So I tried to overlay specific points from a timeline that might shed some light, I think, on some of the words/actions/inactions that I've been puzzled by up until now:
May 11: Initial press release from CCSO. All indications are this is a missing person case. References a search that happened on the 11th.
Missing Person - Chaffee County Sheriff
May 11: An email was circulated among SM/BM's former church in Indiana that references:
The message notes that Morphew’s bike was found “crashed,” and mentions that a mountain lion had been seen in the area where the bike was discovered. ‘They can’t find her’: Message to church group shows desperate plea in early days of search for missing Colorado mom Suzanne Morphew [REPORT]
May 13: Follow up press release from CCSO. It does reference still a search for SM (including an inference that they did search on Sunday evening):
Over the past 4 days over 100 search personnel from Chaffee County Search and Rescue, Department of Corrections, and the Chaffee County Combined Tac Team have scoured the area. Importantly, it also is the first mention, officially, that the Sheriff is opening a criminal investigation.
In conjunction with the search the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation into the disappearance of Ms Morphew http://chaffeesheriff.org/2020/05/13/update-on-suzanne-morphew-search/
May 13:
Sheriff tells MSM that he does not consider the odds of an animal attack "very high".
Family: Suzanne Morphew's Husband Offers $100,000 Reward In Disappearance Investigation
May 13: BM offers $100,000 reward for "safe return" of SM.
Family: Suzanne Morphew's Husband Offers $100,000 Reward In Disappearance Investigation
May 14: Press release from CCSO. CBI and FBI involvement noted.
Search continues for Suzanne Morphew - Chaffee County Sheriff
May 14: Reward for "safe return" upped to $200,000 by matching contribution from unnamed family friend.
Suzanne Morphew search: Reward for missing Colorado woman increased to $200,000
May 14:
Article published where TN is interviewed (unclear if interviewed on 5/14 or prior to that), makes statement urging others to "ask Sheriff about the condition of the bike". References FB "Find SM" page and Gimme page.
'We Want Her Back': $200,000 Reward Offered In Search For Suzanne Morphew
May 15: 3 press releases re: the search in the area where a "personal item" was found
May 16: CCSO references that there were no broad-scale searches completed. It does reference "targeted" searches being done.
Search continues for Suzanne Morphew - Chaffee County Sheriff
May 17: CCSO conducts water search and asks public to save video from 5/8 - 5/12.
May 17 Search Press Release - Chaffee County Sheriff
May 17: BM releases video urging for "safe return" of SM.
Missing Colorado woman's husband releases video pleading for her safe return - KRDO
Around May 17: It's not clear when TN stopped being the family spokesperson, but I can't find where he is quoted in MSM after 5/15, and the social media pages appear to not be updated after this date.
May 20: CCSO references the marital home search warrant.
May 20, 2020 Press Release Suzanne Morphew missing person case - Chaffee County Sheriff
*****
So, I apologize if this is overly basic, but it clearly does seem to show a shifting narrative. The church communication, taken in conjunction with both TN urging release of information about the bike and the sheriff's office refusal to do so - and not even confirming the bike had been recovered - (but making a point to say the odds of an animal attack were very low) all point to someone close to the situation initially driving a story of animal attack (we don't know the source of that narrative, but the list of possibilities is pretty short). As that started to fall apart, it appears that the BM's narrative (per the reward offer and later video plea) is a kidnapping/ransom theory. It also appears that around the time that the animal attack narrative falls apart and the alternative kidnapping/ransom narrative emerges, TN stops being the family spokesperson. JMO, but a changing narrative raises red flags, especially if (and we have no way of knowing this, but TN might) the initial narrative was built on "facts" that have since been revealed as untrue. MOO.
********************************