Found Deceased CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, did not return from bike ride, Chaffee County, 10 May 2020 #7

[Warwick7]

Pure speculation here.

I think the reason the search for SM happened so quickly may be due to past behavior or incidents in the family that caused great alarm for people who would normally expect to be in touch with her on Mother's Day & were unable to reach her. Perhaps one of these people was privy to some confidences SM shared that prompted that urgency.

I don't put much weight into the relative that didn't know who TM was. I have a huge extended family on both my mother and father's sides, impossible to keep track of who's married to who and who's kid belong to which cousin. Plus, the interview with the relative smacks of ambush. It's possible the relative was caught off guard ("How the heck did you get my phone number?") and may have been too polite to just hang up.

The fact that LE has not released any information that we usually see immediately in missing persons cases such as height,weight, eye & hair color, last seen wearing,a recent picture etc, makes me think LE knew right off the bat that SM was not "missing" per se but a victim of a crime and they had very strong suspicions right out of the gate what they were dealing with. And it wasn't a bushy haired stranger.Or a mountain lion.

The assessment of BM's screen test by the Dr was fascinating. As a total layperson, I just see a very forced statement, from a guy who really puts a lot of effort into appearing to be a nice guy. It just seems really really fake. And he think's he's clever. Like it's supposed to be some sort of coded message to whoever is holding her, except's its obvious,it's not. It's like he's watched a lot of movies about it. Fake & forced, how he thinks he should act.

MOO

MOO but I wouldn't call Crimonline's work ethic "ambushing."
As for the husband's pleas, I agree it comes across fake or rehearsed.

 

[Warwick7]

Did he shake his head back 'n forth as he said he loved her and wanted her back?

Its been along time since I've watched it., 6-7 years. I just remember at the time "why is he shaking his head back and forth?"

 

[Boxer]

BM supposedly has 2 sisters. His nieces or nephews would be any children by either or both of his siblings.

If BM has "lots of uncles" then he would be first cousin to any of their children. TN is a nephew of BM, not a first cousin.

You are right. I got off a generation. I was thinking of all the grandchildren of BMs father as being BMs nieces and nephews.

 

[Madeleine74]

Its been along time since I've watched it., 6-7 years. I just remember at the time "why is he shaking his head back and forth?"

It's normal to wonder when one observes a difference between what is being said and what the body is doing, behavior-wise. Doesn't mean a person is guilty. It does mean there's a disconnect or incongruity, and as humans, we are wired to notice body language, not only what someone says.

 

[Warwick7]

I wonder how carefully LE, or anyone else for that matter looked at the home on Monday to see how long she may have been gone.
How many days of mail were in the mailbox?
Any package deliveries by the front door?
Were plants unwatered ?
Was the shower stall dry, indicating no showers for some time?
Were the towels damp?
Had the dishwasher been run or was it still full of dirty dishes, was the food dried on?
Was there any indication of what her dinner was to be, laid out on the counter or defrosting?
Were there glasses or coffee cup on the counter still damp in the bottom or dried out.

There are so many ways to get an understanding or feeling as to whether a person has been gone from a home for a couple of days or only a couple of hours and I hope LE could assess that.

Great post!

 

[mrstfs]

Indiana Court searches are public. I was curious if SM ever filed a court case. I only found one case (civil) where she was a plaintiff against an insurance company.

Indiana Supreme Court public access case search - MyCase

 

[Warwick7]

It's normal to wonder when one observes a difference between what is being said and what the body is doing, behavior-wise. Doesn't mean a person is guilty. It does mean there's a disconnect or incongruity, and as humans, we are wired to notice body language, not only what someone says.

Excellent comment!!!

 

[Warwick7]

Myth Busted: Looking Left or Right Doesn’t Indicate If You’re Lying | Science | Smithsonian Magazine
Scientific Content Analysis (SCAN) Cannot Distinguish Between Truthful and Fabricated Accounts of a Negative Event

A lot of statement analysis is pseudoscience.

We have LE and other LE professionals on Websleuths that may disagree with you.
;0)

 

[Knox]

Another tidbit from that facebook live with Lauren Scharf-Fox 21 News-@34:51

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=531246117572637

On Friday May 22, the same day LE was at the property sifting dirt, Lauren got a tip to check out HWY 50 & CR 240 in Maysville. There were three state troopers there. She talked to them, troopers told her they didn't know why they were there, but one said he had been there since 3 AM.

Here's the map link for HWY 50 & CR 240- خرائط ‪Google‬‏‏ the only thing of interest in that area I can see is a Colorado Firecamp خرائط ‪Google

Was LE simultaneously searching there? ‬‏‏

 

[windrower]

Pure speculation here.

The fact that LE has not released any information that we usually see immediately in missing persons cases such as height,weight, eye & hair color, last seen wearing,a recent picture etc, makes me think LE knew right off the bat that SM was not "missing" per se but a victim of a crime and they had very strong suspicions right out of the gate what they were dealing with. And it wasn't a bushy haired stranger.Or a mountain lion.

The assessment of BM's screen test by the Dr was fascinating. As a total layperson, I just see a very forced statement, from a guy who really puts a lot of effort into appearing to be a nice guy. It just seems really really fake. And he think's he's clever. Like it's supposed to be some sort of coded message to whoever is holding her, except's its obvious,it's not. It's like he's watched a lot of movies about it. Fake & forced, how he thinks he should act.

MOO

rsabbm

OT, somewhat.

A bushy-haired stranger!!! That's a blast from the past. Back before I knew about WS, someone used BHS as his user name on another true crime discussion forum. I haven't thought about that forum for a very long time.

Wasn't BHS from the Diane Downs case? I'm not sure, so don't quote me. So to speak.

I guess many cases, even SM's, have some version of a BHS given by a possible suspect.

 

[Uninformant]

The problem is getting 2nd 3rd and 4th hand information. Someone told someone something that is reported in the media and it might not be accurate.

Example: SM was known to ride her bike before church on Sundays. Is that true? Or did someone tell someone else who assumed it was accurate and then told others? See how that works...it's very easy to be misled and for incorrect info to be spread far and wide.

Great post. I think this is a huge problem in this case. Sometimes when there’s little official info released about cases, there’s a tendency to cling to info from WS approved sources as truth or fact. This case has a lot of 2nd, 3rd, 4th hand info flowing through approved sources.

 

[Madeleine74]

Wasn't BHS from the Diane Downs case?

It was! Probably not the only murderer who used that term, it was quite popular back in the day.

 

[Fireflize]

Altho I agree with everthing you just said. I do remember the press conference with Clint Heichel, when his wife Whitney was missing. He shook his head back and forth as he spoke. He had nothing to do with her murder. It was their neighbor.
As for SM's husband, his headshaking bothers me.

Agree. It is so interesting how we can perceive deception, insincerity, danger. The gut reactions that we all have experienced throughout life. I have personally shook my head in response to tragedy. But this is different somehow. Moo

 

[Madeleine74]

Great post. I think this is a huge problem in this case. Sometimes when there’s little official info released about cases, there’s a tendency to cling to info from WS approved sources as truth or fact. This case has a lot of 2nd, 3rd, 4th hand info flowing through approved sources.

This is one reason, of many, I cool my heels and wait for a case to unfold, which most of the time they do...eventually. I don't have or develop theories, I'm not into fiction. I'm interested in facts and evidence, and if there aren't any released, then so be it. It appears the SM case is going to be one of those that has few details released. Bummer.

There have been cases that have taken years to resolve from start to finish; being patient is a much needed trait if one is going to follow murder or other criminal cases and not go cuckoo with frustration. I particularly like to see how a prosecution team presents a case at trial--that's my thing.

 

[Knox]

If the father is the perp and this was an argument that boiled out of control (my personal suspicion), then I do think he’d realize after the fact that Mother’s Day is going to be a problem. The daughters are going to expect to talk to her that day, for certain.

But I don’t see that influencing the timing of the event either way, just the damage control after the fact.

If this is a case of domestic murder, the perp may “blame” the victim for “making him do it”. In his own head, I mean. He may not take responsibility for the act or the horrible timing and the extra pain that may cause his daughters. It might actually make him angry at the victim.

MOO, speculation only.

That was my thought too.

In the video plea, he opens with "Oh Suzanne"

 

[MsBetsy]

JMO
Hoping LE solves this case soon.

I have a general question about the term "Crime of Passion" if anyone knows. I think I have heard where Crime of Passion can be used as a defense strategy to sometimes get a lesser sentence.

I have never really understood it. The example that always comes to mind when I hear about Crime of Passion is an example like this.

A person comes home to find their partner in bed with someone else and then that person ends up killing someone.

My question is would a regular big verbal fight about any subject between a husband and wife that escalates into physical violence and death also be considered "Crime of Passion"?

If not, then what if the subject of the verbal fight started with allegations of infidelity, then would it be considered a Crime of Passion?

I dont know when it can be used as a valid defense strategy in the eyes of the law.

I think the term "Crime of Passion" is used to indicate the accused acted out of emotions such as jealousy or rage, and the act was impulsive rather than premeditated.

A defense lawyer could claim the client was in a state of extreme distress and didn't have control over their actions.

Imo

 

[Fireflize]

If a case is presented as a crime of passion, how does subsequent cover up of the crime factor in? Moo

 

[K9Enzo]

I'm inclined to give TN the benefit of the doubt here. As you pointed out, he was family living in state. Maybe he has some kind of background that would make him more qualified than other family to be a spokesperson. Maybe when he volunteered he believed this was a missing person case and nothing more (might explain his comment about the bike). Maybe as things have progressed and it has become clearly a criminal investigation it is more than he bargained for and has begged off, which would be a reasonablething to do. Maybe. JMO.

I agree with you. He’s family in the state of Colorado, whereas it’s easy to come to the conclusion with their recent move from Indiana, that her family is still in that state, not Colorado.

There are relatives of my husband that he’s close to and MY family may have heard me talk about them but they don’t know them, most of them never met. I don’t think the nephew is a mystery person if he’s indeed the blood nephew of the husband.

I get the feeling the nephew just took action, probably wasn’t tasked to do it, intentions were good, then he was told to stand down. Good advice if that’s how it went down.

I was also left with the impression whoever was interviewed for the recent article release, really couldn’t tell you much personally about SM & BM. They are really not in the know & have probably been reading comments on WS. All my opinion.

 

[Knox]

This is one reason, of many, I cool my heels and wait for a case to unfold, which most of the time they do...eventually. I don't have or develop theories, I'm not into fiction. I'm interested in facts and evidence, and if there aren't any released, then so be it. It appears the SM case is going to be one of those that has few details released. Bummer.

There have been cases that have taken years to resolve from start to finish; being patient is a much needed trait if one is going to follow murder or other criminal cases and not go cuckoo with frustration. I particularly like to see how a prosecution team presents a case at trial--that's my thing.

One of the things I like about your posts, always based on facts.

 

[LietKynes]

I think the term "Crime of Passion" is used to indicate the accused acted out of emotions such as jealousy or rage, and the act was impulsive rather than premeditated.

A defense lawyer could claim the client was in a state of extreme distress and didn't have control over their actions.

Imo

If a case is presented as a crime of passion, how does subsequent cover up of the crime factor in? Moo

Good posts. ^^^

My opinion ... is that the manner in which LE have been pursuing this case from the start -- appears to be pointing towards a crime and possible premeditation.
Some thought went into Suzanne's vanishing.
I believe LE never thought she was abducted, nor lost or missing.