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

[Ssram77]

Long time reader, first time poster here...

This situation (best word I can think of to describe it) is very interesting. From the way the nephew worded his answers, I am thinking the bike perhaps never left the house. They found it right away but since there was no bike ride, the house could possibly be treated as a potential crime scene, hence the criminal investigation part. Maybe the husband already got an attorney & is advised to not say a word to the media.

I know all family dynamics can be different but if I’m putting myself in this situation..... there wouldn’t be anything to stop me from pleading to anyone/everyone I could that my mom was missing. The fact that no one is talking is bizarre to me.

 

[Jackielee09]

A couple of interesting points. Her nephew says "THE" (not her) husband has put up a $100,000 reward. Interesting choice of words.

Also, when asked about her going biking, her nephew is very hesitant. He does not confirm this, but instead says all.that he can confirm is that her bike was found.

IMO

Yeah I noticed “The”. Not “my uncle” THE
I think he knows condition of bike but has been told not to say anything.

 

[scdiv]

Welcome to WS @LorLa! I'm hoping we can celebrate Suzanne located safe very soon.

As WS is a facts-based forum, I'm wondering if you have an MSM or LE link confirming the husband's whereabouts. Please take note that information from SM sites or public comments in social media are not approved verifiable sources and violate TOS. If we can't link, it can't be posted or discussed on the main thread. Thanks.

According to local reports, a neighbor in the small town with a population of 135 people reported Morphew missing, and authorities have not confirmed whether Morphew’s husband was in town at the time of her disappearance.

Police have not ruled out foul play in search for missing Colorado woman as husband offers $100,000 reward [VIDEO]

Thank you! Im new to this forum. I will look for the links and share asap.

Well, authorities did not confirm, but this MSM articles says that "Family has said her husband was out of town at the time." (No mention of where.)

Sheriff’s deputies responded to the area near County Road 225 and West Highway 50 in Maysville, west of Poncha Springs, Sunday evening. They spoke with a neighbor who said Morphew, reportedly went on a bike ride and never came home.

Family has said her husband was out of town at the time.

Noel says her bike was found that evening, but Morphew was nowhere to be found. Sheriff John Spezze has told CBS4 it was “probably not” animals. Noel urged people to question the sheriff about the condition of the bike.

'We Want Her Back': $200,000 Reward Offered In Search For Suzanne Morphew

 

[AmandaReckonwith]

Just a few min ago... CCSO facebook
Chaffee County Sheriff's Office

While the search for Suzanne Morphew continues, a specific area just west of County Road 225 and Highway 50 (outside of Maysville), is being targeted by investigators after they located what’s believed to be a personal item of the missing woman.

On Friday, May 15, members of the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office, Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) plan to launch a comprehensive search of the area.

More than fifty searchers and investigators will comb the area in an effort to seek additional items or other clues that may identify the whereabouts of Ms. Morphew.

Unfortunately, this search will cause a temporary closure U.S. Highway 50, Monarch Pass for an undetermined amount of time.

The Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office and its partners will work to ensure the roads are opened as quickly as possible as to reduce the impact on drivers and those living in the area.

Note: The media will not be granted access to the site due to the location and nature of the search; however, Chaffee County Sheriff John Spezze plans to brief the media at the conclusion of the search, most likely Friday afternoon. Briefing details and location will be released as soon as they are available.

 

[Jackielee09]

Chaffee County Sheriff John Spezze spoke to KRDO and said, "I can’t say whether the circumstances of her disappearance are suspicious and I can't share what we've found. I can tell you that in addition to the search, we have an ongoing investigation."

What he's actually saying: We found some things that are suspicious and we're investigating.

Exactly

 

[oviedo]

Just a few min ago... CCSO facebook
Chaffee County Sheriff's Office

While the search for Suzanne Morphew continues, a specific area just west of County Road 225 and Highway 50 (outside of Maysville), is being targeted by investigators after they located what’s believed to be a personal item of the missing woman.

On Friday, May 15, members of the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office, Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) plan to launch a comprehensive search of the area.

More than fifty searchers and investigators will comb the area in an effort to seek additional items or other clues that may identify the whereabouts of Ms. Morphew.

Unfortunately, this search will cause a temporary closure U.S. Highway 50, Monarch Pass for an undetermined amount of time.

The Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office and its partners will work to ensure the roads are opened as quickly as possible as to reduce the impact on drivers and those living in the area.

Note: The media will not be granted access to the site due to the location and nature of the search; however, Chaffee County Sheriff John Spezze plans to brief the media at the conclusion of the search, most likely Friday afternoon. Briefing details and location will be released as soon as they are available.

personal item? cell phone, jewelry, shoe(s), none of this sounds good
IMO

 

[MadTing]

She may also have had more than one bike, a road bike, a trail bike even an old bike, so finding a bike at home doesn't necessarily mean there was no bike ride.

 

[K9Enzo]

Wow, I had just posted that I thought it was safe to say that the nephew is on Suzanne's side. just off his reference to Barry alone... "the" husband, not "her" or "my uncle".
im guessing the family, her family, suspect Barry. Perhaps, Barry was in Denver to see a gf. Everyone is in lockdown, so what work-related event - convention, training, etc- would be going on now, and on a sunday, and on mother's day.
the wife's family most likely provided for their standard of living. there's your motive. with gf waiting in the wings. I don't think for a second she was abducted.
I first thought the neighbor...but it wouldn't surprise me if Barry is the one who sounded the alarm WITH the neighbor, while safely ensconced in Denver.

This sounds like a Lifetime Movie.

 

[lucidtx]

I listened and transcribed and this is exactly what the nephew Trevor Noel says in this interview about SM's bike:

Beginning at the 1:50 mark:

Anchor: tell us what you DO know

TN: Allen, I’m… I’m willing to uh, confirm that the bike was found Sunday evening. The bike was found on Sunday evening, the night she disappeared. Um, and, for more information on the bike or it’s condition I would encourage you, and everyone else to contact the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Department.
-end

Unless I missed it somehow, he did not say he knows the condition of the bike, or that he can't say. Both may be true, but he didn't actually say that.

Yeah it doesn't sound like there's necessarily any tension between the family and LE here, or within the family. The family just seems to be keeping tight-lipped about details, which is in-line with the SO's response and likely an effort to protect the ongoing investigation. It just sounds like he doesn't feel at liberty to discuss the bike further, and is referring the reporter to the SO for those questions.

People are reading a whole lot into the reward money, the immediate family's silence, and the nephew's comments about the bike, but none of that is really out of line with an ongoing missing person case that may involve foul play. The large reward reminds me of the Zuzu Verk case. Just a matter of the family and their connections having some wealth and being more than willing to post a large reward in an effort to keep attention on the case and garner tips.

 

[oviedo]

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/19057-Puma-Path-Salida-CO-81201/96847591_zpid/?mmlb=g,1

has anyone tried to do a map of the house to this new location where the personal item was found?
Chaffee County Sheriff's Office

While the search for Suzanne Morphew continues, a specific area just west of County Road 225 and Highway 50 (outside of Maysville), is being targeted by investigators after they located what’s believed to be a personal item of the missing woman.
snipped

 

[oviedo]

Agreed. LE and the sheriff hold the cards and normally don't tip their hands in an effort to preserve and protect evidence. It's very possible they are on to some lead. And are looking to gather more than circumstantial evidence. JMO too.

looking more and more like they are not hopeful for a live body
JMO

 

[MadTing]

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/19057-Puma-Path-Salida-CO-81201/96847591_zpid/?mmlb=g,1

has anyone tried to do a map of the house to this new location where the personal item was found?
Chaffee County Sheriff's Office

While the search for Suzanne Morphew continues, a specific area just west of County Road 225 and Highway 50 (outside of Maysville), is being targeted by investigators after they located what’s believed to be a personal item of the missing woman.
snipped

That house is breathtakingly stunning

 

[tge17]

Say what?? after 5 days they are targeting a specific area, after having found an item? when was the item found? after multiple searches, it wasnt found til yesterday/recently?? idk. id be shocked at this point, all things considered, if Barry hasn't retained counsel. i hope he had nothing to do with it, but...

 

[al66pine]

What Was She Wearing/Carrying? Any Dash Cam Vids?
It's possible that her home had interior or ext. vid cam's which showed her clothing and/or other items, such as, cell, fitbit, hat, sunglasses, water bottle, hyration pack, waist pack, daypack, spare jacket, etc, when she left. Ditto a neighbor's house.
In an area w houses spaced so widely seems LE could quickly make in-person requests to neighbors about whether their vid cams recorded her. No need for LE to make public appeal for that.
{ETA: Depending on terrain, for some bicyclists, a 20 mile rone-way ride is routine, so she may have gone far from her immed. area.}

OTOH a passing vehicle w dash cam may have recorded her later en route, if close enough to the road itself, depending on location of bike trail & if she was on it. Likely imo such drivers would look at their dash vids only if LE made a public appeal thru MSM. Otherwise, seems drivers would not have reason to review dash vids. If LE does not have a suspect in the frame (or even if they did), seems a public appeal would be made.

Another thought: some public bike trails have still or vid cams. Anybody know about this trail?

 

[Purdue19]

First time poster here. I've heard about Websleuths on several true crime podcasts and decided to come here when I heard SM was missing. I knew both of her daughters before they moved to CO. Without the call from the neighbor, I would have assumed this was a crime of opportunity. However, the call coming from the neighbor makes me think that someone called to check on her, as has already been mentioned. On the contrary, the town and neighborhood seems very tight knit and it definitely still is a possibility it was a crime of opportunity. <modsnip: rumors violate WS TOS> That could explain why SM was the only one home. IMHO, this doesn't seem like an accident at all, something fishy is going on here.

 

[Ontario Mom]

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/19057-Puma-Path-Salida-CO-81201/96847591_zpid/?mmlb=g,1

has anyone tried to do a map of the house to this new location where the personal item was found?
Chaffee County Sheriff's Office

While the search for Suzanne Morphew continues, a specific area just west of County Road 225 and Highway 50 (outside of Maysville), is being targeted by investigators after they located what’s believed to be a personal item of the missing woman.
snipped

The entrance to the Colorado Trail is "just west" of 225 and 50. خرائط ‪Google‬‏‏

 

[Purdue19]

Say what?? after 5 days they are targeting a specific area, after having found an item? when was the item found? after multiple searches, it wasnt found til yesterday/recently?? idk. id be shocked at this point, all things considered, if Barry hasn't retained counsel. i hope he had nothing to do with it, but...

Let's say the item was a fitbit, bracelet, watch, or something of the like. Any one of these could be easily missed on the first sweep. From what I understand they're searching a pretty large area.

 

[ab01]

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/19057-Puma-Path-Salida-CO-81201/96847591_zpid/?mmlb=g,1

has anyone tried to do a map of the house to this new location where the personal item was found?
Chaffee County Sheriff's Office

While the search for Suzanne Morphew continues, a specific area just west of County Road 225 and Highway 50 (outside of Maysville), is being targeted by investigators after they located what’s believed to be a personal item of the missing woman.
snipped

 

[lucidtx]

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/19057-Puma-Path-Salida-CO-81201/96847591_zpid/?mmlb=g,1

has anyone tried to do a map of the house to this new location where the personal item was found?
Chaffee County Sheriff's Office

While the search for Suzanne Morphew continues, a specific area just west of County Road 225 and Highway 50 (outside of Maysville), is being targeted by investigators after they located what’s believed to be a personal item of the missing woman.
snipped

CR 225 is where you'd turn off Highway 50 to get to their home. The intersection is only about a half mile from the home.

 

[NervousNellie]

Welcome @Purdue19 !