Found Deceased CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, did not return from bike ride, Chaffee County, 10 May 2020 #35

[Knox]

A strange thing to me about the “personal item” found is that those of us who feel BM is guilty , then he definitely planted the item (whatever it is.) But if his initial story that he told MG on Monday was “oh a mountain lion got her” ...why would he have planted this personal item several yards away from the bike? If BM’s plan was to say it was a mountain lion attack , he must know that the item found , if it was in the paws of a mountain lion would have some indication of saliva , or be ripped to shreds or something. I guess we don’t know that it wasn’t. But still this is odd to me. What was the purpose of planting this personal item? Or was it a mistake?

Jumping off your excellent post-

While the search for Suzanne Morphew continues, a specific area just west of County Road 225 and Highway 50 (outside of Maysville), is being targeted by investigators after they located what’s believed to be a personal item of the missing woman.

On Friday, May 15, members of the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office, Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) plan to launch a comprehensive search of the area.

More than fifty searchers and investigators will comb the area in an effort to seek additional items or other clues that may identify the whereabouts of Ms. Morphew.

Unfortunately, this search will cause a temporary closure U.S. Highway 50, Monarch Pass for an undetermined amount of time.
http://chaffeesheriff.org/2020/05/15/hwy-50-temporary-closure-for-search-for-missing-woman/

Yesterday we went over details from Andy regarding the area's he and a few others searched. We learned one of the area's was actually right where the personal item was found, but they missed it. I believe this would have been on the Tuesday or Wednesday after Suzanne went missing. Further, Andy stated that same area had already been searched by LE and at the time he was looking there, LE was searching down in the valley.

CCSO found the personal item of Suzanne's on Thursday, May 14. Then the following day conducted a larger search which closed Monarch Pass May 15 update on search for Suzanne Morphew - Chaffee County Sheriff

I'm puzzling over what led them back to search the area the personal item was found in again?

Good point as to the location, if it is the helmet and potential damage it should have shown in a mountain lion attack. Barry obviously was suffering from lack of sleep, so clarity wasn't his strong point in thinking that one through, JMO.

 

[10ofRods]

Glad you’re safe. Our area just got slammed by Hurricane Laura. What’s remaining of some communities have been without electricity for 20+ days.

It's almost impossible to comprehend the aftermath. Last night, there was word that a storm system of historical proportions was forming in the Ionian see (they're calling it a Medicane - it's set to hit Greece).

But the Gulf States are really taking it hard. I'd invite you all to move to California but, well, only if you're prepared to stay indoors until the smoke clears.

 

[DetectiveFoyleWannabe]

Jumping off your excellent post-

While the search for Suzanne Morphew continues, a specific area just west of County Road 225 and Highway 50 (outside of Maysville), is being targeted by investigators after they located what’s believed to be a personal item of the missing woman.

On Friday, May 15, members of the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office, Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) plan to launch a comprehensive search of the area.

More than fifty searchers and investigators will comb the area in an effort to seek additional items or other clues that may identify the whereabouts of Ms. Morphew.

Unfortunately, this search will cause a temporary closure U.S. Highway 50, Monarch Pass for an undetermined amount of time.
HWY 50 Temporary Closure for Search for missing woman - Chaffee County Sheriff

Yesterday we went over details from Andy regarding the area's he and a few others searched. We learned one of the area's was actually right where the personal item was found, but they missed it. I believe this would have been on the Tuesday or Wednesday after Suzanne went missing. Further, Andy stated that same area had already been searched by LE and at the time he was looking there, LE was searching down in the valley.

CCSO found the personal item of Suzanne's on Thursday, May 14. Then the following day conducted a larger search which closed Monarch Pass May 15 update on search for Suzanne Morphew - Chaffee County Sheriff

I'm puzzling over what led them back to search the area the personal item was found in again?

Good point as to the location, if it is the helmet and potential damage it should have shown in a mountain lion attack. Barry obviously was suffering from lack of sleep, so clarity wasn't his strong point in thinking that one through, JMO.

The mountain lion couldn't unlock the cell phone, so it was no use to him.

 

[MassGuy]

The mountain lion couldn't unlock the cell phone, so it was no use to him.

Exactly. Mountain lions don’t have opposable thumbs either, so even with the password they would be unable to unlock a phone. Probably.

I still think BM was initially trying to sell an abduction, but something put the mountain lion idea in his head.

 

[enelram]

Exactly. Mountain lions don’t have opposable thumbs either, so even with the password they would be unable to unlock a phone. Probably.

I still think BM was initially trying to sell an abduction, but something put the mountain lion idea in his head.

Well, when you live on PUMA Path and need
story #2 , mountain lion wasn't a stretch.

 

[gitana1]

I don't feel premeditation because it would seem the most inopportune time to murder someone would be when the victim was texting their friend. Especially considering at that moment the perp wouldn't really know what they had been conversing about. I think it more likely that an argument ensued while SM was texting her friend and she just paused the convo but never got back to her. That suggests SM may have decided to go out by herself to avoid the argument and that's when BM really got mad.

So whether she went for a bike ride or even said, I'm taking a shower or whatever means she used to avoid confrontation, that's when BM became physically violent.

As for the two trips to Broomfield. I don't think BM is a master criminal by any means but I do think he is familiar with rocks and dirt, heavy equipment and cars. I'm sure he was aware of all the bells and whistles on his truck and on the newer RR. So however SM met her demise he needed to get rid of evidence so the first trip to Broomfield would have been in a vehicle without tracking to avoid leaving a trail for LE to pick up. I don't know whether the evidence would be a body or items related to a murder but if he took his phone with him maybe that's why there is some issue between cell tower pinging but no evidence on his vehicle. The second trip would have been in his truck with his phone and tools which he may have needed to clean in the hotel room. Someone mentioned upthread that they felt the towels were used to protect the tools from damaging a bath or shower stall while they were being cleaned, hence being sopping wet not just damp from toweling off. MOO

ETA The only caveat to my theory regarding the two trips is that you need to provide vehicle info for check in but that would be easy for LE to check.

But he may not have known she was texting. She could’ve been watching tv and now and then picking up her phone to respond.

 

[Cindizzi]

That's what I was hinting towards, but I can't remember where I heard/read it and if it's a MSM source?

I knew it was LS who spoke with the cleaning woman but it took me awhile to find it! It’s at 3:51

 

[lonetraveler]

I think the perp disposed of the body temporarily, as you say, on Friday night.
At this point, most people know that dirt can be exacted with accuracy and so can tires, etc. from whatever was used to dispose of her body. I'm not thinking tools were bleached in the hotel room but there's always that possibility unless, you know, and I don't want to type it out.
Something(s) were bleached in the hotel room. Something(s) in the home were bleached.
Who else would've would've had the opportunity to do so in both the home and the hotel room?
JMO

Yep, there is a definite common denominator.

 

[skyvoyager]

A strange thing to me about the “personal item” found is that those of us who feel BM is guilty , then he definitely planted the item (whatever it is.) But if his initial story that he told MG on Monday was “oh a mountain lion got her” ...why would he have planted this personal item several yards away from the bike? If BM’s plan was to say it was a mountain lion attack , he must know that the item found , if it was in the paws of a mountain lion would have some indication of saliva , or be ripped to shreds or something. I guess we don’t know that it wasn’t. But still this is odd to me. What was the purpose of planting this personal item? Or was it a mistake?

I don't think BM was going to use the mountain lion story at first. AM said on PE that LE reported seeing a mountain lion. At that point, I think BM just threw it out as yet another possible explanation.

 

[Feistyomi]

RIP, Salley!in SC, we are seeing the sun, after 4.5” rain, wind not a factor...each time one of these hits, we rebuild, but lose a bit of our historic landmarks it seems. And some families lose more than others...

 

[BHughes]

I don't think BM was going to use the mountain lion story at first. AM said on PE that LE reported seeing a mountain lion. At that point, I think BM just threw it out as yet another possible explanation.

When was it that LE seen the Lion? Because BM used the Mountain Lion story Monday morning when he called his crew to let them know they were on their own.


ETA: And that is the only story he had for his crew. Not abduction or whatever else he has thrown out there.

 

[Knox]

Exactly. Mountain lions don’t have opposable thumbs either, so even with the password they would be unable to unlock a phone. Probably.

I still think BM was initially trying to sell an abduction, but something put the mountain lion idea in his head.

Interesting things that make you go hmmnn ...

• Barry calls MG Monday morning crying, telling her a mountain lion has gotten Suzanne, we're headed up the mountain to find her.
• On Tuesday, Barry tries to sell Andy the same story about a mountain lion attacking Suzanne. Andy isn't buying it.
• CCSO-John Speeze tells media within days after Suzanne went missing, they don't believe she was attacked by a mountain lion.
• LE finds the personal item on Thursday, May 14th.
• Sunday, May 17th CCSO is searching water sites and the request to local residents to preserve video between May 8-12 goes out.
• Sunday, May 17th Barry's 26 second plea is aired on facebook, no mention of mountain lion. He seems to address "whoever is out there".
• June 1st, Tyson Draper video- BM "what seems to have happened, from the investigator's and they don't give much and I've got private people working for me. Is maybe she was abducted right here and they found an article going west of hers, they won't tell us what it is". He does mention the mountain lion, but says they found no signs, but it did rain.

So to me it appears BM was initially hoping the mountain lion story would sell itself. LE would look for Suzanne for a couple of days, not find her and he would be able to play the grieving husband and move on with his life.

When that didn't work out so well, he moves on to pointing to a phantom abductor(s).

BM never expected/anticipated LE's response to Suzanne's disappearance, I truly think he thought he would get a way with killing her.

 

[Knox]

I knew it was LS who spoke with the cleaning woman but it took me awhile to find it! It’s at 3:51

Oh man, THANK YOU!!! So here it is, she saw them out walking on Wednesday, May 6th-

04:14
i did speak with a person who cleans
04:17
the properties uh that people rent out
04:21
and things
04:22
and she was telling me that she actually
04:24
saw suzanne and barry
04:26
just days before that weekend on i
04:29
believe wednesday is what she said is
04:30
that
04:31
she went to take the trash out from
04:34
cleaning up her property
04:35
because of kovid she wanted to get rid
04:37
of all the food that possibly had been
04:39
in contact with someone and
04:41
took all the food and you know cleaned
04:43
really heavily
04:44
and took it to their dumpster their
04:46
neighborhood dumpster which is right
04:48
outside of uh
04:49
barry and suzanne's home and that's when
04:51
barry
04:52
and suzanne you know asked her you know
04:54
what are you doing
04:55
who are you things like that and this
04:57
house cleaner
04:58
said oh i you know i clean these
05:00
properties up here and i'm just throwing
05:02
stuff away and
05:03
she said that they were both very very
05:05
nice and
05:06
um they were just out on a walk i guess
05:09
they do that or they
05:11
you know used to do that together is
05:13
that they used to walk
05:14
up their street and things like that and
05:16
so she said when she heard about
05:19
suzanne's disappearance she was shocked
05:21
because she had just
05:22
literally seen her so uh it was really
05:26
interesting to just

 

[DetectiveFoyleWannabe]

Exactly. Mountain lions don’t have opposable thumbs either, so even with the password they would be unable to unlock a phone. Probably.

I still think BM was initially trying to sell an abduction, but something put the mountain lion idea in his head.

The WiFi and cell service must definitely be poor on Puma path because of the mountain lion knew about the $200k reward he would have totally brought her back by now.

 

[Hair of the Dog]

When was it that LE seen the Lion? Because BM used the Mountain Lion story Monday morning when he called his crew to let them know they were on their own.


ETA: And that is the only story he had for his crew. Not abduction or whatever else he has thrown out there.

Not to mention the church back in Indiana....

 

[Skigh]

Oh man, THANK YOU!!! So here it is, she saw them out walking on Wednesday, May 6th-

04:14
i did speak with a person who cleans
04:17
the properties uh that people rent out
04:21
and things
04:22
and she was telling me that she actually
04:24
saw suzanne and barry
04:26
just days before that weekend on i
04:29
believe wednesday is what she said is
04:30
that
04:31
she went to take the trash out from
04:34
cleaning up her property
04:35
because of kovid she wanted to get rid
04:37
of all the food that possibly had been
04:39
in contact with someone and
04:41
took all the food and you know cleaned
04:43
really heavily
04:44
and took it to their dumpster their
04:46
neighborhood dumpster which is right
04:48
outside of uh
04:49
barry and suzanne's home and that's when
04:51
barry
04:52
and suzanne you know asked her you know
04:54
what are you doing
04:55
who are you things like that and this
04:57
house cleaner
04:58
said oh i you know i clean these
05:00
properties up here and i'm just throwing
05:02
stuff away and
05:03
she said that they were both very very
05:05
nice and
05:06
um they were just out on a walk i guess
05:09
they do that or they
05:11
you know used to do that together is
05:13
that they used to walk
05:14
up their street and things like that and
05:16
so she said when she heard about
05:19
suzanne's disappearance she was shocked
05:21
because she had just
05:22
literally seen her so uh it was really
05:26
interesting to just

I wonder if BM asked if these properties would be empty that coming weekend.

 

[skyvoyager]

When was it that LE seen the Lion? Because BM used the Mountain Lion story Monday morning when he called his crew to let them know they were on their own.


ETA: And that is the only story he had for his crew. Not abduction or whatever else he has thrown out there.

In the TD video, BM claims LE saw a mountain lion sunday night during the search.

 

[nyvictoria]

A strange thing to me about the “personal item” found is that those of us who feel BM is guilty , then he definitely planted the item (whatever it is.) But if his initial story that he told MG on Monday was “oh a mountain lion got her” ...why would he have planted this personal item several yards away from the bike? If BM’s plan was to say it was a mountain lion attack , he must know that the item found , if it was in the paws of a mountain lion would have some indication of saliva , or be ripped to shreds or something. I guess we don’t know that it wasn’t. But still this is odd to me. What was the purpose of planting this personal item? Or was it a mistake?

I thought about this too. IMO after planting the bike, he realized that Suzanne would always have this item with her if she was riding. It could be her helmet, a water bottle or any other item she usually had with her. He couldn’t leave it in the house to be discovered by LE so it had to be left near the bike. Why didn’t he leave it with the bike or just make it disappear? He may have overthought it. He may have run out of time and just tossed in the general direction on his way past the bike spot. Maybe he figured a mountain lion could have dislodged it from the bike or, if it was her helmet, that it could have come off while she was being dragged up the mountain by her feet. So far, he may get points for dumb luck but I don’t think he’s getting any for his smarts.

 

[Louise369]

Jumping off your excellent post-

While the search for Suzanne Morphew continues, a specific area just west of County Road 225 and Highway 50 (outside of Maysville), is being targeted by investigators after they located what’s believed to be a personal item of the missing woman.

On Friday, May 15, members of the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office, Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) plan to launch a comprehensive search of the area.

More than fifty searchers and investigators will comb the area in an effort to seek additional items or other clues that may identify the whereabouts of Ms. Morphew.

Unfortunately, this search will cause a temporary closure U.S. Highway 50, Monarch Pass for an undetermined amount of time.
http://chaffeesheriff.org/2020/05/15/hwy-50-temporary-closure-for-search-for-missing-woman/

Yesterday we went over details from Andy regarding the area's he and a few others searched. We learned one of the area's was actually right where the personal item was found, but they missed it. I believe this would have been on the Tuesday or Wednesday after Suzanne went missing. Further, Andy stated that same area had already been searched by LE and at the time he was looking there, LE was searching down in the valley.

CCSO found the personal item of Suzanne's on Thursday, May 14. Then the following day conducted a larger search which closed Monarch Pass May 15 update on search for Suzanne Morphew - Chaffee County Sheriff

I'm puzzling over what led them back to search the area the personal item was found in again?

Good point as to the location, if it is the helmet and potential damage it should have shown in a mountain lion attack. Barry obviously was suffering from lack of sleep, so clarity wasn't his strong point in thinking that one through, JMO.

Am I correct in that LE has still not told anyone , including Andy, what the personal item was? What kind of a clue does this item hold? I have seen missing person cases where LE releases information about things that were found that belong to a missing person (ex: “her wallet and keys were found in X location) or something like that. So is the fact that it wasn’t found until Thursday alarming in terms of it may be that Barry planted it days after Monday/Tuesday when they were searching?

 

[Hoosierfan72]

Interesting things that make you go hmmnn ...

• Barry calls MG Monday morning crying, telling her a mountain lion has gotten Suzanne, we're headed up the mountain to find her.
• On Tuesday, Barry tries to sell Andy the same story about a mountain lion attacking Suzanne. Andy isn't buying it.
• CCSO-John Speeze tells media within days after Suzanne went missing, they don't believe she was attacked by a mountain lion.
• LE finds the personal item on Thursday, May 14th.
• Sunday, May 17th CCSO is searching water sites and the request to local residents to preserve video between May 8-12 goes out.
• Sunday, May 17th Barry's 26 second plea is aired on facebook, no mention of mountain lion. He seems to address "whoever is out there".
• June 1st, Tyson Draper video- BM "what seems to have happened, from the investigator's and they don't give much and I've got private people working for me. Is maybe she was abducted right here and they found an article going west of hers, they won't tell us what it is". He does mention the mountain lion, but says they found no signs, but it did rain.

So to me it appears BM was initially hoping the mountain lion story would sell itself. LE would look for Suzanne for a couple of days, not find her and he would be able to play the grieving husband and move on with his life.

When that didn't work out so well, he moves on to pointing to a phantom abductor(s).

BM never expected/anticipated LE's response to Suzanne's disappearance, I truly think he thought he would get a way with killing her.

I 100% agree with this. Clearly the initial narrative (coming from BM) was mountain lion attack. When that was almost immediately debunked, he pivoted to the abduction theory. I believe it's possible that BM threw the personal item out a car window Tues or Wed night under the cover of darkness, hoping that it might give some traction to the abduction theory. We don't know exactly where the personal item was found, but it seems that it was fairly close to the road - and under the cover of night, it would be easy to know if there were any other cars around at the time. We don't know what that personal item was (my guess, it wasn't the helmet - it was something else - maybe jewelry?), but it could have been something that BM had in his possession the entire time but could have feasibly been something SM had on her person for a "bike ride". MOO.