Found Deceased CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, did not return from bike ride, Chaffee County, 10 May 2020 #17

[Madeleine74]

IMO

One should always be careful, know your surroundings, don't walk alone at night if you can help it, lock car doors, house doors and windows, just as your mom would want you to do (and remind you to do). If you're out in the wilderness where there could be wildlife, make sure you have bear spray with you and take your cell phone even if you think you don't need it or believe it won't work, and tell others if you are off hiking.

Whatever happened to SM does not appear to be random--meaning her disappearance and (presumed) death most likely wasn't some crime of opportunity by some dude looking for a female victim to attack, nor an accident, nor an animal attack.

LE, by all appearances, seems to believe SM is the victim of someone close to her, and they are looking at her spouse as their primary suspect (but will not say so until after an arrest is made, if it is him).

That doesn't mean there isn't some other killer out there, but specifically related to the SM case, LE isn't issuing any warnings to the public and you can infer meaning from that.

/IMO

 

[LietKynes]

No BOLO = No Danger to Public?
@LietKynes sbm Respectfully, I disagree. Just my 2 cts which is not worth a wooden nickel. LOL

ETA: Assuming, for sake of discussion, LE has a PoI in mind, ready to make arrest.
1. A local dude who has lived in area for many yrs. Should LE warn or not warn the 'public?'
2. A (hypothetical) spouse of a MisPErs woman? Warn or not?
3. A (hypothetical) spouse, living 10 mi away from MisPers woman? Warn or not?
4. A (hypothetical) ex-spouse, divorced 10 yrs ago, living 100 mi away from MisPers woman? Warn or not?
5. A person who stayed the past month at RV park/campground a few hundred yds (?) from MisPers house? Warn or not?

Is the identity of PoI/almost detainee, or the relationship to the MisPers woman relevant to LE's 'duty' to warn the public?

purple bolding mine

@al66pine : Good post. ^^^
We don't have to agree -- but I think we already are in agreement.
The actual identity doesn't have to be revealed and in fact I think it should be withheld until (hopefully) an arrest is made.
That's if there's been foul play, and I sadly think that's happened as I don't see Suzanne letting her girls wait and be in anguish this long.

My .02 : Is that the specific identity is not necessary to warn the public of, no.
Esp. if it's just a poi or someone LE are concerned about at that time.
So that's not what I was saying -- but I could have clarified the comment a bit better.

A BOLO could encompass anyone from a stalker to a random abductor to a person possibly known to the Morphews'.
Not the "who", just that LE believe she was kidnapped.

If LE believe someone took Suzanne I do think the public should be warned that they think she was abducted.
A 'be on the alert' if nothing else.

Along with a description of when she was last seen outside of the family and also what she was wearing.

The fact that LE haven't described her bike, where it was located, and its' condition is troubling.
The silence makes it appear that LE don't think this is what happened.

So, no danger to the public at large as in LE think whatever may have happened to Suzanne was within her circle of family or acquaintances.
Not just persons known to Suzanne, but to her husband as well.

Sorry if that wasn't clear.

But even IF LE think she was abducted... would it be premature to tell the public to be on the lookout for Suzanne ?
My .02 is no and for other missing persons cases there was a final photo and in some cases a "last seen here" video.

 

[OldCop]

Well, if I'm correct, the eldest Morphew daughter moved to Colorado for college, and the Morphews followed in 2018. It could be that they wanted to be close to their daughter, though moving halfway across the country would certainly be a big change.

I know several others agree with this. Me? Not so much. Do many people really pick up and move to be near their child’s college? Kids usually want to grow their independence at this time in their lives. Plus, if they graduate and get a job half way across the country would you pick up and move again??? Grandparents often move to be closer to where children and grandchildren have settled, but following your kid to college is kind of creepy and I would think would be embarrassing to the child.

 

[303gmf]

Okay, I watched it again. The way they cordoned off the area from the back patio to the diggie machine seemed a little weird to me, like they were interested in certain areas on that side. In contrast, the side of the driveway that was cordoned off ran in a straight line. I might be reading to much into it. That whole yard does not look like it has belonged to a landscaper for the last 2 years. Lots of rock work, but no plantings or anything to soften that hardscape.

Same thoughts on the landscaping, it’s like he’s ringing the whole property with rocks

 

[al66pine]

LE Warning?

purple bolding mine
@al66pine : Good post. ^^^ We don't have to agree -- but I think we already are in agreement. The actual identity doesn't have to be revealed ....If LE believe someone took Suzanne I do think the public should be warned that they think she was abducted. ....

@LietKynes sbm Yes, I think we are thinking along the same line generally, if there is to be a warning: LE not revealing any specific name/identity.
But azz-uming LE should warn the public about a rando abductor/killer, then how, when, where, how often does LE announce this to the public, esp'ly tourists.<---My post 374 asks, Doable?
Difficult for me to imagine.

 

[Seattle1]

If there was a SW for the job site of the spouse of the missing person, this infomation would be easily obtained by going down to the courthouse and talking to a clerk.

^^sbm

Maybe this will be the Colorado case that we will be able to say started the trend where local reporters visit the clerk and tweet "search warrant confirmed by the clerk -- details at 5pm News!"

In other news, the Chaffee County Sheriff announced today that the records office is open again.

News
The Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office has reopened its records office, 641 W. Third St., to the public. Business hours are 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

 

[ethereal*22]

Thinking a wild animal may have swiftly killed your loved one might be easier than thinking a sadistic human has taken her for his pleasure, whatever that may be.

@FelicityLemon, I’ve so often thought of this too! That if BM is not involved, the “controlling” or “hunter brute” persona ideal that has been possibly exaggerated here upon brief snippets that may only reflect a side of character, if any at all, because how does one behave during such time I’m still unsure. But, yes, I see it could be reasonable that a man or any human may try to “bargain” with any deviation of reality when left with only the horror of what we all know is a possibility. I don’t have to list examples.

God forbid, I’d rather think a million scenarios than what some women have endured at the hands of abductors. Amen, and I can’t wait for a day that this is someway not the case. Whether these men are known or unknown to these innocent women.

 

[Warwick7]

That's a pretty big difference and makes more sense to me as well. By the 19th LE could have gotten some cell phone/location data back and that could have resulted in the house being held and the other property being searched. I had been wondering what dramatic piece of evidence they found (without a warrant) on the evening she went missing that allowed them to seize the house. But this makes more sense to me.

I have not been at all impressed with the Daily Mail's articles so far. At this point I'd basically only trust the directly attributed quotes, and even then I wouldn't be shocked if they're inaccurate.

I appreciate Daily Mail's work.

No media was highlighting SM situation, but DM did.

MOO is that they got the ball rolling for other media.

 

[marylamby]

JMO
That picture in the top left that looks down from the sky at the roof tells me that house is one majorly expensive building project when they had it built. I did a little roofing and there are so many hips, valleys, and ridges along that roof line that it makes it complex to build a home like that.

By contrast when you have a regular simple rectangular A-frame type home with only one or two special features in the roof trusses and roof's structure, it makes for a less expensive home. When you have a home like they have with all those different room features where one part of the roof intersects with another creating hips and valleys, you are dealing with a very expensive and complex build.

The reason this stuck out to me is I was thinking about the previous threads where we wondered if financial difficulties may be happening and that picture of that home screams out to me financial difficulties.

We know the purchase and acquisition has already happened but we dont know how much was financed and we dont know about the ongoing utility bills, taxes, etc that are happening on an ongoing basis. Its hard to fathom that what appears to be a small business owner of a dirt laying company would be able to handle a home like that without other financial support or taking actions to raise finances. All JMO of course.

They didn't build the home, they bought it. They have properties in Indiana which they either rent or have been sold, as far as I know.
IMO

 

[Seattle1]

Where is the info that proves allegations the M family was struggling financially? Somehow the M family had the means to purchase the CO house. They owned other property in IN and they allegedly sold their prior home. This financial stress sounds like speculation to me, not fact.

As for why the M family moved to CO, their younger daughter was allegedly also going to apply to a CO university; makes sense the parents would want to live close to their children, *IF* that's true.
IMO

As someone that paid out of state tuition, moving during HS also makes sense if your children are planning to attend Univ in that state. MOO

 

[marylamby]

Oh I think many people knew them, maybe not real well, but they were both long time residents
of small towns, high school, etc.
I do believe locals from Indiana may start trickling out to talk in due time, moo.
And as usual in small towns there will be mixed opinions.

Some people, very few really, have spoken out about them. It's just not on msm and can't be discussed.
That's not to say they are being truthful, so there's that.

 

[gitana1]

In due time? When is that? We are talking a missing person who's husband is widely regarded as a suspect. A life may hang in the balance.

Maybe they’ve already talked to those who matter.

I might not talk to the media if a friend of mine went missing, if:

1. I had info for the police.
2. I felt the case was being handled as well as can be and taking to the media wouldn’t help.
3. The family asked me not to. And I trusted them.

If I had info for the police I would not be taking to the media about that info. That’s for sure.

 

[Knox]

I appreciate Daily Mail's work.

No media was highlighting SM situation, but DM did.

MOO is that they got the ball rolling for other media.

I agree, they scooped local media with the shots of the forensic team investigating at the Morphew home. They also tried to interview the person who reported Suzanne missing and spoke to one of the daughter's friend's parent.

IMO, it seems the media has rolled over and died on the vine. No one is pushing CCSO or the CBI for information, maybe if they were more aggressive in that pursuit we would hear at least a surface update on Suzanne.

No family or media speaking out is sad. I appreciate our posters here keeping her thread alive.

 

[marylamby]

AND.... wouldn’t people be warned about a man-eating cougar on the loose? And what about a suspected abductor/kidnapper/serial killer??? I would consider it extremely irresponsible of LE not to warn the public and tourists coming into that area IF they had evidence that a dangerous person was stalking/prowling and murdering residents.

Yes, and LE stated, when asked, if the locals or visitors should fear danger, they responded by saying that they don't believe anyone has a reason to be alarmed [paraphrasing]. I think we all read that, I don't want to get in trouble!

 

[gitana1]

IMO:

Those who are new to following missing person/criminal cases may not be aware just how long it can take to find a missing person. There's not some piece of paper that was handed to LE with a closeup of a map and a big red arrow pointing to a spot and the words, "she is there" on it. There seems to be an expectation that it should be easy to find SM.

Reality is quite different. If a person has taken some pains to hide/dispose of a body in a vast mountainous and rugged area (like Colorado), it's not easy and it's not quick.

People in the 'inner circle' are not sharing gossip or talking to the media and that is really upsetting the curious. I say, good for them; better to keep info private and share it where it's appropriate--with LE and the DA, the very people who will be the ones to solve the case, and ignore everyone else who just wants the dirt and gossip.

/IMO

Yes!!!!

 

[TKG]

I agree, they scooped local media with the shots of the forensic team investigating at the Morphew home. They also tried to interview the person who reported Suzanne missing and spoke to one of the daughter's friend's parent.

IMO, it seems the media has rolled over and died on the vine. No one is pushing CCSO or the CBI for information, maybe if they were more aggressive in that pursuit we would hear at least a surface update on Suzanne.

No family or media speaking out is sad. I appreciate our posters here keeping her thread alive.

As we awaited word from CCSO and were told they were not searching the M residence, DM snapped photos of the FBI Evidence recovery team walking out with bags. Etc. Without them, we would have zippo! Of course, then the “secret interview” was posted by TD. I’m happy they were aggressive in trying to get information.

 

[marylamby]

I don't see how they can have an FBI profile on the perp in this case since they don't have a body and would not know the manner in which she was killed or be able to compare it to other victims.

If LE suspects the husband and has evidence to prove he was involved, why the need for a profile? One murder does not suggest a particular MO. It would be a single case of intimate partner homicide.

Imo

I respectfully disagree. There are many aspects of POI's that mimic each other, whether there's a body or not.
The FBI knows this and profiles everyone. So does all LE, if they're worth their salt.

 

[Knox]

As we awaited word from CCSO and were told they were not searching the M residence, DM snapped photos of the FBI Evidence recovery team walking out with bags. Etc. Without them, we would have zippo! Of course, then the “secret interview” was posted by TD. I’m happy they were aggressive in trying to get information.

Wish they would get aggressive again, but with no searches, no reason to hide in the bushes or put a drone up. Unless we want to see pics of what a certain someone is up too these days.

 

[marylamby]

What do you think? Unless she had a Will specifying bequests or a trust - best guess? husband but in my state you may not disinherit a spouse they are entitled to elective share regardless unless there is a prior Pre or post nup Or a trust
IMO

But she's not been declared dead yet.

 

[DBLG]

^^sbbm

From the video, BM states:

".....a car coming around this corner fast
maybe was disoriented and got in the river
we've covered all of this really good...."

BBM - I cannot get "got in the river" out of my mind. Do you think BM is accidentally telling us where she is? That would be a logical scenario to explain since BM has been pushing the whole "crashed bike" scenario. Also, the e-mail to the church that states "they can't find her." I think the language is very telling. IMO, he knows her body is hidden or will at some point be discovered. It's just a matter of time. All JMO

5/25 - Crimeonline reports on email message to IN church from "family"
‘They can’t find her’: Message to church group shows desperate plea in early days of search for missing Colorado mom Suzanne Morphew [REPORT]