I think, actually, that's my point. It's the narrative of the bike that is important, IMO. While the legend of the bike ride continues forward, someone pointed out earlier in one of the threads that the CCSO hasn't mentioned the bike in any official communication since 5/13.
IMO, there are only three options: 1) the bike ride happened and was key in the disappearance 2) the bike never factored into this at all - never happened, wasn't staged and somehow was just wrongly assumed early on or 3) the bike ride never happened and was staged to cover up a crime. If #1, why is there so much secrecy around the bike? Why is it not only unconfirmed by LE, but intentionally no longer even mentioned in press releases? If #2, that raises all kinds of questions of why not only was it reported with the 911 call, but why/how/who reported the details back to the church in Indiana and why TN reported it was found and urged the public to "ask the sheriff" about the condition? If #3, who was pushing the bike narrative and why - and what evidence is there that it was staged?
Look, I could be completely off base and there is a perfectly reasonable explanation for all of this, but I've tossed this around in my brain quite a bit and just can't get off this idea....
I've snipped some of the CCSO communication below (bolding mine, all snipped from CCSO press releases and one snip from a MSM report):
CHAFFEE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
Salida, Colorado
PRESS RELEASE
May 11, 2020
On May 10, 2020 at 1746 hours the Chaffee County Communications Center received a report of a missing female in the area on County Road 225 and West Highway 50.
Members of the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office responded to the area and contacted the reporting party. They advised that their neighbor, Suzanne Morphew, age 49, from the Maysville area had
reportedly gone for a bike ride in the area and failed to return home.
PRESS RELEASE
May 13, 2020
On May 10, 2020 the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office responded to County Road 225 and West Highway 50 on a report of a missing woman.
Investigation revealed that Suzanne Morphew, age 49, from Maysville had gone for a bike ride in that area and had not returned home.
******
(snipped from MSM report)
On Wednesday (5/13), Sheriff John Spezze told CBS4 while it’s an open investigation,
he would not rule out a criminal investigation. He adds the probability of an animal attack is not very high.
The FBI and Colorado Bureau of Investigations are now involved.
Spezze
would not say whether they found her bike, or if the husband was in town when she was reported missing.
**********
CHAFFEE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
Salida, Colorado
PRESS RELEASE
May 14, 2020
Members of the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office, including the Chaffee County Search and Rescue North and South, continue to search for Suzanne Morphew (age 49), who was
reported missing on May 10, 2020
PRESS RELEASE
May 15, 2020 (update)
Nearly 90 investigators searched a 2.5-mile area near County Road 225 and Highway 50 in search of clues into the disappearance of Suzanne Morphew (age 49) of Chaffee County, who
went missing on May 10, 2020.
PRESS RELEASE
May 16, 2020
Members of the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) continue the search for Suzanne Morphew.
Ms. Morphew is a Chaffee County woman
reported missing on May 10, 2020.
PRESS RELEASE
May 17, 2020
Members of the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) continue the search for Suzanne Morphew.
Ms. Morphew is a Chaffee County woman
reported missing on May 10, 2020.
On Sunday, May 17, members of the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office Dive Rescue Team searched water sites in the area. (Please see attached pictures.)
As the investigation into the Suzanne Morphew’s missing person case moves forward, Chaffee County residents are being asked to preserve any and all video footage from devices such as Ring doorbells, security cameras, game cameras, etc., from
May 8th thru May 12th.
*******
and then this:
‘They can’t find her’: Message to church group shows desperate plea in early days of search for missing Colorado mom Suzanne Morphew [REPORT]
CrimeOnline has viewed a message that was sent to members of the Morphew’s former church in Indiana, requesting prayers following the news of her disappearance. 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.
“Barry is just beside himself and so are the rest of us because they can’t find her,”
the message, sent on May 11, reads in part