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

[Dave F.]

Oh! Good one. I was thinking of that military lawyer show JAG

Since Salida does not offer bike registration, family records may be the only way—especially to get the confirmation within a couple days, Maybe the county offers bike registration. I didn’t check that.

Years ago in Colorado Springs, I registered all of my bikes with the fire department.

 

[10ofRods]

That really bothers me too. I keep wondering why BM would be sloshing around in a freezing cold creek high with spring runoff. What was he looking for? Was he making sure something was still there?

Or trying to figure out where something might have gone?

I can't help it - both of those places are where my mind goes.

 

[10ofRods]

That's fine. We'll agree to disagree.

The most logical reason that LE would show family or close friends a piece of evidence is for accurate identity purposes. Is LE going to testify at trial an old photo was used to identify it? I don't believe so. I also wasn't aware the family including the daughters are all treated as suspects.

LE wouldn't be showing the photo to the public, they'd be showing it to someone close to SM so they could identify just as they ask someone close to the victim to identify clothing and other personal items found. I seriously doubt a neighbor or other residents of a rural area are going to know the brand and model of a bicycle but that's just my opinion.

But that would be down the road - it's not urgent and would be secondary.

If the bike they found belongs to someone else - that's very strange. And not logical. And says that LE is really on the wrong track.

Is that what you're saying? That a bike is so hard to identify with a few adjectives that LE would spend a lot of time interviewing people about bikes?

I'm guessing that the actual purchase of the bike is somewhere in the Morphew's financial records, the model of the bike was known by about day 7-8, and no other thing was needed. And it was common sense and neighbor information that confirmed the bike in the first place.

Why have some kind of human gumshoe effort to ID a bicycle? Especially when the family has already said the woman was on a bike ride and a bike was found nearby?

I'm sure that almost 4 weeks in, LE knows a heckuva lot about the entire family's bicycles, vehicles, garage use, phone use. etc.

No need to show photos - just document the purchase. Done. BAM!

 

[MyBelle]

Why not from family?

I’m only saying that it’s possible the family hasn’t seen the bike. LE could’ve recovered the bike Sunday evening and asked the family for the serial number the next morning. JMO, possibilities and theories.

What’s JAG?

I truly do not understand why you think LE would resist showing the actual evidence or a photo of actual evidence to a close friend or family member for identification purposes but would prefer a serial number. I would think such tactic could have a profound ramification at trial. It makes no logical sense to me. How did BM know what direction the bike wheel was facing if he wasn't told?

JMO

 

[branmuffin]

Or trying to figure out where something might have gone?

I can't help it - both of those places are where my mind goes.

Another place my mind goes is that big garden tub in the master bathroom that has two steps leading up to it. I can see how easy it would be to drown someone in that tub with minimal effort because all your upper body would be right over the tub.

 

[MassGuy]

I truly do not understand why you think LE would resist showing the actual evidence or a photo of actual evidence to a close friend or family member for identification purposes but would prefer a serial number. I would think such tactic could have a profound ramification at trial. It makes no logical sense to me. How did BM know what direction the bike wheel was facing if he wasn't told?

JMO

I can think of how he might have known which direction the bike wheel was facing...

This would also explain why he didn’t finish his sentence.

 

[Truecolors]

I believe BM left for Denver on Saturday. I don't believe he said he spoke to SM on Mother's Day but its likely he did based on the many years they had been together. My husband always wishes me a Happy Mother's Day.

I find it highly doubtful SM did not have a voice conversation with at least one of her daughters on Saturday to plan their trip back home for Mother's Day. I base that on my own experience with children during this pandemic. They worry about their parents. And people usually do recognize the style of writing in text messages. Everything seems to leave data footprints these days.

JMO

It’s possible the daughters were out of cell phone range while camping.

But I do think that the records of these communications are of great interest to LE. It may explain why they are actively seeking tips about anyone who has seen or spoken to SM since the last known person.

 

[MyBelle]

Sure. I didn’t think of that. Enough for them to know he likely made her disappear but no body to prove it. Not yet.

I don’t look for Suzanne to ever be found, regardless of who did what to her.

If there is video evidence BM was involved in the disposal of the bicycle, that should be sufficient to send him to prison. I'm not aware of any such evidence, are you?

JMO

 

[Truecolors]

Years ago in Colorado Springs, I registered all of my bikes with the fire department.

I remember my dad taking me to register my new 10 speed at the town hall

 

[Feistyomi]

Last post for me tonite, Big IF , but IF someone parked vehicle and walked from it intending to carry victim a short distance away from accident site. could he have yanked helmet off, as Suzanne was head butting and struggling intending to retrieve. I think he may have had to chase her, and couldn’t risk gong back to retrieve it. I have no info on the roadside makeup as to signs of struggle, a bit rocky or clay. JMO, this would leave signs that LE would have discovered in lion search. And every second in the open is risky. Perhaps he used taser or chloroform. Vandalism
had occurred on trail, nails and a branch, insignificant at the time. IMO, he would have ambushed her on return journey, when she was tired. No body, suggests a sexual assault elsewhere, and possibly captivity.
may have had these suspicions from the beginning and that may be why CBI & FBI from beginning. BM still needed to be investigated as he may have hired this person.
MOO

 

[LietKynes]

It’s possible the daughters were out of cell phone range while camping.

But I do think that the records of these communications are of great interest to LE. It may explain why they are actively seeking tips about anyone who has seen or spoken to SM since the last known person.

Ita.

Who would be the most likely to have spoken to Suzanne and not just texted ?
Her husband or children.

 

[MyBelle]

Great points. Also, according to BM’s own words, whatever article they found of SM’s has not been revealed to family either.

So, that means to me that they obviously had other ways of identifying this evidence. Why wouldn’t the alleged bike be the same? MOO

A belonging such as a phone can be identified via phone provider records. A bike is owned by the owner. It isn't a subscription service.

JMO

 

[Steelslady]

Your post just reminded me of something from early in the investigation. Does anyone remember the gentleman that spoke of seeing a vehicle on the trails or road that he didn’t feel belonged there? We speculated what that could have meant and I remember posting, perhaps and “out-of-state” licence plate?? Didn’t TD mention that BM’s truck was still sporting out-0f-state plates, as in Indiana??

HMMMMMM!

Ed: lol changed Province to State

Yes! The vehicle he used has Indiana license plates, according to T. I don't remember, though, if it was specified as being BM's vehicle he was driving. For all we know, it could be a relative or friend's vehicle from Indiana that came to support BM and their daughters.

 

[MassGuy]

If there is video evidence BM was involved in the disposal of the bicycle, that should be sufficient to send him to prison. I'm not aware of any such evidence, are you?

JMO

It was a hypothetical scenario to explain why law enforcement never handled this as an abduction. I literally wrote “hypothetically.”

Which is why “you are not aware of such evidence.”

 

[Warwick7]

If there is video evidence BM was involved in the disposal of the bicycle, that should be sufficient to send him to prison. I'm not aware of any such evidence, are you?

JMO

At trial we will find out.

 

[MyBelle]

Agree. For that matter, we have never heard if Suzanne's scent was found on that trail or around where they found her bike. I've been curious about this myself.

If she was attacked by a mountain lion, something would have been found of her- torn clothing and well the obvious- blood, urine, etc- some body fluids of Suzanne's would have been in the area.

I am confident that the Sheriff's thoughts about her not being attacked by a mountain lion is 100% accurate.

ITA. I don't believe SM was attacked by the mountain lion the LE officer may have seen that first day. I think a thorough search of the area by LE professionals has ruled that out as very unlikely and why the Sheriff has said it is unlikely.

JMO

 

[LietKynes]

At trial we will find out.

Ita.
It'll be amazing how much evidence they've gathered; imo.

 

[Warwick7]

Yes! The vehicle he used has Indiana license plates, according to T. I don't remember, though, if it was specified as being BM's vehicle he was driving. For all we know, it could be a relative or friend's vehicle from Indiana that came to support BM and their daughters.

There could be quite a few that came from Indiana to be supportive. If they confiscated his vehicle like we have heard, he may have barrowed a relatives or friends.

 

[Warwick7]

Ita.
It'll be amazing how much evidence they've gathered; imo.

Agreed!
At the P. Frazee trial it blew us out of the water how much they had.

 

[Warwick7]

ITA. I don't believe SM was attacked by the mountain lion the LE officer may have seen that first day. I think a thorough search of the area by LE professionals has ruled that out as very unlikely and why the Sheriff has said it is unlikely.

JMO

Agreed.