing and local as their nerves are unraveling near breaking point which might lead them to Suzanne. JMO

The anxiety level for BM is not Earthly.

 

[Knox]

BBM:

Well, then.

That's going to be pretty tough to do in this case, isn't it?

On account of, you can't examine a missing person.

And why the rush? What's the hurry?

This move smacks of desperation to me.

JMO.

Better yet, what's the basis for the request? She's missing and he needs money stat? Would he use the reward as an excuse?? Meaning he offered the $100k but without the sale of the house he couldn't pay it?

 

[WildOrchid]

Unless there’s a reason (such as required time limit) for this motion to have been made 3 wks after SM disappeared, I can’t wrap my brain around why it’s a perceived smart move. If he’s guilty of harming SM, this makes him look worse! And if he’s innocent, why is he making a move that makes him look terrible? Even if a hired lawyer said “Hey BM, this is something that is time critical to do”, I just can’t see where it shows any heart or compassion whatsoever. This fence I’m trying to sit on is uncomfortable tonight.

 

[Auntie Cipation]

BBM:

Well, then.

That's going to be pretty tough to do in this case, isn't it?

On account of, you can't examine a missing person.

And why the rush? What's the hurry?

This move smacks of desperation to me.

JMO.

I agree. Although, I can see a scenario on the other side (I like what one poster is doing, alternating days presuming innocence vs guilt...).

That is, suppose they were in the midst of a real estate transaction already before S disappeared. Maybe it was already in escrow even. And the buyer needs to close soon, so B is doing what he needs to legally to complete the transaction without S's signature.

Not saying I think this indicates his innocence, but it might explain the rushed declaration?

MOO

 

[TKG]

Criminy -- that motion to sell real estate is nothing!!

What about this -- isn't this as good as requesting SM be declared dead?

06/03/2020
Petition to Establish Guardianship Filed
Petition
Filed By:
Morphew, Barry L
File Stamp:
06/01/2020

Interesting the attorney is in Indiana? Both SM and BM have Salida, CO listed as their address?

Could this possibly be regarding guardianship over minors or is it in fact relating to property? MOO