Found Deceased CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, did not return from bike ride, Chaffee County, 10 May 2020 #17

[oviedo]

Good question.^^^

Someone posted upthread that the dogs were solely from the corrections facility; but I don't know if that's accurate ?

I'd think that SAR dogs were used first , and LE hasn't said (& most likely won't now !) if HRD dogs were utilized later on in the investigation.
This is a criminal investigation as well as a missing persons one.

IF LE are 'getting their ducks in a row', they're not going to say if HRD dogs hit on anything at all.
Imo.

from the Sheriff:
Sheriff personnel called members of Chaffee County Search and Rescue South and North and a search began immediately. The Department of Corrections was contacted and a request was made for tracking dogs to assist. They responded and joined the search. The search continued into the early morning hours with no results.

The search resumed in the early morning hours of May 11 with Search and Rescue. They once again scoured the area. Members were then called from the Chaffee County Tac Team along with search parties from the Department of Corrections and the area was once again scoured.

In all over 100 personnel were used during the search, however by late afternoon on May 11 Ms Morphew had not been found.
Chaffee County Sheriff's Office

 

[Madeleine74]

Were I in this situation, as an innocent, I absolutely would take a lie detector test and would make public statements.

I wouldn't have any hesitations on taking a polygraph, or giving my DNA or sitting for interviews with LE or whatever was needed to help a loved one who's disappeared.

Those with nothing to hide, hide nothing.

IMO

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

IMO, some dogs are dual purpose (live find & cadaver). Many handlers prefer to focus on one discipline & craft it. You can see trained & certified dual purpose dogs in Wilderness SAR, as an example. Some handlers will have a single purpose dog only, dual purpose or a handler with a live find and a HRD dog and depending on the call determines which dog they bring. Depending on the circumstances for a handler that has both, the other dog could be crated in a vehicle on standby. IMO

This was a mouthful (I know) and could literally have a dedicated forum around it. It's interesting how these handlers bring these dogs in and out of target odor. They train, train and train some more and if they're lucky, have a genetic hard-charger that gets it and wants to work. IMO

You are so good at what u do - I can just tell from your posts. Thanks for being here and always answering our questions.

 

[Deleted member 718]

@stephaniebutzer

According to #SuzanneMorphew's nephew (via a GoFundMe update last week), the family is still holding onto hope that she’s alive. They thanked everybody who has helped in the efforts to find her.
10:49 AM · Jun 26, 2020

Stephanie (Butzer) Rose
@stephaniebutzer
Digital producer at
@DenverChannel

 

[BeckyF]

On a scale of 1 - 10, I wonder where BM would rank the probability of himself being arrested in the next 6 months?

1 is my vote. As the days pass, he is probably patting himself on the back for a job well done. JMO

 

[FelicityLemon]

Good question.^^^
Someone posted upthread that the dogs were solely from the corrections facility; but I don't know if that's accurate ?
I'd think that SAR dogs were used first , and LE hasn't said (& most likely won't now !) if HRD dogs were utilized later on in the investigation.
This is a criminal investigation as well as a missing persons one.
IF LE are 'getting their ducks in a row', they're not going to say if HRD dogs hit on anything at all.
Imo.

I found these, but don't know which are from Corrections

Track and Scent Dogs
Search and Rescue Dogs

This is a link to the Chaffee County Sheriff'f Office Press Releases: Chaffee County Sheriff search results: morphew
==================================================================================
EFFORTS include (in no order):

• 
  • Chaffee County Sheriff's Office
  • Salida Police Department
  • Fremont County Sheriff’s Office
  • Colorado Bureau of Investigation
  • Federal Bureau of Investigation
  • Investigators from the 11th Judicial District
  • Drones
  • Tracking and Scent Dogs
  • Search and Rescue Dogs
  • Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the South Ark Swiftwater Rescue Teams have searched area watersheds and Reach Air Ambulance flew search missions
  • Reach Air Ambulance flew search missions
  • Dedicated Tip Line established
  • Reward offered
  • In person Canvassing - multiple times
  • Flyers, Banners
  • 24 LE Officers stationed throughout the small town
  
  • Chaffee County Search and Rescue North and South
  • Chaffee County Combined TAC Team
  • Department of Corrections Search Team
  • Department of Corrections East Canon Search Team
  • Colorado Department of Transportation
  • Colorado State Patrol
  • K9 Assistance
  • FBI (Evidence Recovery Team)
  

 

[al66pine]

SM Family Member. Not Objecting to IN. Guardianship?

I believe it was the eldest daughter who signed the first one ? Actually thought it might be BM's mother who signed away Suzanne's property, but I think it has to be an immediate family member. ...Imo.

sbm Yes, LietKynes, ^ meshes w my recollection & understanding of the guardianship filings.
Per paragraph (A) below, appears notice to 'alleged incapacitated person,' to AIP's spouse, and to AIP's adult children is required, but not to BM's mother, imo.
Also IIRC, SM's older dau signed and filed w the ct. a waiver of further notice/objection, indicating she did not object to ct issuing letters of guardianship to BM, imo (at least for temp/limited guardianship for sale of that one IN. property. IDK if other prop's were included in BM's petition. Another hearing is scheduled in Sept.). just my 2 cts.

.............................................................................................................................................................
Indiana Probate Code 29-3-6-1 ARTICLE 3. GUARDIANSHIPS AND PROTECTIVE PROCEEDINGS
Sec. 1. (a) When a petition for appointment of a guardian ... is filed with the court, notice of the petition and the hearing on the petition .... first class postage prepaid mail:...
(4) If it is alleged that the person is an incapacitated person, notice of the petition and the hearing on the petition shall be given to the following persons whose whereabouts can be determined upon reasonable inquiry:
(A) The alleged incapacitated person, the alleged incapacitated person's spouse, and the alleged incapacitated person's adult children, or if none, the alleged incapacitated person's parents." sbm bbm
^ Indiana Code 2019 - Indiana General Assembly, 2020 Session

 

[BeckyF]

Exactly. ^^^

The right thing to do would be to return any monies collected so far.

Yep, they should take it down and refund everyone. Should have been done weeks ago.

 

[vaporlass]

Exactly. ^^^

The right thing to do would be to return any monies collected so far.

Yet, their most recent update seemed to BEG for even more support and funding for those searches that someone else must be doing while BM sells houses and makes land deals. The only words I have for their “dealings” would get deleted.

 

[Truecolors]

I would think just the opposite - being a woman close to her age - after all she has certainly been through with two bouts of cancer, I would be seeking a retreat of quiet and solitude (which is exactly what I have) just like what she had... I suspect if anyone wanted to be in the action - it would be BM because he has been described as ambitious and being in the thick of things - would be good for business. If he intends to build a home there, it is located in an excellent spot for his landscaping IMO.

It’s preference for sure. I’m also close to her age and I’d much prefer the Salida location. It’s easier to drive 20 min to the trailhead to go mountain biking twice a week than to drive 20 into town frequently for everything else life requires. And the Salida lot is still a few minutes outside town, not exactly in the action. I’m curious if he’d even be able to store his landscaping vehicles on a 2 acre lot with an HOA.

MOO

 

[OldCop]

I found these, but don't know which are from Corrections

Track and Scent Dogs
Search and Rescue Dogs

This is a link to the Chaffee County Sheriff'f Office Press Releases: Chaffee County Sheriff search results: morphew
==================================================================================
EFFORTS include (in no order):

• 
  • Chaffee County Sheriff's Office
  • Salida Police Department
  • Fremont County Sheriff’s Office
  • Colorado Bureau of Investigation
  • Federal Bureau of Investigation
  • Investigators from the 11th Judicial District
  • Drones
  • Tracking and Scent Dogs
  • Search and Rescue Dogs
  • Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the South Ark Swiftwater Rescue Teams have searched area watersheds and Reach Air Ambulance flew search missions
  • Reach Air Ambulance flew search missions
  • Dedicated Tip Line established
  • Reward offered
  • In person Canvassing - multiple times
  • Flyers, Banners
  • 24 LE Officers stationed throughout the small town
  
  • Chaffee County Search and Rescue North and South
  • Chaffee County Combined TAC Team
  • Department of Corrections Search Team
  • Department of Corrections East Canon Search Team
  • Colorado Department of Transportation
  • Colorado State Patrol
  • K9 Assistance
  • FBI (Evidence Recovery Team)

I had read early on that the Corrections dogs were the trackers which makes sense. I’m sure they use them in the event of an escape. It was said that the Sheriff reached out to the DOC on Sunday because they were the closest available to help search that night.

 

[BeckyF]

Nope. I don't think he even had much of a 'landscaping biz.' I think he rented some basic equipment and bid on small jobs, all his "workers" were solo subcontractors and they had their own trucks. That's my belief, from what I've seen. It's just a hunch.

I agree. I don’t think he has a large presence in the landscaping business. I have no proof, just my impression.

 

[Madeleine74]

He absolutely should have diverted the funds he used to purchase the property and applied them to all those expenses necessitating a GimmeFund, e.g., food and lodging for family members, etc.

Then used the remainder to ^ the reward offer.

I wasn't considering the GiveMeMoneyFund but you're right! Even though it was (allegedly) his nephew who set it up, it's clear the family does not need the $$$ and they have plenty to support themselves and their family members. IMO

 

[Ontario Mom]

I found these, but don't know which are from Corrections

Track and Scent Dogs
Search and Rescue Dogs

This is a link to the Chaffee County Sheriff'f Office Press Releases: Chaffee County Sheriff search results: morphew
==================================================================================
EFFORTS include (in no order):

• 
  • Chaffee County Sheriff's Office
  • Salida Police Department
  • Fremont County Sheriff’s Office
  • Colorado Bureau of Investigation
  • Federal Bureau of Investigation
  • Investigators from the 11th Judicial District
  • Drones
  • Tracking and Scent Dogs
  • Search and Rescue Dogs
  • Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the South Ark Swiftwater Rescue Teams have searched area watersheds and Reach Air Ambulance flew search missions
  • Reach Air Ambulance flew search missions
  • Dedicated Tip Line established
  • Reward offered
  • In person Canvassing - multiple times
  • Flyers, Banners
  • 24 LE Officers stationed throughout the small town
  
  • Chaffee County Search and Rescue North and South
  • Chaffee County Combined TAC Team
  • Department of Corrections Search Team
  • Department of Corrections East Canon Search Team
  • Colorado Department of Transportation
  • Colorado State Patrol
  • K9 Assistance
  • FBI (Evidence Recovery Team)

Just catching up today, but this PR from the CCSO on 05.13 says this about the dogs:

"8 different tracking and scent dogs from the Department of Corrections and the Search and Rescue Dogs of Colorado were deployed to aid in the search. " Update on Suzanne Morphew search Tipline established - Chaffee County Sheriff

So, the dogs from the DOC were tracking & scent dogs, and the other dogs used were from Search and Rescue Dogs of Colorado but the PR doesn't say what specifically type of trained dogs they are, cadaver or otherwise.

 

[Sillybilly]

Permission has never been given for members to sleuth BM. In fact, at least 20 Admin posts (I stopped counting at 20) have specifically stated NOT to do so. If members can't comply with TOS and Admin reminders, permanent thread bans or a lengthy Time Out will be issued.

Posts containing long personal anecdotes have a tendency to detract from the focus of this case. They have been removed along with all responses to them.

 

[GordianKnot]

Hell -- he not only didn't shut it down, he then joined as team member!

This guy's as subtle as a sledgehammer.

JMO.

 

[Dave F.]

Do we know if the SAR dogs used from the Corrections branch were dual purpose dogs? I wondered if they were from Corrections that they were trained to find escaped prisoners.

Both teams are search and rescue, as far as we know. The dogs are trained to find people, living or dead. They are NOT trained to sniff a couch and sign whether a dead body has laid on it. The Colorado corrections system has three different dog programs, with almost no information published about two of them. First, there is a prisoner / K9 rescue program at both Fremont county prisons and Buena Vista. In this effort inmates live with and train rescue dogs to become adoptable pets and companion animals. The program has high reviews for aiding both the dogs and the handlers become model citizens. The second is an elite team of K9 aearch dogs and prison employees with full LE powers that are trained specifically to run down escapees from any facet of the legal system. Very little is known about them, other than they have a very high success rate. The third are several teams of search and rescue dogs. Two of those teams, both from Fremont county prisons, were used in the search for SW. IMO

 

[jakat]

This guy's as subtle as a sledgehammer.

JMO.

Overly confident he might get away with murder. I certainly hope not.

 

[BeckyF]

Yeah, they need to shut that down.
If BM has the money to offer huge rewards and purchase a plot of land for that sale price (and honestly, I don't care if he started the purchase transaction a year ago), keeping that FundGoMe campaign going just makes the family look greedy & profiting off SM's tragic disappearance.

jmo

If any of the details of the ‘private’ searches he and his team had done were public knowledge, people might be less likely to judge the motive behind the fund request. The lack of any accountability on his part, that we know of, makes it even more despicable. IMO.

 

[JosieMae]

This is what I aways try to explain. When people start lecturing on what our rights are and the “smart” thing to do (I.e. get a lawyer, don’t take a lie detector test and make no public statements), that is NOT what innocent people do, in this kind of situation (except maybe .01% when it comes to not making public statements).

Right. If DH disappeared, I might have to get someone to read my statements/pleas because I would be sobbing uncontrollably but you can damn sure bet I would be visible and cooperating. I might have a lawyer for guidance too, but I wouldn't be behind the scenes doing business deals. And I sure as heck also wouldn't be bad-mouthing LE, the very people capable of bringing the nightmare to an end.