Found Deceased CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, did not return from bike ride, Chaffee County, 10 May 2020 #22

[Chingaling]

This case reminds me of the Barbara Thomas case. There appears to be 1 poi, having exhausted all other avenues. But no body, no arrest. Both women and the last known person to see them was their (adoring) husbands. Both last known to be in unpopulated areas. mmm....
Both husbands don't seem to be doing much to find them.

I have been meaning to mention the fact that we were never allowed to hint at RT being responsible or nothing.But in this thread BM is being accused of all kinds of things.I don't understand the double standard.

 

[j_in_c]

This case reminds me of the Barbara Thomas case. There appears to be 1 poi, having exhausted all other avenues. But no body, no arrest. Both women and the last known person to see them was their (adoring) husbands. Both last known to be in unpopulated areas. mmm....
Both husbands don't seem to be doing much to find them.

That is interesting, as I don't find them similar. In the BT case, I lean strongly towards believing the husband due to the response of SAR and LE. They really went all out searching for her which has always led me to believe that he was (mostly) honest with them and likely had shared photos/evidence that were not shared with the public. I still am open to the possibility that there was foul play on his part, but I think it is much more likely death by misadventure in her case.

Which is not at all how I lean in this case. I feel strongly SM's case involves foul play, the big question is who/how/why.

 

[10ofRods]

I have been meaning to mention the fact that we were never allowed to hint at RT being responsible or nothing.But in this thread BM is being accused of all kinds of things.I don't understand the double standard.

It's because there has been reporting on BM, and RT had only that one interview (broadcast in 2 parts). We could discuss RT's claims about where Barbara might be, but not anything that wasn't in MSM (just as in this case). Suzanne's case has more traction because of Lauren, IMO.

In Barbara's case, the Sheriff provided no updates at all, not even a "We're still working on it." Much less a "let's go look under some concrete" or "let's go door to door in town." There was no search warrant issued for RT's home. RT's truck and trailer were not impounded or examined forensically.

SO, in short, there's WAY more information about LE's interest in BM.

And people DID accuse RT of things and still do...

 

[OldCop]

It could have been thrown down the ravine in an effort to hide it and delay LE in finding it. Imo

I also think it was thrown down deliberately. I think it was a carefully thought out location that couldn’t be seen from the main road, would not be noticed immediately by passers by, (too soon?), but would be found rather easily after a search was begun. All done to validate the narrative of the MD bike ride.

 

[Boxer]

The bike being down a steep embankment but no rider says foul play immediately.

But then sheriff not immediately going all out on an abduction scenario is the odd thing.
Abduction means immediate review of local rings and pleas to bike clubs, hikers, road crews people driving by at the time for info.

 

[Charlot123]

BTW, I imagined real abduction. Would the abductor even have the time to throw it down? Or would it be found close to the abduction place?

We have abductions during bike rides (two girls in Evansdale, IA). Where were the bikes found, does anyone know?

(Even less sense if SM left on her own. She’d either put it into a car, or would continue driving. Psychologically, it is your thing, you do not throw it down the ravine).

ETA: In the Evansdale girls abduction, the bikes - and Elizabeth Collins’ purse - were found abandoned near Meyers lake. Seen, as I understand. The bodies were found 6 months later, in a park 20 miles away from Evansdale. The bodies were well-hidden, the bikes, simply abandoned.

 

[Madeleine74]

I think it was a carefully thought out location that couldn’t be seen from the main road, would not be noticed immediately by passers by, (too soon?), but would be found rather easily after a search was begun.

That bike was really close to SM's house, which makes it seem like she had either just started a ride or was finishing a ride. Either way, selecting that particular spot, she wouldn't have been spotted by anyone driving along the highway, so that narrows way down the possibility of a random abductor who could have hit and/or abducted her, IMO. And, if it was an accident, there would be something indicating that--scuff marks, some spots of blood from a fall, her scent would be there from a fall, and the item found 1/3 mi away wouldn't have been in that spot.

If she had just started a bike ride she'd see someone who was driving towards her since the opposite way back up the road led back to her house and the direction she would be traveling would lead to the main road. Someone turning in from the highway would be on the opposite side of the road; to hit her I think they'd have to travel across the road, assuming she was riding on the side where the creek is.

IMO

 

[kay74]

The bike being down a steep embankment but no rider says foul play immediately.

But then sheriff not immediately going all out on an abduction scenario is the odd thing.
Abduction means immediate review of local rings and pleas to bike clubs, hikers, road crews people driving by at the time for info.

Yes, I agree and also immediate review of the people in the nearby campsites.

 

[Megnut]

Yes, I agree and also immediate review of the people in the nearby campsites.

IMO you can be CERTAIN LE reviewed people from the campsite. As well, anyone who may have had access to Suzanne on Mother's Day, including days prior. To determine the last person confirmed to see her.

Which likely has kept in their sights the one person who claims to have seen her last.

JMO

 

[Madeleine74]

The bike being down a steep embankment but no rider says foul play immediately.

But then sheriff not immediately going all out on an abduction scenario is the odd thing.
Abduction means immediate review of local rings and pleas to bike clubs, hikers, road crews people driving by at the time for info.

Investigators go where the evidence leads them. If they are searching for an injured SM or an abducted SM and there is no evidence of either, and if trained K9s pick up no scent of SM anywhere, and/or if the condition of the bike makes it unlikely that anyone could have taken that bike on a ride, then it would be logical to investigate the possibility that she never did go for a bike ride in the first place. Because LE hasn't disclosed many details of the investigation, we don't know who all they spoke to, including any hikers, road crews, etc.

IMO

 

[Dave F.]

I'm not sure that the difference in trees near where the bike was found really matters. LE has done all of the forensic investigation of the spot.
The only authoritative a source is BM's walk with TD to the spot on the road where it could be seen, with the description being that the bike was laying on the ground near the tree. The tree was not visible on that video, and only verbal description BM gave was "that tree".
In the first illustration below, I've placed a red triangle to demonstrate the entire field of view (if there were no trees blocking most of it) from the place they were standing all the way to the S. Arkansas river. The total field of view is a little over 4,000 square feet. The bike was found within that broad margin of error.
For comparison, the second illustration shows that area of a little over 4,000 square feet, if they had been standing on the steps of SM's patio, looking down the stone path that winds northward toward (but not all the way to) the S. Arkansas river. If the bike had been found within that red area, I'm sure the interpretation would be: "The bike was found just below her patio."
I have said it before, but I will say it one more time. In my opinion TD will never qualify for a Pathfinder merit badge, but despite his personal challenges, he got us pretty darn close to where the bike was found.
Close enough that we can form opinions from the information reported. IMO

Both illustrations produced entirely in Google Earth Pro with no external editing.

 

[Hatfield]

JMO
Why the need for spokespeople?

From the very first day after she went missing there were people being used as spokespeople for the husband.

The big question is why the need for that?

When first asked about making a statement the response was "its too soon" or something to that effect. That was and still is a confusing response because what better time to make a plea for help in finding her than right after she went missing.

The spokespeople started right away.
First it was the fire chief more or less speaking on behalf of the husband.

Then a letter was sent to the church in Indiana and I dont believe we ever found out who the sender was.

Then the nephew was more or less a spokesperson until he stepped away.

Then we had another friend make a statement in support of the husband.

All these spokespeople and the big question is Why does the husband allow all these spokespeople to speak for him?

We know from his own video he put out and also from TD's candid interview he put out he can talk so why doesnt he want to talk for himself?
For something so important, you would think he would want to speak for himself and not allow others to possibly misconstrue whatever message he wants.

Its a mystery right now.
The only thing I can think of where the reluctancy could make some sense is if he knew who took her. For example if a previous worker that maybe worked for him had made threats before or just got fired or something along those lines then maybe he suspects a certain person.

If a person known to him is responsible then it could make some things make sense.

It could make him want to give a reward out to try to get her back. It could also explain the house searches if the person knew where they lived and took her as she was leaving the home. The abduction could have been right near the home if she first started out riding her bike and maybe was taken right near the home and the bike dumped on way out of the area.

It could also maybe explain why the search at the job site if that other person had done any work there.

The problem with that theory though is LE would know who this other person is because he would tell LE of this other person. So by now, LE should have been able to find this other person and interview them unless they skipped town. But then again you would think there would be some kind of BOLO for this other person if they were wanted by LE.

We have no indication that there is a manhunt for some unknown person related to this case. Not that we know of anyway.

There are other things that still dont make sense like being gone to work out of town on a MD Sunday which is strange in and of itself to most people.

And if there was this other mystery person that was suspected then a more direct plea to this person would seem warranted and we dont have that.

So back to the question of why the need for all the spokespeople?
It doesnt make sense to me to let others speak for me for something this important.

 

[JnRyan]

BTW, I imagined real abduction. Would the abductor even have the time to throw it down? Or would it be found close to the abduction place?

We have abductions during bike rides (two girls in Evansdale, IA). Where were the bikes found, does anyone know?

(Even less sense if SM left on her own. She’d either put it into a car, or just continued driving).

Its happened, certainly not often, but I pointed out some cases. Tara Calico - they found her Walkman on the side of the road, but they never found her or her bike or the crime scene. Jill Behrman disappeared and her bike was found in the opposite direction of where she was riding with her radio dropped somewhere else. Mickey Schunick was abducted and her bike thrown in a body of water away from the crime scene. Sierah Joughin's case is similar and it was her killer's 2nd attempt to abduct a woman on a bike. More common, though, is a hit-and-run accident where the motorist flees the scene immediately and doesn't bother to stage anything. In Suzanne's case this all assumes she was on a bike ride that day.

In the case of the two Evansdale girls, Lyric Cook and Elizabeth Collins, their bikes were found fairly quick on a bike trail. Where they were actually abducted and not planted away from the abduction scene?

 

[Dave F.]

On the two different trees being marked with ribbon:
@K9Enzo might want to provide some expertise here, but one idea that pops into my mind is that the first tree TD located was tied with ribbon to mark a central point for a single dog to search in outward radiating switchback paths, trying to pick up any indication of whether SM had separated from the bike near the spot where it lay, and possibly which direction her trail headed. The second tree marked could represent the second search, done almost two months later.
Just a random idea, thrown into the discussion. IMO

 

[Boxer]

I'm not sure that the difference in trees near where the bike was found really matters. LE has done all of the forensic investigation of the spot.
The only authoritative a source is BM's walk with TD to the spot on the road where it could be seen, with the description being that the bike was laying on the ground near the tree. The tree was not visible on that video, and only verbal description BM gave was "that tree".
In the first illustration below, I've placed a red triangle to demonstrate the entire field of view (if there were no trees blocking most of it) from the place they were standing all the way to the S. Arkansas river. The total field of view is a little over 4,000 square feet. The bike was found within that broad margin of error.
For comparison, the second illustration shows that area of a little over 4,000 square feet, if they had been standing on the steps of SM's patio, looking down the stone path that winds northward toward (but not all the way to) the S. Arkansas river. If the bike had been found within that red area, I'm sure the interpretation would be: "The bike was found just below her patio."
I have said it before, but I will say it one more time. In my opinion TD will never qualify for a Pathfinder merit badge, but despite his personal challenges, he got us pretty darn close to where the bike was found.
Close enough that we can form opinions from the information reported. IMO

Both illustrations produced entirely in Google Earth Pro with no external editing.

Is there a bike path through the woods where the bike was found?

 

[Madeleine74]

JMO
Why the need for spokespeople?

My thoughts: IF he's lawyered-up, that attorney would instruct him not to speak publicly or give interviews. We know he did via the surreptitiously recorded conversation with TD a few weeks ago, and if he had an attorney at that time, his attorney would not have approved, IMO.

The primary reason not to speak out is (IMO) self-preservation from future litigation, specifically a criminal charge.

/IMO

 

[Madeleine74]

Question from a directionally-challenged person (that would be me):

How exactly would SM ride from her patio area/house to where the bike was found? I looked at the Google Earth maps shared and couldn't determine a road or obvious path that leads straight there.

 

[Boxer]

Investigators go where the evidence leads them. If they are searching for an injured SM or an abducted SM and there is no evidence of either, and if trained K9s pick up no scent of SM anywhere, and/or if the condition of the bike makes it unlikely that anyone could have taken that bike on a ride, then it would be logical to investigate the possibility that she never did go for a bike ride in the first place. Because LE hasn't disclosed many details of the investigation, we don't know who all they spoke to, including any hikers, road crews, etc.

IMO

Agree they have interviewed campers and all relevant nearby people.
But the broad call for info from anyone driving on Hwy 50 on May 10 seems lacking. Local bike club said their members were surprised they were not contacted, just a lot of things that don't match aggressively getting immediately to the network of people possibly having seen something.
Police flyers like "were you shopping here 5/10? Please call us.

 

[swedeheart]

new lauren scharf interview with profiling evil:

*suzanne and barry's anniversary is august 5th.

*neighbor who heard late-night noise didn't go to LE, LE was asking around and came to her. she knew property was a work-in-progress, so she recognized the same noises.

*there were no obvious signs of disturbance off the road if she had an accident.

*scott, the bike guy, saw suzanne and worked on her bike thurs, may 7.

*rental properties close to the morphew's: bc of covid, there was nobody staying at any of the properties at the time of her disappearance, and the morphews' stayed in one of these rentals when their home was under investigation.

*a woman was putting up a ribbon along the road to the morphew property, and a man walked up behind her and said, "oh wow, beautiful" and she was super freaked out and left. (this woman saw suzanne riding her bike in the past, and says she wears earbuds).

*it's remote and the river is really loud. you cannot hear cars going by if you are near the river.

*if she had been on a bike ride, she most likely would have been picked up by one of the security cams TD showed us in his last video, so it appears to be unlikely that she went on a bike ride that day. however, LE has not confirmed that, but they have definitely searched the footage.

*no evidence that suzanne's disappearance left that street.

*they had to have something "powerful" to get a second search warrant. (per mike king). it's not easy to get a FIRST search warrant, much less a second. they had something big and probable cause. the judge has to agree with investigators to sign off, and the fact that it was sealed, they do not want any info released.

*trees are super close together, and the cliff where the bike "fell" (next to a tree up against a hill) was impossible to see from the morphew home. you cannot see neighbors homes from the morphew home.

*it's probably very stressful on the kids bc of the anniversary coming up. it is now likely to be a high-pressure, high-emotion situation.

*food orders: cambodian restaurant, a different suzanne picked up food, not suzanne morphew. lauren is still trying to confirm if SM picked up food. she's not disclosing the restaurant right now.

*lauren: is a high reward helpful in these types of missing persons cases?

chris: he's never worked a case with that high a reward, it should motivate people, but unfortunately you get many incredible tips bc of such a high reward.

*most critical evidence we have right now is with BM's plea: he speaks with plurals (we, us, them). so before you can leave the house, you have to eliminate the house.

*BM, you are welcome to the show to discuss!

 

[marylamby]

There is a discrepancy between Lauren's clip and Tyson's video of where the bike was found. In Lauren's clip the ribbon is on the tree to the right and in Tyson's the pink ribbon is on the tree to the left. Lauren mentions the sap running down the tree and in Tyson's clip there is no sap.

I was just going to say how we don't know where 'THE BIKE' was found. We only have BM's word for it to TD, who then relayed that to SM.
I recall TD's travels showed more than a few ribbons/flags/markers along the way.
We don't even know why they were there or if they were related to SM.
I'll add that the bike found leaning against a tree is one damn good trick or just a VERY lucky throw.