Found Deceased CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, did not return from bike ride, Chaffee County, 10 May 2020 #45

[Dave F.]

IIRC MG said she had got back from Broomfield and she met GD and TN and they told her she wouldn’t be getting paid because it would look like hush hush money. There was then some kind of discussion about cooperating with LE and about turning over her phone. She more or less implied they were discouraging her. I don’t think they knew whether she had turned it over or not when they approached her. MOO

Are you saying they were more or less trying to discourage her from doing something that they had no way knowing if she would do, by NOT paying her any money? IMO

 

[Rolo]

JMO but I just can't fathom what MG could bring to the table that would make it worth disclosing that you have just committed a heinous act. BM is a big, strong guy with familiarity and access to digging equipment.

I am starting to think maybe he wasn't as aware as one might expect, of the data his vehicle was collecting about his travels.

IMO the only people I have ever known where "friends" drive by in the wee hours of the am to see if they are up, usually involves the use or acquisition of "stimulants".

MOO

Stalkers also do this. Is there any chance BM was pursuing MG in a way that we uncomfortable for her and she was trying to put a positive spin on it with her description of hearing his truck. A purported relationship might not be mutual. Just a thought/moo.

 

[NWLady]

<modsnip>
Morphew’s sister regards sheriff

How can I read it? I keep hitting a pay wall. TIA

 

[NWLady]

Wow! I bet BM isn't going to like that very well! (the letter from SM's sister).

 

[al66pine]

Are you saying they were more or less trying to discourage her from doing something that they had no way knowing if she would do, by NOT paying her any money? IMO

@Dave F. Did they borrow from Captain Bligh* his theory of incentives for officers to give sailors:

"The beatings will continue until the morale improves."

* perhaps apocryphal

 

[MrsWatson]

I think it's possible the helmet was an afterthought, like oh crap, I forgot the helmet! But I think he realized the helmet issue pretty quickly and then took care of it immediately, likely throwing it from a truck window or getting out of the truck and tossing it.

 

[Orgona]

IIRC MG said she had got back from Broomfield and she met GD and TN and they told her she wouldn’t be getting paid because it would look like hush hush money. There was then some kind of discussion about cooperating with LE and about turning over her phone. She more or less implied they were discouraging her. I don’t think they knew whether she had turned it over or not when they approached her. MOO

I agree @OldCop.

@Dave F.
In LS’ interview MG said they (TN, GD) approached her and said they would pay her but it would look like hush-hush money and said she has rights and she doesn’t have to give her phone to CBI.
In the same interview later she said she has given 5 interviews to CBI and gave her phone to them. Later she heard again from Barry, he terminated her. She thinks she was fired because she talked to CBI and gave her phone to LE.
As far as I understand it, those two things definitely weren’t happening at the same time.

 

[Lyanna]

Here’s my theory.

BM planted the bike and threw the helmet away. Once the photo of her in the blue helmet was released on missing posters he scramble back to find it in the PS market trash. He found it, took it and proceeded to throw it as he was driving. There’s not too much that would explain the photo, missing poster, digging through the trash and then writing the cryptic note...

Suzanne could have been already dressed for a bike ride with the intention of going for one that evening? The helmet/other equipment such as Camelbak/cycling shoes would have been out/ready - not too sure BM would remember to dispose of everything that would entail a bike ride, unless it was pre-planned.
Then again though, we don't know what was missing regarding a bike ride - only what was found. Did we ever hear a description of supposed biking clothing except for BM's scrawl that said 'Bikers Clothing' - very vague.

 

[Akstuddard]

Where can we read the letter from Suzanne’s sister?

I signed up to subscribe to the newspaper but found out there was a fee. I’m not cheap but I don’t read the Colorado news. Just thought there might be a link somewhere. If not, that’s okay.

If you install the newsbreak app you can see it

 

[Tortoise]

I think it's possible the helmet was an afterthought, like oh crap, I forgot the helmet! But I think he realized the helmet issue pretty quickly and then took care of it immediately, likely throwing it from a truck window or getting out of the truck and tossing it.

The thing that's always bothered me about the personal item found (helmet or not) is its location.

The only reason it could be there is to support the abduction theory, whether staged or not. It does not fit with any other scenario.

Looking at the marker on the map at PE's story page, it seems to me that its placement only supports the item being tossed out of a vehicle traveling west but it's too far east (in relation to the 225 intersection) for a vehicle emerging from 225 and heading west. I don't know if that makes sense. It looks to me as if it was tossed right before the vehicle made a left turn from 50 into 225 which, if it's to support an abduction narrative, would be before they could have met with Suzanne where her bike was thrown.

link to story map Suzanne Moorman Morphew

 

[Midwestmom2019]

I agree @OldCop.

@Dave F.
In LS’ interview MG said they (TN, GD) approached her and said they would pay her but it would look like hush-hush money and said she has rights and she doesn’t have to give her phone to CBI.
In the same interview later she said she has given 5 interviews to CBI and gave her phone to them. Later she heard again from Barry, he terminated her. She thinks she was fired because she talked to CBI and gave her phone to LE.
As far as I understand it, those two things definitely weren’t happening at the same time.

Wow.

 

[Minordetails]

My thought is that the bike was dumped when BM left the house to drive to Broomfield. The helmet was either dropped a few minutes later or a few days later, but that would have been very risky. MOO

So they found her helmet? That’s the recovered item?

 

[Rolo]

Yeah, since he referenced how BM grew up, I thought he would have been from Alexandria. I don't believe he is. He could very well know BM from college or maybe he's related through marriage or something along those lines. JMO, MOO.

Perhaps they knew each other through baseball or some other extra curricular activity. So, not from BMs hometown, but possibly buddies through sports. I’m going to give the guy benefit of the doubt until there’s reason not to. Jmo

 

[lamlawindy]

Could it be that BM knows his time is limited, and wants to put things in the SM foundation, the appointing the oldest daughter as president of said foundation?

Excellent question. While technically possible, it could be simpler to just have the older daughter become the successor guardian. A court has already held that Suzanne is an incapacitated person, so the court has continued jurisdiction over the case. An alternative might be to simply move all of the assets into some kind of trust & make his daughter the trustee, though @oviedo has much more experience with trusts than I do & may be able to address the trust issue.

Moreover, moving assets into the foundation creates a tax problem: how does one then use the assets in a personal manner and/or "get them out" of the foundation without creating suspicion on the part of the IRS or state taxing authorities?

 

[Orgona]

Are you saying they were more or less trying to discourage her from doing something that they had no way knowing if she would do, by NOT paying her any money? IMO

It indeed seems to me they were withholding her money or have threatened to withhold her money while they were trying to discourage her to cooperate with CBI as in saying not to surrender her phone. Almost like withholding payment until they see MG’s handeling of the situation is favorable to BM.

IMHO

 

[Dave F.]

I agree @OldCop.

@Dave F.
In LS’ interview MG said they (TN, GD) approached her and said they would pay her but it would look like hush-hush money and said she has rights and she doesn’t have to give her phone to CBI.
In the same interview later she said she has given 5 interviews to CBI and gave her phone to them. Later she heard again from Barry, he terminated her. She thinks she was fired because she talked to CBI and gave her phone to LE.
As far as I understand it, those two things definitely weren’t happening at the same time.

So how did BM know she gave her phone to LE? The timeline is simple........the odd couple visited her to suggest that she not give her phone to LE, then she gave her phone to LE, then BM fired her for giving her phone to LE. 1,2,3.

What is illogical is that Barry knew that she gave her phone to LE, which caused him to fire her.

MG does not say that BM said she was being fired for giving her phone to LE, she says she talked to him at some point, and she got the impression that she had been fired for giving her phone to LE.

In the same conversation, she explained that BM entrusted her to assemble and lead the crew who spent two days in Broomfield at his expense and that neither she or the crew she assembled and led did no work at all. In Colorado, that is a solid reason to terminate an employee from any job, any time. How could she rationally "get the impression" that she was fired for giving her phone to LE? Did she think he was just kidding about the "you failed to even attempt to do the work assigned" part?
IMO

 

[JosieMae]

Here’s my theory.

BM planted the bike and threw the helmet away. Once the photo of her in the blue helmet was released on missing posters he scramble back to find it in the PS market trash. He found it, took it and proceeded to throw it as he was driving. There’s not too much that would explain the photo, missing poster, digging through the trash and then writing the cryptic note...

I'm assuming SM's first missing photo (in the bike helmet) was released by the family. Hand-picked, perhaps to sell the bike story. I'm also assuming the helmet was staged at the same time as the bike.

MOO, but this scenario makes more sense than the perp tossing the helmet in a trash can only to attempt to retrieve it 3 or 4 days later. That would entail far too much risk.

 

[JosieMae]

DBM

 

[MrsWatson]

So how did BM know she gave her phone to LE? The timeline is simple........the odd couple visited her to suggest that she not give her phone to LE, then she gave her phone to LE, then BM fired her for giving her phone to LE. 1,2,3.

What is illogical is that Barry knew that she gave her phone to LE, which caused him to fire her.

MG does not say that BM said she was being fired for giving her phone to LE, she says she talked to him at some point, and she got the impression that she had been fired for giving her phone to LE.

In the same conversation, she explained that BM entrusted her to assemble and lead the crew who spent two days in Broomfield at his expense and that neither she or the crew she assembled and led did no work at all. In Colorado, that is a solid reason to terminate an employee from any job, any time. How could she rationally "get the impression" that she was fired for giving her phone to LE? Did she think he was just kidding about the "you failed to even attempt to do the work assigned" part?
IMO

BBM

How were they expected to do the job when BM, who allegedly went there to set up the job in the first place, didn't leave the correct tools? Were they supposed to pop over to the local Home Depot and get the right tools on their own dime? Why was he there in Broomfield if he didn't set up the job?

 

[Orgona]

So how did BM know she gave her phone to LE? The timeline is simple........the odd couple visited her to suggest that she not give her phone to LE, then she gave her phone to LE, then BM fired her for giving her phone to LE. 1,2,3.

What is illogical is that Barry knew that she gave her phone to LE, which caused him to fire her.

MG does not say that BM said she was being fired for giving her phone to LE, she says she talked to him at some point, and she got the impression that she had been fired for giving her phone to LE.

In the same conversation, she explained that BM entrusted her to assemble and lead the crew who spent two days in Broomfield at his expense and that neither she or the crew she assembled and led did no work at all. In Colorado, that is a solid reason to terminate an employee from any job, any time. How could she rationally "get the impression" that she was fired for giving her phone to LE? Did she think he was just kidding about the "you failed to even attempt to do the work assigned" part?
IMO

Re BBM1 :

Maybe she did not kept it a secret, she told him or to someone who told BM. Like CC.(pure speculation)

Maybe she didn’t tell him, but the CBI confronted BM with the contents of their messages in one of his “3 30 hours” interview and MG was called in again to explain/refute/corroborate an answer BM gave to something specific in those messages. Then she would be sure BM knew about handing over her phone.
If she got fired after that I can see why she would arrive to that conclusion.

Re BBM2 :

I’m definitely not a specialist in CO employment law.
How I see this after MG’s interview is:

- MG was asked to assemble the crew and take them to Broomfield, which she did. Last minute on Mother’s Day non the less

- She didn’t found the tools awaiting for her and her crew to do the job, which tools the boss presumably was going to provide

- The boss said stay put until the bricks arrive Monday which never did arrive

- Because of there were no tools to complete the job nor anything else to work with, she took her crew home Tuesday

-When BM finally could have provided the tools and the brick to work with, MG cold have taken the crew back at another time to work on the project without enduring further unnecessary hotel and food costs in the meantime.

MG did nothing wrong in my eyes there. But I’m definitely not a lawyer. I also believe an employer can fire an employee for many reasons at any time, so there is that. In this case I suspect MG’s instinct is right and she was terminated because she complied with LE in a way BM deemed unhelpful at least.

Eta: edited to make it easier to read