Found Deceased CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, did not return from bike ride, Chaffee County, 10 May 2020 #21

[MsBetsy]

Yet, all bets were off. Life wasn't "normal." We were supposed to be sheltering in place because of COVID. That's a detail that is often not taken into account as we look at this case. We mustn't forget.

Suzanne Morphew met with foul play during a pandemic.

I think it was established early on that the stay at home restrictions were lifted on May 8th.

 

[Birmingplumb]

Probably not. With respect to the minor, there may be an obligation to alert children's protective services (CPS) or it's equivalent under a mandatory reporting law but no obligation to share evidence with the child. With respect to an adult child, I do not believe the police have a duty to inform him/her.

Indeed -- in general -- the police have no legal duty to any individual person; their obligation is to maintain order. For example, if police don't respond quickly enough & one is injured by a burglar, one cannot sue the police and claim that the police breached a duty to a homeowner to respond to a 911 call.

This answer to #528 which i will repost: Would L.E. be obligated or required by law to share factual damaging evidence with the minor or adult children of a suspect while still putting together a case in order to "protect " the safety of the children who are/were living with suspect parent and may not "know"?

Would child protective services be required to disclose any report from L.E. maybe under a freedom of information request from we the taxpayers public? Taking a shot here-even if somebody (reporter) asked them ( child protective services) was there a report -? If so we would know for sure the bad guy? Somebody in city hall overseeing child protective services surly could find out if a "report" has been submitted not the actual wording but just a report for the good or safety of family /friends no? Maybe a start to this would be asking our Gal Lauren to ask the sheriff if he would be required to contact child protective services - he may answer or he may not know- we didn't until this was asked and answered .

 

[Madeleine74]

Interesting thoughts indeed, BUT more interesting is apparently her first go around with cancer was 20+ years ago. Once you get insurance under those conditions you don't let it go ever. I would imagine they were covered, they would have been foolish to let a policy go. Admittedly tricky to keep but doubt they were uninsured. IMO based on life experiences.

I agree you don't let medical insurance lapse if you can at all help it, so even if you change insurance providers over time, there is continuing service with no gaps. However, even if there was a gap, if they got their medical health insurance through the ACA Exchange (Affordable Care Act aka Obamacare), which started in 2014, there was no way any insurance company offering policies on or through the exchange could legally refuse to cover a pre-existing condition, including cancer. I'd be shocked if she didn't have medical insurance, and with having children too, I'm sure they did.

 

[Madeleine74]

This answer to #528 which i will repost: Would L.E. be obligated or required by law to share factual damaging evidence with the minor or adult children of a suspect while still putting together a case in order to "protect " the safety of the children who are/were living with suspect parent and may not "know"?

IMO

LE is not going to disclose details of the investigation to the children, minor or adult. *IF* there's a concern that the remaining parent is, or might be, violent then LE might inquire about that and provide contact info for CPS or resources to an adult for assistance.

In this particular case the oldest daughter is an adult, the youngest is still a minor. If someone in the family was concerned about the minor child, they could legally seek recourse for protection of a minor child through CPS or the courts to have the minor child reside away from the alleged violent parent. That type of action would be a civil action through the family court system.

But aside from that, LE is not required to reveal details of the investigation or disclose evidence.

 

[oviedo]

Just noticed your post, thanks for such good info. I was actually thinking of trusts already set up for the girls, that may have Suzanne as executor; inheritances from her family, etc. Wouldn’t that have been held aside for the girls, not considered joint property?
I’m afraid the daughters will grow up much faster now, regardless of whether their father is guilty...

In 11 years I’ve seen just one Trust set up for a child that was separate from a family trust because the money was from a specific source - otherwise the trusts are joint with husband and wife then split upon the death of both. Before the tax code changed a few years ago, we did individual trusts for tax purposes and insurance trusts. My guess has been she set up estate plan documents based on the specific POA she recorded in IN for the sale of a piece of property - However all of the real property we found was joint and not in a trust. This makes me think there are no trusts holding assets for the girls but that’s pure speculation. I would be very interested in life insurance policies and if she had an insurance trust- it’s old school but a good way to pass wealth that isn’t taxed
JMO

 

[Birmingplumb]

IMO

LE is not going to disclose details of the investigation to the children, minor or adult. *IF* there's a concern that the remaining parent is, or might be, violent then LE might inquire about that and provide contact info for CPS or resources to an adult for assistance.

In this particular case the oldest daughter is an adult, the youngest is still a minor. If someone in the family was concerned about the minor child, they could legally seek recourse for protection of a minor child through CPS or the courts to have the minor child reside away from the alleged violent parent. That type of action would be a civil action through the family court system.

But aside from that, LE is not required to reveal details of the investigation or disclose evidence.

Lawlady says different you may have missed her reply here it is.
lamlawindy said: ↑
"......Probably not. With respect to the minor, there may be an obligation to alert children's protective services (CPS) or it's equivalent under a mandatory reporting law but no obligation to share evidence with the child. With respect to an adult child, I do not believe the police have a duty to inform him/her.

Indeed -- in general -- the police have no legal duty to any individual person; their obligation is to maintain order. For example, if police don't respond quickly enough & one is injured by a burglar, one cannot sue the police and claim that the police breached a duty to a homeowner to respond to a 911 call........"
My point is child protective services may be required to be informed- what they do with info is not the point. If they are indeed informed-somebody knows- if they were informed -and we can find out somehow (bribe) we got our guy. If not informed yet ask sheriff if he is required to inform them- he may not know he is. If my thinking is correct, the daughters may seek counsel and move out, and the sheriff would report to child protective services if he had something ...athough late , so he need to be asked? IMO
Look, theres a frickin killer on the loose probably. If there is a law requiring some sheriff to inform child protective services that the dad is a suspect in moms killing and the sheriff witholds info due to ignorance or other.....this is not our best tool to find out if 20 threads later its the usual suspect?

 

[Madeleine74]

The point is child protective services may be required to be informed- what they do with it is not the point. If they are indeed informed-somebody knows- if they were informed -and we can find out somehow (bribe) we got our guy. If not ask sheriff if he is required to inform them- he may not know he is.

IMO

Informed...LE can say that no one has been ruled out at this time and that includes BM.

LE is not going to tell the children what evidence they have (that was one of your questions), even if you think they should. One child is legally an adult.

If the adult child chooses to be around her father, LE is not going to have a say about that. Adults make their own choices. IF anyone in the family is concerned about the minor child they can reach out to CPS to start an investigation on that minor's welfare. It appears no one has done so or if they have, it appears the minor child continues to reside with her father. CPS would seek to determine if the minor child is currently in any danger, or been a victim of any violence or abuse previously.

Aside from that, I'm not going to get into an argument about what someone 'should' do or what LE 'should' do.

/IMO

 

[Birmingplumb]

IMO

Informed...LE can say that no one has been ruled out at this time and that includes BM.

LE is not going to tell the children what evidence they have (that was one of your questions), even if you think they should. One child is legally an adult.

If the adult child chooses to be around her father, LE is not going to have a say about that. Adults make their own choices. IF anyone in the family is concerned about the minor child they can reach out to CPS to start an investigation on that minor's welfare. It appears no one has done so or if they have, it appears the minor child continues to reside with her father. CPS would seek to determine if the minor child is currently in any danger, or been a victim of any violence or abuse previously.

Aside from that, I'm not going to get into an argument about what someone 'should' do or what LE 'should' do.

/IMO

Nor am I. Please answer if the minor living home -if in danger-requires mandates triggers sheriff to inform child protective or not -no arguing just clarifying point. How could he sleep if something happened or us since its out there now?

 

[Love Never Fails]

Not to beat a dead horse, but to beat a dead horse:

Because law enforcement didn’t believe she was abducted (no official poster with physical description, no frequent communication, no timeline, no last images).

That tells us the bike was staged, which only a person close to the victim does.

Because they sealed off the home quickly, and conducted two separate searches there.

Because the FBI spent 3 days digging up private property that BM worked on.

Because law enforcement continues to be silent, despite being active.

Because we have a man behaving contrary to just about every loving spouse ever, in a situation like this.

Because we’ve seen this movie before.

Your post sums up how most of us feel who have followed a few cases.

Sure it’s true innocent people have been accused before, even sent to prison.

But that’s not the norm. And BM certainly hasn’t acted “normal” for having his wife of many years missing.

So we look at that as well as the searches and LE being completely mum on the subject.

We could be wrong, yes. But I am certain he is guilty. And I look for LE to charge him sooner or later. They are watching him.

 

[Madeleine74]

Nor am I. Please answer if the minor living home -if in danger-requires mandates triggers sheriff to inform child protective or not -no arguing just clarifying point. How could he sleep if something happened or us since its out there now?

Best way to find out: contact the county Sheriff's Dept and ask your question to them and/or contact the local CPS Dept and ask them the question. Report back what you find out.

 

[Boxer]

When the Sheriff asked citizens to preserve their security tapes without handing them in how would that work for those homes that were Air BnB rentals? Do we know if the owners reside locally and could have done what LE instructed or were some videos taped over because no one was around to check them.


In Canada that would be called failing to provide the necessities of life and it's a crime.

MOO Most home security video is done on a phone app now, so remote owners still have full control.

 

[Birmingplumb]

Best way to find out: contact the county Sheriff's Dept and ask your question to them and/or contact the local CPS Dept and ask them the question. Report back what you find out.

My idea- yu do it and report back, i am in deep thought. They prob read it already anyways.

 

[Love Never Fails]

“Suzanne has always been beautiful. Everything about her is beautiful you don’t just see beauty when Suzanne is around, you feel it. Suzanne loves Jesus and she loves like Jesus. Always with a sweet smile and a kind word. She has a peaceful presence about her. She loves her family. She is so thankful to be a Momma, it wasn’t a guarantee for her, not something she could assume would happen when she was ready. Jesus made a way. Not once but twice. Blessings upon blessings.

We have a lot of questions and to say we don’t understand why or how this could happen to precious Suzanne is an understatement. But I know that wherever Suzanne is He is with her and she is with Him. When I stumble and my faith becomes weak I think of Suzanne and know she would want me to praise Him in this storm. He didn’t promise we wouldn’t face them, but he promised we wouldn’t face them alone. Suzanne is so very loved, to know her is to love her. Please help us find her.”

“You don’t just see beauty when Suzanne is around, you feel it”: Friends describe missing Chaffee County woman | FOX21 News Colorado

Hmmm. Daughters with her at cancer treatments but witness saw Barry there only once and he looked uncomfortable.

Ok so maybe somewhere there are a ton of witnesses there saying he was very supportive of her treatments. Or,

As I assume, he was a real jerk and cared only about himself and wished it was over, that her illness was just taking up his time. I’ve known people like that and just want to stay far from them. MOO.

 

[DizzyB]

ugh. i can't see it from that link, either. i've searched twitter, fb, youtube, and straight up google, and if you are in europe, which i am, you cannot view this video, even with a vpn. that's frustrating, so thanks to the poster who transcribed the video! hopefully someone following the case will make a youtube post and play it within their video. we peeps in europe are invested in this thing, too!

eta: fox21 even has a youtube channel and they posted a few hours ago about a lightning strike! but not the suzanne morphew case? c'mon, fox21! this is why i appreciate TD's videos, and him getting ahead of things. i can't stand all the msm teasing. give us a break over here if you're reading @Lauren!

I read the article and watched the video. They pretty much are the same-the only thing you miss is the emotion, which we had not seen at all in this case yet. How many seconds was BM’s plea? That’s it.

I wish this was done a long time ago, when Suzanne was first missing.

 

[Love Never Fails]

Looks like tomorrow’s broadcast is going to be more interesting than that segment, as it will feature a neighbor of the property owners of that site that was excavated.

Pretty much everything in that broadcast was covered in that article on the Fox website.

“You don’t just see beauty when Suzanne is around, you feel it”: Friends describe missing Chaffee County woman | FOX21 News Colorado

Not really impressed with the way reporters break down their reporting into tiny segments over many days. Nor did the person sound like she was close to Suzanne, just saw her at the gym or Walmart. I don’t know, seems like not a lot was learned. Next segment may be better.

 

[Love Never Fails]

Regarding BM's demeanor. After they took care of my cancer I had to go in every 6 months for blood work and would see the doc a few weeks later. But after the blood draw I could be given the basic blood panel and while that was not as important as the marker results a few weeks later some things in the white blood cell counts could be red flags. Between the blood draw and receiving the blood results they put me in the huge room where all the chemo treatments were taking place. Big recliners and the chemo patients might be reading a book or watching a movie with earphones, but the vast majority were sleeping. 90%-100% were by themselves and it was eerily quiet. The rare few in there with someone weren't talking either. Even the nurses' station with about 4-5 nurses were quiet or whispering. On one occasion, a couple across from me were waiting for results (not blood from what I gathered) the nurse comes to them and discusses the wife's pancreatic cancer results and it isn't good at all. I was never so glad when my nurse showed up with my results. She asked if she wanted to go over them. I thanked her and quickly left. I spent many months at sea in the Navy and went through North Atlantic storms with 25-30 degree rolls for days on end and didn't get the least bit sick. I took my results quickly and left and went straight to the head. I didn't throw up, but it was close.

If someone ever sees me in one of those chemo rooms, I'm probably the most unfriendly person they've ever come across. Not once have I ever spoken to anyone except the nurse who gives me the blood panel and it isn't a long conversation. And I don't linger after that point.

But you are the patient. Barry Morphew was not. I would react as you. But, My husband would have been there being strong and supportive and likely a bit funny.

 

[OldCop]

If the daughters had previously accompanied Suzanne to treatments, wouldn’t it be expected they would do so for the one scheduled for that Monday?
When did the school year end?

I know that during Covid lockdowns, many hospitals, clinics, Dr’s offices etc did not allow visitors. I don’t know if this would come into play as far as her daughters going to the appointment with her. Since it was a follow-up and not an actual treatment, she may even have told them they didn’t have to be there.

 

[Fireflize]

^^edit BS to BM.

Haha, BS, BM. Subconscious mistake.

 

[Love Never Fails]

Thank you for sharing these intimate details about your experience and I hope you are doing well. I am very moved by the testimonies given by SM’s friends and family members and I think Lauren did an excellent job. But I am not about to judge BM regarding the quote of a fellow cancer survivor that “ he seemed uncomfortable and not friendly “ at the one chemo session she saw him at.

I took my Mom to all her treatments at M.D. Anderson when she had breast cancer and 10 years later I took my big brother there for his many chemotherapy treatments for pancreatic cancer. They were the dearest people in my life. And it was the hardest, most surreal experiences I’ve ever had. One appointment would mean an entire day at the Medical Center, meeting with a team of doctors. Every now and then there would be a wonderful moment of humor, like when my Mom’s giant 6 foot 5 tall teddy bear of a man introduced himself as her pain management doctor, Dr. Payne. It was really his name! It certainly broke the tension. There is just no way you can judge a person by how they appear when they are with a loved one going through cancer treatments. Don’t know if this
makes any sense. Just my own personal experience and thoughts.
I just remember being totally freaked out and trying to appear strong for my Mom and brother while taking in what the white coats were telling us. I was in my 30’s but had never had to grow up so fast and take charge like that before. Just driving in Houston traffic traffic gave me anxiety attacks, so I’m sure I appeared very uncomfortable.

The person quoted also says that SM usually had one or both daughters with her at her treatments makes me think that Suzanne probably felt more comfortable WITHOUT BM there and maybe wanted to “ spare” him from seeing her vulnerable. IMO that’s the kind of woman she was.
He gets a pass from me on “ looking uncomfortable “.

So Suzanne was thinking of Barry feeling uncomfortable.
But Barry wasn’t thinking of her?
Right. We get it. I will not give him a pass.

ETA: so sorry about your experiences. You are a living, compassionate caregiver. The world needs more like you.

 

[Madeleine74]

But you are the patient. Barry Morphew was not. I would react as you. But, My husband would have been there being strong and supportive and likely a bit funny.

IMO

This is an example of using one's own life and deciding that's the way others should be.

Reality is some people are not a bit funny. Some people are very uncomfortable around doctors, hospitals, and medical procedures and freak out somewhat. Some people (even spouses) get scared and close down and don't act in ways someone else would.

Personally I think it's not a valid way to judge someone--i.e. using one's own life as the template for anyone else's. And, as I mentioned a week or 2 before, my friend who recently retired from the Sheriff's Dept after 25 yrs of service, told me about their training and how they are taught to not imprint their own lives, beliefs, religion, customs onto someone they are investigating.

/IMO