Found Deceased CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, did not return from bike ride, Chaffee County, 10 May 2020 #46

[Knox]

That’s the thing, he probably is that “great outdoors man everyone makes him out to be,” which is precisely why the “mountain lion” theory is so damning.

He knows better, yet is willing to embarrass himself because the alternative is so much worse.

The alternative being he did it.

Ok when you put it that way. Having the locals & 35,000 hunters nationwide calling you a dummy, beats first degree murder charges by a landslide.

My Dad & brother took my BIL deer hunting right after he and my sister married. They said he slammed the truck door, talked and walked loud, fired his gun at everything that moved. It was a running joke twenty years later, but it was a few years before he was invited to go again.

 

[Hatfield]

For any hikers and outdoors people, I want to share an extra bit of information that took me a few years to realize and understand.

Animals will gladly use "people trails" to help them move from one place to another. This has been proven many times in various articles I have read and I proved it myself one time when I cleared a path through some woods to a tree stand that I had setup in the woods.

Shortly after I cleared a nice path through the dense brush, I started to notice deer hoof marks right along the trail I just cleared.
Animals are not dumb and if there is an easy path like a hiking trail, then animals will gladly use them if they are wanting to go in the same general direction.

It helps to explain why you sometimes see wild animals on the very hiking trail you are on. Just something to keep in mind.
JMO

 

[dgfred]

That’s the thing, he probably is that “great outdoors man everyone makes him out to be,” which is precisely why the “mountain lion” theory is so damning.

He knows better, yet is willing to embarrass himself because the alternative is so much worse.

The alternative being he did it.

Just think of all the cougar tracks there from that little encounter... not to mention if he had been attacked and taken away. There would have been a pile of evidence.

Imagine his poor family having to watch a phone video of their son/etc been attacked and eaten by a cougar. Gracious.

 

[Knox]

Better yet, IMO, put your phone down and be a clear headed thinker in this situation. People drive me bonkers outdoors. IMO

I thought about that too. But if he had been attacked and drug off, his phone would be there to tell the story.

 

[DetectiveFoyleWannabe]

The only cat involved in SM's disappearance is a Bobcat. That I am convinced of.

 

[sripey]

I agree there would have been quite a struggle and most likely some evidence of a struggle if a cougar like that one had attacked and drug off Suzanne.

For the cougar in the video, at first she was protecting her cubs but I do have to wonder if she was hungry and changed her mind to trying to feed herself and her babies since there was some "food" right there in front of her. She followed him for a long ways and it seemed to me that she had food on her mind near the 2nd half of that trail encounter.

What gets scary is when animals show no fear of humans. The cougar was obviously not too afraid of that person. Luckily he did all the right things and got away without a scratch.
They will size you up to see if they think they can take you. That cat sure was thinking seriously about it and finally gave up because the person did all the right things. Had he turned his back and started running, I can guarantee you he would have had a cougar on his back.
All JMO of course.

If that cougar saw him as prey, she would have been crouching and silent as she advanced towards him. This cat reminded me of my cat when she gets pissed off at my dog - lots of hissing, flashing teeth, and threatening with paws. This mountain lion was clearly driving him away from her cubs the entire time.

 

[Hatfield]

The only cat involved in SM's disappearance is a Bobcat. That I am convinced of.

I agree. The Sheriff said an animal attack was unlikely and I have to agree with him since I am sure they would have looked for any sign of an attack nearby where the bicycle was found.

Below are some notes to help us keep track of all the "cat" references:

*They lived on "Puma Path"

*In the animal kingdom, a "Bobcat" is a smaller cat than a Mountain Lion (aka Cougar). One way to always know you are seeing a Bobcat instead of a Cougar is that a Bobcat will have a short bobbed tail. A Mountain Lion/Cougar has a long tail.

*Right or wrong, A "Mountain Lion" is also sometimes called a "Cougar", a "Puma", or even a "Panther" by various individuals.

*BM owned a "Bobcat machine" and has a trailer to haul it around. A Bobcat machine is similar to a small tractor in many ways. It can do similar things a tractor can do with the right attachment, but usually the job would be a smaller type job than what a large tractor would be used for.
There are lots of different Bobcat attachments that are available to do different types of jobs with it. Link below shows the attachements from the Bobcat company:

feature

 

[Madeleine74]

Protecting her cubs who were nearby, nothing like what BM suggested. In his fictional scenario Mr. Robert Cat emerges as the prime suspect.

IMO

 

[K9Enzo]

I thought about that too. But if he had been attacked and drug off, his phone would be there to tell the story.

Some people might remember the story of Timothy Treadwell....

 

[Trackergd]

I suspect the reason that LE said a Mountain Lion was unlikely is that there would have been tracks near the area the bike was found in. I started out tracking animals before I figured out (at 11 years old) the skill was useful tracking missing people. The LKP (Last Known Place) or PLS (Place Last Seen) is usually trampled down by unknowing individuals responding to the scene, hikers, hunters, etc. The Tracker goes outside of that area and circles the LKP/PLS until he/she finds tracks of the missing subject or, in this case the missing subject, bike tire prints and mountain lion prints. Cat family prints are different than dog prints (some folks confuse them) as cats retract their claws, dogs cannot. So if LE checked the area around the PLS and did not find large cat prints, drag marks and blood, that would rule out a mountain lion. If there were no bike prints going to the LKP matching SM's bicycle tires, that would suggest the bike was staged. Lack of prints matching footwear that SM was known to own would also suggest the bike was staged. Reading prints is like reading a book. The whole story is there if you know how to read the prints. Lack of prints, anywhere around the PLS is also an indicator that the area was wiped clean by the missing person or an unknown actor. There is no such thing as dirt/mud/dust in the outdoors that does not contain prints of one sort or another, from insect to man. No doubt there was evidence near the bike. Question is, did it get noticed and photographed? It always makes me smile when I see individuals who consider themselves experienced hunters leave enough track evidence for Game Wardens to find them within a day or two. I consider the Maine Wardens Service and the Texas Game Wardens to be some of the best, along with the US Border Patrol.

 

[Orgona]

‘I don’t feel like dying today’: Utahn describes how he survived 6-minute cougar encounter

Oct 12, 2020

The 26-year-old from Orem did everything he could think of to ward the mother cougar off. He knew not to turn his back to her. He knew to back away — but not too fast. He cursed, yelled, growled and grunted while she continued to follow him, flashing her teeth at him, her ears pinned, her tail swishing.

[..]

After those six minutes of terror and pure adrenaline, Burgess was finally able to pick up a rock and hurl it at the mountain lion. It nailed her, and that’s when she took off running back down the trail.

“Wow, that just happened,” Burgess recalled thinking after she finally took off. “Honestly right now it still feels like a dream.”

YOUTUBE Video at the link above

OMG how scary was this. I felt for the guy, I soooo wanted to help him while watching the. He did all the right things and ultimately scared her away. Amazing.

One thing is sure, it was definitely visible when she longed at him how fast and strong such predator is.
Most of us knew this, but for the ones who didn’t, this can be proof of it. If such cat would attack a person there would be blood from the wounds she makes with those big teeth and claws, if she drags someone away there would be torn clothing, blood on the way, lost shoes, backpack, torn branches... And no mountain lion would take the time to throw the bike down an embankment, only a mountain liar. (Whoever made this name up, thank you)
But most of us knew the above already.

 

[Feistyomi]

It was a mother protecting her cubs, she wanted him to leave. If she wanted to hunt and kill him she would have quietly snuck up, not try to run him out of her territory.

I agree, it was intense, she was in defense/ attack mode, had he moved toward her (babies) she would have ripped him apart.MOO
She also didn’t like that she had to leave her babies so far behind, her pounces were actually effort to get hiker to move faster.
While recommended to back slowly, if he had turned and hauled ***, I think she would have followed just enough, then turned around and headed back to her babies.
You could see her check behind her and the further from her babies, the more she wanted the encounter to be over. JMVHO
Still, very scary, and you are right, she would have been in the trees and stalked him till she pounced and dragged him back in the trees...
You don’t mess with mama’s babies, period.

 

[Seattle1]

Protecting her cubs who were nearby, nothing like what BM suggested. In his fictional scenario Mr. Robert Cat emerges as the prime suspect.

IMO

My best mate from primary school told the best stories, the most brilliant imagination, and when his father would collect us at the end of the school day, he'd allow him to continue and gradually interject.."son, you know that's not true." I just don't think BM has ever been denied, challenged. And he's never been entertaining!

Please, where is Suzanne?

MOO

 

[Tumbleweed]

What are you guys thinking about BM not taking the bobcat to Broomfield when he was planning to do so? (This is per LS in the NG podcast "Suzanne Morphew hubby caught searching dump for missing wife's bike helmet".)

If he's innocent (unlikely) he didn't take his main piece of equipment he would need to do the job.

If he's guilty, holy smokes, did he have a brain fart or what?

What about the possibility that he had to leave it somewhere so someone else could use it to dispose of SM? Seems like he would have taken care of that business in the dark. Guess I'm am arguing with myself on this...

I just can't believe he simply forgot it. He seems to bring it everywhere with him. Why would he not take it with him???

 

[K9Enzo]

If BM is guilty, I'm not so sure he used his Bobcat to conceal/bury SM. If it plays a part in this investigation, I'm thinking he used it more for an alibi on the fly with his sudden weekend job plans. IMO

 

[Trackergd]

This is per LS in the NG podcast "Suzanne Morphew hubby caught searching dump for missing wife's bike helmet".

Respectfully snipped.

Has this been verified by LE or anywhere else in MSM other than the NG podcast? Most folks including LE and SAR avoid digging through a dump unless there is pretty good reason to or the evidence has led them there. It's a very nasty job.

 

[DizzyB]

What are you guys thinking about BM not taking the bobcat to Broomfield when he was planning to do so? (This is per LS in the NG podcast "Suzanne Morphew hubby caught searching dump for missing wife's bike helmet".)

If he's innocent (unlikely) he didn't take his main piece of equipment he would need to do the job.

If he's guilty, holy smokes, did he have a brain fart or what?

What about the possibility that he had to leave it somewhere so someone else could use it to dispose of SM? Seems like he would have taken care of that business in the dark. Guess I'm am arguing with myself on this...

I just can't believe he simply forgot it. He seems to bring it everywhere with him. Why would he not take it with him???

Could that be the timing of the mechanical thing with the bobcat discrepancy?
Barry, why were you in Broomfield?
Well, Detective, I was repairing a wall.
Barry, did the work require a bobcat?
It sure does, Detective.
Barry, security footage does not show you transporting a bobcat up to Broomfield.
Oh gosh darn Detective, I’m so upset right now, I forgot that my bobcat was broken and I had to fix it, couldn’t take it with me.
Ok Barry, you left a sleeping Suzanne in bed, and drove to Broomfield without your bobcat? How did you expect to do the wall repair without your bobcat?
You guys are grilling me for 3 30 hours and I’m out of my mind because my wife is gone. And you guys are methheads!

 

[EggSalad]

What are you guys thinking about BM not taking the bobcat to Broomfield when he was planning to do so? (This is per LS in the NG podcast "Suzanne Morphew hubby caught searching dump for missing wife's bike helmet".)

If he's innocent (unlikely) he didn't take his main piece of equipment he would need to do the job.

If he's guilty, holy smokes, did he have a brain fart or what?

What about the possibility that he had to leave it somewhere so someone else could use it to dispose of SM? Seems like he would have taken care of that business in the dark. Guess I'm am arguing with myself on this...

I just can't believe he simply forgot it. He seems to bring it everywhere with him. Why would he not take it with him???

If he didn’t take it with him, it makes the alleged noise at 11:30pm at the Salida job site even that much more suspicious. Personally, I think he was at that job site at 11:30pm hiding evidence such as a broken phone and/or jewelry knowing that a cement slab would be poured right after.


MOO, but I speculate that BM hid SM’s body somewhere up in the national forest far back behind their home right after she died. Possibly using an untraceable vehicle like an ATV or electric bike.

I think at some point later, he retrieved the body and buried it further away using the bobcat. I think that’s why various sites that could be linked to the bobcat have had cadaver dog hits. I also think this coincides with him selling that truck and buying a new one since they old truck was now ‘dirty’. And I think to help cover up his tracks, BM has towed the bobcat everywhere he goes which essentially gives LE a huge amount of territory to have to review and search.

 

[Fireflize]

What are you guys thinking about BM not taking the bobcat to Broomfield when he was planning to do so? (This is per LS in the NG podcast "Suzanne Morphew hubby caught searching dump for missing wife's bike helmet".)

If he's innocent (unlikely) he didn't take his main piece of equipment he would need to do the job.

If he's guilty, holy smokes, did he have a brain fart or what?

What about the possibility that he had to leave it somewhere so someone else could use it to dispose of SM? Seems like he would have taken care of that business in the dark. Guess I'm am arguing with myself on this...

I just can't believe he simply forgot it. He seems to bring it everywhere with him. Why would he not take it with him???

You are correct. Why would he not take the Bobcat to Broomfield?
Maybe he did and he was seen on video at a carwash there giving it a good scrub? But then why not leave it there?
Moo

 

[Megnut]

Hmmmm.... when BM returned to Maysville on Mother's Day, was he towing a Bobcat?

Perhaps he traveled with it all night and day, failing to leave it in Broomfield for reasons we might read about some day.

Let it be soon.

JMO