Found Deceased CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, did not return from bike ride, Chaffee County, 10 May 2020 #27

[JosieMae]

good post-
yes, isn't it amazing what we can learn from following the mistakes that these perps make?
It's like they've all read the same books like
"What to say and how to act after you've murdered someone."
that's why I said earlier, the cops here must be going "Here we go again, same ole, same ole."
After a while I'm sure experienced cops hear the same crap and the same behavior over and over and over.
BM thinks he's so smart. And those mean ole fingers pointing at him are just soooooo wrong
and they just don't believe me booo hooooooo.
Won't be long and those pointing fingers will be slapping cuffs on him and giving him a free ride in the paddy wagon.

Yes, it's all so predictable. Strike up the band and let's hear a rousing chorus of that old standard: Rush To Judgment.

All together now!

 

[Ashildir]

Bertram said he believed that Barry Morphew continued to work independently as a landscaper in Colorado after he moved from Indiana, and said there is high demand for construction work in the area. Bertram also said he has never known Morphew to be dishonest.

“[Barry] and his wife are honest and friendly,” Betram said. “If Barry Morphew tells you something, you can believe it.”

Bertram said a firefighter in his crew was the first to alert him to Suzanne Morphew’s disappearance, in an early morning phone call on Monday, May 11. According to the fire chief, that firefighter said in the initial call that authorities had found Suzanne’s bike. Bertram did not have any information about when or where Suzanne was last seen, or when she was last in contact with her husband. He also did not know precisely where the bike was found.

Asked if he was concerned about the possibility that Suzanne was abducted, Bertram said, “I think the family thinks that’s what happened to her.” He said he was not aware of any specific threat against Suzanne or her family at any time.

“Her biggest downfall is the fact that she’s so friendly,” Bertram said of Suzanne. “She’s one of those people that wouldn’t hesitate to talk to anyone, to help anyone.”

Bertram went on to say that Suzanne and Barry were both well-respected members of the community, and active in their church. He said Suzanne was known to go for a bike ride on Sunday mornings before church, and said he did not believe she attended church on May 10, though he could not be certain.

Bertram also noted that the fire department is not working with the Chaffee County Sheriff’s office or state and federal authorities on the search for Suzanne Morphew, but said that some firefighters had been volunteering their time to search for the missing woman. He acknowledged a possible disconnect between Morphew’s friends and family and the law enforcement officers conducting the investigation.

“Everyone has their own interpretation” about the law enforcement response, he said.
‘Pacing around, staring out windows’: Chaffee County Fire Chief addresses questions about missing Suzanne Morphew’s husband Barry Morphew

Did LE not want the Fire Department helping because of BM's connection with them as a volunteer? I have always found that a little strange.

 

[Tate123]

"...they are trying to cover it up and blame it on me...". Not even sure what that means really. All the agencies are involved with a cover-up of this? Cover what up, and why try to "blame" it on someone? To be sure, this case is a tragedy, but it doesn't scale up to anything beyond that. SM is missing, and LE is trying find out where she is. Implying there's a bigger truth is pretty weak without providing any idea of what it is. MOO.

Precisely! I'd love to know from the PE guys and @OldCop how many missing people/murder investigations they have worked on where 3 law enforcement agencies were at fault and trying to implicate a poor, innocent, and oh-so righteous husband.

 

[susiQ]

Is there anyone still here who thinks BM is not responsible?

ETA: Genuinely not being snarky, for once. I am very curious as how the recent information points to his innocence, rather than his guilt.

Well dear @MrsWatson, nothing he revealed won me over to the dark side, that being BM’s side!

 

[Tate123]

Is there anyone still here who thinks BM is not responsible?

ETA: Genuinely not being snarky, for once. I am very curious as how the recent information points to his innocence, rather than his guilt.

I suspect his own mother would struggle with that one.

 

[susiQ]

“I have given three – 30 hours of testimony to the FBI and the CBI.“

If lawyered-up, could BM have his own copies of these testimonies? Or request them? Non-truths can be hard to remember without a good frame of reference, quite a few banana peels in 30 hrs...IMO.

My question is, if lawyered up, is it even possible to give 3 x 10 hrs. of “testimony?” Wouldn’t his lawyer object?

 

[Boxer]

Bertram said he believed that Barry Morphew continued to work independently as a landscaper in Colorado after he moved from Indiana, and said there is high demand for construction work in the area. Bertram also said he has never known Morphew to be dishonest.

“[Barry] and his wife are honest and friendly,” Betram said. “If Barry Morphew tells you something, you can believe it.”

Bertram said a firefighter in his crew was the first to alert him to Suzanne Morphew’s disappearance, in an early morning phone call on Monday, May 11. According to the fire chief, that firefighter said in the initial call that authorities had found Suzanne’s bike. Bertram did not have any information about when or where Suzanne was last seen, or when she was last in contact with her husband. He also did not know precisely where the bike was found.

Asked if he was concerned about the possibility that Suzanne was abducted, Bertram said, “I think the family thinks that’s what happened to her.” He said he was not aware of any specific threat against Suzanne or her family at any time.

“Her biggest downfall is the fact that she’s so friendly,” Bertram said of Suzanne. “She’s one of those people that wouldn’t hesitate to talk to anyone, to help anyone.”

Bertram went on to say that Suzanne and Barry were both well-respected members of the community, and active in their church. He said Suzanne was known to go for a bike ride on Sunday mornings before church, and said he did not believe she attended church on May 10, though he could not be certain.

Bertram also noted that the fire department is not working with the Chaffee County Sheriff’s office or state and federal authorities on the search for Suzanne Morphew, but said that some firefighters had been volunteering their time to search for the missing woman. He acknowledged a possible disconnect between Morphew’s friends and family and the law enforcement officers conducting the investigation.

“Everyone has their own interpretation” about the law enforcement response, he said.
‘Pacing around, staring out windows’: Chaffee County Fire Chief addresses questions about missing Suzanne Morphew’s husband Barry Morphew

MOO pacing and looking out windows is about anxiety.

 

[303gmf]

Just strange to me....
Why that particular week?
During a pandemic?
* Safer at home restrictions
States away?
Lots of places closer!
Potentially out of touch/cell phone coverage?
Wasn’t HS/college still in session even if online? Usually exams that week?
MD weekend?

What was the propelling reason to go that particular week?
JMO

Schools in Colorado shut down in mid March

 

[OldCop]

Charging the battery? No reason to in middle of night. If the alternator charges the battery which has enough juice to start, why do it in middle of night- and not when u get to job site and why not jump it with a truck if it don't start on job? Any contractor with equipment carries jumpers. I think noise was intentional-Try getting the police to come there and establish a alibi. imo

Do you need to run the Bobcat if you are changing out one of the accessories? Also, how long does that take?

 

[OldCop]

Precisely! I'd love to know from the PE guys and @OldCop how many missing people/murder investigations they have worked on where 3 law enforcement agencies were at fault and trying to implicate a poor, innocent, and oh-so righteous husband.

Ummmm........

 

[Ontario Mom]

Yes, it's all so predictable. Strike up the band and let's hear a rousing chorus of that old standard: Rush To Judgment.

All together now!

While none of us can be certain at this point that BM is indeed guilty of disappearing SM, there are in fact numerous behaviors, words, phrases, body language, etc., that are very predictable and unfortunately for BM (if he is actually innocent), he fell into the predictable pattern almost immediately.

One of the most glaring & pathetic examples of this predictable behavior are the things the men say on that show To Catch a Predator, when Chris Hanson would come waltzing out of the other room and confront them. Most of us here could probably recite their excuses and lies, word for word - because they all say exactly the same thing.

Yes, human nature is indeed very predictable, both good and bad.
That's not at all a rush to judgement, that's just a factual observation.

 

[Ontario Mom]

Did LE not want the Fire Department helping because of BM's connection with them as a volunteer? I have always found that a little strange.

It's never been stated that way specifically, but I think it's entirely possible that was the reason.
If there was any chance of a conflict of interest, the prudent decision would be to keep the FD out of the initial/ongoing investigation.

jmo

 

[K9Enzo]

Precisely! I'd love to know from the PE guys and @OldCop how many missing people/murder investigations they have worked on where 3 law enforcement agencies were at fault and trying to implicate a poor, innocent, and oh-so righteous husband.

Not LE - but IMO I’m sure a few cases could be sited however, I think the odds of this actually happening are insanely low.

I feel the same when devastated families of a murder victim make a similar claim “ small town police department”, “ the good ol’ boys club”, “so & so have LE connections” as to a police coverup.

IMO

 

[Seattle1]

I was looking for this interview! I knew the son spoke! Thx

Thanks for remembering @PaulaDC!
I'm pretty sure it was News 4-- I can still see the reporter and son standing in the street (in my head) as close to the roadblock as they could get, and immediately felt bad for MB, the elderly homeowner when she became portrayed as the Mrs. Kravetz of the hood.

A resident living next door for more than 30 years, she reminded me of my grandmother. I'm sure she's lost sleep over this-- not because of her exposure but because she's truly worried that a mother and town resident vanished from her town, and is likely dead and hidden nearby. Video clip of MB interview below.

Neighbors want answers two months into Chaffee County woman’s disappearance | FOX21 News Colorado

 

[Ashildir]

It's never been stated that way specifically, but I think it's entirely possible that was the reason.
If there was any chance of a conflict of interest, the prudent decision would be to keep the FD out of the initial/ongoing investigation.

jmo

Thanks -that makes much more sense - I had wondered whether it was because he had a friend in the FD who would have been in a position to assist BM and keep him updated with any 'finds' of evidence.

 

[Knox]

Did LE not want the Fire Department helping because of BM's connection with them as a volunteer? I have always found that a little strange.

Not at all.

In accounting, it's called Separation of Duty. In law enforcement, it's called Internal Affairs. In a courtroom, it's called Recusal. In a City Council Vote, it's called a Conflict of Interest.

 

[NuttMegg]

Yet additional trashing of Occam's Razor. In this latest interview he emphasized the theory of the bike crash -- due to oncoming auto, he earlier pushed. Of course it was a crime scene, too bad LEO wrecked it all. Possibly also wiping up blood on rocks?

Now, it could be some person that she knew "well" hint hint.

The sequence of events?
The bike crash and being kidnapped by the person she knew "well" don't seem compatible. The person threw the bike off the embankment after accidentally encountering her on the road and causing her to stop, throwing her in the car and then taking care of the bike? It was a planned encounter? She on bike, other "person" in getaway car? The person hid in the brush until Barry left (at 5 a.m.), snuck in to get Suzanne, carried off her AND her bike to plant bike evidence? Or did she plan to run off with the person she knew "well" and threw her own bike towards the river?
Oh if only the "article" turns out to be her phone and that LE already have it. But, how does he explain the cut off conversation with the friend and SM not answering in the a.m.? And the lack of communication between her and the person she knew "well"? Surely Barry isn't hinting that she just happened to run into someone she knew well on an early morning Mother's Day bike ride?
Or maybe the person knew where the puma was hanging out, and dumped Suzanne nearby to get rid of her?
Oh that tangled web we weave.....

 

[Ashildir]

Not at all.

In accounting, it's called Separation of Duty. In law enforcement, it's called Internal Affairs. In a courtroom, it's called Recusal. In a City Council Vote, it's called a Conflict of Interest.

Thank you

 

[TxGidget]

Did LE not want the Fire Department helping because of BM's connection with them as a volunteer? I have always found that a little strange.

That’s what I would assume.

 

[NuttMegg]

It's never been stated that way specifically, but I think it's entirely possible that was the reason.
If there was any chance of a conflict of interest, the prudent decision would be to keep the FD out of the initial/ongoing investigation.

jmo

Maybe they already knew about the broken conversation on Saturday with the friend? I don't think we know when LE found out about that, do we? (and by extension the FD?) It could have been very early.