Found Deceased CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, did not return from bike ride, Chaffee County, 10 May 2020 #22

[Moonchime]

Thank you!

I'm going to assume this is an approved W/S site.

That's correct. SillyBilly posted that ID--Investigative Discovery--is an approved site here on WS.

 

[Hoss569]

The point is that if this was only a local homicide involving a local suspect, only the CBI would come in to assist local LE...IMO.

The FBI usually only gets involved in investigating crimes that have some sort of federal/interstate nexus...IMO

If there was the possibility the event happened on Federal land, the FBI would have to be notified. There is quite a bit of federal land(BLM, National Forest, etc) in Colorado, and in the Salida area. Maysville is on the border of the Gunnison National Forest, and there home could very well be in the national forest.

Also the FBI may be questioned if there was indication of serial type activity as well, or matching something they were working on.

Also I believe the FBI would be involved if minors may be involved, not sure tho.

 

[lamlawindy]

Even before there's a POI or an arrest?

So...in this case of Suzanne Morphew, if LE has 10 suspects or POI's, if the case were in Indiana, we'd all know who those people were? But not their addresses.

Well, if the 10 hypothetical people are merely POIs, then there would be no judicial action. They would simply be people that investigators are considering.

If police, however, executed search
warrants on residences of all 10 people, then -- again, barring some showing of fear of flight or violence against officers or destruction of evidence -- the warrants and PCAs would generally be available for inspection. Keep in mind that the time elapsed between officers seeking the warrant and a judicial officer issuing the warrant will be very brief, often way under 24 hours.

 

[dkryder]

Educate me please. Why would the FBI and CBI be necessary for a simple local homicide, especially if they had solid evidence very early on? Just because of a small police force?

Those two agencies have really large tool kits that a small sheriff dept doesn't have as well as incredible experienced agents. And it's free! (For the most part)

 

[Hoss569]

Regarding the slab dig. The recent comments by the neighbor reinforce my thought that the big-dig didn’t produce anything that links BM, or anything at all. I mean, why would BM, who lives in a relative solitude in an isolated home near acres of wilderness (and possessing his own heavy equipment) drive to a more densely populated “neighborhood” to conceal evidence. Not only that, but then he makes enough racket in the silent evening to wake the “deaf”. I’m not buying it. That site might have been a good concealment area for someone, but makes no sense for BM.

I agree, goes toward a thought I have that the big dig could have been a plant by someone else. To direct LE there. Just an opinion.

 

[Dave F.]

You are referring to curtilage. From Wikipedia:
In common law, the curtilage of a house or dwelling is the land immediately surrounding it, including any closely associated buildings and structures, but excluding any associated "open fields beyond", and also excluding any closely associated buildings, structures, or divisions that contain the separate intimate activities of their own respective occupants with those occupying residents being persons other than those residents of the house or dwelling of which the building is associated.[1] It delineates the boundary within which a home owner can have a reasonable expectation of privacy and where "intimate home activities" take place. It is an important legal concept in certain jurisdictions for the understanding of search and seizure, conveyancing of real property, burglary, trespass, and land use planning.

In urban properties, the location of the curtilage may be evident from the position of fences, wall and similar; within larger properties it may be a matter of some legal debate as to where the private area ends and the "open fields" start.[2]
ETA. Also information for @Gigi3

But isn't it likely that curtilage would include any land behind a permanenttly affixed sign stating "PRIVATE DRIVE" that has no other designated entrance? IMO

 

[Dave F.]

I agree, goes toward a thought I have that the big dig could have been a plant by someone else. To direct LE there. Just an opinion.

.................or it could have just been a lead that looked solid and turned out not to be. The application for a search warrant describes what LE expects there is a reasonable chance of finding. Sometimes, it's just not there. IMO

 

[kkdj]

You know what? I thought in the first place and still do that BM's response of "it's too soon" had and has a different meaning than we took it as.
Mostly because it he was guilty of harming SM it would be a dumb thing to say and he would know that.
So, that statement thru me.

 

[MassGuy]

You know what? I thought in the first place and still do that BM's response of "it's too soon" had and has a different meaning than we took it as.
Mostly because it he was guilty of harming SM it would be a dumb thing to say and he would know that.
So, that statement thru me.

I think he would have spoken to the press if everything went as planned. I think he was flustered, because law enforcement didn’t buy what he was selling. Hence the “too soon.”

He couldn’t then go out and make an appeal, as that would be both embarrassing and incriminating. He needed to convince both law enforcement and the public, but he couldn’t exactly stand next to a sheriff (like we’ve seen in countless other cases), and tell a lie that had already been shot down.

The press would have eaten him alive, so he bypassed all of that with his video appeal.

What’s your interpretation?

 

[TIGER0822]

I realize this is just speculation and I can see it happening like this. I'm still wondering how the nephew knew about the bike and spoke to the media about it. (BM knew about it in such a scenario as you propose above?) I also still wonder how BM found out about the bike and the location. Was he there at the scene with LE? Did LE pick up the bike after processing the scene and drove over to the home and asked him to ID the bike? Would LE bring a family or friend to what might be a crime scene? Or did LE not suspect a crime at that point and didn't consider it a crime scene? Since LE has not even acknowledged finding the bike, these are all unanswered questions at this point.

The one piece of this investigation that I keep coming back to is the bike and the odd way everyone is behaving it. Very early on in the investigation TN asked the public to ask the Sherrif, “What condition was the bike was found in”. This is definitely a very odd question to ask the public to ask LE.
LE have never officially confirmed that they found the bike which is not normal. SM apparently goes missing on a bike ride. The bike is found, typically LE will put out a statement stating the bike was found.
In the TD interview BM starts to describe how the bike was lying on the ground and he checks himself. Why?

Why will LE not confirm they found the bike?
Why does TN want the public to put pressure on LE to confirm?
Why does BM apparently ‘slip up’ and ‘cover up’ when telling TD about the bike.
That bike holds some deep secrets and I am not smart enough to put it together.

 

[Gigi3]

I think he would have spoken to the press if everything went as planned. I think he was flustered, because law enforcement didn’t buy what he was selling. Hence the “too soon.”

He couldn’t then go out and make an appeal, as that would be both embarrassing and incriminating. He needed to convince both law enforcement and the public, but he couldn’t exactly stand next to a sheriff (like we’ve seen in countless other cases), and tell a lie that had already been shot down.

The press would have eaten him alive, so he bypassed all of that with his video appeal.

What’s your interpretation?

At first, I wanted to believe the “too soon” comment was because he was in shock/devastated.

However, when LE did the press conference, and he was nowhere to be seen, I became leary.
Then, the quick reward and video, I became concerned.

You’re interpretation could be dead on.

MOO

 

[kkdj]

I think he would have spoken to the press if everything went as planned. I think he was flustered, because law enforcement didn’t buy what he was selling. Hence the “too soon.”

He couldn’t then go out and make an appeal, as that would be both embarrassing and incriminating. He needed to convince both law enforcement and the public, but he couldn’t exactly stand next to a sheriff (like we’ve seen in countless other cases), and tell a lie that had already been shot down.

The press would have eaten him alive, so he bypassed all of that with his video appeal.

What’s your interpretation?

"It's too soon" is just such an odd thing to say under the circumstances. So, my question is too soon for what?
That's what I want to know.
It's such an odd response. I don't think I've ever heard it before.
But it made me wonder if he knew something that couldn't be addressed.
Well, if he harmed Sm, he sure as heck knew something that couldn't be addressed tho!

 

[Gigi3]

"It's too soon" is just such an odd thing to say under the circumstances. So, my question is too soon for what?
That's what I want to know.
It's such an odd response. I don't think I've ever heard it before.
But it made me wonder if he knew something that couldn't be addressed.
Well, if he harmed Sm, he sure as heck knew something that couldn't be addressed tho!

And another thought on the “too soon” could be he was trying to buy time to see if the abduction for ransom scenario would hold water with LE?

MOO

 

[rainbowshummingbird]

The one piece of this investigation that I keep coming back to is the bike and the odd way everyone is behaving it. Very early on in the investigation TN asked the public to ask the Sherrif, “What condition was the bike was found in”. This is definitely a very odd question to ask the public to ask LE.
LE have never officially confirmed that they found the bike which is not normal. SM apparently goes missing on a bike ride. The bike is found, typically LE will put out a statement stating the bike was found.
In the TD interview BM starts to describe how the bike was lying on the ground and he checks himself. Why?

Why will LE not confirm they found the bike?
Why does TN want the public to put pressure on LE to confirm?
Why does BM apparently ‘slip up’ and ‘cover up’ when telling TD about the bike.
That bike holds some deep secrets and I am not smart enough to put it together.

My take on TN imploring the public to ask about the bike is that it all originated from Barry. Essentially, TN was Barry’s spokesperson. Barry thought if the public knew the bike was damaged then it would lend credence to the other scenarios that he had brought forth. Someone hit Suzanne on her bike and then abducted her. SEE the bike is damaged and so this proves it. Suzanne was a victim of a hit and run, SEE the bike is damaged and this proves it. Suzanne had a bike accident that resulted in her becoming disoriented which caused her to get in the water and ultimately disappear; LOOK at the bike damage, this PROVES it!

IMO

 

[marylamby]

It always comes down to asking the right question...IMO. Perhaps a reporter from that organization asked the right question?

What organization do you speak of?

 

[TIGER0822]

Does a bicycle have GPS tracking? Asking for a friend.

It would be easy to use a bicycle up to a certain point and then take a friend’s car.

This post is great! That bike keeps spinning through my head. It adds a new perspective on it. Going to think about this post more.

 

[marylamby]

oooh. maybe ID is trying to get an interview with BM. now THAT i'd love to see.

I would too, of course, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

 

[Seattle1]

I think he would have spoken to the press if everything went as planned. I think he was flustered, because law enforcement didn’t buy what he was selling. Hence the “too soon.”

He couldn’t then go out and make an appeal, as that would be both embarrassing and incriminating. He needed to convince both law enforcement and the public, but he couldn’t exactly stand next to a sheriff (like we’ve seen in countless other cases), and tell a lie that had already been shot down.

The press would have eaten him alive, so he bypassed all of that with his video appeal.

What’s your interpretation?

I was just listening to a podcast about the Investigation Discovery segment and the host reminded listeners that BM chose to uploaded his video plea only to FB (SM's official missing page). When the host said this video on FB only had 281,000 views-- in almost 3 months, it was just one more thing to add to what I see as BM's lacking effort on behalf of his wife.

I made a post earlier today about BM passing up the perfect opportunity to make that 28-second appeal a day earlier at the Sheriff's first press conference. The presser was covered by the national networks--he could have reached millions of viewers in comparison to less than 300k.

MOO

 

[marylamby]

FWIW, probably zero, I went back to the news station helicopter footage of the area which was taken in May and I can't see any Dumpster or likely place to locate one. Not saying it isn't there, just saying ... well, I guess I'm just saying that was a waste of 13 minutes. Younger eyes might have better luck, though. There is a nice wide angle at the 9 minute mark. IMO

The house is on 7.72 acres. Not wide enough angle to see the whole property.

 

[Seattle1]

And another thought on the “too soon” could be he was trying to buy time to see if the abduction for ransom scenario would hold water with LE?

MOO

I think this is exactly what happened because BM made his "too soon" comment via nephew TN when TN announced to local news media that a family friend had matched the husband's initial reward, which TN had announced the day before.

MOO