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

[allyoucantleavebehind]

supposedly, from those who knew him and her in HS, BM always had money (to spend), had a
nice car, was a jock, was good looking, and was probably pushy and assertive in getting the cute, timid, tiny, nice girl, SM. She was so young and inexperienced and got pushed along by him til boom- marriage. Caught her.

Not to mention that SM was a young cancer survivor--she knew how fragile life could be...she had lived part of high school battling something her friends could not understand. To be liked and loved by the charmer or the alpha male could feel comforting, and I imagine he positioned himself as a protector (which, for those with health trauma, can be very important)?

 

[allyoucantleavebehind]

Very well said, Ontario Mom. I grew up in an evangelical Christian household and think you nailed this. It seems clear that SMs faith was extremely important to her - which makes his attempted bastardization of it all the more gross. JMO.

Yes. Sending hugs. My husband grew up in a home like that and he almost lost his faith and spirituality afterwards, trying to find a faith that wasn't a "bastardization". I got the sense that Suzanne was very invested in her faith (which may also be related to surviving cancer) and I got the sense that BM used this 'faith' as a way to control her or keep her in her place following him. For example, he is the "leader" of the household and so his choice to go to Colorado is "god's will"--and then Suzanne would feel that pressure to leave her family and be a good wife? I'm thinking aloud and maybe all of this is too personal for me to think about it rationally. I admit that. Faith can be such a blessing and a gift but, in the wrong hands, it is an instrument of torture and abuse.

 

[OldCop]

In Christian circles when someone says something like that, what they mean is, if God can use something awful to bring others to the faith, then at least there's a silver lining in the heartbreaking situation. Some tiny sliver of hope to hang onto.

What makes it particularly disgusting for me is, a.) I believe she is deceased, b.) I (99.99%) believe BM is responsible and c.) he actually stated that SM would be okay with being murdered/disappeared/whatever, as long as someone else came to the faith as a result.

I believe he's trying to convince himself that someone might get saved as a result of this (although why he says that is mind boggling since there's nothing redeemable about how she went missing), and make himself feel better about what he's done.

Just the fact that he said this at all, tells me all I need to know about his own version of Christianity.

jmo

The only one he wants saved from this is him.

 

[RealForReal]

I keep thinking about how Salida is such a small town & we became aware of the sheriff’s daughter & the younger Morphew daughter being on a school sports team together. I think it very possible the sheriff could already have had an inkling into things going on in the Morphew household.
JMO but teens TALK. I know SO many things about kids’ parents from my high school daughter. And our small town is 2 times bigger than Salida. Even kids & parents I never met. I know whose parents have alcohol/drug problems, mental health issues, problems w/the law & even DV/controlling spouse.
I bet there was some common knowledge already. JMO

REALLY GOOD POINT! I tend to forget the community piece and “common knowledge”.

 

[Fireflize]

The only one he wants saved from this is him.

I think it's too late. Moo

 

[10ofRods]

Barry keeps revealing to me, at least, that he is not all he cracks himself up to be. For instance, his apparent mistake about searching a 200 mile radius, when he probably meant diameter or even area. He's a contractor? If I myself made that mistake I would immediately correct it, just like we all do when we catch ourselves saying something obviously not correct, a measurement we learned in 4th grade, a bell goes off. Then, a puma dragging a 115 pound kill "up into the mountains". As I stated before, usually a predator will retreat to a decent distance, a football field or 2, then eat the prey.
I don't believe he has that much experience in the field, plus there would have been pieces of her clothing caught on branches and rocks. Also leaving at 5 am to go set up a construction site for 24 hours later. That was probably a lie anyway, but why would anyone buy that? Then the "mechanical thing". Even I wouldn't say that, I know next to nothing about engines/construction vehicles but if I did do something to one, like charge a battery, check the oil, or change a brake light bulb (yeah, basic knowledge here) that's what I would say to someone....I checked the oil, whatever. (Yes I know a couple of you have mentioned this vagueness of Barry's re the mechanical "thing", to my mind it's just another way of hiding what he was doing to the bobcat. Meaning it is important, imo.)

Anyway, i don't think this is any mountain man hunter, or math wizard, or particular outdoors person at all.

Couldn't agree more. He's a poser.

And it is odd that he didn't seek to correct previous misstatements of the kind you're listing. Only the mechanical thing he was doing.

I'm not sure that he's ever held a contractor's license, btw. It's clear he ran a landscaping business and acted in something like the capacity of a contractor, but he's no general contractor.

I wonder if this entire "interview" was actually a way of communicating with his daughters? If so, they're used to him and his subtexts, they may find some meaning in what he said that we are all missing.

Kudos to Lauren in any case.

If Barry is reading, I do wish he would put maps of the area he and his friends are searching/have already searched. That way, during upcoming autumn hunting season, people can be on the lookout for Suzanne's remains. Or they can go help and search on their own - there are plenty of people who do that. By now, Barry should have a war room with good USGS maps and a system for coding where he has done all this searching. He doesn't need to talk about it, just post it on the FB group.

 

[Backstroke10]

Yes he is only focused on the bike, and LE hasn’t even mentioned it.

Yep and I’m sure it’s driving him crazy! I hope LE continues to not utter a word about that bike. MOO

Yes. Sending hugs. My husband grew up in a home like that and he almost lost his faith and spirituality afterwards, trying to find a faith that wasn't a "bastardization". I got the sense that Suzanne was very invested in her faith (which may also be related to surviving cancer) and I got the sense that BM used this 'faith' as a way to control her or keep her in her place following him. For example, he is the "leader" of the household and so his choice to go to Colorado is "god's will"--and then Suzanne would feel that pressure to leave her family and be a good wife? I'm thinking aloud and maybe all of this is too personal for me to think about it rationally. I admit that. Faith can be such a blessing and a gift but, in the wrong hands, it is an instrument of torture and abuse.

Well said. Great post! BBM So true. MOO

 

[OldCop]

If Barry's friend was available to respond to the search area so quickly, why didn't Barry just have him check on Suzanne in the first place instead of involving a neighbor? Were the girls supposed to be home sooner and discover her missing and did they perhaps involve the neighbor prior to consulting with Barry? Were they able to reach him when they tried? Or did he not respond in a timely fashion and that is how the neighbor came to be involved?

What’s the matter with you? You can’t follow the narrative? Barry laid it out very clearly for you!

 

[Fireflize]

REALLY GOOD POINT! I tend to forget the community piece and “common knowledge”.

Human nature is so interesting. When someone is really full of their selves, especially the new guy in town, us mere mortals
find it fasinating when the cracks start showing. We love to share stories around town.
Moo

 

[allyoucantleavebehind]

"Before Colorado mom Suzanne Morphew disappeared during a bike ride on Mother's Day, everything in her life seemed to be going well.

"That [family structure] where the husband loves being the provider and the wife loves being the homemaker— they fit that to a T," longtime friend Jeff Isles tells PEOPLE in this week's issue."

*

Flashing back to the July 23 piece in People magazine for a minute, noting the following:

1. The assumption in this article is still the bike ride story.
2. The family friend confirms a "traditional" marriage ideal in the family where roles are clearly delineated.
3. FBI and CBI are already involved in the case but are not releasing information--i.e. not confirming or challenging the bike narrative.
4. The bike and "personal object" are referenced as clues or sources of evidence.

I feel like this has changed and that LE has played a part in changing it, and I'm interested in how each one of these points is being challenged right now through new information, posters, interviews, and statements. It feels like the battle of the narratives (I think someone said that earlier and I like the phrase) is shaping, and those narratives are often the ones that enter the court room.

Do we have any way of knowing if BM has an attorney?

 

[LietKynes]

I keep thinking about how Salida is such a small town & we became aware of the sheriff’s daughter & the younger Morphew daughter being on a school sports team together. I think it very possible the sheriff could already have had an inkling into things going on in the Morphew household.
JMO but teens TALK. I know SO many things about kids’ parents from my high school daughter. And our small town is 2 times bigger than Salida. Even kids & parents I never met. I know whose parents have alcohol/drug problems, mental health issues, problems w/the law & even DV/controlling spouse.
I bet there was some common knowledge already. JMO

bbm
Bingo.

There seemed to be skepticism on the part of LE the next day or even within hours of the 911 call !
Imo.

 

[allyoucantleavebehind]

If Barry is reading, I do wish he would put maps of the area he and his friends are searching/have already searched. That way, during upcoming autumn hunting season, people can be on the lookout for Suzanne's remains. Or they can go help and search on their own - there are plenty of people who do that. By now, Barry should have a war room with good USGS maps and a system for coding where he has done all this searching. He doesn't need to talk about it, just post it on the FB group.

You're making me wonder, too, if we have any media or details about the Bobcat in question. Was it an excavator? A loader? A compact tractor? I'm sure this has already been mentioned and I missed it.

Also interesting to look at this long list of Bobcat attachments and implements. Wondering which (if any) was involved in BM's statement about the "mechanical" thing or part.

 

[rainbowshummingbird]

I think Suzanne was way out of Barry’s league. With her looks, kindness and compassion; she could’ve had a better life with a better man. It’s so sad.

He probably wanted to keep her isolated because people would fall in love with her, with her calmness and sweetness. Do you think Barry knew Suzanne was better than him? Is that why he always acts like he has a chip on his shoulder?

IMO

 

[MrsWatson]

bbm
Bingo.

There seemed to be skepticism on the part of LE the next day or even within hours of the 911 call !
Imo.

Since there was that small town connection, and teen age whispers, it could have been something as simple as hearing, she's really nice, but he yells a lot.

 

[RealForReal]

“People don’t know the truth” really sticks out to me. Just from learning about Statement Analysis in general. IMHO it comes across that BM literally KNOWS the “truth”. He knows what happened. Since LE has been tight lipped how could anyone other than them, Suzanne and potential perpetrator (s) know the “truth” at this point? Combined with his focus on the bike, slamming law enforcement, and his silence it seems like he KNOWS. IMHO. In the beginning I didn’t want to assume BM had anything to do with it. I didn’t want to be biased by previous spousal cases.
IMOO

 

[RealForReal]

"Before Colorado mom Suzanne Morphew disappeared during a bike ride on Mother's Day, everything in her life seemed to be going well.

"That [family structure] where the husband loves being the provider and the wife loves being the homemaker— they fit that to a T," longtime friend Jeff Isles tells PEOPLE in this week's issue."

*

Flashing back to the July 23 piece in People magazine for a minute, noting the following:

1. The assumption in this article is still the bike ride story.
2. The family friend confirms a "traditional" marriage ideal in the family where roles are clearly delineated.
3. FBI and CBI are already involved in the case but are not releasing information--i.e. not confirming or challenging the bike narrative.
4. The bike and "personal object" are referenced as clues or sources of evidence.

I feel like this has changed and that LE has played a part in changing it, and I'm interested in how each one of these points is being challenged right now through new information, posters, interviews, and statements. It feels like the battle of the narratives (I think someone said that earlier and I like the phrase) is shaping, and those narratives are often the ones that enter the court room.

Do we have any way of knowing if BM has an attorney?

Good question- I wish we knew if he had an attorney!

 

[allyoucantleavebehind]

Thinking about the Denver trip and the timeline:

According to Google Maps, the drive from Salida to Denver takes 2 hours and 37 minutes (or 142 miles) on Highway 285 N. There are national forests en route. It seems like this is the primary means of making that trip (I don't see small roads or many options in those mountains on the map).

So far, haven't found any credible sources (LE or witnesses) confirming BM's Denver trip even happened. Does anyone know if he was seen in Denver or if he used a hotel or stopped at a gas station? Is there anything in the public domain about this?

 

[OldCop]

bbm
Bingo.

There seemed to be skepticism on the part of LE the next day or even within hours of the 911 call !
Imo.

Yes, and don’t forget her bff who was texting with her all day on Saturday until SM suddenly stopped responding. I’m sure she let CCSO know her concerns within 24 hours.

 

[MrsWatson]

Thinking about the Denver trip and the timeline:

According to Google Maps, the drive from Salida to Denver takes 2 hours and 37 minutes (or 142 miles) on Highway 285 N. There are national forests en route. It seems like this is the primary means of making that trip (I don't see small roads or many options in those mountains on the map).

So far, haven't found any credible sources (LE or witnesses) confirming BM's Denver trip even happened. Does anyone know if he was seen in Denver or if he used a hotel or stopped at a gas station? Is there anything in the public domain about this?

A very good question we all have. Nothing in public domain I know about.

Where was Barry during that time? WE don't know, but I bet LE does.

 

[Blue Amethyst]

DBM