Found Deceased CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, did not return from bike ride, Chaffee County, 10 May 2020 #13

[nyvictoria]

Wouldn't that area be heavily trampled if that was where the bike really was? If I was searching that area, I would be walking all over that growth and looking at the base and in between. That vegetation looks too good to have been searched.

Would be nice to get another confirmation to know if that was the real site the bike was found. As it doesn't look like it was searched very well.

How do we know that’s the spot? I had to skip a bunch of pages in the last two threads so I may have missed that info. According to BM, LE mishandled the bike and drove/trampled all over the evidence. So either that’s not the right spot and/or BM’s accusation is a bunch of hooey.

 

[wheatnotchaff]

BBM

To your point:
Yes, it would be in SM’s interest as most of her family and friends reside in IN. However, her family was unaware of the petition. So that mitigates the benefit of hearing the petition there. IMO

I was thinking about this more in terms of the (upcoming) petition for permanent guardianship, which presumably would be much more involved to get approval for. Would be interesting to know if the request for temporary guardianship (since approved) required more than the elder daughter’s consent. It sounded like it didn’t and if true, this would reinforce the idea that the temporary guardianship is very restrictive ... ie for the real estate sale transaction cited on the web page summary. @AugustWest ... any additional insight to help shed light on this?

 

[Seattle1]

I have the same questions. It appears LE only searched for a few days after SM went missing in addition to removing concrete. IMO, the majority here are barking up the wrong tree - I don't think BM had anything to do with her disappearance. Too bad we can't use our experience to sleuth some additional theories to help find SM.

^^bbm
Huh? What exactly is preventing you and others from using your experience to sleuth some additional theories to help find SM?

 

[Poedelini]

I suspect that his phone data will be suspicious as hell (turned on and off), but I’m not optimistic it will provide enough information to locate her.

Even Letecia Stauch knew that a phone is essentially a tracking device, and although suspicious (and damning), it did not lead law enforcement to the initial dumpsite.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see something similar here. I think the best hope may be vehicle GPS.

Im afraid BM is to savvy for that. He had all the time in the world. Somehow im really pessimistic in this case in that regard. Jmo

 

[oviedo]

No need to apologize - your post is informative and to me, helpful. I came across the UAGPPJA and posted about it upthread this morning ... what caught my attention was the section about "signification connection state", which apparently is used to help determine jurisdiction for guardianship, and part of what I believe you're describing here. Sounds like proposing guardianship in IN (vs CO) is actually favorable to SM's interests, not simply (or at all) because she owns property there, which was what I highlighted in my post, but rather because most of her family connections are there. I guess if anyone is looking for even the tiniest bit of positive news on this aspect of the case, this could be it.

Except it appears her family may have been unaware - see crimeline article @Seattle1 just posted
Imo

 

[oviedo]

SM now appears in the Guardianship Registry as an Incapcitated Adult, BM the Guardian, and the expiration date of 9/3/2020.

View attachment 250174

And yet she is missing ...

 

[CronesEye]

Given the time of year, it's quite likely that a significant part of that growth happened after the searches. It's been nearly a month. That would hide any marks the searchers left.

I would have to know the type of vegetation it is, woody or grassy, the rainfall, successive plant populations.
And I can't quite see up the hill, over the horizon of that initial limited landscape, a small patch actually in that large landscape.
That tall dominantly dispersed plant seems to have it's original top, rounded and slightly bent, now if that species came up rapidly after May 10 in lots of rain, it wouldn't be trampled. But if it was slower growing it wouldn't look like that, especially if it was woody.
Anybody live out there and know the vegetation on that hillside?

And carbuff, I would think people would still be returning to search that site if it was really where the bike was found. It could be where the bike was found, of course, it is just that it doesn't look like any significant presence has been there and of course if BM was misleading someone that would make him look suspicious wouldn't it?

 

[brooks]

Huh? What exactly is preventing you and others from using your experience to sleuth some additional theories to help find SM?

We have been doing so.

 

[carbuff]

I would have to know the type of vegetation it is, woody or grassy, the rainfall, successive plant populations.
And I can't quite see up the hill, over the horizon of that initial limited landscape, a small patch actually in that large landscape.
That tall dominantly dispersed plant seems to have it's original top, rounded and slightly bent, now if that species came up rapidly after May 10 in lots of rain, it wouldn't be trampled. But if it was slower growing it wouldn't look like that, especially if it was woody.
Anybody live out there and know the vegetation on that hillside?

And carbuff, I would think people would still be returning to search that site if it was really where the bike was found. It could be where the bike was found, of course, it is just that it doesn't look like any significant presence has been there and of course if BM was misleading someone that would make him look suspicious wouldn't it?

I'll defer to your apparently greater ability to identify vegetation in a video--I can't make out that much detail.

I'm not sure why they'd need to return to the site, though, if they processed it when the bike was found.

 

[AugustWest]

I was thinking about this more in terms of the (upcoming) petition for permanent guardianship, which presumably would be much more involved to get approval for. Would be interesting to know if the request for temporary guardianship (since approved) required more than the elder daughter’s consent. It sounded like it didn’t and if true, this would reinforce the idea that the temporary guardianship is very restrictive ... ie for the real estate sale transaction cited on the web page summary. @AugustWest ... any additional insight to help shed light on this?

I'm still new to this particular message board, so I'm not sure on multi-quote yet (don't worry, I'm tech savvy so I'll figure it out soon enough) and I wanted to reply to you as well as TKG. I hope @TKG will suffice.

I am an attorney, and I have to reply ethically, and thus this will be a general statement. In other words, I can't say I have any special insight into this case. I don't, so take this with a grain of salt, and know this isn't legal advice. But, generally speaking, temporary guardianships are much more restrictive than general.

As far as notice, the provisions are seemingly laid out at 29-3.5-2-8 of the Indiana Code:

2011 Indiana Code :: TITLE 29. PROBATE :: ARTICLE 3.5. UNIFORM ADULT GUARDIANSHIP AND PROTECTIVE PROCEEDINGS JURISDICTION ACT :: CHAPTER 2. JURISDICTION

I have no doubt that the Indiana District Judge made sure that notice requirements were met in this case.

We only have read that, apparently, one family member states he/she didn't receive notice. It could be her dad, it could be her siblings (don't know that she has any), it could be great aunt Margo twice removed. I can only assume that notice was given "in the same manner as required to be given in" Indiana.

Vague enough for you?

 

[MontereyMama]

This may be a dumb question but if a wife left her assets in a will to her husband and he is later found guilty of murder of said wife....is he still entitled to receive them?

Entitled or not, would he have much use for assets in his prison cell?

 

[Lilypad13]

OK -well, I’m still not that alarmed. I’m sure there are many “legal affairs” that BM needs to take care of. We don’t know what is going on. Maybe he is faced with medical bills related to SM health issues. Even with insurance, the medical bills get crazy. If the guy needs money, he has every right to sell his real estate. He is being advised by an attorney to do this and he will be accountable to the court. I know it doesn’t look good but it is an uncomfortable practicality.

He also might be trying to get his affairs in order for the sake of his mother and daughters in case he is suddenly gone.

 

[wheatnotchaff]

Except it appears her family may have been unaware - see crimeline article @Seattle1 just posted
Imo

Yes, for the temporary petition, I believe this was reported in yesterday’s CrimeOnline article by Ellen Killoran, IIRC. It seems the older daughter was the only person who needed to consent.

I could’ve been clearer in my post— apologies for any confusion. I was thinking about this in terms of permanent guardianship when I responded, which I believe would give BM considerably more power over SM’s financial interests. Hoping to hear more from AugustWest, but I got the sense he was coming from this angle as well. I made some additional observations on this above (#164).

Also, FWIW, it’s unknown who the family member is that the reporter spoke with ... could be someone less close to SM and her financial/real estate matters, and/or who wouldn’t be notified even if more family involvement were required for the temporary guardianship. But again, doesn’t look like this was necessary to get temporary guardianship approved. All IMHO

 

[CronesEye]

How do we know that’s the spot? I had to skip a bunch of pages in the last two threads so I may have missed that info. According to BM, LE mishandled the bike and drove/trampled all over the evidence. So either that’s not the right spot and/or BM’s accusation is a bunch of hooey.

TD said BM told him in the video, "BM told me with his own mouth just now that they found her bike right here..." I recall the side of the road up top being an issue specifically but the word trampled would be more specific to plants than tire tracks on the road side. Trample: "tread on and crush" One doesn't necessarily crush a tire track? But a plant.

Yeah, it's stuff like that, that makes me not believe BM and have to question him. We all make mistakes on occasion but verbal and body language just don't clear him with me right now.

 

[Moonchime]

Does anyone think that Suzanne could have willingly disappeared, we know so little.

Am still thinking about the "Oh Suzanne " quote

No, I don't believe that Suzanne Morphew would put her daughters through that.

My opinion is that the way in which BM says, "Oh, Suzanne" made me think..."Look what you made me do". MOO

 

[wheatnotchaff]

I'm still new to this particular message board, so I'm not sure on multi-quote yet (don't worry, I'm tech savvy so I'll figure it out soon enough) and I wanted to reply to you as well as TKG. I hope @TKG will suffice.

I am an attorney, and I have to reply ethically, and thus this will be a general statement. In other words, I can't say I have any special insight into this case. I don't, so take this with a grain of salt, and know this isn't legal advice. But, generally speaking, temporary guardianships are much more restrictive than general.

As far as notice, the provisions are seemingly laid out at 29-3.5-2-8 of the Indiana Code:

2011 Indiana Code :: TITLE 29. PROBATE :: ARTICLE 3.5. UNIFORM ADULT GUARDIANSHIP AND PROTECTIVE PROCEEDINGS JURISDICTION ACT :: CHAPTER 2. JURISDICTION

I have no doubt that the Indiana District Judge made sure that notice requirements were met in this case.

We only have read that, apparently, one family member states he/she didn't receive notice. It could be her dad, it could be her siblings (don't know that she has any), it could be great aunt Margo twice removed. I can only assume that notice was given "in the same manner as required to be given in" Indiana.

Vague enough for you?

Not at all! Thank you so much. Welcome to WS ... and to the often baffling world of multi-quotes (speaking from personal experience). Really appreciate having your expertise as we wade thru all this

 

[Hatfield]

I would have to know the type of vegetation it is, woody or grassy, the rainfall, successive plant populations.
And I can't quite see up the hill, over the horizon of that initial limited landscape, a small patch actually in that large landscape.
That tall dominantly dispersed plant seems to have it's original top, rounded and slightly bent, now if that species came up rapidly after May 10 in lots of rain, it wouldn't be trampled. But if it was slower growing it wouldn't look like that, especially if it was woody.
Anybody live out there and know the vegetation on that hillside?

And carbuff, I would think people would still be returning to search that site if it was really where the bike was found. It could be where the bike was found, of course, it is just that it doesn't look like any significant presence has been there and of course if BM was misleading someone that would make him look suspicious wouldn't it?

JMO
I had not considered new growth which is a definite possibility since the day she went missing. If it was much shorter at the time that could allow a person wrecking to go much further down off the road.

Assuming that is the right spot where it was found, I was trying to think if it was even possible she got knocked off the bike by a vehicle or wrecked on her own.

I used to do a little biking years ago, and I watch some BMX and X-games and even the Red Bull "Rampage" and have seen quite a few bicycle wrecks on TV. Assuming that is the spot, I was thinking for a normal person just cruising along that road, I have a tough time thinking the bicycle would have tumbled that far down without getting hung up. But if growth was much shorter, then yeah it could be possible if she was going fast.

What normally happens in a normal wreck if you hit rough steep terrain like that is you go head over the bike and get separated from it pretty quickly. Now if she somehow managed to try to stay upright once leaving the road, then I could maybe see it getting down that far. And of course depending on her speed I suppose it could have made it that far down. It just seemed pretty far down.

 

[BeckyF]

DBM - double post

 

[CronesEye]

I'll defer to your apparently greater ability to identify vegetation in a video--I can't make out that much detail.

I'm not sure why they'd need to return to the site, though, if they processed it when the bike was found.

Oh, please I have no greater ability to assess plants, we are all equal here and I greatly value everyone's input. I am sure I am wrong about many things, I am just trying to discern and learn.
I used to spend time in Montana's mountains when I lived there and have been chastised by career naturalist freinds for stepping on plants, so ya know it's just become a thing.
Slopes can be difficult to traverse, let alone search. Rain, wind, things rolling down, it would be hard to find what your looking for. I would for sure search it a couple of times and over time. Easy to miss stuff.

 

[Seattle1]

We have been doing so.

I have the same questions. It appears LE only searched for a few days after SM went missing in addition to removing concrete. IMO, the majority here are barking up the wrong tree - I don't think BM had anything to do with her disappearance. Too bad we can't use our experience to sleuth some additional theories to help find SM.

^^BBM
Thanks. I got caught up on your statement and had to ask what was preventing you or getting in the way. My mistake.