Found Deceased CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, did not return from bike ride, Chaffee County, 10 May 2020 #50

[Minordetails]

IMO money was at least one of the sticking points in the marriage. They both knew the sale of their previous residence was due to close and may have disagreed about the allocation of the proceeds.

IMO the reason they didn't have a mortgage on the current residence or a Home Equity Line of Credit before Suzanne disappeared, is they probably didn't have the verifiable income required for loan approval. The days of the "Stated Income Loan" aka "Liar Loans" are gone and self employed people have to provide a lot of documentation with their application to show they have a consistent source of income and provide tax returns to back it up.

Purchasing health insurance through an exchange for 4 people, would be very expensive, plus paying the deductible. The leading cause of bankruptcy in the US are medical expenses.

Add to that: property taxes, income taxes, utility bills, car insurance, gasoline, homeowners insurance, maintenance, food, any car loans or credit card debt, education costs, the cost of running a business, business taxes, equipment maintenance and costs, memberships, travel, etc. Savings can dwindle very quickly.

IMO, there were underlying resentments in the marriage that reached a tipping point and somebody lost control in the broadest sense of the word. Not necessarily planned but executed by someone whose wants and needs were paramount.

MOO

Now, if only there was someone who could confirm or deny those “underlying resentments” . Who would know?

 

[Synergizer Bunny]

Is there a consensus more or less that any arrest is waiting on changes in the DA's office?

I'm not so sure. This case sort of reminds me of the Drew Peterson case. I think that most of us would agree that he murdered his fourth wife, Stacey. He claimed that she took her bikini and ran away with a boyfriend. He still hasn't been charged in that case. It was the case of his third wife, Kathleen Savio, that finally got him convicted of murder.

I have to add that it took many, many years for Drew's eldest son to finally say that his father probably was guilty of the murders and to also say that he didn't think that his father would ever tell what he did with Stacey.

Also, I'm not so sure that Scott Peterson would have been charged with his wife's and unborn son's deaths if they hadn't washed ashore.

You never know what juries will do. Look at Casey Anthony. They couldn't connect the dots in her case.

 

[AmandaReckonwith]

I'm not so sure. This case sort of reminds me of the Drew Peterson case. I think that most of us would agree that he murdered his wife, Stacey. He claimed that she took her bikini and ran away with a boyfriend. He still hasn't been charged in that case. It was the case of his third wife that finally got him convicted of murder.

Also, I'm not so sure that Scott Peterson would have been charged with his wife's and unborn son's deaths if they hadn't washed ashore.

You never know what juries will do. Look at Casey Anthony. They couldn't connect the dots in her case.

Exactly! The Anthony case makes me sick. Well, they all do. (I archived all 3 of those)

 

[Hoss569]

IMO money was at least one of the sticking points in the marriage. They both knew the sale of their previous residence was due to close and may have disagreed about the allocation of the proceeds.

IMO the reason they didn't have a mortgage on the current residence or a Home Equity Line of Credit before Suzanne disappeared, is they probably didn't have the verifiable income required for loan approval. The days of the "Stated Income Loan" aka "Liar Loans" are gone and self employed people have to provide a lot of documentation with their application to show they have a consistent source of income and provide tax returns to back it up.

Purchasing health insurance through an exchange for 4 people, would be very expensive, plus paying the deductible. The leading cause of bankruptcy in the US are medical expenses.

Add to that: property taxes, income taxes, utility bills, car insurance, gasoline, homeowners insurance, maintenance, food, any car loans or credit card debt, education costs, the cost of running a business, business taxes, equipment maintenance and costs, memberships, travel, etc. Savings can dwindle very quickly.

IMO, there were underlying resentments in the marriage that reached a tipping point and somebody lost control in the broadest sense of the word. Not necessarily planned but executed by someone whose wants and needs were paramount.

MOO

BBM, There health insurance would have been tricky, and absolutely expensive. Also, some individual health plans(purchased yourself) were grandfathered in under the new laws and do not, or did not have to cover pre-existing conditions. ACA would have helped them, but being a two time cancer survivor I would think her health insurance and medical bills were fairly high and need to have council to figure out.

This brings up an interesting thought tho. Would May '20 be the 18 month anniversary of her second cancer diagnosis?

There could have been some bad news regarding negotiations on bills with Insurance/treatment centers in this 18 month time frame...

Which could add another bullet point for the sale of the IN property as well...

 

[Seattle1]

BBM, There health insurance would have been tricky, and absolutely expensive. Also, some individual health plans(purchased yourself) were grandfathered in under the new laws and do not, or did not have to cover pre-existing conditions. ACA would have helped them, but being a two time cancer survivor I would think her health insurance and medical bills were fairly high and need to have council to figure out.

This brings up an interesting thought tho. Would May '20 be the 18 month anniversary of her second cancer diagnosis?

There could have been some bad news regarding negotiations on bills with Insurance/treatment centers in this 18 month time frame...

Which could add another bullet point for the sale of the IN property as well...

ACA became law in 2010. During the period in question for coverage pursuant to ACA, the state of Colorado had some of the least costly insurance rates in the country including SM's profile.

From the outside looking in, I also don't see any evidence where the Morphew's were attempting to economize as one would expect with high medical bills. We also know that SM inherited about $500,000 during this time.

I previously posted the premium rate range and what their maximum out-of-pocket costs would be according to the Colorado Insurance Commissioner. When I have more time, I'll search and link the posts.

 

[Dalgliesh]

I’ve been trying to catch up, but I have a few reactions to recent posts.

To me, it’s possible the election delayed the filing of charges that were otherwise ready to go. In a DA’s office with only eleven attorneys scattered over four counties - one of whom is out campaigning - the election may have been too great a distraction. Also, the outgoing DA may have decided the decision to commit to this case was best left to her successor, who would have to live with the resource allocation and outcome issues.

On the other hand, if the case was ready to go, the incumbent could have gained some positive headlines and resolved any questions about her aggressiveness by filing. I hate to think she'd have timed the filing and initial hearings for political reasons, and I am glad the case is not tainted by such circumstances.

Regardless, I think it’s more likely that the investigation still has productive avenues that must be followed, and a consensus professional decision has been made to give it more time.

As far as I can tell from MSM accounts, this case differs greatly from the Berreth murder, which produced a mountain of evidence: physical evidence of KB’s death; PF’s admissions and inculpatory statements attested by witnesses; documents; probative videotapes and forensic evidence. It’s important to remember that although rural Teller County was the trial venue, it was the Colorado Springs DA’s office (4th Judicial District) that led the investigation, and that office is about ten times larger than the one Ms. Stanley will oversee.

Chaffee County LE has made no hint that it has such powerful and persuasive evidence against BM. We can speculate that they may have it, and we can want them to have it, we can even know in our hearts that they have it - but we should allow ourselves to recognize that such compelling evidence may not actually exist in the SM file.

With that recognition should come patience. LE gets only one opportunity to prosecute BM if they charge him, and the burden of proof is the highest in the law.

 

[lonetraveler]

Will BM be surprised when first presented with the ‘amount of’ evidence?

I definitely think so.

 

[Dalgliesh]

I temper my reaction to most of BM’s acts and omissions by reminding myself of a couple of things:

First, BM spoke with investigators at great length without an attorney, even though he had to know they were investigating him. Police interrogations are designed to coerce confessions and inculpatory statements. It’s impressive that he wasn’t arrested and charged after talking to professional investigators for 30 hours. Whatever evidence was produced, it wasn't enough.

Second, BM’S refusal to take a lie detector test cannot be considered lack of cooperation, as AM and PE would have it. Such a test isn’t required; a finding that you were truthful can’t clear your name; and the risk of a false finding that you were untruthful is much too high to consider anyone’s refusal to be unreasonable. Like other interrogation techniques, they are used primarily to coerce confessions.

Third, it seems unfair to compare BM’s activities with AM’s, or with other cases in which relatives who were not being targeted by investigators clamored publicly for justice. That is a human thing to do, and admirable for sure, and something that can be done without risk when you haven’t been put on the defensive by LE, MSM, social media, and the local rumor club. BM’s primary need to clear his name is only natural: he stands accused in the court of public opinion. You would feel the same need in his shoes, and innocent. Inevitably, the message that he wants LE to find his wife is obscured by his defensive statements.

Fourth, he has offered his public statements not through a slick spokesman but in his own voice, repeatedly. No attorney would advise someone in BM’s position to do that, for obvious reasons. He would be taking a huge risk even if he were charming and eloquent, and a savvy media guy. BM is none of these things, and the public reaction is not positive for reasons that are well-articulated on this thread. Yet, he persists in putting himself out there, warts and all, whatever the result. He might - might - just be a guy with very rough edges telling his truth in the only way he knows how.

Fifth, he said that he promised his girls he would look for SM every day. We have seen information that tends to show he did that, from early on, even though the CCSO rejected volunteer help. I have seen nothing to suggest that he stopped looking. When I saw the tweet that he was seen handing out fliers, it made perfect sense to me in this context. It’s winter in the Colorado Mountains, and handing out fliers may be the only thing he can do to keep his promise while the snow, ice, and frozen ground increase the danger and make a successful search unlikely.

I have often found the comments here insightful, the analysis compelling, and the speculation brilliant. But I remain open to the idea that BM won’t be charged because he is innocent in the disappearance and now almost certain death of his wife.

 

[MassGuy]

I temper my reaction to most of BM’s acts and omissions by reminding myself of a couple of things:

First, BM spoke with investigators at great length without an attorney, even though he had to know they were investigating him. Police interrogations are designed to coerce confessions and inculpatory statements. It’s impressive that he wasn’t arrested and charged after talking to professional investigators for 30 hours. Whatever evidence was produced, it wasn't enough.

Second, BM’S refusal to take a lie detector test cannot be considered lack of cooperation, as AM and PE would have it. Such a test isn’t required; a finding that you were truthful can’t clear your name; and the risk of a false finding that you were untruthful is much too high to consider anyone’s refusal to be unreasonable. Like other interrogation techniques, they are used primarily to coerce confessions.

Third, it seems unfair to compare BM’s activities with AM’s, or with other cases in which relatives who were not being targeted by investigators clamored publicly for justice. That is a human thing to do, and admirable for sure, and something that can be done without risk when you haven’t been put on the defensive by LE, MSM, social media, and the local rumor club. BM’s primary need to clear his name is only natural: he stands accused in the court of public opinion. You would feel the same need in his shoes, and innocent. Inevitably, the message that he wants LE to find his wife is obscured by his defensive statements.

Fourth, he has offered his public statements not through a slick spokesman but in his own voice, repeatedly. No attorney would advise someone in BM’s position to do that, for obvious reasons. He would be taking a huge risk even if he were charming and eloquent, and a savvy media guy. BM is none of these things, and the public reaction is not positive for reasons that are well-articulated on this thread. Yet, he persists in putting himself out there, warts and all, whatever the result. He might - might - just be a guy with very rough edges telling his truth in the only way he knows how.

Fifth, he said that he promised his girls he would look for SM every day. We have seen information that tends to show he did that, from early on, even though the CCSO rejected volunteer help. I have seen nothing to suggest that he stopped looking. When I saw the tweet that he was seen handing out fliers, it made perfect sense to me in this context. It’s winter in the Colorado Mountains, and handing out fliers may be the only thing he can do to keep his promise while the snow, ice, and frozen ground increase the danger and make a successful search unlikely.

I have often found the comments here insightful, the analysis compelling, and the speculation brilliant. But I remain open to the idea that BM won’t be charged because he is innocent in the disappearance and now almost certain death of his wife.

I disagree. Without a body, a witness, or compelling physical evidence, there was zero chance he would have been arrested early on.

They could literally have him on camera dumping that bike, have proof that he lied repeatedly, and that still wouldn’t be enough to prove that Suzanne is dead, and BM killed her.

I think his initial interview did not go well for him, as we saw no indication from law enforcement that they even entertained an abduction scenario. This is a risk that CBI and the FBI simply do not take without strong evidence to the contrary.

That search of his job site was a stunning move by law enforcement. Tasking dozens of law enforcement personnel, to include members of the FBI Evidence Response Team, to spend days excavating private property is a very big deal. This would not have been done on a whim, and would have required probable cause.

As intriguing as the first search warrant being executed on the home was, the second was a much bigger signal. That required new evidence, and a compelling reason.

When we heard that BM was supposedly working in the Denver area at the time, I assumed that we would learn that this was thrown together last minute. That would explain why law enforcement continued to make moves that centered around BM.

What did we learn? BM apparently contacted MG and asked her to assemble a crew on Saturday.

As bad a look as that is, the details are far more damning. He left the wrong tools, didn’t have a permit to work that weekend, didn’t make arrangements for the proper supervision, and apparently didn’t even order the necessary materials.

Then we have Suzanne’s cell phone records, which could have cleared Barry. They obviously did not. That means that Suzanne couldn’t possibly have had cell phone activity after BM left that house.

So on Mother’s Day she doesn’t turn her phone on, doesn’t communicate with a soul, and goes for a bike ride with a phone that must have been turned off (it doesn’t appear that it was ever found).

This jibes with law enforcement behaving as if that bike was staged, although they couldn’t have had the phone records at that point. So that means that something even more glaring guided their hand early on.

Less solid of course, is what Andy has relayed:

Suzanne’s communications with her friend suddenly stopped well before that bike ride was to have happened, when Barry was still around.

His GPS data does not align with what he told law enforcement.

As for his behavior, I would describe it as both unprecedented (for an innocent man), and contrary to human nature.

The single most important thing anyone can do when a loved one is missing, is to immediately get the word out and never stop.

I’m waiting for that to start.

If things are not as they appear, then someone abducted a low risk victim from a low crime area, and fooled everyone. He was of course helped by a staggering amount of coincidences.

I don’t believe that’s the case.

 

[Love Never Fails]

One can go through chemo without “deep spousal involvement.” Some people literally have no one.

Suzanne’s brush with death may have spurred her to reevaluate her life and happiness, and it’s entirely possible that she was exploring moving on.

Couple this with both girls reaching an age where they would soon be out of the house, and you very well could have a recipe for change.

That’s just one possibility of course, but it shows how money could factor in.

Divorce is money, and money could be motive.

True. There are many married cancer patients who do not have an involved spouse. Some spouses are disaffected and walk away. I may be wrong about BM, but I see him as a man who didn’t support SM.

 

[rainbowshummingbird]

I temper my reaction to most of BM’s acts and omissions by reminding myself of a couple of things:

First, BM spoke with investigators at great length without an attorney, even though he had to know they were investigating him. Police interrogations are designed to coerce confessions and inculpatory statements. It’s impressive that he wasn’t arrested and charged after talking to professional investigators for 30 hours. Whatever evidence was produced, it wasn't enough.

Second, BM’S refusal to take a lie detector test cannot be considered lack of cooperation, as AM and PE would have it. Such a test isn’t required; a finding that you were truthful can’t clear your name; and the risk of a false finding that you were untruthful is much too high to consider anyone’s refusal to be unreasonable. Like other interrogation techniques, they are used primarily to coerce confessions.

Third, it seems unfair to compare BM’s activities with AM’s, or with other cases in which relatives who were not being targeted by investigators clamored publicly for justice. That is a human thing to do, and admirable for sure, and something that can be done without risk when you haven’t been put on the defensive by LE, MSM, social media, and the local rumor club. BM’s primary need to clear his name is only natural: he stands accused in the court of public opinion. You would feel the same need in his shoes, and innocent. Inevitably, the message that he wants LE to find his wife is obscured by his defensive statements.

Fourth, he has offered his public statements not through a slick spokesman but in his own voice, repeatedly. No attorney would advise someone in BM’s position to do that, for obvious reasons. He would be taking a huge risk even if he were charming and eloquent, and a savvy media guy. BM is none of these things, and the public reaction is not positive for reasons that are well-articulated on this thread. Yet, he persists in putting himself out there, warts and all, whatever the result. He might - might - just be a guy with very rough edges telling his truth in the only way he knows how.

Fifth, he said that he promised his girls he would look for SM every day. We have seen information that tends to show he did that, from early on, even though the CCSO rejected volunteer help. I have seen nothing to suggest that he stopped looking. When I saw the tweet that he was seen handing out fliers, it made perfect sense to me in this context. It’s winter in the Colorado Mountains, and handing out fliers may be the only thing he can do to keep his promise while the snow, ice, and frozen ground increase the danger and make a successful search unlikely.

I have often found the comments here insightful, the analysis compelling, and the speculation brilliant. But I remain open to the idea that BM won’t be charged because he is innocent in the disappearance and now almost certain death of his wife.

Your first, third and fourth may be the signs of an innocent man; or the sign of a man who believes he is smarter than anyone else and can manipulate the situation to his own benefit.

 

[JosieMae]

IMO money was at least one of the sticking points in the marriage. They both knew the sale of their previous residence was due to close and may have disagreed about the allocation of the proceeds.

IMO the reason they didn't have a mortgage on the current residence or a Home Equity Line of Credit before Suzanne disappeared, is they probably didn't have the verifiable income required for loan approval. The days of the "Stated Income Loan" aka "Liar Loans" are gone and self employed people have to provide a lot of documentation with their application to show they have a consistent source of income and provide tax returns to back it up.

Purchasing health insurance through an exchange for 4 people, would be very expensive, plus paying the deductible. The leading cause of bankruptcy in the US are medical expenses.

Add to that: property taxes, income taxes, utility bills, car insurance, gasoline, homeowners insurance, maintenance, food, any car loans or credit card debt, education costs, the cost of running a business, business taxes, equipment maintenance and costs, memberships, travel, etc. Savings can dwindle very quickly.

IMO, there were underlying resentments in the marriage that reached a tipping point and somebody lost control in the broadest sense of the word. Not necessarily planned but executed by someone whose wants and needs were paramount.

MOO

Thank You! You lay this out so very nicely. I've opined before in previous posts that the Ms were probably feeling a financial squeeze.

(I mean, what kind of income can a small-town landscaper make anyway?)

Such a precarious financial state can lead to fear, desperation, and panic. Add a healthy dose of greed to the mix and we are looking at a motive for murder that is as old as time.

All will be revealed.

 

[rainbowshummingbird]

True. There are many married cancer patients who do not have an involved spouse. Some spouses are disaffected and walk away. I may be wrong about BM, but I see him as a man who didn’t support SM.

Many people survive cancer without the benefit of “deep spousal involvement,” some of those being: children, teens, single adults, widows, divorced adults, adults going through marital separations, unmarried people in relationships, et al.

 

[fcavanaugh]

DBM.

 

[steeltowngirl]

Will somebody please remind me - how did the neighbor know Suzanne had gone for a bike ride, before the bike had been discovered?

1st press release:

On May 10, 2020 at 1746 hours the Chaffee County Communications Center received a report of a missing female in the area on County Road 225 and West Highway 50.

Members of the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office responded to the area and contacted the reporting party. They advised that their neighbor, Suzanne Morphew, age 49, from the Maysville area had reportedly gone for a bike ride in the area and failed to return home.

 

[fcavanaugh]

IMO, of course the general public is going to question why an innocent husband would not be making an immediate public plea for their missing wife via MSM to get the word out. It cannot be overstated that it’s a life or death situation when someone goes inexplicably missing. The clock is ticking from moment one, we all know this. Anyone not living under a rock knows this. So IMO, BM brought the public scrutiny on himself when he said it was “too soon” to make a public statement/plea for his missing wife, SM. It definitely had me sitting up and taking notice for sure, and was one of the 1st glaring red flags for me. Even IF SM & BM hadn’t been getting along, having financial difficulties, not ‘in love’ anymore etc.,whatever, this is his wife’s life, a woman he has just over a 3 decade history with, the mother of his children fgs! There is no excuse IMO, and it defies logic, common sense, and goes against human nature. When he realizes how bad the optics are and/or someone advised him how bad he looked, BM makes a 26 second video “plea” for SM’s “safe return, no questions asked”-huh??, one full week later, and on of all places, FB??! Smdh.

Also, although AM may have misspoke and/or misremembered a few things that IMO he heard 2nd or 3rd hand, I believe AM statements that when the CBI visited him in IN, CBI told him directly that BM GPS-EVI didn’t align with what he told LE, and that BM refused to take a polygraph and voice stress test, that BM had lied and told AM that he had cooperated and took those tests. It’s not so much that BM refused to take the tests, it’s that he lied to AM about having taken the tests. Why lie if you have nothing to hide? Plus, AM has made it known more than once that he wants nothing more than to believe his BIL is innocent of any wrongdoing, so IMO he has no reason to make up any of what the CBI told him, and AM has absolutely nothing to gain by doing so.

As far as BM searches for SM, where is any proof he’ll s been searching for her every day? I would think with the attention on this case, someone would have seen him out there searching and reported it, maybe I missed it, but I for sure am not taking BM’s word that he’s out there searching for SM every day.

All of the above is IMHO.

#FindSuzanne
#BringSuzanneHome
#JusticeForSuzanne

 

[Minordetails]

I disagree. Without a body, a witness, or compelling physical evidence, there was zero chance he would have been arrested early on.

They could literally have him on camera dumping that bike, have proof that he lied repeatedly, and that still wouldn’t be enough to prove that Suzanne is dead, and BM killed her.

I think his initial interview did not go well for him, as we saw no indication from law enforcement that they even entertained an abduction scenario. This is a risk that CBI and the FBI simply do not take without strong evidence to the contrary.

That search of his job site was a stunning move by law enforcement. Tasking dozens of law enforcement personnel, to include members of the FBI Evidence Response Team, to spend days excavating private property is a very big deal. This would not have been done on a whim, and would have required probable cause.

As intriguing as the first search warrant being executed on the home was, the second was a much bigger signal. That required new evidence, and a compelling reason.

When we heard that BM was supposedly working in the Denver area at the time, I assumed that we would learn that this was thrown together last minute. That would explain why law enforcement continued to make moves that centered around BM.

What did we learn? BM apparently contacted MG and asked her to assemble a crew on Saturday.

As bad a look as that is, the details are far more damning. He left the wrong tools, didn’t have a permit to work that weekend, didn’t make arrangements for the proper supervision, and apparently didn’t even order the necessary materials.

Then we have Suzanne’s cell phone records, which could have cleared Barry. They obviously did not. That means that Suzanne couldn’t possibly have had cell phone activity after BM left that house.

So on Mother’s Day she doesn’t turn her phone on, doesn’t communicate with a soul, and goes for a bike ride with a phone that must have been turned off (it doesn’t appear that it was ever found).

This jibes with law enforcement behaving as if that bike was staged, although they couldn’t have had the phone records at that point. So that means that something even more glaring guided their hand early on.

Less solid of course, is what Andy has relayed:

Suzanne’s communications with her friend suddenly stopped well before that bike ride was to have happened, when Barry was still around.

His GPS data does not align with what he told law enforcement.

As for his behavior, I would describe it as both unprecedented (for an innocent man), and contrary to human nature.

The single most important thing anyone can do when a loved one is missing, is to immediately get the word out and never stop.

I’m waiting for that to start.

If things are not as they appear, then someone abducted a low risk victim from a low crime area, and fooled everyone. He was of course helped by a staggering amount of coincidences.

I don’t believe that’s the case.

If all true, it should be pretty easy for the DA to make the call.

IMO

 

[GordianKnot]

If all true, it should be pretty easy for the DA to make the call.

IMO

BBM:

They haven't found her body.

So, no.

It's not going to be an easy call for the DA, regardless of how much evidence they have to hand.

JMO.

 

[Minordetails]

BBM:

They haven't found her body.

So, no.

It's not going to be an easy call for the DA, regardless of how much evidence they have to hand.

JMO.

It’s been stated you don’t need a body. And it sounds like the evidence is going to be overwhelming. What’s the problem? I thought it’s 100% certain, just need the DA on board yet?
I don’t understand how you can have it both ways: lots of damning evidence and yet when it comes down to it, no damning evidence? Which one is it?

 

[GordianKnot]

It’s been stated you don’t need a body. And it sounds like the evidence is going to be overwhelming. What’s the problem? I thought it’s 100% certain, just need the DA on board yet?

It's been stated that you don't need a body to get a conviction.

Nobody has said pulling the trigger on a no-body case forward is an easy call for a prosecutor to make.

The prosecution team only gets to load one bullet in their chamber.

They're going to have one shot at nailing the guilty party.

It's going to be a weighty decision for the DA to make, no matter how much damning evidence they have in their arsenal.

JMO.