Found Deceased CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, did not return from bike ride, Chaffee County, 10 May 2020 #53

[Trackergd]

You’re always a treasure trove of information, @Trackergd

Aww shucks Chief, ain't nothin.

 

[DeDee]

A Midwesterner with access to lime for even faster decomp.
IMHO. MOO. BOO.

charminglane, I believe the theory of lime hastening decomposition of a body is a myth. I researched the topic when Suzanne went missing.

Example: (sensitive topic warning)

Abstract
Recent casework in Belgium involving the search for human remains buried with lime, demonstrated the need for more detailed understanding of the effect of different types of lime on cadaver decomposition and its micro-environment. Six pigs (Sus scrofa) were used as body analogues in field experiments. They were buried without lime, with hydrated lime (Ca(OH)(2)) and with quicklime (CaO) in shallow graves in sandy loam soil in Belgium and recovered after 6 months of burial. Observations from these field recoveries informed additional laboratory experiments that were undertaken at the University of Bradford, UK. The combined results of these studies demonstrate that despite conflicting evidence in the literature, hydrated lime and quicklime both delay the decay of the carcass during the first 6 months. This study has implications for the investigation of clandestine burials...Effects of hydrated lime and quicklime on the decay of buried human remains using pig cadavers as human body analogues - PubMed

Edited to place link inside quotes

 

[charminglane]

Thank you, DeDee!
Filing it away in the cranium for future sleuthing.

 

[DeDee]

I’ve generally been just lurking because I get too pissed-off to post. But I have to say this is what happened on my Utah and NW Colorado few acres: Mule deer drops whether by disease, age, or lameness. Quickly coyotes appear at night. Magpies/raptors during the day. More coyotes at night. Over and over.

A week later not much is left except lower leg/hooves, rib cage, and skull. Takes longer in the winter.

I’m not sure if Suzanne is buried, but maybe a Midwesterner would do that.

cattlekate, I've had to bite back words on the forum to prevent being banned forever.

Your mentioning of this experience with carcasses made me wonder if perhaps BM experimented with this concept upon moving to an area where he knew coyotes, etc were in abundance.

As the big game hunter that he proclaims to be, he could easily manipulate various scenes in order to better understand which may work most effectively for his needs.

Is various activity around the trail cam something a hunter would typically want to track/study from the convenience of their home on a computer? For instance, just casually sit at home with a cup of Joe and watch his trail cam vids without having to actually visit each potential test site.

 

[EggSalad]

There is the possibility that BM is hoping that the remains will decompose to the point that if they are ever discovered, that forensics will not be able to determine cause of death and any evidence of how SM was transported and deposited in that location will be long gone. I am curious why LE has not at least tried to do LiDar scanning of the topography between the main road and a couple of miles back into the back 400. You can only travel so far, dispose of remains, camouflage, travel back and clean up in an evening/night and still get some sleep. Also limited by the round trip gas consumption of a vehicle.

Completely agree. And if it wasn’t a gas powered vehicle (like an eBike or electric 4 wheeler), you’d have an even better idea of distance that could be traveled in a 4 hour period.

Given’s BM experience exploring that area for elk sheds and a full moon that night, I think that range behind puma path is the most likely spot.

 

[OldCop]

No, Hoss. I don't think a makeshift memorial style grave on the PP property will be found, although her remains may be found near PP. BM had already begun distancing himself emotionally from Suzanne in preparation for what was to come. I picked up on the lack of sentiment in his 26 second video plea.

I've made no secret that my opinion is on a premeditated murder which carries the Death Penalty in Colorado. That opinion was enhanced and affirmed when BM sought legal guardianship over Suzanne's property.

In considering premed, there would not be an accomplice to help accomplish his mission. Even if he paid someone to help, they could always threaten to tell on him in order to blackmail Barry in the future. He could never risk someone, even a close family member, to keep silent.

We've seen his plan, if indeed this was an orchestrated event, reach fruition in much less than a year's time. If it was planned before the move to CO, then his time investment is less than 3 short years in order to confiscate his wife's inheritance and wealth. In fact, it was her inheritance that possibly planted the insidious seed. jmho

To honor Suzanne I won't post it but of all of the beautiful photos we've seen of the couple, the one that speaks the loudest to me is the black and white image where they're standing in the doorway. Barry has his arm on the doorframe blocking a sweetly smiling Suzanne inside the room. It's a powerful photo of how I think he treated her on the regular. Someone to stand behind him and not beside him.

RSBBM. This photo also spoke to me. And I agree with you. Many folks have said that they thought it was a great, happy, photo and they couldn’t see anything wrong with it. To me it showed BM blocking that doorway, holding SM back. Folks said she is smiling. I see a very tentative smile, an almost nervous smile. I think she is always supposed to play the happy little wife. She is to show no indication that her life is anything than happily wedded bliss and if she did, she would pay for it when that door closed.

 

[Aloe]

RSBBM. This photo also spoke to me. And I agree with you. Many folks have said that they thought it was a great, happy, photo and they couldn’t see anything wrong with it. To me it showed BM blocking that doorway, holding SM back. Folks said she is smiling. I see a very tentative smile, an almost nervous smile. I think she is always supposed to play the happy little wife. She is to show no indication that her life is anything than happily wedded bliss and if she did, she would pay for it when that door closed.

Agree completely. Intriguing photo. Were they in a hotel room? Any guesses as to the photographer?

 

[lisette]

Could someone link the photo you’re discussing? I don’t recall seeing it. TIA

 

[Murphy1950]

Could someone link the photo you’re discussing? I don’t recall seeing it. TIA

It's from crime Online an approved source. I always though it was a cruise ship photo, based on the low cornice in the background.
YouTuber who ‘secretly’ recorded video of Barry Morphew discussing wife’s disappearance says he believes Suzanne Morphew’s husband knew the camera was on

 

[cattlekate]

To me, the biggest unknown in this case is whether, or whether not, modern vehicles track where they go.

I’ve looked all over and there is conflicting info. Some sites say information is downloaded only to serve the mapping/cell phone systems. Nothing is uplinked/recorded/stored although some vehicles start storing if there is a huge accident. Other sites say modern vehicles record location and operation patterns and then send it to the manufacturer, like aircraft ACARS. Would be nice to know.

 

[Diddian]

RSBBM. This photo also spoke to me. And I agree with you. Many folks have said that they thought it was a great, happy, photo and they couldn’t see anything wrong with it. To me it showed BM blocking that doorway, holding SM back. Folks said she is smiling. I see a very tentative smile, an almost nervous smile. I think she is always supposed to play the happy little wife. She is to show no indication that her life is anything than happily wedded bliss and if she did, she would pay for it when that door closed.

IMO, that photograph reeks of BM demonstrating domination, control, and possession over SM - whether for the camera or to make it clear to whoever is behind the camera. And in other photographs, he always has his mitts on or around her, like he always wants the camera to show she is his.

It’s not unheard of, but when they began dating, she was a freshman in high school and he a senior. That is a huge difference at that age - he nearly done and launching out into the world and she just starting high school. Why wasn’t BM dating girls his own age and at the same stage in their lives? My guess is even then he wanted to be dominant and he wanted his girl to be submissive and admiring, learning at his feet the lessons he wanted her to learn about who was the leader in their relationship.

Nevertheless, I think life and all the events that came with it for SM - teaching, motherhood, faith, friendships, illness and need - matured SM. And with maturity came an increasing awareness about her right to her own person and to her own ideas about the way things were going to be in her life and her relationships. I think she wanted independence, mutual respect and shared power. SM's inheritance likely enhanced that - SM had something of her own, over which she could call the shots.

I think the silverback was very threatened by that. Having no experience with sharing power, he was afraid if he gave an inch he’d lose all. Despite the heavy duty truck, the heavy machinery, calling the shots over those who labor for him, the masculine pursuits demonstrating dominance and control over so much, there’s likely a part of BM that is very insecure that he really has what it takes to be a big shot. I think the sale of the Indiana place particularly prickled BM’s insecurities (if you line up a timeline of when Spring and Fall RE tax assessments were due and the other events in BM's life, there are multiple interesting coincidences that make you go "hmmmm...."), but that his bullying eventually won over in that deal and he got what he wanted out of it as well. At least so far.

 

[StarrDetective]

Agree completely. Intriguing photo. Were they in a hotel room? Any guesses as to the photographer?

I was wondering that too, so I did a deep dive into photos of them last night.. I believe it’s a trip they want on w their daughters, so my guess is one of them took it.

 

[Momofthreeboys]

IMO, that photograph reeks of BM demonstrating domination, control, and possession over SM - whether for the camera or to make it clear to whoever is behind the camera. And in other photographs, he always has his mitts on or around her, like he always wants the camera to show she is his.

It’s not unheard of, but when they began dating, she was a freshman in high school and he a senior. That is a huge difference at that age - he nearly done and launching out into the world and she just starting high school. Why wasn’t BM dating girls his own age and at the same stage in their lives? My guess is even then he wanted to be dominant and he wanted his girl to be submissive and admiring, learning at his feet the lessons he wanted her to learn about who was the leader in their relationship.

Nevertheless, I think life and all the events that came with it for SM - teaching, motherhood, faith, friendships, illness and need - matured SM. And with maturity came an increasing awareness about her right to her own person and to her own ideas about the way things were going to be in her life and her relationships. I think she wanted independence, mutual respect and shared power..... [/unquote]
I personally won’t be psychoanalyzing people I don’t know but 3 years hardly constitutes a large age gap.

 

[OldCop]

To me, the biggest unknown in this case is whether, or whether not, modern vehicles track where they go.

I’ve looked all over and there is conflicting info. Some sites say information is downloaded only to serve the mapping/cell phone systems. Nothing is uplinked/recorded/stored although some vehicles start storing if there is a huge accident. Other sites say modern vehicles record location and operation patterns and then send it to the manufacturer, like aircraft ACARS. Would be nice to know.

It actually depends on the vehicle or manufacturer and what type of system they use. Also, sometimes it is an option for the buyer to have it installed or not.
Hypothetically, if someone were to use an ATV to bring a body into the woods for disposal, and that particular ATV didn’t have any type of gps system and that perpetrator left his cellphone at home with his wife’s while he went off to do this, unless someone followed the ATV tracks while they were still viable, we may never know where he went and what he did. MOO

 

[OldCop]

I was wondering that too, so I did a deep dive into photos of them last night.. I believe it’s a trip they want on w their daughters, so my guess is one of them took it.

I wanted to add that it was also the look in his eyes and his facial expression that bothered me. It isn’t like he threw open the door to welcome his daughter or whoever took the picture. It looks more like he is saying, “What the hell do you want?”. MOO

 

[WildOrchid]

And he isn’t smiling like a joke if he threw open the door and said “We aren’t buying anything....oh it’s you haha”. He looks annoyed or in a bad mood. And SM looks like she’s walking on eggshells.

I wanted to add that it was also the look in his eyes and his facial expression that bothered me. It isn’t like he threw open the door to welcome his daughter or whoever took the picture. It looks more like he is saying, “What the hell do you want?”. MOO

 

[MrsWatson]

It’s not unheard of, but when they began dating, she was a freshman in high school and he a senior.

They actually started dating after high school, when BM was a groundskeeper at the golf course that SM lived on with her mom & stepdad, IRRC.

ETA: Annnd I can't find the link for that, so I will say, MOO.

 

[Murphy1950]

FWIW according to Barry. "My wife and I have been in love since 1988 and she’s the love of my life. And I continue to search for her every day and I will until I find her,” he said. “I promise, and I promised my girls that.” Suzanne would have been 17, born in 1971.
Husband of Missing Colorado Mom Suzanne Morphew Says Police Allegedly Botched Investigation

But while looking for that I also found...Suzanne was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma just before the couple married in 1994. according to Barry. I thought she was in high school when first diagnosed. If this is correct I can see her being somewhat beholding to Barry in the early years.

 

[K9Enzo]

Eh, I like the pic, especially her fixed stance staring straight on. Sexy. I’m guessing SM did as well if it was pulled from one of her social media accounts.

Of course I don’t know her at all, but have a hard time believing she was a doormat to BM. Some really fashion her a certain way, nun/saint like. I don’t know..... she might laugh at that. IMO

 

[Diddian]

FWIW according to Barry. "My wife and I have been in love since 1988 and she’s the love of my life. And I continue to search for her every day and I will until I find her,” he said. “I promise, and I promised my girls that.” Suzanne would have been 17, born in 1971.
Husband of Missing Colorado Mom Suzanne Morphew Says Police Allegedly Botched Investigation

But while looking for that I also found...Suzanne was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma just before the couple married in 1994. according to Barry. I thought she was in high school when first diagnosed. If this is correct I can see her being somewhat beholding to Barry in the early years.

This article reports SM's family saying SM beat Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma while a young girl in her late teens (since SM was born late April 1971, that means she would have to have beat it before 1990). And her childhood-into-later-life friend quoted in the same article says the second cancer diagnosis was later in life when the Morphew's were raising their daughters.
Suzanne Morphew’s family speaks out; Their thoughts three months after her disappearance | FOX21 News Colorado

BM's DOB is 10/17/67 so he is 3-1/2 years older than SM (DOB 4/30/71). People obviously have their own opinions about this, but I think a 21-year-old man who just completed a year playing in baseball's minor leagues is a bit more worldly than a 17-year-old teen who just spent a year beating cancer. The fact that he is such a dominant personality in other relationships (particularly with his workers) leads me to believe that dominance in relationships is important to him. The various photographs illustrate that in his posture relative to his wife. His bullying on the job site that led to a fight with another contractor in 2018 in Indiana further demonstrates it.