Found Deceased CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, did not return from bike ride, Chaffee County, 10 May 2020 #18

[Janeumayer]

I disagree with you about having to turn on an app for GPS. I personally believe the airpods and the apple watch I believe I can make out in another photo means that Suzanne was in the Apple ecosystem.

Iphones have onboard GPS that works irrespective of whether an app is installed. GPS is entirely separate from any app and no matter what you do with your phone (aside from letting the battery go dead or taking the battery out) it will still be locatable.

Apple watch is the same way, but it does have to be charged.

You can turn off location services (as did one Los Angeles murderer) and still find yourself in the cross-hairs when all the digital service information gets to LE. No app needed and no way to turn off the GPS unless you let the battery go dead or take it out. However, the watch does have to pair up with its phone again, is my understanding, for the data to be in the Cloud.

If Suzanne did have working airpods or working Apple watch, they could still be found through iCloud as long as the battery is still charged.

Correct. Most people have location services turned on by default on all apps. I choose to have mine on while using them. See screen shot below.

 

[OldCop]

MOO

If the bike was staged, IMO it was dumped Sat night (or overnight), personal items dumped next under cover of darkness, and perp headed out of town on highway 50. Personal items were found a bit west of intersection of 50 and 225 per LE. Chaffee County Sheriff's Office

Someone could’ve dumped the personal items and headed farther west via 50, or dumped them west as a diversion and headed back East via 50 (toward Denver).

MOO

RBBM and/or back towards the property where the foundation was searched.

 

[LietKynes]

Reading this made me think of another possibility, something that can and does happen in cases of DV. What if there was an event at home, huge argument over “something.” SM grabs her car keys in an attempt to leave. BM overpowers her, hurts her and takes away her keys. Angry and afraid, SM finds an opportunity to get out of the house and begins running away from the home. BM discovers she’s left and goes after her with his truck, and he confronts her on the road. A scuffle ensues, something gets dropped, he forces her into the truck or somehow convinces her to get in of her own volition. She’s threatened assault charges against him. Seeing he cannot convince her of his remorse, and thinking she will in fact shame him publicly by having assault charges filed against him, WHAT CAN HE DO to prevent this??

At this point, he either drives her home and kills her, disposes of her and then plants the bike and begins the “bike ride” narrative, OR he takes her somewhere else. Early on in the case, a woman reported seeing someone who she said was yelling she’s being abducted. Why she didn’t report this immediately, is mind boggling. Could it have been BM “abducting” SM taking her to her likely place of death??

In my mind, this scenario would explain a few things. LE’s silence for one, especially regarding the item that was found 500 M from the home.

ALL MOO, JMHT and all that!

bbm
Great comment. ^^^

Respectfully-- I don't think anyone needs to 'disregard' your post as I think it's very valid !
And would explain why LE is not releasing the item(s) found.
Which also hints that they strongly feel that she wasn't taken by a random stranger but someone known to her.
Imo.
What if the lady who thought she saw a woman screaming that she was being kidnapped was not in the WalMart parking lot, but a road leading away from the Morphew home ?
Or even if it was at the WM, was the "abductor" known to Suzanne, even if not from her immediate family ?

Speculation : Does BM have any relatives who have a criminal record ?
And were they anywhere in the area at the time Suzanne went missing ?
Is there someone in particular that LE need to talk to ?
MOO

 

[10ofRods]

Correct. Most people have location services turned on by default on all apps. I choose to have mine on while using them. See screen shot below.

But even if not, the phone can still be traced via GPS. My phone went missing in the mail, Apple turned it off before it finally got to me. They ship them with enough battery to sustain that until it arrives, just in case of theft.

It was not turned on when it arrived, but it had been wiped by Apple. I have mine turned on too (most of them). If I go missing, it will be quite easy to use iCloud to see where my various devices were during my travels.

However, if the battery is dead, then it doesn't work. I don't think I've ever let my phone battery die. My watch stays charged for 2 days but I put it on the charger every night for 20 minutes, so it never gets close to dying.

All of these habits of Suzanne's are, by now, known to LE.

If the personal item found was in fact her phone, then under what circumstances could that happen, unstaged?

And if it was staged, what does it tell us?

Typically, a person on a bike does not have their phone in their hand while being run off the road or fleeing on bike from mountain lion or other abductor. What event would have given Suzanne time to get off her bike, lean it against a tree, and then walk or run to another nearby place, where she lost her phone?

What if the bike was in a ravine? Then how does the object get to its final resting place? What was Suzanne running from - in any scenario that excludes BM?

And if someone staged it, did they really have a clear idea in mind or were they panicked? Odd that only two things have been found (that we know of).

I think BM must know what the object is, surely.

 

[Ontario Mom]

I wonder how many real friends Suzanne had in Salida. First, she lived 20 minutes or so out of town, with only 1-2 year round neighbors (one of them the woman who called 911). IME, it's hard to make close friends when moving to a small town. There are certainly ways to be social (church), but the kind of girlfriend relationship that most of us have with 1-2 friends is often missing. It's even hard in bigger towns.

It seems the Morphews stayed in touch with their friends back in Indiana. On Suzanne's SM, she mentioned looking forward to meeting the nephew when they finally arrived in CO (this was in Fall of 2018, IIRC). She had never met him or wife before, but was glad to at least know someone in CO.

So I wonder how many friends she had and whether she was more into just communing with nature and being there for her two lovely daughters.

Unless the acquaintances in Salida had some specific information, I can't imagine them organizing some kind of contact with MSM, when the family is not. It would seem presumptuous, to me. All they can do is offer sympathy at this point.

I wonder if anyone has placed any flowers or mementos near where the bike was. Didn't seem so in the TD video. Perhaps no one is ready to go there. Suzanne and her memory remain in limbo.

When Barbara Thomas went missing, almost a year ago, the Mojave NP did not post signs near her place of disappearance, no memorials were organized, and the NP visitor center had no signs of mention of her. Many times (as with Paul at JT), there are signs up indefinitely.

Usually it's the media talking to locals and family, friends, etc. in the missing person's city/town, but I've not read a single word from anyone in Salida, in any MSM (or even social media) saying they know her. Something about that just really makes me sad.

 

[FairIsle]

Usually it's the media talking to locals and family, friends, etc. in the missing person's city/town, but I've not read a single word from anyone in Salida, in any MSM (or even social media) saying they know her. Something about that just really makes me sad.

Right! And in regards to Indiana friends/acquaintances, Barry and Suzanne lived for years together and raised their girls in Indiana, I think most of it in the same town. Having kids brought up through school and church and all of the activities that kids/parents have in a smallish community, I am stunned that even people who must have known them peripherally are NOT even talking.


As for Barry, he had to be incredibly well known in the area because of his landscape business.

Where is everyone? People talk, they just do. Certainly not everyone can be coerced or warned to be silent. What gives?

Where is Suzanne?

 

[Itsapuzzle]

OT, but just curious .... I haven't seen much mention of SM's career, only this "A massive search effort is underway in Maysville, Colo., for Suzanne Morphew, an Indiana native who worked at Hamilton Heights Middle School between 1995 and 1999."
Did Suzanne have a teaching career other than these five years? Any other mention of a career outside of the home, just interested. Thanks in advance if anyone can fill in the gaps.

 

[Madeleine74]

Right! And in regards to Indiana friends/acquaintances, Barry and Suzanne lived for years together and raised their girls in Indiana, I think most of it in the same town. Having kids brought up through school and church and all of the activities that kids/parents have in a smallish community, I am stunned that even people who must have known them peripherally are NOT even talking.?

IMO

I believe the friends and acquaintances and peripheral folks are talking, at least amongst themselves, but apparently not to the media, and not to SM case followers. It's driving people crazy who want and expect to hear all the details, all the dirt, and whatever rumors exist. It's being couched as "they don't seem to care about their friend since they're not speaking out publicly," but I don't believe that's true. And, if someone in their circle does know something, I hope they've contacted LE to provide that information.

/IMO

 

[Ontario Mom]

IMO

I believe the friends and acquaintances and peripheral folks are talking, at least amongst themselves, but apparently not to the media, and not to SM case followers. It's driving people crazy who want and expect to hear all the details, all the dirt, and whatever rumors exist. It's being couched as "they don't seem to care about their friend since they're not speaking out publicly," but I don't believe that's true. And, if someone in their circle does know something, I hope they've contacted LE to provide that information.

/IMO

I don't know about it driving people crazy who just want to hear dirt, as you say.
I don't want or need to hear any dirt, I just want justice for this lady.
For me, it stands out because it's so uncommon in a missing person's case.
I've been following true crime cases for 40+ years and while it does happen once in a while that the family and friends of a missing person stay almost completely silent, it is the exception to the rule, and when it happens, it stands out.

I don't think it means folks didn't care about their friend, I suspect it might mean she really didn't have that many people that actually knew her as a close friend. That's entirely speculative, however.

jmo

 

[Ontario Mom]

OT, but just curious .... I haven't seen much mention of SM's career, only this "A massive search effort is underway in Maysville, Colo., for Suzanne Morphew, an Indiana native who worked at Hamilton Heights Middle School between 1995 and 1999."
Did Suzanne have a teaching career other than these five years? Any other mention of a career outside of the home, just interested. Thanks in advance if anyone can fill in the gaps.

I don't believe there has been any mention of any other job/career for SM, in MSM.

 

[Itsapuzzle]

I don't believe there has been any mention of any other job/career for SM, in MSM.

Thanks Ontario Mom, that's interesting, wonder why they've just focused on this short time of teaching over 20 years ago .... h'mm

 

[GordianKnot]

Right! And in regards to Indiana friends/acquaintances, Barry and Suzanne lived for years together and raised their girls in Indiana, I think most of it in the same town. Having kids brought up through school and church and all of the activities that kids/parents have in a smallish community, I am stunned that even people who must have known them peripherally are NOT even talking.


As for Barry, he had to be incredibly well known in the area because of his landscape business.

Where is everyone? People talk, they just do. Certainly not everyone can be coerced or warned to be silent. What gives?

Where is Suzanne?

The fact that her friends aren't talking to MSM doesn't necessarily mean they're not talking at all.

Her friends back in Alexandria may be comparing notes and sharing thoughts with each other that they might not feel comfortable airing to a world full of strangers, out of respect for SM, especially if she was a private person by nature.

I think her friends are most likely talking amongst themselves.

I think some of her friends are also talking to LE.

JMO.

 

[marylamby]

I think it’s a possibility that the item was inadvertently dropped while SM was in a scuffle with BM and he was unaware of it, therefore, NOT staged. The bike was staged after SM “disappeared.”

Or even deliberately left something as a clue. Something I would do.
eta: something I would do, had I had the opportunity, if I'd been abducted or saw I'd be harmed.

 

[Madeleine74]

I don't know about it driving people crazy who just want to hear dirt, as you say.
I don't want or need to hear any dirt, I just want justice for this lady.
For me, it stands out because it's so uncommon in a missing person's case.
I've been following true crime cases for 40+ years and while it does happen once in a while that the family and friends of a missing person stay almost completely silent, it is the exception to the rule, and when it happens, it stands out.

I don't think it means folks didn't care about their friend, I suspect it might mean she really didn't have that many people that actually knew her as a close friend. That's entirely speculative, however.

jmo

IMO:

Don't know why you'd take my post personally when it wasn't directed to you or anyone in particular. You already determined it didn't apply to you. It's my opinion based on seeing criticism directed towards SM's family & friends. I have seen some shade directed at friends who have stayed quiet, wondering what kind of friends would do that. I've also seen complaints that LE isn't saying much of anything and some are upset about that.

Staying out of the media and maintaining privacy is a personal choice, and they probably have their reasons for it.

 

[marylamby]

As to people talking who (supposedly, and somewhat verifiably) knew them, there have been some who've provided info as to each of their makeup and even their relationship, early on. Not any longer, as far as I've seen.
It's out there if you look. I'm not sure I'm allowed to even say that as it's not on MSM.
Please delete if I'm in violation of rules.

ETA: I was careful not to say what was said. Again, please delete if this is inappropriate. Tks.

 

[Seattle1]

I don't know about it driving people crazy who just want to hear dirt, as you say.
I don't want or need to hear any dirt, I just want justice for this lady.
For me, it stands out because it's so uncommon in a missing person's case.
I've been following true crime cases for 40+ years and while it does happen once in a while that the family and friends of a missing person stay almost completely silent, it is the exception to the rule, and when it happens, it stands out.

I don't think it means folks didn't care about their friend, I suspect it might mean she really didn't have that many people that actually knew her as a close friend. That's entirely speculative, however. jmo

^^bbm

Actually, I don't think the lack of friend response to SM vanishing is much different than other recent cases, and certainly not a measurement of whether one has close friends or not.

This is the age of social media where even the closest relationships are maintained by a keystroke and emoji's. I don't believe there's the need to reach out to media as once before because family and friends have a different outlet. Today they are telling the world about their missing friend or loved one, just not using a reporter to do so. I do think SM's family and friends are most likely sharing (at all hours) in private groups, hangouts, and video calls -- and fortunately shielded from public view.

I recall the same was said about Kelsey Berreth when she was missing-- where are her friends, was she isolated in WP, was she a loner, etc.. No, not at all. KB's friends also remained silent but came out after the trial was over and the accused convicted and sentenced. They also went on TV and shared what they wanted her daughter to know about her mother.

And then we have Shan'ann Watt's close friend Niki that nearly took down Chris Watts single-handed. She spoke out loud and often and her life and the life of her family were threatened.

While SM may legally be classified a missing person, I think the majority believe she is dead and the manner of death a homicide. Under these circumstances, without a named suspect or an arrest, what could a close friend possibly say to the media at this time?

Nope, my only expectation was from the husband and he's made it perfectly clear that he has nothing to say. He knows where his wife is. He knows she's never coming back. He was all smoke and mirrors. Nothing more to say.

MOO

 

[Janeumayer]

OT - I do have to say, I am disappointed in this day and age in the lack of coverage of missing people cases by msm. And even more disappointed in what seems like a lazy news reporting culture overall. Regurgitating news articles written by other reporters/news stations, etc. I do hope someone out there sees this as a serious problem and fixes it or becomes part of the solution.
IMO MOO

 

[lamlawindy]

Thank you so much for this response!

So, what if the X-examination shows that the person on the stand in fact looked at 200 different leads in a town of 5000 people, and searched 15 different sites, half of them completely unrelated to any specific information about BM? What if that person, instead of creating doubt, creates a great deal of certainty in the jury's minds that LE did not, in fact, narrow their focus "too soon" but instead was still looking all around Salida, Colorado and even further afield...for months and months before finding they had enough evidence to charge anyone?

I do wonder how a Chaffee County jury would behave in this circumstance. I will bet a large batch of donuts that every single sex offender was interviewed - and more than once - and it's possible that some may have given up digital data.

I can see the trial dragging on quite a bit if every single sex offender's alibi was checked out (and I am guessing that this has happened, btw) and then someone was asked to answer questions about that. There are 3s of them in the whole county, most in Salida itself.

They are overwhelmingly male.

If LE did in fact go door to door in Salida, I'm guessing it was about 55% women who were talked to. Do you think they did this so that they are more convincing to a future jury?

Well, remember that the defense will have deposed the investigators WAY before trial. The "narrowed-too-soon" defense would be deployed only if the defense attorney knows that it's a reasonable theory.

 

[Dave F.]

OT, but just curious .... I haven't seen much mention of SM's career, only this "A massive search effort is underway in Maysville, Colo., for Suzanne Morphew, an Indiana native who worked at Hamilton Heights Middle School between 1995 and 1999."
Did Suzanne have a teaching career other than these five years? Any other mention of a career outside of the home, just interested. Thanks in advance if anyone can fill in the gaps.

It doesn't take any sleuthing to figure out that she began teaching at Hamilton in August 1994, after graduating from college in May. That would be the 1995 school year. She did not return in August of 1999, which was the 2000 school year. So, she worked the school years 1995 though 1999, from August 1994 to May 1999. The timing of her entry into teaching was her graduation from college and receiving the teaching certificate, and her departure from teaching was coincidental to having her first child. Pretty average events IMO

 

[marylamby]

OT - I do have to say, I am disappointed in this day and age in the lack of coverage of missing people cases by msm. And even more disappointed in what seems like a lazy news reporting culture overall. Regurgitating news articles written by other reporters/news stations, etc. I do hope someone out there sees this as a serious problem and fixes it or becomes part of the solution.
IMO MOO

I couldn't agree more. Everyone's rushing to the next catching headline, not much investigative reporting going on.
Given the current climate in the US, all it takes is another 'tweet' to knock important stories to the wayside.