Found Deceased CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, did not return from bike ride, Chaffee County, 10 May 2020 #16

[LietKynes]

@DetectiveFoyleWannabe said: ↑
No search warrant is necessary for the search at the building site if the owner of that property consented.



Agreeing that these are not amateurs running this investigation, and adding post by our criminal defense insider.

@riolove77 said:
I guarantee you they had a SW for the dig. Searches like that based on just consent are super risky. The homeowner has the control and power to completely call it off mid-search and say he's done consenting. Then what? They'd have to stop, go get a SW, etc. and even if that was okay, you then face a defense attorney fighting in court to say evidence item x or y was actually pulled from the home after the consent was withdrawn and therefore should be tossed, etc. A warrant is the safest way to go.

CO - CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, did not return from bike ride, Chaffee County, 10 May 2020 #9

Thank you for clarifying that, [COLOR=rgb(109, 63, 3)]@Seattle1[/COLOR] !

 

[FelicityLemon]

Or, as has been written many times already; the response to the 911 call on May 10th at 5:46 p.m. lead them to believe there was foul play involved (crime scene or indications thereof). Also, K-9 was called in immediately.

Would it be standard to immediately bring in K9 because (as far as we know) it was a missing person and it would be getting dark soon?

 

[chinablue1]

My thoughts ...... I think BM is on LE's radar but even if he is a POI in their eyes, they cannot call it yet, because of the children. Who knows what someone is capable of doing if they are officially named a POI, they just might lose it, and?

Just my moopinion

J4SM

 

[Seattle1]

Quite true. If you read my earlier posts, the purpose of the research was to determine if the Foundation had meaningful assets that would create a motive for somebody to harm Suzanne Morphew.

I attempted to find the Foundation's entry at the Colorado Secretary of State's website but was unable to locate the same. If you're able to find it, please upload it!

I believe you can find any meaningful assets reported on the current or most recently filed Federal Form 990 and not the Indiana (or Colorado) Articles of Incorporation.

My response was actually responding to the quoted post citing the stated purpose as written more than 8 years ago. Things change!

I recall the Colorado foundation's entry (previously linked here) is available at the Colorado Sec of State Website but details are only available for a fee.

 

[Feistyomi]

Thank you both! I only mention it because BM’s plea just fell flat for me and to compare it to a parent’s love for their child seemed “off.” BM came across completely void of true emotion or devotion toward SM. As another member posted up thread, it was like, “Oh Suzanne,” why did you make me do it? Only time will tell if he did, but it doesn’t look good from where I sit. Suzanne deserves justice. She would never have left her girls willingly.

I appreciate, that many who do not have children and have wonderful devoted spouses, feel deep and abiding love. But, bone of your bone and flesh of your flesh is another world altogether. I for the life of me, cannot EVER understand when a “parent” takes away the life they gave birth to. It is incomprehensible. Or, in TS’s situation to end the life of the child of someone she claimed to love. How utterly inhuman.

My apologies, I had posted earlier using AS, for comparison, and knew that AS wasn’t valid using Letecia, so I used Gannon.
Yes, I do know the difference between love for a spouse and a child, I sent my husband to war, 2 sons, and a daughter into war zones. Your comments were quite accurate, but they will never quite express it accurately, until you experience it, as you said. Or you stand with your son at a funeral for his friend who died there.
I apologize if I touched a raw nerve. I was not debating the degree of pain, I was trying to make the point that different people handle differently.
IMO we have compared BM to LS, a better comparison would be to consider that BM shares more characteristics with AS, MVHO.

 

[FelicityLemon]

I'm wondering sorta chicken/egg thingy
Did LE find enough red flags before BM even returned that night, May 10th, outside the home.....
OR Did they have access to the house (perhaps via daughter's permission to look for SM) immediately....AND that is what led to the red flags...? I just have this funny feeling BM was NOT expecting a massive search effort, K9 dogs, & LE in his house & denying him access that Sunday night......
I don't think that was part of his plan......
My gut feeling is LE had access to the Morphew residence immediately- & there was a pretty convincing scene/evidence of a woman who was not 'missing'....
JMO

Just poppin in to say that your picture made me chuckle because I'm watching "Double Harness" - I've had a crush on William Powell for years! *okay, for decades*

 

[FelicityLemon]

Absolutely.
IMO, the bike had to be found pronto. It wouldn't have been located immediately if on a trail or off-road.

Or, what if it wasn't meant to be found at all and it accidentally fell off a truck...and it turned out to be useful development?

 

[Puzzles8]

1. The 990 gives annual income (contribution) figures along with net asset figures. It's detailed enough to note that the Foundation had under $7000 in total assets.

2. Which state form are you referring to? The Indiana Secretary of State Business Entity Report or Indiana Department of Revenue Form NP-20?

The state AG form I referred to is a much more detailed form than the Federal 990. It's been a long time since I've been directly involved in filing it. It may be different between states.

The state is the governing body of your 501 (c) 3 status.

 

[marylamby]

Or, what if it wasn't meant to be found at all and it accidentally fell off a truck...and it turned out to be useful development?

Anything's possible.

 

[FelicityLemon]

TIGER0822 said: ↑
I have been hearing about this email. Is there a copy of it somewhere?

Clarification. Crime online reporter cited the date but agreed not to identify the sender of email. (Reporter allowed to read the email but did not have a copy). There might be more information in one of Tricia's podcasts.

I posted that it I thought it was possible that one of the daughters sent the email because they probably went to the church and had friends there, too. I was pounced on for that idea, so I went and the only reference to the email I could find was what you say on CrimeOnline. The article says that BM is referred to by name and that changed my mind, so I came back and posted that it wasn't the daughters because they wouldn't have referred to their Dad by his first name. *sigh* Then I was pounced on some more lol!

 

[Seattle1]

What day was the "gimme" site recently updated? I really feel like something went down as far as info given to the family to make them post the update after being mia for so long . My personal feelings.

Updated on June 18.

Lauren Scharf@LaurenScharfTV

The
@
page for #MissingPerson #suzannemorphew has given an update: "The extended Morphew Family would like to offer our most sincere and heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has contributed to our efforts in #FindingSuzanne ..."
1:57 PM · Jun 18, 2020·

 

[DetectiveFoyleWannabe]

Yes. First of all, they got a search warrant in this case. It’s been sealed but it is believed to cover the search of the house. It could’ve covered the work site as well. We don’t know.

But with a search warrant there needs to be a showing of probable cause that evidence of a CRIME has been committed in the area to be searched.

And bringing in sonar and digging up an expensive concrete pad, that’s not going to happen without a search warrant. And certainly not at the insistence of a third party property owner. Citizens don’t get to direct law enforcement in their searches.

Second, only three days after she disappeared:

“Spezze declined to comment on whether Morphew’s husband is cooperating with authorities in the search for the woman or whether investigators believe foul play was involved.

‘This is an open criminal investigation,’ Spezze said during a brief interview.”
https://nypost.com/2020/05/13/colorado-woman-missing-after-going-on-mothers-day-bike-ride/

Of course they quickly softened that to:
“The family is cooperating.” And that they wouldn’t “rule out” a criminal investigation.

But the horse is out of the barn.

No search warrant is necessary for the search at the building site if the owner of that property consented.

@DetectiveFoyleWannabe said: ↑
No search warrant is necessary for the search at the building site if the owner of that property consented.



Agreeing that these are not amateurs running this investigation, and adding post by our criminal defense insider.

@riolove77 said:
I guarantee you they had a SW for the dig. Searches like that based on just consent are super risky. The homeowner has the control and power to completely call it off mid-search and say he's done consenting. Then what? They'd have to stop, go get a SW, etc. and even if that was okay, you then face a defense attorney fighting in court to say evidence item x or y was actually pulled from the home after the consent was withdrawn and therefore should be tossed, etc. A warrant is the safest way to go.

CO - CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, did not return from bike ride, Chaffee County, 10 May 2020 #9

I stand corrected. Not a criminal law expert here so I’ll defer to the resident expert. Thanks.

 

[Dave F.]

I appreciate all of your detailed maps but, unless I'm mistaken, her bike was found right off 50 next to a tree in a ravine. near a stream or creek.

That's a big difference from finding it on a trail, which could be a mile or miles from the home we assume she lived in.

Please correct me if I'm mistaken.

BLM showed TD where the bike was found. BLM was facing north toward TD. He rotated all of the way around to where his chest was facing south toward the "Y" in CR225 and while looking back over his left shoulder at TD, stretched his right arm pointing west, said "That way, to the right." I think TD said "Oh, to the right, then?" and BLM motioned with his outstretched hand toward the south and said: "To the right, and then up the hill."
TD walked away from BLM toward the north. The bridge over S. Arkansas River can be seen approaching. The next video starts with TD in the trees, on the north side of the S. Arkansas River, showing us an aspen sapling with a pink ribbon around it and telling us the bike came crashing through the trees from above (Highway 50). This spot is just yards from the entrance to the RV Park.
BLM pointed SOUTH and to the right. TD went NORTH and to the right. I certainly hope TD was not working on his Pathfinder Merit Badge. JMO

 

[Murphy1950]

I posted that it I thought it was possible that one of the daughters sent the email because they probably went to the church and had friends there, too. I was pounced on for that idea, so I went and the only reference to the email I could find was what you say on CrimeOnline. The article says that BM is referred to by name and that changed my mind, so I came back and posted that it wasn't the daughters because they wouldn't have referred to their Dad by his first name. *sigh* Then I was pounced on some more lol!

Well quit beating yourself up, those were excellent observations/comments. Seriously, who could have sent it that quickly other than Barry, the girls or Trevor (the nephew)? My guess is Barry dictated that message to someone to send to the church crowd and they threw in their 2 cents consoling Barry. They didn't know who they were sending it to, they were just trying to be helpful.

Which explains why 'Crimeonline" who did apparently see the email didn't reveal the name of who sent it...it wouldn't have made any sense to the public.

‘They can’t find her’: Message to church group shows desperate plea in early days of search for missing Colorado mom Suzanne Morphew [REPORT]

 

[marylamby]

BLM showed TD where the bike was found. BLM was facing north toward TD. He rotated all of the way around to where his chest was facing south toward the "Y" in CR225 and while looking back over his left shoulder at TD, stretched his right arm pointing west, said "That way, to the right." I think TD said "Oh, to the right, then?" and BLM motioned with his outstretched hand toward the south and said: "To the right, and then up the hill."
TD walked away from BLM toward the north. The bridge over S. Arkansas River can be seen approaching. The next video starts with TD in the trees, on the north side of the S. Arkansas River, showing us an aspen sapling with a pink ribbon around it and telling us the bike came crashing through the trees from above (Highway 50). This spot is just yards from the entrance to the RV Park.
BLM pointed SOUTH and to the right. TD went NORTH and to the right. I certainly hope TD was not working on his Pathfinder Merit Badge. JMO

Question: How does BM know all of those details? I certainly don't take his word for anything.
And that's beside the point. Was the bike 'supposedly' found very close to Hwy 50 or not? I'm pretty sure you'd agree, it was.
If 'the bike' were meant to be hidden, wouldn't you find a more obscure place to put it?

 

[Dave F.]

Would it be standard to immediately bring in K9 because (as far as we know) it was a missing person and it would be getting dark soon?

Yes, they brought in Colorado State Prison Team Search Dogs......trained primarily to follow and find living persons. IMO

 

[Dave F.]

Here is an updated map of the prime search area, produced entirely in Google Earth.

The farthest pin to the left is dropped where the S. Arkansas River enters a culvert. The label for it falls out of the screenshot. Also, the map is oriented with North at the bottom, and South at the top.
The red line traces what I believe is the most likely route SM took on her mountain bike. The pale blue line indicates what I believe is her most likely plan of return path.
All of the possible bridges are included in this map, and all of them are on or adjacent to the estimated path lines. The map doesn't favor one theory over another IMO

 

[gitana1]

If I had to guess, I could think of 2 possibilities off the top of my head. We know that something brought LE to the site to start the dig. They must have had some type of probable cause to believe that some kind of evidence was buried there. Presumably they used a ground penetrating radar or X-ray to scan the concrete slab. They also probably used cadaver dogs to go over the site. They saw something at the precise spot where they cut the concrete and began to sift the dirt or the dogs hit on this spot. My two guesses:
The scan revealed something that they thought was the piece of evidence they were looking for 1) what they dug up was not what they thought it would be and it was not anything that was connected to SM’s disappearance, or 2) they retrieved the evidence they needed.
On the first guess it may have been a suspicious indentation or disturbance to the ground beneath the slab. Upon digging they found it was a naturally occurring pocket.
For my second guess I think that they did recover what they were looking for, but it was not a body or body parts. It may have been a SIM card from a phone, a bullet, a knife; something small, but incriminating.
They did not pull up this whole slab to search beneath it. Likewise, they did not broaden the search when they didn’t find anything at the first cut out. I believe it was @Dave F. who said above that they did search several areas around this location, but to my knowledge they did not dig and sift anywhere else but this one spot.
What are your thoughts/guesses?

Very interesting. As for me, I have no clue.

 

[crhedBngr]

Respectfully, I just cannot compare BM’s “love” for SM with AS’s undying love for his son. Maybe that’s just me. I lost a beloved adult son to cancer (can’t imagine what AS and LH are going through) and as much as this may sound cold to some, while losing my husband would be very hard, I just don’t think it would compare. My mother has lots of German sayings, one of which is, “A husband falls from your side, a child from your heart.” There is NO love greater than the love of a parent for their child. JMHO

I'm so very sorry to hear this, @susiQ .

HUGS.

 

[Dave F.]

If I had to guess, I could think of 2 possibilities off the top of my head. We know that something brought LE to the site to start the dig. They must have had some type of probable cause to believe that some kind of evidence was buried there. Presumably they used a ground penetrating radar or X-ray to scan the concrete slab. They also probably used cadaver dogs to go over the site. They saw something at the precise spot where they cut the concrete and began to sift the dirt or the dogs hit on this spot. My two guesses:
The scan revealed something that they thought was the piece of evidence they were looking for 1) what they dug up was not what they thought it would be and it was not anything that was connected to SM’s disappearance, or 2) they retrieved the evidence they needed.
On the first guess it may have been a suspicious indentation or disturbance to the ground beneath the slab. Upon digging they found it was a naturally occurring pocket.
For my second guess I think that they did recover what they were looking for, but it was not a body or body parts. It may have been a SIM card from a phone, a bullet, a knife; something small, but incriminating.
They did not pull up this whole slab to search beneath it. Likewise, they did not broaden the search when they didn’t find anything at the first cut out. I believe it was @Dave F. who said above that they did search several areas around this location, but to my knowledge they did not dig and sift anywhere else but this one spot.
What are your thoughts/guesses?

LE did use ground Penetrating Radar. The link below is an excellent, understandable explanation of the capabilities. Note that is does detect voids, either in concrete or in the soil up to 2 feet below. If LE was looking for all or part of a body, it would be a void that they were trying to find.The GPR appears to have told LE where to cut the concrete. In an earlier post, I pointed out that The hole created by LE appeared to be at least two feet deep, which would tend to make me believe LE exhausted every reasonable chance of finding what they were seeking.
In the news videos that I saw, it appeared to me that investigators were scraping up loose dirt off the ground around the concrete pad, placing it in buckets, and taking it to the excavated area under the tent to sift. I did not see them take the sifted dirt anywhere, so I'm thinking that perhaps LE carried dirt that they dug out of the hole to the raw dirt beyond the edges of the concrete pad, and what I observed was them returning it to be sifted and allowed to fall back into the hole.
IMO
Concrete Scanning And Imaging Services - Locate Rebar & Post Tension - Ground Penetrating Radar Systems - GPRS LLC