Still Missing CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, Chaffee Co, 10 May 2020 *arrest* #94

[DellaC]

Some random points to ponder from re-reading the AA. BBM.

1. Pg 43. "For checks in the internal FBI database, several financial-related results on Suzanne and Barry were referenced from 2013 to 2018. It appears they had access to large amounts of cash; the reporting parties were concerned about money structuring. On June 24, 2020, Barry made a $20,000 deposit at Collegiate Peaks Bank in Salida on Suzanne’s behalf. He has a history of making large cash deposits and wire transfers."

2. Pg 51/Gene Moorman Interview. "Moorman found it odd, though, that neither of his granddaughters or Barry were home on Mother’s Day. Barry seldom worked on a Sunday and it was unusual that he would choose to work on the Sunday of Mother’s Day."

3. Pg 51/Gene Moorman Interview/May 18. "Barry and Suzanne went through stressful times when they had a hard time selling their home in Indiana and struggled to pay for their mortgages in Indiana and Colorado. A little over a year ago, Moorman loaned Barry and Suzanne $100,000. Barry paid Moorman back with a personal check on a quarterly basis and paid off the loan early, approximately three months ago." [And then on pg 89, BM says, in reference to calling Gene on Friday, May 8, around time of the Moonlight Pizza run: "Agents explained the last call happened on the way back from Moonlight Pizza on Friday, May 8th. Barry said he thinks that call was him telling Gene to tell his son that all the money was paid back." Seems odd to me that it would take 2+ months for this news to spread within the family, but I'm judging by my family dynamics. We have a well established grape vine. ]

 

[Cindizzi]

A few questions that've been bugging me.

Daughter's boyfriend apparently commented that SM wouldn't have gone for a bike ride at the location where the bike was found, because it was too challenging/steep a gradient for her.

Would he have been referring to County Road 225, the road to the Puma Path home? Or is there also a separate trail?

And do we have any sense of SM's purpose in her bike rides? What I mean is, was she riding for exercise/fitness (wasn't there some talk that she was considering trying to become a personal trainer?) or was she riding for the fun/adventure/bike skills/adrenaline/outdoors experience? I don't think we've seen anything specifically elaborating on this, but I'm curious what folks think.

Another irk: if she rode every day, why would she ask BM to take her bike off/out of her vehicle that weekend? Wouldn't it just stay on/in the vehicle unless she was driving somewhere unusual like an out of town trip? But on days she stayed home or in the Salida area, wouldn't it stay with the car so as to be ready for that day's or the following day's ride?

In fact, why would she ask him to remove it even when it DID need to be removed? If she normally drove to her rides, she clearly removed the bike from the vehicle at the trailhead in order to ride, and then returned it to the car for the drive home. So it's not like it was too heavy for her or anything.

I wish we knew more about her biking habits/goals too.
On page 40 of the AA it shows how she would post on Instagram about her rides. ( Notice the time of day is afternoon, not 8:00-9:00 am like BM says).
On 4/20 she wrote captions : “ First single track!” “ Broke my first chain ”.

I’m not buying his story that SM asked him on Saturday to get the bike and helmet out of her car for a Sunday ride.
Especially the helmet part. Wouldn’t she grab the helmet herself when she grabbed the camelback/jacket/sunglasses?
Yes. Yes she would.
JMO

 

[Megnut]

I remember this, which is one reason I am willing to believe we see the bike helmet outlined in the bag BM is carrying in People's Exhibit 32. http://www./wp-content/uploads/2022/01/People-Exhibits-Prelim-Hearing_Page_30.png

We need a side by side of this exhibit and Suzanne's helmet!

 

[Cindizzi]

Wonder if BM read The Denver Post?
‘A fight for my life’: Officers reflect on mountain lion attack in Loveland

If he doesn’t read, I’m sure this story would have made the Television newscasts.
Funny that it happened at or near an RV park, as BM threw the nearby ( to his house)Monarch Spur RV Park into his scenarios the first night .

https://twitter.com/ashleykktv/status/1424750378101264394?s=21
Commander says there were several instances of when #BarryMorphew speculated what happened to #SuzanneMorphew-- includes Barry saying he was scared someone could've picked Suzanne up, it could've been a mountain lion, there could've been foul play at an RV park. @KKTV11News

 

[Megnut]

Did we see a photo of the inside of Suzanne's helmet?

 

[pseudo_hum]

Commander says there were several instances of when #BarryMorphew speculated what happened to #SuzanneMorphew-- includes Barry saying he was scared someone could've picked Suzanne up, it could've been a mountain lion, there could've been foul play at an RV park. @KKTV11News

Yes, such a caring husband, think of all the possibilities; it could not have been me. IMO

 

[Cindizzi]

Did we see a photo of the inside of Suzanne's helmet?

Page 59

https://www.courts.state.co.us/userfiles/file/Court_Probation/11th_Judicial_District/Chaffee/cases of interest/21CR78/People Exhibits Prelim Hearing.pdf

 

[DizzyB]

Thanks, @MassGuy. From the link:

And a store manager at the Poncha Market described an encounter with Suzanne’s husband, a few days after Suzanne’s disappearance was publicized.

“Somebody knocked on the window and it was Barry Morphew,” Tiffany Butala said.

The note left by Barry, Courtesy of Poncha Market
Butala is a store manager at the market and watched Barry on May 12th around 8 p.m. write the note on the back of a receipt.

“He went to write down a description of maybe what she was wearing,” Butala said. “I just thought it was weird because he didn’t explain the color of her eyes were or her hair or anything about her like how tall she was or anything.”

I know we all kicked around if Barry wrote down 3 things or 2. I always thought that it was biking clothing and a baby blue bike helmet. Lo and behold, the day after Barry writes this note, Suzanne’s baby blue bike helmet is found, in a previously searched area. Dude is king of the co-hinky-dinks.

 

[Megnut]

Are we to believe that, without pre-printed posters, Barry was taking the time to go to area businesses, rifling through their trash cans for paper of any kind, only to borrow pens so he could.... what exactly?

Get the word out about the helmet?

Say, Barry, how'd you know she didn't have her sunglasses and Camelbak?

Whelp.

JMO

 

[Skigh]

Are we to believe that, without pre-printed posters, Barry was taking the time to go to area businesses, rifling through their trash cans for paper of any kind, only to borrow pens so he could.... what exactly?

Search for one item?

Say, Barry, how'd you know she didn't have her sunglasses and Camelbak?

Whelp.

JMO

It is possible that her camelback and sunglasses were seen in her car by MM2's boyfriend or someone else who passed the information to Barry. Though he obviously would have known it anyway.


I wonder how many pairs of sunglasses she had as I would have thought she would have worn them when sunbathing on Saturday.

 

[OldCop]

Might have been nice if Barry spent that fundraising money looking for Suzanne. If only! Not to mention he had cleared himself a large sum of cash but no he decided it was earmarked for his many other needs. IMO

my bet is Cushman’s property or beneath a rock near on on his PP property, which I wish Barry would be a gentleman and hide beneath as well. IMO

I wonder if he had one of those sealed water proof bags that boaters, kayakers, and campers use. If so he could have hidden it down where the riverfront job site search on 105 was conducted a couple of weeks later. He had every right to be on that property, so wouldn’t have raised eyebrows by his presence. He stashed stuff Saturday night. That’s when the neighbor heard the loud machinery. Maybe that sound was simply BM’s truck running. MG said his truck sounded very loud and distinctive.
Did he retrieve it Tuesday evening stopping at Poncha Market on the way back to dump something there?
I’m still not sure how BM slipped away on Tuesday evening by himself. AM was in town and some IN friends. His truck was confiscated so what vehicle was he driving?

 

[DellaC]

We need a side by side of this exhibit and Suzanne's helmet!

According to the photo of Suzanne's info inside the bicycle helmet, the helmet is a Smith Venture MIPS. I'll hunt around for a top view...not the usual marketing photo perspective. It would be useful, too, to have typical hard hat and firefighter helmet outlines, as well. I think their rims don't match the outline of what's shown in the People's Exhibit, but I am no expert.

ETA: Here's an ad on GearTrade with a good top view: Item 661935 - Smith Venture MIPS Bike Helmet - Bike Helmets - Size L

 

[mom2chloe]

I wonder if he had one of those sealed water proof bags that boaters, kayakers, and campers use. If so he could have hidden it down where the riverfront job site search on 105 was conducted a couple of weeks later. He had every right to be on that property, so wouldn’t have raised eyebrows by his presence. He stashed stuff Saturday night. That’s when the neighbor heard the loud machinery. Maybe that sound was simply BM’s truck running. MG said his truck sounded very loud and distinctive.
Did he retrieve it Tuesday evening stopping at Poncha Market on the way back to dump something there?
I’m still not sure how BM slipped away on Tuesday evening by himself. AM was in town and some IN friends. His truck was confiscated so what vehicle was he driving?

Excellent idea. I believe you are referring to wet bags and they come in all sizes.

 

[Megnut]

According to the photo of Suzanne's info inside the bicycle helmet, the helmet is a Smith Venture MIPS. I'll hunt around for a top view...not the usual marketing photo perspective. It would be useful, too, to have typical hard hat and firefighter helmet outlines, as well. I think their rims don't match the outline of what's shown in the People's Exhibit, but I am no expert.

ETA: Here's an add on GearTrade with a good top view: Item 661935 - Smith Venture MIPS Bike Helmet - Bike Helmets - Size L

Yep. That's what I'm seeing. The visor and the telltale blocking.

JMO

 

[Megnut]

Question:

PF called KK.

FD had MT.

Once Barry reached Broomfield, did he think of something he failed to do and needed to enlist help? Needed something out of the house, for example.

If he needed clean up help or dumpster help, whom, oh, whom, could he call?

Somebody put herself in the area that very morning.

What'd he forget?

JMO

 

[mom2chloe]

I think I incorrectly suggested a wet bag which I believe is actually a dry bag. @OldCop what all are you thinking Barry may have stored in such a bag? The helmet? What about the gun he handed over to LE? Interested in your thoughts as to why the gun is so rusty? Normal wear and tear or exposure to water somehow? Thanks in advance.

 

[NothingSurprisesAnymore]

Going back to the Bobcat (the machine, not the cat), even dumping the blade in a lake would have a degree of risk of discovery. That would be one of the first places LE would look. Like disposing of a well sealed up body, a vertically dug deep hole (post hole digger with length extensions) a blade set in a hole vertically would only show a small target, not a long one. If deep (over 17"), would not register on any general purpose metal detector, even a Garrett Pro or Mine Lab pulse unit. You would need a very powerful deep seeking detector to even have a chance of finding it and very few individuals have the deep pockets for those. Still think SM is in the back 400 behind PP. My leading theory is a vertical hole or two with the possibility of a few other items at wide spread locations that would be difficult to piece together. The disposal site well camouflaged and with the passage of time, even more so. The potential for discovery would be low for anything less than the best, well equipped and most resourceful of forensics teams.

He has the skills to dig a fresh grave that would not be noticeable. The use of an augur attachment to do so came to mind early in this case.
Two problems with this are are Bobcat telematics and cadaverine.
Is he brazen enough to hide her in plain sight? I think yes.
I also think he was desperate.
I think he kept a plan on how to kill and bury people in his back pocket. His prior statements say so.
I believe he used that plan May 9th. His terribly hasty alibi belies well thought out preparation on his part. I think he had to use equipment and resources immediately available.
I wonder if he had access to gas powered augur? Manual post hole digger? Also, what depth of burial necessary for cadaverine to not be detected?

 

[charminglane]

Question:

PF called KK.

FD had MT.

Once Barry reached Broomfield, did he think of something he failed to do and needed to enlist help? Needed something out of the house, for example.

If he needed clean up help or dumpster help, whom, oh, whom, could he call?

Somebody put herself in the area that very morning.

What'd he forget?

JMO

Does SD's phone put here there as verification? Would that info be accessed by LE?

 

[Love Never Fails]

A few questions that've been bugging me.

Daughter's boyfriend apparently commented that SM wouldn't have gone for a bike ride at the location where the bike was found, because it was too challenging/steep a gradient for her.

Would he have been referring to County Road 225, the road to the Puma Path home? Or is there also a separate trail?

And do we have any sense of SM's purpose in her bike rides? What I mean is, was she riding for exercise/fitness (wasn't there some talk that she was considering trying to become a personal trainer?) or was she riding for the fun/adventure/bike skills/adrenaline/outdoors experience? I don't think we've seen anything specifically elaborating on this, but I'm curious what folks think.

Another irk: if she rode every day, why would she ask BM to take her bike off/out of her vehicle that weekend? Wouldn't it just stay on/in the vehicle unless she was driving somewhere unusual like an out of town trip? But on days she stayed home or in the Salida area, wouldn't it stay with the car so as to be ready for that day's or the following day's ride?

In fact, why would she ask him to remove it even when it DID need to be removed? If she normally drove to her rides, she clearly removed the bike from the vehicle at the trailhead in order to ride, and then returned it to the car for the drive home. So it's not like it was too heavy for her or anything.

Curious to me that she would ask him to remove her bike on Saturday afternoon but not to reload it for her Sunday ride. After all, she usually drove to the path she rode. And I’m sure he wasn’t loading it daily since she road only in the “afternoons” according to MM’s boyfriend. I’m quite sure he never loaded nor unloaded the bike for Suzanne.

Seriously, he unloaded the bike so he could stage it and so the Ritters would not find it in the garage. He’s so transparent.

 

[charminglane]

He has the skills to dig a fresh grave that would not be noticeable. The use of an augur attachment to do so came to mind early in this case.
Two problems with this are are Bobcat telematics and cadaverine.
Is he brazen enough to hide her in plain sight? I think yes.
I also think he was desperate.
I think he kept a plan on how to kill and bury people in his back pocket. His prior statements say so.
I believe he used that plan May 9th. His terribly hasty alibi belies well thought out preparation on his part. I think he had to use equipment and resources immediately available.
I wonder if he had access to gas powered augur? Manual post hole digger? Also, what depth of burial necessary for cadaverine to not be detected?

Absolutely he had a manual post hole digger. He's a Manscaper!