Found Deceased CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, did not return from bike ride, Chaffee County, 10 May 2020 #26

[Lilypad13]

I can see your point and it would make sense in some high profile cases. However, in this case, it bothers me. She’s still considered a missing person. I guess Barry isn’t concerned with the “abductor” knowing where to drop Suzanne off and collect the reward money. MOO
​

I’m willing to give a pass to BM on this one only because it protects the daughters. Who knows what kind of weirdos could come looking for them? MOO

 

[dkryder]

If they used IN property as collateral for CO house property doesn't proceeds in amount equal to prior collateral go to bank when IN sells? MOO.

 

[Lilypad13]

I wonder if someone doesn’t want people at home looking at images of the property and finding any unique looking areas or areas that have undergone change when the next satellite image updates are made.

Hmmm...hadn’t thought of that! I was thinking to protect his daughters from creepers coming out of the woodwork...but it could be more sinister and self-serving than that.

 

[Hair of the Dog]

We handle real estate closings - if you can't convey the property via a Warranty Deed - you can't close. And yes, I'm certain the title company would require a deed signed by both the joint owners to write the title policy - both owners' and lenders' IMO. And he did not have her POA to sign on her behalf for this transaction so he had no choice but to do the guardianship in IN - that way, as Guardian of the Ward, he could "sign" her name and the Letters of Guardianship allowed this. The link to the guardianship docket is in the media thread.
JMO

Thanks @oviedo! I'm with you on that, just wondering if the concept of guardianship was introduced to him strictly on a transactional level or as part of a larger plan to gain control of their assets. JMO

 

[oviedo]

Thanks @oviedo! I'm with you on that, just wondering if the concept of guardianship was introduced to him strictly on a transactional level or as part of a larger plan. JMO

My guess? the real estate agent who brokered the transaction probably contacted him and said what are you going to do about this closing? and said he probably needed to speak to an IN lawyer to figure out how to close.
IMO

 

[Lilypad13]

I think there is. Or sort of front step.

Front step like by the front door or where exactly and do you have any photos or know where there are any? TIA

 

[Barry]

IMO, an interesting fact is that SM hasn't been found. There seems to be an information or knowledge gap with that. If BM is innocent (or not directly involved), that would make some sense. If he is directly involved, that tells me that LE is not aware of all his movements during the times of interest. They are missing information - all MOO.

 

[Fireflize]

When L.E searched his house,would they have brought in cadaver dogs to have a sniff around the outside areas?

I'd think cadaver dogs would have been used in all areas of interest. We have a search dog expert who posts here often, but I'm having memory block for who. They are very knowledgeable. perhaps someone can help us out? Moo

 

[al66pine]

dbm.

 

[Hair of the Dog]

If they used IN property as collateral for CO house property doesn't proceeds in amount equal to prior collateral go to bank when IN sells? MOO.

Only if it secured a loan against the CO property. There is nothing recorded to indicate there are/were any liens/encumbrances against either property. MOO

 

[happyday]

My guess? the real estate agent who brokered the transaction probably contacted him and said what are you going to do about this closing? and said he probably needed to speak to an IN lawyer to figure out how to close.
IMO

But were there other, simpler ways to accomplish the closing instead of getting a missing person declared “incapacitated “ and acquiring a guardianship of that person’s assets? I feel like someone mentioned that there were better ways to do it if just that closing were the goal?

 

[Hair of the Dog]

My guess? the real estate agent who brokered the transaction probably contacted him and said what are you going to do about this closing? and said he probably needed to speak to an IN lawyer to figure out how to close.
IMO

Well, exactly.

 

[Lilypad13]

ITA
My girls are about the same ages, and I cannot imagine them having ANY idea of what to do in this situation. I would not expect them to stand up to their dad if they even did understand at all what was going on. One of them might technically be an adult, but in my mind she’s still a kid. College age just doesn’t have the life experience to put something this complicated and emotionally confusing together AND act on it. Older family members must stand up for them and their interests. I hope they do even it’s a hard thing to do.

Couldn’t agree more! BM was able to get older daughter to approve it because she is legally an “adult.” She might not even understand what she signed.

 

[Hatfield]

Good theory. If there was a place within walking distance, it would be perfect. No gps to worry about. He would know where the local cameras are, I think. He might feel safe in his own neck of the woods. Moo

That is definitely a possibility as he could work through the night and know he would not be seen or bothered on his home property. Its less risky in some ways and more risky in other ways.

Its been done before too. We have to look no further than Chad Daybell putting Vallow's children in his backyard.

 

[Hair of the Dog]

When my child was in elementary school a family moved to the area from another part of the country. They bought a fairly expensive home but had no discernable source of income. Many speculated they had achieved it through nefarious means. Found out years later that the wife had inherited a vast amount from her very successful parents. They just never talked about it. My point being, you just never know how people acquire their wealth. MOO

 

[enelram]

IMO, an interesting fact is that SM hasn't been found. There seems to be an information or knowledge gap with that. If BM is innocent (or not directly involved), that would make some sense. If he is directly involved, that tells me that LE is not aware of all his movements during the times of interest. They are missing information - all MOO.

I think you're correct.
We saw this in the murder of missing Ct. mom
Jennifer Dulos. All eyes were on the husband
who played musical chairs with different vehicles which proved to be difficult to follow.
Her body has never been found although bloody clothes were recovered in Hartford trash cans several miles from marital home.
Her death came after she'd moved out and filed for divorce. She also had all the income and leaving her husband also dried up his money to play with.
My guess is SM was nearing a departure from this marriage, and possibly tying up some family money. He lost it and offed her. MOO.

 

[10ofRods]

Interesting. Is this the same for truck GPS data?

Yes. The way I understand it is that the GPS is embedded in the main computer module for the truck or car these days. Our vehicles are too old for this, someone will know when that started. I believe BM's truck is a Ford, not sure.

As long as that computer module still has power from the battery, the data is collected (and I believe it is stored regardless of whether the battery is unplugged). Again, not a car/truck expert, but have been quite happy to see so many cases solved by GPS embedded in today's vehicles (or in our phones - phone does need to be on, is my understanding, but it collects GPS data without cellular).

In this case, if BM was texting or calling to daughters and neighbor on May 10, his phone was certainly on and it would be very strange if he was turning it on and off from May 9-10. Highly suspicious.

Lots of people think that if they put their phone on airplane mode, they can defeat GPS (not true). And of course, then you can't make phone calls. Others turn off location services or Find My, but that doesn't work either. Google maps is one app that constantly refers to this GPS information. I'm not comfortable discussing how to defeat it!

 

[Barry]

IMO, if BM is involved and the only person involved, there's a hard limit on how far away SM can reasonably be from her house, especially given the last known contact. Assume, I guess that she wasn't at home for that, there's the suspect statement from BM that he saw her at 5am that morning. Either way, a very tight time frame for being any great distance away. All MOO.

 

[Hair of the Dog]

But were there other, simpler ways to accomplish the closing instead of getting a missing person declared “incapacitated “ and acquiring a guardianship of that person’s assets? I feel like someone mentioned that there were better ways to do it if just that closing were the goal?

You have to have a legal way to account for the interest of the person who is absent that satisfies the title company that will be insuring the transaction. Even if someone recorded a deed wild (as a stand alone item recorded by an individual, not part of a larger transaction closed by a lawyer or escrow company), or produced a power of attorney it would still need to withstand the scrutiny of the title company who wants to avoid claims. MOO

 

[Lilypad13]

re welded propane tank, re welded /painted equipment- septic system , drain pipes- Maybe they should hire a smuggler from prison or talk to some convicts or get the border patrol - they find air conditioned tunnels now- experience- out of box thinking

Funny you mention a welded propane tank. Did you also notice that tank looking thing across from the side of the garage? I wondered what it was. You can see it in the helicopter footage when it goes around to the back of the house...looking from the back of the house it’s on the left side but not right by the house...it’s sort of hidden by trees. It’s oblong and looks white or light in color. I was thinking it might be r/t hot water or septic but when you said propane tank that could be what it is. But if he hid her body in an above ground propane tank right by the house...that’s really risky. Can dogs smell through metal? Not to be too graphic but if he put lime or chemicals in there...