Found Deceased CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, did not return from bike ride, Chaffee County, 10 May 2020 #34

[Feistyomi]

Yeah, her interview seems to have made things even more confusing, at least for me. If it's true that BM was in town all day then he could not have been home when the communication suddenly ceased at 12:30. Even if he went home for a short time it doesn't make sense that something would escalate quickly to violence and then he would just leave again possibly leaving evidence behind.

I wish we knew the context of the conversation when a friend or family member made the comment about hush money. From the beginning those close to BM knew he would be considered a suspect. His Firefighter friend said LE did not want them part of the search. Barry's army friend criticized the way LE handled the bike on the very first day. I can imagine one of them saying sarcastically to MG, "Well he would give you your check now but we wouldn't want it to look like hush money."

BM probably didn't want anyone cooperating with LE. Maybe he got the word out right away that LE was trying to frame him and those who supported him advised the employees that they didn't have to hand over their phones or give investigators any information.

And why would MG even implicate herself, suggesting that she knows something about Suzanne's disappearance? No wonder LE asked her to take a lie detector test.

IMO

Trying to lurk, but you raised such excellent points, IMO you hit the nail on the head, out of the ballpark, because we’ve settled in on BM so early on, we jump to the “guilty” interpretation, your comment reminds of the simpler less sensational, innocent interpretation, moo.

 

[MsBetsy]

I believe MG about the conversation with the two men....kind of.

What doesn't make sense is why her employer would think a paycheck for a job she worked (showing up and waiting for the boss and materials should be paid) was 'hush money'? If she was expecting a 'check', that leaves a record. If she was supposed to be paid in actual hard cash, why would that be a transaction subject to suspicion, unless they hid down an alley or something ridiculous?

Or were they suggesting she won't get paid until it's 'safe', meaning if she keeps her mouth shut, doesn't surrender her phone, and it all blows over?

I think the person who said it meant that since BM was under suspicion, if she was handed money in front of everyone it would look like she was being paid hush money.

Do we know if she was ever paid?

 

[K9Enzo]

Regarding MG’s statement about the two unnamed men & a potential threat. This conversation could have happened between everyone at a bar having beers & eating mozzarella sticks while talking about SM being missing. IMO

 

[Hatfield]

<modsnip: Quoted post was removed>

Here is what she actually said:

"We would give you your paycheck, but we don’t want it to look like hush-hush money.
You have rights, but you don’t have to give CBI your phone.” “I’m not the other woman”: Second contractor speaks out about Suzanne Morphew investigation | FOX21 News Colorado

While that could be characterized as attempting to encourging her to not cooperate with the CBI, it's not a threat or coercion, as far as the legal definition goes. She wasn't being threatened or forced by anyone to do anything.

To me it may not be a threat in the normal sense but it definitely feels coercive and scary to me.

Trying to put myself in her place and first off she is not getting paid and that in itself is unusual and not good. Combining that with the talk of hush-money and now I am really frightened. Then the coerciveness of alluding to not giving up her phone has me terrified of being approached by LE asking for my phone.
JMO

 

[Ontario Mom]

I think the person who said it meant that since BM was under suspicion, if she was handed money in front of everyone it would look like she was being paid hush money.

Do we know if she was ever paid?

That explanation makes the most sense to me.
But no, the article does not say if she was ever paid what she was owed.

 

[ajaylee]

<modsnip: Quoted post was removed>

Here is what she actually said:

"We would give you your paycheck, but we don’t want it to look like hush-hush money.
You have rights, but you don’t have to give CBI your phone.” “I’m not the other woman”: Second contractor speaks out about Suzanne Morphew investigation | FOX21 News Colorado

While that could be characterized as attempting to encourging her to not cooperate with the CBI, it's not a threat or coercion, as far as the legal definition goes. She wasn't being threatened or forced by anyone to do anything.

In her shoes, I would have immediately asked how/when I was going to get paid.

 

[Boxer]

Yeah, her interview seems to have made things even more confusing, at least for me. If it's true that BM was in town all day then he could not have been home when the communication suddenly ceased at 12:30. Even if he went home for a short time it doesn't make sense that something would escalate quickly to violence and then he would just leave again possibly leaving evidence behind.

I wish we knew the context of the conversation when a friend or family member made the comment about hush money. From the beginning those close to BM knew he would be considered a suspect. His Firefighter friend said LE did not want them part of the search. Barry's army friend criticized the way LE handled the bike on the very first day. I can imagine one of them saying sarcastically to MG, "Well he would give you your check now but we wouldn't want it to look like hush money."

BM probably didn't want anyone cooperating with LE. Maybe he got the word out right away that LE was trying to frame him and those who supported him advised the employees that they didn't have to hand over their phones or give investigators any information.

And why would MG even implicate herself, suggesting that she knows something about Suzanne's disappearance? No wonder LE asked her to take a lie detector test.

IMO

Thread is fast.
Here is my understanding of a timeline now.

Is this right?
Sat:
1100 leave worksite Salida
1130 possible BM arrival Puma Path
1230 phone message conversation ceases
(SM last phone ping?)
1300 Possible BM depart PP
1320 back in Salida and a cascade of Saturday events.
Being seen shopping, hotel room plan, Denver work orders to MG and JP, tool selection.

2300 machinery noise at work site.

Sunday:
Mid afternoon arrival at hotel room.

Maybe that night noise was BM getting ready for Denver at 1130 at night because he had been just too busy during the day, and needed to get going in the early am.

Who is acting like a meth head? Not his employees.
It's BM that rages, has unexplained manic energy and executes weird plans at odd times.

 

[EggSalad]

Regarding MG’s statement about the two unnamed men & a potential threat. This conversation could have happened between everyone at a bar having beers & eating mozzarella sticks while talking about SM being missing. IMO

I get your point but I don’t believe bars or restaurants were open at this time fwiw.

 

[GordianKnot]

And how much money was MG going to get paid? All we know is that she worked 1/2 a day Saturday and 2-3 days in Broomfield. 3.5 days of pay would hardly scream ‘hush money’.

MG said that the men told her, "We would give you your paycheck but we don't want it to look like hush-hush money."

She never said she wasn't paid.

I'm wondering if she was given cash in hand by the men at that meeting.

If so, I can understand why she'd be afraid of BM now.

JMO.

 

[Ontario Mom]

In her shoes, I would have immediately asked how/when I was going to get paid.

Oh me too, 100%. And maybe she did?
We can't really fill in the rest of the blanks here, since LS's article never did say.

 

[elliefant]

“You have rights, but you don’t have to give CBI your phone.”
.

It’s the word “but” that possibly implies threat to me. If they’d said “you have rights and you don’t have to give CBI your phone” they would seem to be referring to her rights regarding LE & a request for her phone. Instead they said “but” which sounds as if the rights being referred to are her rights to be paid.

eta : although we obviously don’t know they definitely said “but”

 

[Seattle1]

And how much money was MG going to get paid? All we know is that she worked 1/2 a day Saturday and 2-3 days in Broomfield. 3.5 days of pay would hardly scream ‘hush money’.

I don't mind saying that I for one am very annoyed that MG had her pay withheld when BM did not hesitate to pay JP (he made sure we all heard that he was paid), and probably CC too.

 

[Boxer]

MG's statement to LS was that, "We would give you your paycheck but we don't want it to look like hush-hush money."

She never said she wasn't paid.

I'm wondering if she was given cash in hand by the men at that meeting.

If so, I can understand why she'd be afraid of BM now.

JMO.

How does getting paid for showing up in another city work ready look like hush money?
And how early this hush idea is being presented.
MOO off the bat I thought it was a stranger abduction, MOO think sheriff thought so too, until they couldn't get out of the house.

 

[K9Enzo]

I get your point but I don’t believe bars or restaurants were open at this time.

Was a date & time given in her interview? I may have missed it. I just remember wanting more times of when these events happened. Such as, BM calling MG on Mother’s Day, what time was that? I think it’s possible she was asked times by LS (she would want to know as well) but she didn’t want to air/publish that. Which is fine. IMO

 

[Ontario Mom]

It’s the word “but” that possibly implies threat to me. If they’d said “you have rights and you don’t have to give CBI your phone” they would seem to be referring to her rights regarding LE & a request for her phone. Instead they said “but” which sounds as if the rights being referred to are her rights to be paid.

eta : although we obviously don’t know they definitely said “but”

All we really have to go by is what MG said, in LS's article, and what she didn't say.

She didn't say she felt threatened or coerced.
She didn't say she was afraid of these two men (although she DID say she was afraid of BM)
She didn't say she was never paid.

There's still SO much we don't know.

 

[Ontario Mom]

Was a date & time given in her interview? I may have missed it. I just remember wanting more times of when these events happened. Such as, BM calling MG on Mother’s Day, what time was that? I think it’s possible she was asked times by LS (she would want to know as well) but she didn’t want to air/publish that. Which is fine. IMO

The print article only says "back in Salida" and the audio doesn't mention when she was approached, just that she was. It does seem to imply this happened shortly after returning from the Broomfield fiasco.

 

[happyday]

I don't think she was threatened at all.
But, that'll all come out in the wash too, eventually.

Hmmmmm. If it happened like she said I don’t know how else I would take it but as a threat. She was already scared of BM and two men connected to him come and say what they said? I’d be real scared, but maybe that just me.

 

[Seattle1]

The print article only says "back in Salida" and the audio doesn't mention when she was approached, just that she was. It does seem to imply this happened shortly after returning from the Broomfield fiasco.

We know from MG that they (MG & JP) packed up on Tuesday and headed back to Salida. If they approached her late Tues or Weds, the heat definitely was on BM by this time -- LE confident no bike ride, no mountain lion. MOO

 

[K9Enzo]

We know from MG that they (MG & JP) packed up on Tuesday and headed back to Salida. If they approached her late Tues or Weds, the heat definitely was on BM by this time -- LE confident no bike ride, no mountain lion. MOO

As soon you I read your post my immediate thought was maybe none of these folks wanted to text or call each other either. The heat probably was on with the line of questioning by then. IMO

 

[happyday]

All we really have to go by is what MG said, in LS's article, and what she didn't say.

She didn't say she felt threatened or coerced.
She didn't say she was afraid of these two men (although she DID say she was afraid of BM)
She didn't say she was never paid.

There's still SO much we don't know.

In a way I feel like maybe she was making it known that BM tried to bribe her not to cooperate. She was putting that out there.