Found Deceased CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, did not return from bike ride, Chaffee County, 10 May 2020 #37

[DizzyB]

I’m just so mad at BM ( which is also ridiculous because he deserves far more than anger). How can he possibly think that bad-mouthing Andy in any way absolves him of playing a role in finding the love of his life?

It’s a defenseless argument. Let’s just say Andy is a horrible individual. I don’t think he is, but for argument’s sake, let’s suppose he is despicable and Suzanne hated the ground he walked on. Let’s say they had a big falling out and Andy does unsavory things back home in Indiana. Once again, I don’t think any of those things. But let’s just suppose they were true.

What does that have to do with anything?? He’s taking action!! What would be his purpose? To be liked more? It’s not like he killed his sister, and he isn’t searching so that he can plant evidence. What’s the point? In what alternate universe does Barry live, that makes Andy’s so called “publicity stunt” a reason to stay home? What does one have to do with the other? How can he justify it?

 

[Error505]

Regarding searching on the Morphew property itself:

I'm remembering back to the Berreth case, where a WS member drove to near the Frazee property and then deployed a drone, from which various angles of the private property were visible.

I wonder if/hope something similar might occur re the Morphew property during this search? Looking for recently disturbed soil or fresh vehicle tracks where they would not normally be...

That would be helpful. I remember we had a poster here post several photos of changes they had found on the Puma Path property since the Ms had moved into it.

 

[Fireflize]

I’m just so mad at BM ( which is also ridiculous because he deserves far more than anger). How can he possibly think that bad-mouthing Andy in any way absolves him of playing a role in finding the love of his life?

It’s a defenseless argument. Let’s just say Andy is a horrible individual. I don’t think he is, but for argument’s sake, let’s suppose he is despicable and Suzanne hated the ground he walked on. Let’s say they had a big falling out and Andy does unsavory things back home in Indiana. Once again, I don’t think any of those things. But let’s just suppose they were true.

What does that have to do with anything?? He’s taking action!! What would be his purpose? To be liked more? It’s not like he killed his sister, and he isn’t searching so that he can plant evidence. What’s the point? In what alternate universe does Barry live, that makes Andy’s so called “publicity stunt” a reason to stay home? What does one have to do with the other? How can he justify it?

I hear you. BM's actions and words are mind boggling. For his attitude to make any sense, it requires a deficit of natural affection. BM is measured and found wanting, in my opinion.

 

[Goldenseal]

Perhaps he needed the bobcat attachment from the Salida site.... spent time there, truck running..... then drove to the location of the "roadkill" elk. Dug a hole, buried a cooler, used the bobcat to move the elk atop the grave.

He wouldn't know the intricacies of cadaver dogs but might think, if they get all excited, handlers would write it off, on account of the elk.

JMO

Ooh, ooh, join the club! I mentioned this many threads ago. "If you dig and find a buried animal, make sure to look UNDER the animal . . . '

 

[NuttMegg]

I must have missed this. Can you link back to the source for this please?

I just happen to have that open.....TS about 9:25

 

[Warwick7]

'I'm going to get results': Brother of missing mother Suzanne Morphew arrives in Colorado ahead of volunteer search

"My sister was murdered," Moorman said. "And she was hidden within a three-and-a-half-hour window. So that — I can draw a circle on that and tell you she's within that circle. And that's what I know happened."

"Her brother, Andrew Moorman, who lives in Indiana, has organized several hundred search volunteers — from various other Colorado towns and even other states, including the mayor of Moorman's small town and local business owners and friends — to help scour the area."

BAM!!!
That's gotta make BM a wreck!!

 

[scapa]

I'm a little worried about that too. Would he do away with himself to avoid arrest and facing the consequences?

Possible, I think. It would help to preserve the "mystery" of SM's disappearance, and his likely role in it, while ideally (for BM) sowing enough doubt about his actions to seal his legacy with friends and some family as a grieving innocent railroaded by a system/LE who were deliberately blinded to other possibilities by a fixation on BM.

I think it's one way out of an impossible situation that he can no longer contain, and one he may view as better than a prolonged, revealing trial and spending the rest of his life in prison. He may well view it as a sort of honourable martyrdom befitting the loving, Christian husband and father he has been, and we may have had a preview in the recent "Do you believe in God?" query of LS -- the subtext being that BM does, SM does/did, and she and God will forgive him, even if a rigged and vexatious "system" won't. IMO, MOO, etc.

 

[Knox]

BM really, really thought that the bike abduction would be bought and even if she was found, her murder would be attributed to a burly stranger.
He doesn't expect to be challenged. His arrogance is sinking his ship.

So maybe he wasn't too concerned about hiding her carefully. Every thing else he did was sloppy, so maybe he just dumped her.
Moo

My mind goes to the fact he is an avid hunter, which should mean he has above average knowledge of predators. Big & small, who would scavenge anything left in their range

Therefore I hope he took a little more care in concealing Suzanne's body. Whew, this is tough stuff to discuss.

Thank you to @NoSI looking forward to your boots on the ground reports, be safe!!

 

[Madeleine74]

I'm skeptical that a mountain lion actually took Suzanne because such attacks are very rare. That being said, @TxGidget posted that -- during a video interview -- AM said "that one thing he knows 'for a fact' was that LE saw a large male mountain lion at the Morphew home." From a legal perspective, it doesn't matter if a mountain lion actually harmed Suzanne or not. If an officer actually testifies for the defense as to seeing a mountain lion at the Morphew home, then it provides a great basis for arguing reasonable doubt.

Perhaps so, if a jury finds that to be reasonable. I would imagine a mountain lion expert could be put on the stand to testify about mountain lion behavior and what they are known to do or not do and what statistics might back that up. The fact that no evidence has been found showing a mountain lion attack (including paw prints, blood, hair, fibers, drag marks) would be another set of circumstances for a jury to consider.

 

[Warwick7]

Hmmm, maybe not.

AM also said within 30-40 miles, so I’m thinking the 3.5 hour window is in total. It must match info related to BM’s GPS and/or when BM’s phone was powered off and turned back on.

I know I'm pages behind. But I agree with you!!

 

[OldCop]

bbm

If LE did indeed allow unnecessary trot-through along the road, shoulder and down the hill where the bike was discovered then shame on LE. If the bike was not properly handled as evidence then shame on LE. If it happened the way BM describes in TD's video (which I just watched, again) then shame on LE. They would have, indeed, screwed up potential evidence.

That is a lot of ifs. And yes, it would be a shame if some evidence was destroyed early on. However, we should also look at it another way. LE arrives on a scene with a blank slate when they are called. At the beginning, they take what they are being told at face value. When LE arrived at the Morphew home, they were told that SM had not returned from a bike ride. They had no reason, at this time not to believe it. What if it was your child, wife, husband, parent, who had gone missing while on a bike ride? Would you not want LE out scouring the area? Protection of life is always the first priority.
Continuing on with the narrative, as the search spread out along the road/trails where SM usually rode, someone spotted the bike down that steep incline. I’m quite sure that LE did scramble down there. I’m sure that when she wasn’t found right near the bike, they spread out in a radius around the bike to make sure she wasn’t laying in the area injured, incapacitated , or dead. Would you have not wanted LE to do the same for your family member? Do you know that the bike was not fingerprinted and photographed before it was brought back up to the road?
I’m sure it probably did take several officers to get the bike up to the road. It may have then been examined then to determine if there was a mechanical issue with the bike.
Perhaps that is when some doubts began to form as to what really happened to SM.
In the meantime, CCSO within hours brought in both the North and South Chaffee County SAR teams and canine search dogs from the local DOC facility.
LE’s first priority in those early hours was to find SM. Shame on them if it wasn’t.

 

[scapa]

I also don’t want to sound pessimistic but if a lot of the searchers are from Indiana I don’t know how well they will handle the terrain. Colorado is rugged. But I hold out some hope nonetheless .

Well, what are mountains but prairie that tilts?

Good luck gang!

 

[Lyanna]

L
You’ll find it on a map of Teller County between Florissant and Woodland Park on Highway 24
Looks like the arrows follow the road to the fossil beds monument for a bit then to a residential area.
The tower is at Cougar Canyon Pt but not sure if it’s relevance by name other than potential ping location

Thank you - I spent ages reading through the 'Profiles of Colorado Roadless Areas' trying to see what the terrain etc. was like, wildlife and vegetation present in the area - was informative as it gave information about how populated/isolated the areas were, whether they were easy to access by foot/ATV/Dirt Bike ahem, which areas had old mines and so on - I saw the Fossilbeds on Googley Maps, but didn't think too look at it - but will do so

 

[Ontario Mom]

I just happen to have that open.....TS about 9:25
View attachment 264931

Yes, I just came across it myself. Important to note, AM does not say this info came from LE.

9:25
because i don't think there was time
from the time this was committed to the
time she was hidden i don't think there
was time to get her very far
and my suspect is she's not hidden all
that well
so i don't think it's going to be just
a terrible great big distance that we're
going to have to cover

He made it really clear this is his own speculation, not that LE said she isn't well hidden.

 

[oviedo]

That is a lot of ifs. And yes, it would be a shame if some evidence was destroyed early on. However, we should also look at it another way. LE arrives on a scene with a blank slate when they are called. At the beginning, they take what they are being told at face value. When LE arrived at the Morphew home, they were told that SM had not returned from a bike ride. They had no reason, at this time not to believe it. What if it was your child, wife, husband, parent, who had gone missing while on a bike ride? Would you not want LE out scouring the area? Protection of life is always the first priority.
Continuing on with the narrative, as the search spread out along the road/trails where SM usually rode, someone spotted the bike down that steep incline. I’m quite sure that LE did scramble down there. I’m sure that when she wasn’t found right near the bike, they spread out in a radius around the bike to make sure she wasn’t laying in the area injured, incapacitated , or dead. Would you have not wanted LE to do the same for your family member? Do you know that the bike was not fingerprinted and photographed before it was brought back up to the road?
I’m sure it probably did take several officers to get the bike up to the road. It may have then been examined then to determine if there was a mechanical issue with the bike.
Perhaps that is when some doubts began to form as to what really happened to SM.
In the meantime, CCSO within hours brought in both the North and South Chaffee County SAR teams and canine search dogs from the local DOC facility.
LE’s first priority in those early hours was to find SM. Shame on them if it wasn’t.

good to see you weighing in @OldCop - I've been following the case of Kassandra (WA - Kassanndra Cantrell, 33, Parkland, 25 Aug 2020 *MEDIA,MAPS,TIMELINE* NO DISCUSSION) and her murder by her ex - the amount of data LE had and their quick work is staggering IMO. phones, vehicle GPS, alarm system tampering - they arrested the guy and found her body in less than a month. I am very hopeful for this case (not that I wasn't before what with following Gannon, Kelsey and Shannon and these CO agencies) but I'm more hopeful now seeing how they put this data together and tracked her killer and her body so quickly.
JMO

 

[Diddian]

That would be helpful. I remember we had a poster here post several photos of changes they had found on the Puma Path property since the Ms had moved into it.

For those interested, it was WS member Topppps that posted those "before" and "after" photos of the Morphew property with changes noted in post #823 on thread #32 (Sept 6).

 

[dmac55]

Re: BM's statement that AM's search is for publicity, and that BM would have been glad to search for his missing wife if only he'd been asked
(Paraphrasing)

To me, it's one thing to say and do things that can be seen as inappropriate, and quite another to not be able to pull it together and fake it if you must

And his anger at people who are helping...

My view/thoughts about the icky feeling that gives me

 

[Warwick7]

I'm quoting myself here because I am truly curious about this question, and WS has so many smart, knowledgeable people in this thread.

Would it be possible for dogs to miss human remains because they were buried with animal remains? I could see someone (BM) thinking that if both were placed in a cooler and buried, then dogs may confuse the scent and not alert. Is this a possibility or would dogs alert anyway?

"Although they aren’t perfectly accurate, properly trained cadaver dogs can focus on human remains while ignoring the corpses of other dead animals nearby..."

Scientists search for death’s aroma

 

[NuttMegg]

Yes, I just came across it myself. Important to note, AM does not say this info came from LE.

9:25
because i don't think there was time
from the time this was committed to the
time she was hidden i don't think there
was time to get her very far
and my suspect is she's not hidden all
that well
so i don't think it's going to be just
a terrible great big distance that we're
going to have to cover

He made it really clear this is his own speculation, not that LE said she isn't well hidden.

That's true he states that it is his own suspicion, but IMO, with taking the whole of that interview, and the other one where he says he thinks he knows a lot of what the FBI knows, it's clear to me that his info comes from from LE, thus the "suspicion" from LE. But you're right of course, he does say "my suspect".

 

[Warwick7]

I want to say the spot that he laid down was in Crested Butte which is well outside the 30-40 mile radius of the home.

Crested Butte is 90 minutes away from Maysville though.

I feel crested butte was a red herring.
"Look here not there!"