Found Deceased CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, did not return from bike ride, Chaffee County, 10 May 2020 #23

[KLM6]

not to mention how many people would have had access to the area the bike would have been taken from at the house. I feel the bike is a red herring, but the scattered items of SM that were found that they wont tell BM what they are I think that was a mistake that was made by someone.

Or it was intentional, '...because cat's, they drag their prey up the mountain away from people...' I have a feeling BM knows exactly what the item is. Jmho.

 

[Kimmer]

Or it was intentional, '...because cat's, they drag their prey up the mountain away from people...' I have a feeling BM knows exactly what the item is. Jmho.

yea and rain ruins the bike marks on the gravel but not mountain lion tracks. and I still cant get over the fact he actually said a mountain lion came walking around where LE was parked I see them all the time just walking down the road. Dont you?

 

[Synergizer Bunny]

I think the bike is significant in that what it means. If it was planted, which I absolutely believe, then it’s relevance is that it tells you who the killer probably is.

Only someone close to the victim needs to plant evidence, and try to mislead authorities.

I think that the bike is nothing more than a red herring staged by the killer.

<modsnip>

From what I have read in other cases, only someone close to the victim would risk removing the body from the house. What would be the point?

I just hope that the investigators used luminol in the house and were able to determine where she was most likely murdered.

JMO, of course.

 

[FelicityLemon]

That’s a really good point.
I haven’t heard of any cases, that I can recall, where the wife decides to voluntarily disappear and is never heard from again by friends or family. I’m not saying that voluntary disappearance is impossible, but I believe it’s even less likely than a fatal mountain lion attack.
IMO

I agree with you that there was no animal attack. To the other point (although I don't believe SM did this), just this week there is a case where a mother and her daughter did just this. We don't yet know the reason they chose to leave this way, but it truly was a mystery at the time. Mother's husband was stepdad to her daughter, so of course thoughts went there. Both their cell phones were left at the house. They were seen on video cleaning out the car and loading in their dogs and off they went. Mother missed work (supervisor called police), and she later missed a scheduled flight to Maine. They were tracked and eventually discovered several days later that they had made it to Nebraska where the mother had a medical emergency and died. Daughter contacted relatives.

Google St. Pete's missing women - many articles, little information.

 

[BobLive]

Please excuse me if this has already been discussed, as I started reading this thread about SM, a Missing Person, right? I see a Petition was filed by BM on 6/1/2020 relative to a Guardianship of an Incapacitated Person. Is that for his mother or his spouse?
A Hearing on that petition is scheduled for 9/1/2020. How can a an Order be issued already on 6/5/2020 approving the Sale of Real Estate in Indiana? In my opinion, it’s very confusing! TIA

 

[Seattle1]

Please excuse me if this has already been discussed, as I started reading this thread about SM, a Missing Person, right? I see a Petition was filed by BM on 6/1/2020 relative to a Guardianship of an Incapacitated Person. Is that for his mother or his spouse?
A Hearing on that petition is scheduled for 9/1/2020. How can a an Order be issued already on 6/5/2020 approving the Sale of Real Estate in Indiana? In my opinion, it’s very confusing! TIA

BM filed a petition for an emergency hearing because of an alleged real estate transaction already in process before SM disappeared that had a closing date in June. The court granted the motion allowing BM to complete the joint-asset transaction on both his and SM's behalf.

I believe the Sept hearing will be two-fold: for BM to prove he did what he said he was going to do with the permission of the court, and to extend or terminate the temporary guardianship BM was granted. MOO

 

[Kimmer]

Please excuse me if this has already been discussed, as I started reading this thread about SM, a Missing Person, right? I see a Petition was filed by BM on 6/1/2020 relative to a Guardianship of an Incapacitated Person. Is that for his mother or his spouse?
A Hearing on that petition is scheduled for 9/1/2020. How can a an Order be issued already on 6/5/2020 approving the Sale of Real Estate in Indiana? In my opinion, it’s very confusing! TIA

Yes the case he filed in Indiana court is for his wife the missing person. She went missing around May 6-8th and he was in court on 6/1. This has been a glaring problem for me since I have found out about it. He can only give a 25second hostage looking video for his wife, but lets get those papers filed in court.

 

[BobLive]

Thank you @Seattle1 for this info! A transaction took place on the same date as the Order conveying the Indiana property to a BM entity according to the Hamilton County Recorder's Office. Was there some urgency in completing that transfer while SM is still missing or has she found and is incapacitated? IMO, that's strange.

 

[oviedo]

BM filed a petition for an emergency hearing because of an alleged real estate transaction already in process before SM disappeared that had a closing date in June. The court granted the motion allowing BM to complete the joint-asset transaction on both his and SM's behalf.

I believe the Sept hearing will be two-fold: for BM to prove he did what he said he was going to do with the permission of the court, and to extend or terminate the temporary guardianship BM was granted. MOO

My bet is permanent guardianship of the person and property and it seems IN is friendly to this IMO- however I think this jurisdiction should be transferred to CO if he has taken care of all the IN property owned by her either alone or Joint and he should be forced to allow CO courts to rule
IMO

 

[BobLive]

Thank you @Kimmer for the info. I'm still confused because the Petition is for an Incapacitated Person, not a Missing Person. A Guardian is usually appointed for a person whose whereabouts are known, right? I've seen it where an elderly person needs help with finances, home care, or in a nursing home. Is it possible that she was found injured since we've heard nothing further about her from family, friends or even LE. MOO

 

[Murphy1950]

Or it was intentional, '...because cat's, they drag their prey up the mountain away from people...' I have a feeling BM knows exactly what the item is. Jmho.

Chiming in for the heck of it with what I learned in early June. Trust me , I know nothing about hunting meat, other than the grocery store., aisle 5 But found this curious under the circumstances. We know Barry told TD about a possible Mountain Lion dragging Suzanne up hill.

Mountain Lions tend to drag their kills downhill, and it is common for them to end up in the bottom of a drainage or right next to a creek. Source is easily found on the internet BTW, Mountainlions.org forensics

According to Troy Skinner…Barry is the big hunter, that’s why Troy came to visit, to hunt with Barry.

Was the comment made to deliberately mislead ? After all we know he searched a 200 mile radius and his friend made 400 missions. Is this just Barry speak???
Did he try and share that little tidbit of erroneous knowledge with LE?

Any significance???

 

[rainbowshummingbird]

I couldn't agree more with this post. I don't like what I've seen of BM's behavior but I'd be overjoyed to learn of evidence pointing elsewhere.

Me too! I’m not emotionally attached to the idea of Barry’s guilt. If someone else is responsible for Suzanne’s disappearance then they need to be held accountable.

As of now, Barry is the most likely suspect. If something happens and I learn more information about a different suspect, then I’ll be happy to change my mind if/when that time comes.

 

[Seattle1]

Thank you @Seattle1 for this info! A transaction took place on the same date as the Order conveying the Indiana property to a BM entity according to the Hamilton County Recorder's Office. Was there some urgency in completing that transfer while SM is still missing or has she found and is incapacitated? IMO, that's strange.

We speculated about this transaction earlier but TOS limit our discussion to only what was reported in MSM. I think we may learn more in September and can expand the discussion.

My problem with BM's actions was that this was I think Guardianship was an extreme move by BM-- albeit legally required for the real estate transaction to go through. I'm not discounting or begrudging BM for completing the transaction as not doing so could have had a significant, negative financial impact.

My concern was the transaction could have easily been handled with a power of attorney (POA) as is most typical with couples married 27 years. Also, the couple had a history of using power of attorney and it's suspicious to me why BM no longer had a POA for SM. Of course, for BM to have POA (limited or durable) for SM would require her consent. MOO

 

[GordianKnot]

Thank you @Kimmer for the info. I'm still confused because the Petition is for an Incapacitated Person, not a Missing Person. A Guardian is usually appointed for a person whose whereabouts are known, right? I've seen it where an elderly person needs help with finances, home care, or in a nursing home. Is it possible that she was found injured since we've heard nothing further about her from family, friends or even LE. MOO

BBM:

No. That's really not even a remote possibility.

LE would definitely have released a statement had SM been located.

She's still missing.

JMO.

 

[Kimmer]

Thank you @Kimmer for the info. I'm still confused because the Petition is for an Incapacitated Person, not a Missing Person. A Guardian is usually appointed for a person whose whereabouts are known, right? I've seen it where an elderly person needs help with finances, home care, or in a nursing home. Is it possible that she was found injured since we've heard nothing further about her from family, friends or even LE. MOO

I dont think she has been found, there would have no probable cause for the 2nd search warrant at their house if she had been located. I have lived in Indiana my whole life until last year now I am transplant to Ky. I have never heard of any court in any state letting a family member become a Guardian of a missing person just weird to me will be keeping up on that court file to see what shows up there a couple of days after the hearing on their page.

 

[Cindizzi]

Thank you @Kimmer for the info. I'm still confused because the Petition is for an Incapacitated Person, not a Missing Person. A Guardian is usually appointed for a person whose whereabouts are known, right? I've seen it where an elderly person needs help with finances, home care, or in a nursing home. Is it possible that she was found injured since we've heard nothing further about her from family, friends or even LE. MOO

According to this incapacitated can mean the person has
“ disappeared “.
Indiana Code Title 29. Probate § 29-3-5-1 | FindLaw

(d) A person alleged to be an incapacitated person must be present at the hearing on the issues raised by the petition and any response to the petition unless the court determines by evidence that:

(1) it is impossible or impractical for the alleged incapacitated person to be present due to the alleged incapacitated person's disappearance, absence from the state, or similar circumstance;

 

[Seattle1]

Chiming in for the heck of it with what I learned in early June. Trust me , I know nothing about hunting meat, other than the grocery store., aisle 5 But found this curious under the circumstances. We know Barry told TD about a possible Mountain Lion dragging Suzanne up hill.

Mountain Lions tend to drag their kills downhill, and it is common for them to end up in the bottom of a drainage or right next to a creek. Source is easily found on the internet BTW, Mountainlions.org forensics

According to Troy Skinner…Barry is the big hunter, that’s why Troy came to visit, to hunt with Barry.

Was the comment made to deliberately mislead ? After all we know he searched a 200 mile radius and his friend made 400 missions. Is this just Barry speak???
Did he try and share that little tidbit of erroneous knowledge with LE?

Any significance???

Thank you for this information challenging the all-mighty hunter BM!

In his interview filmed by the YT blogger, BM told the blogger that cats drag their prey up the mountain away from people.

ETA: @Murphy1950 post made me curious about cats and I don't think cat attacks are as common as BM would like us to believe.

Mountain lions are stealthy predators, hunting at night and often lying in wait for prey or silently stalking it before pouncing from behind and delivering a lethal bite to the spinal cord. Typically they prey on deer, but also feed on smaller animals, even insects, when necessary. Like all cats, mountain lions are strict carnivores, and they only rarely consume vegetation. [..] Mountain lions are territorial and solitary. They use pheromones and physical signs (like claw markings or feces) to define their territory.

I understand cats mate all year and while a human attack could be to protect her young is understood, I don't see a cat necessarily taking her young near a populated (bike trail) area. Also, I'm sure there's plenty of deer coming down to the creek during the spring or early May for a cat to prey on.

MOO

Mountain Lion | National Wildlife Federation

 

[10ofRods]

On the evening the sheriffs arrived at Puma Path, due to the neighbor's 911 call, they must surely have wanted to talk to the neighbor, but also to household members. About Suzanne's typical whereabouts and what, in fact, triggered the household members to ask the neighbor to dial 911.

My thinking is that LE surely talked to some or all of the household members by phone and early on, it was either established that Suzanne typically biked at a particular time of day - or it was not. If one household member consistently had a different view than the other members, then that would be perplexing.

At any rate, they either established that Suzanne usually went in the morning (thereby making it really odd that she's still gone at 6 pm) or that Suzanne went at various times. Surely, if her typical time was the evening, there would be no cause for alarm? I would expect that the daughters mentioned their attempts to speak to their mother that day.

Isn't the next step to find out if her bike is gone? Surely one of the household members gave LE permission to check for the bike - if in fact, the neighbor had not already been given access. Many garage doors can be opened with a pin code, perhaps the neighbor was given that code on this occasion - or already had it, if the family was so-inclined.

If the neighbor had opened the garage to see if the bike was there, then LE knew it wasn't there. If not, they'd surely ask permission to look in the garage? (From one of the household members? Who are frantic because mom is missing?)

So now, by 7-ish, there have been phone calls among LE and the various family members who instigated the neighbor to dial 911, because otherwise, there's no reason for LE to be there. Whole situation is murkier than it could have been if, say, Suzanne had texted a family member and said, "It's 9 am, I'm skipping online church and going for a nice long bike ride." Or "It's 10 am and church is over - off for my ride!"

If she did those things, then, yes, LE now has good reason to believe she is overdue.

Next: finding the bike. BM's vague statements on TD"s video seem to imply that LE found the bike. Somehow, I thought that was tweeted early on, as well, maybe someone else will remember. LE said that they launched a search of the immediate area that lasted way into the night, and resumed at dawn, with outside help (I think including dogs - different types of dogs over the next 2-3 days).

So, by 9 pm-ish when BM came back to the house, search was underway, LE obviously talked to him - a lot. We have no idea if all of this talking took place inside the house, I'm assuming it did - with BM accompanied at all times by LE, as would seem natural enough as they listened to everything BM said in response to their questions.

At what point household members went to another place to sleep/stay is open to interpretation and debate.

But I doubt that Suzanne's residence was left unattended by LE very frequently - or at all - after May 10, and it is likely that family were politely asked to stay away while the investigation took place. LE said BM was "cooperating."

 

[BobLive]

Chiming in for the heck of it with what I learned in early June. Trust me , I know nothing about hunting meat, other than the grocery store., aisle 5 But found this curious under the circumstances. We know Barry told TD about a possible Mountain Lion dragging Suzanne up hill.

Mountain Lions tend to drag their kills downhill, and it is common for them to end up in the bottom of a drainage or right next to a creek. Source is easily found on the internet BTW, Mountainlions.org forensics

According to Troy Skinner…Barry is the big hunter, that’s why Troy came to visit, to hunt with Barry.

Was the comment made to deliberately mislead ? After all we know he searched a 200 mile radius and his friend made 400 missions. Is this just Barry speak???
Did he try and share that little tidbit of erroneous knowledge with LE?

Any significance???

Me too! Mostly vegan anyway. Some of the photos I saw were big game. IDK about downhill or uphill, depending on the size of the “prey” or the predator’s size…Who is Troy? I clicked on the TD video and heard the words about a military friend and the 200-mile radius. At the end, there was what sounded like a woman laughing from inside the truck. IMO

 

[Jacquie1]

On the evening the sheriffs arrived at Puma Path, due to the neighbor's 911 call, they must surely have wanted to talk to the neighbor, but also to household members. About Suzanne's typical whereabouts and what, in fact, triggered the household members to ask the neighbor to dial 911.

My thinking is that LE surely talked to some or all of the household members by phone and early on, it was either established that Suzanne typically biked at a particular time of day - or it was not. If one household member consistently had a different view than the other members, then that would be perplexing.

At any rate, they either established that Suzanne usually went in the morning (thereby making it really odd that she's still gone at 6 pm) or that Suzanne went at various times. Surely, if her typical time was the evening, there would be no cause for alarm? I would expect that the daughters mentioned their attempts to speak to their mother that day.

Isn't the next step to find out if her bike is gone? Surely one of the household members gave LE permission to check for the bike - if in fact, the neighbor had not already been given access. Many garage doors can be opened with a pin code, perhaps the neighbor was given that code on this occasion - or already had it, if the family was so-inclined.

If the neighbor had opened the garage to see if the bike was there, then LE knew it wasn't there. If not, they'd surely ask permission to look in the garage? (From one of the household members? Who are frantic because mom is missing?)

So now, by 7-ish, there have been phone calls among LE and the various family members who instigated the neighbor to dial 911, because otherwise, there's no reason for LE to be there. Whole situation is murkier than it could have been if, say, Suzanne had texted a family member and said, "It's 9 am, I'm skipping online church and going for a nice long bike ride." Or "It's 10 am and church is over - off for my ride!"

If she did those things, then, yes, LE now has good reason to believe she is overdue.

Next: finding the bike. BM's vague statements on TD"s video seem to imply that LE found the bike. Somehow, I thought that was tweeted early on, as well, maybe someone else will remember. LE said that they launched a search of the immediate area that lasted way into the night, and resumed at dawn, with outside help (I think including dogs - different types of dogs over the next 2-3 days).

So, by 9 pm-ish when BM came back to the house, search was underway, LE obviously talked to him - a lot. We have no idea if all of this talking took place inside the house, I'm assuming it did - with BM accompanied at all times by LE, as would seem natural enough as they listened to everything BM said in response to their questions.

At what point household members went to another place to sleep/stay is open to interpretation and debate.

But I doubt that Suzanne's residence was left unattended by LE very frequently - or at all - after May 10, and it is likely that family were politely asked to stay away while the investigation took place. LE said BM was "cooperating."

I STILL can’t wrap my head around this one thing;
Police were called at 5:45pm Sunday May 10th by a neighbor after the daughter called them. (I believe at least one news agency stated it was actually the daughter who called police).
Barry, by his own admission, does not get back to town until 9pm.
The most direct route is 2 hours & 30 minutes (approximately).
Assuming the girls called BM when they had trouble getting in touch w/Suzanne, you would think he would leave immediately, right? isn’t that what a normal person would do?