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

[oviedo]

I thought that cadaver dogs were used at the site.
I imagine that they would have been taken all around the site,including the water's edge.

<modsnip> I wonder if he would have the stomach to use a woodchipper.

I mentioned this days ago but I saw a very large one in action - about the height of an average person around 5'8" or so - once the tree limb went in - the only thing visible was the shooting out of the chips - so if you don't look you wouldn't see and if it went towards the water...well then....
sorry
JMo

 

[Knox]

Thanks and yes the 2nd picture down in that link shows the large rocks that look very new and I suspect were placed there during the sand beach work.

JMO- It would be incredibly dumb to bury a body on the edge of a river bank, even if you placed boulders over the top. Moving water is a powerful force, think erosion. Plus how would he dig a hole deep enough to bury a large ice chest? The dirt at the edge of the river would be the consistency of unset jello, as you were digging, more dirt/sand would fill in the hole. If he was telling MG to go rake that area, it was more likely he was trying to prevent her from seeing something else. What that would be I have no idea, but looking at what LE targeted there I would say it was where the concrete was poured?

Speeze's latest update mentioned that HR dogs were used. Surely that would include this job-site. Did we ever conclude that HR dogs could detect a body buried in an ice chest? I lost track of that research.

 

[Fireflize]

So if the mere suggestion of divorce was what triggered his rage, I think BM would have to fall into the camp of "if I can't have her, nobody can" possessive husband. I'd be curious to know if that's something there was a history of in their marriage. I'm not ruling it out, but without other evidence pointing to him being extremely possessive, my mind goes another direction.

I wonder if there was something that came to light that weekend, if exposed, would "ruin" BM? Did SM become aware of something illegal or so shameful that he couldn't risk it coming out? Or was there something that SM was possibly aware of for a long time that became a threat once the talk of divorce (if indeed they were talking divorce) started, became a risk to BM? IMO, this would have to be significant - either possible jail time, financial ruin or complete destruction (revealing of) his "good Christian character". That's what I'd be looking for in terms of motive - nothing about this case looks like a "slow burn" that slowly escalated - something significant happened that weekend that triggered it - and I lean toward it being something significant. MOO, JMO.

All of the above-mentioned. I think a divorce would damage BM, financially, destroy the image he projected, and some embarrassing secrets would be exposed.
I think the thing that triggered the murder was, Suzanne got a made-up-mind. He knew she was done.
Moo

 

[Hair of the Dog]

A woodchipper would be virtually impossible to clean completely enough to remove all of the evidence. I would note that Richard Crafts kept poor Helle's body in a chest freezer prior to his final hideous act, which gave him to put it delicately, a different "medium" to work with. MOO

 

[enelram]

According to Domestic Violence reports, when a woman is leaving a husband, it's the most dangerous time in the splitup and when many murders take place.
My intuition says this is what happened. Things
over time came to a head. They may have been on the edge of divorce for a long time.
I suspect BM was controlling, possessive and jealous, but he didn't care enough about his wife's happiness to do better. I believe she put up with a lot of neglect, abuse and emotional turmoil during the marriage.
all moo.

 

[enelram]

A woodchipper would be virtually impossible to clean completely enough to remove all of the evidence. I would note that Richard Crafts kept poor Helle's body in a chest freezer prior to his final hideous act, which gave him to put it delicately, a different "medium" to work with. MOO

Well first, LE would have to locate the chipper.
Maybe he borrowed it or rented it from a equipment/ tool rental place.

 

[DizzyB]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that Barry already knew when he got to the jobsite Saturday am what was to come and he was anxious to get things underway while he still had a window of opportunity, before the girls got back from their trip.

MOO

I’m on the fence (only about the when/why). We have heard and seen Barry a little bit now, once when he made the plea (acting?), the Tyson Draper interaction when he felt in control, and when he spoke to Lauren. The Lauren phone tapes show a very agitated Barry, striking out at anyone who dares to question his stories. Everybody is bad except Barry. He seemed on the edge.

If Suzanne was upset with him, gave him an ultimatum, told him they were done, said she had learned of something very dark that he could not have allowed to be exposed, I could see Saturday morning Barry appearing agitated and out of sorts. And then he went home.

 

[oviedo]

So if the mere suggestion of divorce was what triggered his rage, I think BM would have to fall into the camp of "if I can't have her, nobody can" possessive husband. I'd be curious to know if that's something there was a history of in their marriage. I'm not ruling it out, but without other evidence pointing to him being extremely possessive, my mind goes another direction.

I wonder if there was something that came to light that weekend, if exposed, would "ruin" BM? Did SM become aware of something illegal or so shameful that he couldn't risk it coming out? Or was there something that SM was possibly aware of for a long time that became a threat once the talk of divorce (if indeed they were talking divorce) started, became a risk to BM? IMO, this would have to be significant - either possible jail time, financial ruin or complete destruction (revealing of) his "good Christian character". That's what I'd be looking for in terms of motive - nothing about this case looks like a "slow burn" that slowly escalated - something significant happened that weekend that triggered it - and I lean toward it being something significant. MOO, JMO.

All of the above-mentioned. I think a divorce would damage BM, financially, destroy the image he projected, and some embarrassing secrets would be exposed.
I think the thing that triggered the murder was, Suzanne got a made-up-mind. He knew she was done.
Moo

A woodchipper would be virtually impossible to clean completely enough to remove all of the evidence. I would note that Richard Crafts kept poor Helle's body in a chest freezer prior to his final hideous act, which gave him to put it delicately, a different "medium" to work with. MOO

Well first, LE would have to locate the chipper.
Maybe he borrowed it or rented it from a equipment/ tool rental place.

ITA - something significant that was life ruining happened that Friday/Saturday and I think the friend knows. IMO

After what happened to ML, JFD, KB and a few others, I never underestimate what these killers are capable of - I think they gravitate to what they know. fire, machinery, etc.
JMO

 

[marylamby]

You're a little vague but I assume you mean the first website-assisted funding effort that shall not be named. How do you know where the money is going? The daughter the sole beneficiary of that fundraising effort so wouldn't she have all the say to how the money is spent?

Okay, the first one established by BM's family hasn't been updated and no explanation has been given as to what's been done to find SM. Are there secret searches? Sure, could be but I'm pretty sure we would have heard about them.
The find SM FB has also been deserted - the one which features the fund site predominantly.
The only searches we've heard of were by BM and some of his buddies and BM himself, soaking wet.
Where has over 30K gone?
Also, the fund was originally on behalf of the Morphew family originated by TN. Then the benefactor was BM's mother and then it was switched to BM's daughter.
So, again, where has this money being spent for the last four months?
And I quote:
"Donations will be put directly towards:
-Supporting the wellbeing of Suzanne's family.
-Food for family and volunteers.
-Housing accommodations for family.
-Compensating family and volunteers for their time spent away from work and with the Morphew family."

Is it paying for the Condo? After all, BM is Suzanne's family. New truck? Peanut butter (and other food/essentials)?
BM isn't broke - not with the recent sale and purchases - including the new build and certainly not when he could offer up $100K (initially and on his own) for the SAFE return of SM.
And why hasn't either site updated how the funds are being spent for those who contributed their hard earned money?
I think that pretty much covers my thoughts on what I agree was a vague statement.

ETA: And no, I don't think BM's daughter has 'all the say' as to how the money is or has been spent. That's just my opinion.

IMO

 

[dmac55]

Re: BM's busy busy busy activities here, there, and yonder on Mother's Day weekend, plus what he chooses to speak about, and all his stories, when he speaks publicly or to his employees

It loosely reminds me of a teenager who is late for curfew
All the time and energy spent coming up with scenarios that they think will sound reasonable and true to parents about how they came to be late getting home

And for added measure, blame the bad apples for why they smell like smoke (wasn't me- that Johhny & Jane were smoking and it just got on me)

All that only to find out parents can see through all that, and around the corner too

But it sounded like a really good believable story to the teen at the time they were preparing the story

Premeditated
My view/thoughts

 

[Love Never Fails]

Yea, it is.

I’m guessing LE spoke to her right away and when she told them she was told to work at the beach, that’s the reason they spent hours digging it up.

 

[Skigh]

Well first, LE would have to locate the chipper.
Maybe he borrowed it or rented it from a equipment/ tool rental place.

I would think any thing he rented or borrowed,particularly a piece of machinery, would have either been reported to, or traced by LE by now.

 

[Fireflize]

The big search is massive and growing. With the sheriff's help and guidance, I think Suzanne has the best chance for being found to date.

If BM wants to deal, he's running out of time.

If Suzanne is found, I think he will get a maximum sentence and a lot of his secrets will be broadcast for everyone to see.

I wonder if he is thinking clearly enough to realize this.
Moo of course.

 

[Hair of the Dog]

Well first, LE would have to locate the chipper.
Maybe he borrowed it or rented it from a equipment/ tool rental place.

Absolutely! He could own one or rent one as needed. There are also industrial chippers located up the road from the jobsite that IIRC belonged to the Fire Department. Someone please correct me if I am wrong about that. MOO

 

[Feistyomi]

Well first, LE would have to locate the chipper.
Maybe he borrowed it or rented it from a equipment/ tool rental place.

Paper trail?

 

[swedeheart]

So if the mere suggestion of divorce was what triggered his rage, I think BM would have to fall into the camp of "if I can't have her, nobody can" possessive husband. I'd be curious to know if that's something there was a history of in their marriage. I'm not ruling it out, but without other evidence pointing to him being extremely possessive, my mind goes another direction.

I wonder if there was something that came to light that weekend, if exposed, would "ruin" BM? Did SM become aware of something illegal or so shameful that he couldn't risk it coming out? Or was there something that SM was possibly aware of for a long time that became a threat once the talk of divorce (if indeed they were talking divorce) started, became a risk to BM? IMO, this would have to be significant - either possible jail time, financial ruin or complete destruction (revealing of) his "good Christian character". That's what I'd be looking for in terms of motive - nothing about this case looks like a "slow burn" that slowly escalated - something significant happened that weekend that triggered it - and I lean toward it being something significant. MOO, JMO.

this is what i think, too, @Hoosierfan72. something came up, or was found out by suzanne, that was going to destroy him. moo.

eta: he's too arrogant to think that if she asked for a divorce, he wouldn't have all the ladies knocking down his door. i don't think a divorce prompted it.

 

[oviedo]

just had a thought - what if he put whatever he used (cooler, wood chipper, etc.) in the water weighted down and that's why he was red and wet when he was sighted?
hmmm
YouTuber who ‘secretly’ recorded video of Barry Morphew discussing wife’s disappearance says he believes Suzanne Morphew’s husband knew the camera was on
snipped
Draper shared more detail of his earlier encounter with Morphew, when he saw the Suzanne’s husband driving his truck on a road near the Morphew home, which he also said is separated by a patch of forest from a creek. Draper said he had seen a silver or gray truck parked on the side of the road as he was walking and filming. He said he was narrating as he filmed and felt that anyone who was nearby would have been able to hear him. As Draper was walking back down the road he said a slow-moving truck passed him from behind, the same one that had been parked on the road earlier, and that he clearly saw Barry Morphew in the driver’s seat. He said Morphew as “soaking wet” and not wearing a shirt.

 

[Hatfield]

A woodchipper would be virtually impossible to clean completely enough to remove all of the evidence. I would note that Richard Crafts kept poor Helle's body in a chest freezer prior to his final hideous act, which gave him to put it delicately, a different "medium" to work with. MOO

That Richard Craft case just goes to show that there is always some perp willing to do almost anything to try to get away with murder. A link is below that summarizes that case.

Its so difficult with this case because BM did have lots of options with all his moving around and all his activities that weekend. The Salida work site activity late Saturday night seemed very fishy. And up until now I did not consider much that he had any help but now I am seriously considering he may have found someone that helped him with maybe the coverup part. If he had help then that would go a long ways to help understand how he managed to conceal her remains so far.

And I had not considered much about this being a planned thing because I always felt it may have just been a bad fight where he lost it. But now I am seriously considering there was planning involved before that weekend and if so, that also helps explain why she has not been found yet.


"Notorious murderer Richard Crafts, who used a chain saw to cut up his wife’s body and a wood chipper to dispose of it"

Richard Crafts, notorious wood chipper murderer, released from prison

 

[TX0125]

premeditated v spur of the moment rage? I had thought it was premeditated -now with all this coming out I am convinced he planned it maybe not in advance but Saturday - I just don't think he lost it - are you still thinking rage? at that moment (around 12:30ish?)

JMO

@Oveido I'm thinking ....potentially a "roid rage" fueled argument on Saturday (shortly after 12:30pm), followed by a short window of opportunity (while girl's are out of town) to clean crime scene, dispose of SM and create an alibi (using MG, JP, CC), for pretend job on Mother's Day.

I tend to think it all started to fall apart on Sunday when the neighbor was asked to check on SM. Once 911 call was made, everything was suddenly out of BM's control. In addition, MG and JP coincidentally find strong odor of chlorine, wet towels, left behind mail and tools in the room, at about the same time. I don't believe BM had time to get his "spin story" straight (in his head) so that he could cover ALL his tracks and convince anyone of his innocence. MOO!

 

[enelram]

ITA - something significant that was life ruining happened that Friday/Saturday and I think the friend knows. IMO

After what happened to ML, JFD, KB and a few others, I never underestimate what these killers are capable of - I think they gravitate to what they know. fire, machinery, etc.
JMO

Speculation-
could have been something simple like he beat her up on Friday after an argument and her hinting of leaving him.
He knew on Sat. that things were not right at home. He'd already decided to take care of his problem when he got home Sat. 12:30pm.
I do think there was a lot of planning and scrambling that long weekend to cover up what was a pre-planned crime.