Found Deceased CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, did not return from bike ride, Chaffee County, 10 May 2020 #11

[ogls]

bbm
Snipped for focus

So am I.

Right feel like dropping me off and picking me up up the road

 

[Sillybilly]

ADMIN NOTE:

Yesterday a random youtube video by TD was approved with instruction to discuss only what BM and TD said in the interview. It appears members have simply ignored that post.

Move on from speculating what TD may or may not have done before or after, or what he himself thinks about BM. The video was allowed so members could form their own opinion of the content of the video. It was not authorized for members to sleuth TD, to speculate on his motives, to speculate where the video went and why, or to judge him as an individual (some even suggesting him as a POI or somehow complicit in Suzanne's case).

If members can't post in accordance with those instructions, they will be banned from this discussion.

If you have questions, do not post them on the thread. Private message a Mod or Admin and we will clarify.

 

[LietKynes]

LE mentioned "the bike" on May 10 when they announced SM was a missing person.

Although LE has never confirmed that "the bike" was located, it was within days that a family member said, "the bike" was recovered the same evening SM was reported missing.

Since those early reports, there have been several MSM reports as to where LE recovered "the bike" from.

Most recently, it was BM that said "the bike" was recovered from a ravine (near where Ty and BM were standing), and that LE saw a mountain lion pass a parked LE vehicle -- also on the road Ty and BM were standing.

The Sheriff previously stated he did not believe an animal involved in SM's disappearance.

MOO

Thanks for clarifying where this information originated from, Seattle !

I am still waiting for LE to confirm the state of the bike and the mountain lion sighting ; more so than the unknown family member or BM's word.
Although if LE identify the family member and verify their statement (as well as BM's) , I'd be inclined to believe it.
MOO

 

[Seattle1]

I like it. All forms a plausible story - cougar attacks bike, causing a crash. Cougar runs off scared, but SM injured. Some "good Samaritan" (who turns out to be a maniac) offers to give her a lift to Urgent Care, and instead takes her to his Maniac Shack in Montana. In all seriousness, it provides a complete narrative that can't be disproved without contradictory forensics. Just like what Baez did with CA - providing a consistent version of what "may" have happened.

Yup.... and as I said in my post, that's his story 1, 2, 3, and he's going to stick to it!

 

[MyBelle]

We recently learned that less than 24 hours after SM was reported missing, an email was sent to members of BM's former church in Indiana requesting prayers for SM because her bike was located "crashed," and a mountain lion was sighted in the area nearby. Although the author of the email was not revealed by the reporter, I believe it was BM.

IMO, the email was directed to those that know the couple best and who BM expected would be the first reach out and come to his aid. BM needed to provide a reasonable explanation to explain SM's disappearance, and one that completely distanced him from his explanation.

I think the email is evidence of BM's mindset immediately after police reported his wife missing. It's a glimpse of what BM thinks a foolproof plan. It's BM's focus, and I think it's what he's going to stick with:

1) Bicycle places SM in the wooded trail area;
2) SM was mountain lion prey;
3) SM abducted from the area (after search efforts exhausted).

I think this explains BM putting out the abduction theory in his FB video a week later on Sunday, May 17. Believing that a search for SM would buy him a few days, BM would interject the abduction theory when becoming evident that the search is not producing evidence of SM.

I don't expect BM will veer off his three-point plan much because he thinks it's a winner. However, as more time passes and friends and family start to head back home to tend to their own lives, BM will shift gears and adopt the abduction theory fulltime. MOO

--respectfully snipped--

BBM.

1) The bicycle was found off the mountain road and there is no evidence SM every made it to the actual trail, is there?

I think it more likely SM was forced off her bike while it was on the road and forced into a vehicle as were Sierah Joughin, Mollie Tibbetts and Jayme Closs. If SM is able to escape it will be a miracle just as Jayme's was a miracle. Church members do often believe in miracles and I don't find it nefarious that there was communication between the family and their church.

2) It was LE who spotted the mountain lion. Of course LE had to search the area to see if there was any evidence of harm to SM. I think both the Sheriff and BM have made it clear the area was thoroughly searched. I'm not sure why you are implying it is something BM made up and he's still clinging to the idea.

3)SM may have been abducted from the area. That's the only theory that makes sense at this point.

The abductor of Sierah Joughin did it twice. He's now on death row. Mollie Tibbetts was kidnapped right off the road and forced into a trunk. There was a massive reward and her family did believe she was kidnapped and possibly still alive. They pleaded for her return until her body was found. The Closs family didn't give up and Jayme collected the $25,000 reward her dad's employer donated. SM's bike was found near a road, not on the trail. If I'm wrong about that, someone please correct with a link.

We'll agree to disagree because I find nothing nefarious about a family offering a reward or holding out hope for their loved one's return.

We don't know what evidence has been found but I do believe the abduction theory is what LE is still pursuing.

JMO

 

[MyBelle]

Bbm
Bumping this post.

Re. the green bolded : Despite LE not having mentioned the bike, I find it interesting that the sender of the email described it as "crashed".
Very telling. Imo.
How did the sender know this ; if LE didn't divulge it to him/her ?

Re. the lavender bolded : Out of curiosity, who saw this elusive creature ? Because, inquiring minds and all that...

I think it likely the sender knew the bike was crashed because after it was found it was identified by a member of SM's family.

JMO

 

[10ofRods]

I wondered about that too. And he was alone, if I understand correctly. Not in a search party. And he appeared somewhat upset. I wonder if he got upset when he was seen by the YouTube guy. It's nagging at me. Moo

It nags at me too. First, of course, the apparent place that Suzanne's bike was found/she went missing is not far from his house. I guess I can imagine going back there and pondering what to do next.

I do not think the police trampled the crime scene or that BM was allowed anywhere near that scene until LE was finished with their immediate investigation (and picture taking). He probably wishes he knew more about what happened when they processed the scene. The nephew's pleas for info about the condition of the bike make me wonder if BM, too, ponders how the scene actually looked to LE. If BM is responsible for an impulsive toss of a bicycle (as opposed to a painstakingly well thought-out plant of a bicycle OR no involvement with the bicycle), he may be wondering what, exactly, the scene looked like.

Personally, after seeing his body language and reading the transcript of what he said, I do not think he's capable of painstakingly good planning.

He may be bolstering his own notions of how the police screwed up.

At most, he had a few firefighter friends in his search party. Maybe someone had a plane or helicopter (yet such searches are notoriously fruitless and don't really count as a thorough search - so another bit of self-serving hyperbole).

Of course, people take different stances with total strangers they just happen to run into. But it makes me wonder how many times TD went to that property and just what the chances were that he'd run into BM and get a tour. Whole thing is very weird. I bet BM's lawyer is tearing their hair out.

 

[TristanP]

Bbm
Bumping this post.

Re. the green bolded : Despite LE not having mentioned the bike, I find it interesting that the sender of the email described it as "crashed".
Very telling. Imo.
How did the sender know this ; if LE didn't divulge it to him/her ?

Re. the lavender bolded : Out of curiosity, who saw this elusive creature ? Because, inquiring minds and all that...

I know it’s unconfirmed that he really sent that email to his old church, but I am inclined to believe he did, in order to start a narrative.

I am also inclined to believe it because the Sheriff almost immediately made a point to address the “animal attack” idea and indicate they thought it was not a likely possibility...with the words unsaid being “nice try, but we know better.”

People who aren’t familiar with animal attacks know that the animal doesn’t just swallow the person whole. It’s not like they’re penguins gulping down a fish.

I suppose it could be a very dainty mountain lion who prefers to have the correct ambience while they eat...carefully drag human to den, light candles, indulge, thoughtfully fold clothing and place in a pile with shoes, to be disposed of in the appropriate trash receptacle the next day...

 

[Warwick7]

A few things stood out to me when listening to BM's conversation with TD on youtube. This is subjective, and I know there will be people who don't see it the same as I do, but I thought these were worth pointing out. I've colored them red to discuss below. I've colored words blue which I consider to be 'normal' usage, in contrast.


BM: Let me tell you what happened. Um, and I do have a reward, $210,000 reward. Um, the bike was found at the bottom of the hill by that tree…

TD: So they found her bike just right against that tree down there?

BM: …we had cars over here well the sheriff let everybody drive through here covering all, messing up all the evidence, they were walking all over this area which if somebody abducted her they would have had foot tracks, they would have had fingerprints on the bike. They let 10 other people touch the bike.

BM: …so, I told my wife, I said listen the girls are gonna be home, they want to spend Mother’s Day with you, mind if I go [inaudible] that’s what we thought was gonna happen. The girls were running late so they texted her Happy Mother’s Day, she didn’t text back. So we went to, well they called my neighbors and said listen, it’s Mother’s Day, I’m a little worried and will you go check the house. And the neighbour went and checked the house, saw that her car was there but the bike was gone. She called me in Denver and said hey we’re just a little worried and I go well, I am too, why don’t we just call the police to be safe…

1. Not 'let me tell you what we think happened', but 'what happened'. This is impossible and it's sales talk.
2. the bike. I expected to hear 'her' bike here and in the last paragraph right after saying 'her car'. The fact he uses 'the' bike and never 'her' bike tells me he has distanced Suzanne from it. He is not imagining Suzanne on or with her bike. I would say there is a reason for distancing language and the bike is a red herring. Notice TD says 'her bike' because he naturally associates her with it and he's not even close to her. A few other places where BM says 'the bike' seem appropriate for the context he is using, because that is when the police have it.
3. the evidence. He's talked evidence into existence that there is no proof of. I think this sounds like a defense and he knows they won't find stranger evidence on the bike.
4. my wife. I expected to hear him say Suzanne's name here. He is distancing himself from her. And he 'told' her 'mind if I go'? I would say this is a construction because he doesn't retell it as asking her.
5. late - so. Why is he explaining why his daughters texted Suzanne 'Happy Mother's Day'? I think this reveals he had his eye on the time that day.
6. We have the daughters and the neighbor both saying "a little worried", according to him. It doesn't sound like a reliable report to me. Why would anyone minimize worry about Suzanne, unless they wanted to minimize that they anticipated a problem? Even though it's attributed to other people HE feels it's important to relay that. Calling the police suggests it had escalated beyond a little worry, imo.
7. check the house. Again there is no mention of Suzanne, just bricks, so I have to conclude he is distancing himself from her. Why doesn't he say check on Suzanne? It sounds like he is saying it from the memory of knowing the neighbor will find an empty house.

My opinion.

Excellent!!!!!

 

[TristanP]

RSBM

So how are the police keeping all those 100+ searchers mum about the bike and it's current location???not one leak AMAZING.

If that Fire Chief knew, we’d all know...lol

 

[Feistyomi]

TD isn't a member of the news media. Media carry credentials. I've had a reporter come to our door and her credentials were around her neck, very visible as well as her media logo on her jacket.

TD said he was from Arizona and wanted to help search. afaik, the location where the bike was found has never been released to the media.

JMO

iirc, Watts gave a tv news interview while LE were in his house searching it. He was also recorded on police body cam as he allowed LE to walk through the house. BM's video announcing the reward came shortly after SM went missing but it wasn't an interview with the news media. I'm not aware of any media interviews done by BM.

JMO

Ok going off what you said and to be clear I respect your opinion. People were saying how it was suspect when Barry said it was too soon for an interview or plea. We know Watts killed his family and he gave the interview right there on the spot. How does Barry not giving an interview or plea on the spot make him look guilty when we know a man who did killed his. Pregnant wife buried her, he killed his unborn baby boy and 2 kids and put them in oil tanks?[/QUOTE]
In retrospect, could that have simply meant that the mountain lion possibility needed to be ruled out first? In his mind did he believe it to be a lion attack, but going thru the kidnapping reward plea to cover something he did consider lesser possibility? focus was then turned on BM, so no interview proclaiming his innocence, etc as a lawyer was hired.

IMO it took us awhile here to rule out lion attack, but before we started focusing on that , we just took LE statement...
Questioning that statement did not mean I doubted them, I wanted more info. Now, I have even more confidence.JMO
I have also learned that it IS actually a possibility, just not in this case.IOW you is are more likely to have an attack in CO than S.C. it’s not the rarity of the attack, it is the lack of evidence of that attack.
I am going to ask for a new name...ANECDOTAL ANNIE, I have one here, if anyone wants it.

 

[MsBetsy]

“Draper said he contacted the Chaffee County Sheriff’s tip line and left at least one message about his encounters with Morphew, but as of Monday evening had not heard back.“

BBM

Interesting portion of this article. Why would LE not have contacted him as of tonight, almost 40 hours after the tip was called in?

YouTuber who ‘secretly’ recorded video of Barry Morphew discussing wife’s disappearance says he believes Suzanne Morphew’s husband knew the camera was on

I'm guessing that LE has already seen the video and they don't need to contact him for more details.

 

[Ontario Mom]

I will never understand why he said that.

I suspect it will make sense, later.

jmo

 

[Area52]

Thanks for the photos. The house looks quite a ways from the bridge. So how did the youtuber know to go to that very place?

JMO

Possibly because BM told him where to meet him! MOO

 

[Feistyomi]

I'm 61 and nothing would stop me from searching.

Respectfully, we do not know the mother’s health condition, I am 65, I would search but it would be harder today than 3 years ago. I am jealous of your physical fitness.

 

[MyBelle]

May I add to number 1 the additional comment that maybe TD isn't being 100% truthful about this? Or playing word games, like maybe a prosecuting attorney contacted him, but not LE themselves?

MOO

Aren't prosecutors members of the LE team? I do believe the role of LE is to collect evidence and the role of prosecutor is to prosecute. Would I be surprised if the FBI showed up at a blogger's door to interview? Nope. It happened in the Frazee case. Rodeo queen is now in prison.

JMO

 

[Fireflize]

bbm
Maybe because BM was looking or diving into the creek for something and couldn't find it ?
Imo.


Good questions.^^^

Three reasons that I will speculate on :

1) LE do not believe they can fully trust TD ?
Not because of something nefarious, but that he might not keep something confidential, and instead put it all over social media ?

2) LE knows something about TD's past friendships or relationships, that we do not ?
So they don't want to discuss this specifically with him ?

3) This is an open investigation and LE need to keep as much as possible confidential due to a surplus of unfounded rumors via social media ?

Well if BM was looking for something in the creek, I wish LE would go back there and help him find it. Moo

 

[Seattle1]

Thanks for clarifying where this information originated from, Seattle !

I am still waiting for LE to confirm the state of the bike and the mountain lion sighting ; more so than the unknown family member or BM's word.
Although if LE identify the family member and verify their statement (as well as BM's) , I'd be inclined to believe it.
MOO

I don't believe we will learn the state of the bike from LE anytime soon as the Sheriff declined to comment about it at the first press conference.

If a mountain lion was sighted, the Sheriff stated at the first presser he does not believe an animal attack part of this case.

The family member is known -- it was TN. You can hear his audio account to CBS at the link below.

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

I have no expectation that LE will publically confirm anything about this case until after an arrest. And we may be in for a long wait. MOO

 

[MyBelle]

May I add to number 1 the additional comment that maybe TD isn't being 100% truthful about this? Or playing word games, like maybe a prosecuting attorney contacted him, but not LE themselves?

MOO

Aren't prosecutors members of the LE team? I do believe the role of LE is to collect evidence and the role of prosecutor is to prosecute. Would I be surprised if the FBI showed up at a blogger's door to interview? Nope. I trust the FBI knows what they are doing.

JMO

RSBM

So how are the police keeping all those 100+ searchers mum about the bike and it's current location???not one leak AMAZING.

Weren't all the searchers professional LE? I would think if they leaked info about a criminal investigation to the news media, the Sheriff would be incensed. Would one risk his/her job just to churn gossip and innuendo? I sure wouldn't risk it.

JMO

 

[Murphy1950]

Weren't all the searchers professional LE? I would think if they leaked info about a criminal investigation to the news media, the Sheriff would be incensed. Would one risk his/her job just to churn gossip and innuendo? I sure wouldn't risk it. JMO

RSBM
not to churn gossip/innuendo...suppose they do have the bike, leaks happen all the time. If they have it and all concerned are that tight lipped...good for them but I'd be surprised.