Found Deceased CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, did not return from bike ride, Chaffee County, 10 May 2020 #26

[MrsWatson]

Interesting comment from a former prosecutor
and now private attorney, who spoke on
Court TV this past evening.
She said she doesn't remember any case she ever prosecuted of homicide committed by husband against wife, where there wasn't
prior violence against wife before her murder.
My mind jumped to SM and how we've discussed BM's controlling personality.
I'm sure LE has most all the pieces and knows pretty much what happened.
They just need those little additional details
to put a credible story together to convince a
jury of what happened.
It's coming BM, get your affairs in order.

RBBM

I'm not an attorney, but I can think of several right off the top of my head: Laci Peterson, Rachel Entwistle, Jennifer Young, Susan Powell. No sign of prior domestic violence in any of their deaths.

moo

 

[Hatfield]

RBBM

I'm not an attorney, but I can think of several right off the top of my head: Laci Peterson, Rachel Entwistle, Jennifer Young, Susan Powell. No sign of prior domestic violence in any of their deaths.

moo

Yes it does happen. Some people can be good most of their life till they are not.

 

[DizzyB]

I am hoping that something breaks soon. My insomnia has caused me to watch a lot of late night true crime shows, and so many take years before an arrest is made. In a majority of those cases, LE had their suspect from the beginning, but needed more for an arrest. I do feel that whatever happened, it took place in the house, and there was not a lot of physical evidence at the scene. All about the digital footprint, in my estimation. But is that enough?

 

[MrsWatson]

Yes it does happen. Some people can be good most of their life till they are not.

Also, as we well know, lots of other forms of abuse don't involve violence. It annoys me when these TV talking heads make these sweeping statements. Get a WSer on there, we can tell you all sorts of things and probably have a good idea what we're talking about.

 

[susiQ]

I don't think there was any violence from Chris Watts towards Shan'ann before he murdered her. I would expect previous violence more from guys who have to call the shots, who have to be obeyed, are physically so much stronger. It's not unusual, imo, that some men lose interest in their wife should she become ill with cancer. But, imo, it is not usual for a woman to psychologically desert a husband with cancer. I can't believe that he has so quickly moved on.

I took a lot longer to mourn my own divorce, even when it was my own idea, carried out in a friendly manner with mutual respect.

Sad to say, but he acts so nonchalant about her disappearance, like it happened long ago and he can't wait to finally get on with his life, unencumbered.

I agree. I can envision him being controlling and SM going along as good Christian wives are expected to do, always forgiving him and respecting her “wild at heart sweetie.” I’m less inclined to think there was too much overt physical violence prior to this as my experience is, when older children in these volatile homes sense that kind of trouble they don’t go on a camping trip and leave the victim alone. Not only that, the children appear to support their father as far as we know (guardianship) and other morsels gleaned from SM. I admit, this may have changed by now.

At the moment, I’m still in the premeditated camp. I believe money is at the crux of it although I’m not ruling out an affair. Barry didn’t just need to control SM anymore, he needed control ALL of the money to sustain his “image.” I think SM had had enough of his ego and he knew it. Narcissists don’t like it when their spouses (or anyone else) can see behind the mask and removes them from their pedestal. JMHO

 

[JosieMae]

I agree with you. We know there are some dumb criminals out there but in this scenario, using heavy equipment, at that hour, to cover up a murder just doesn't make sense me. You mine as well put a spotlight on the scene so you can see better.

When I listened/read the interview with the neighbor of the job site, I'll be honest, I discarded it. It came across as not believable to *me*. There I said it.

I would imagine LE had something more compelling to search/dig up that site. I don't believe however there was anything found. That does happen often, not all searches lead to evidence. That location has probably been eliminated as connected to this case is all. IMO

I find the neighbor's account quite credible. IMO, no one was hiding anything at the worksite that night, but rather retrieving the heavy equipment needed to hide something a few hours later. Say, enroute to Denver.

 

[Lilypad13]

I agree with you. We know there are some dumb criminals out there but in this scenario, using heavy equipment, at that hour, to cover up a murder just doesn't make sense me. You mine as well put a spotlight on the scene so you can see better.

When I listened/read the interview with the neighbor of the job site, I'll be honest, I discarded it. It came across as not believable to *me*. There I said it.

I would imagine LE had something more compelling to search/dig up that site. I don't believe however there was anything found. That does happen often, not all searches lead to evidence. That location has probably been eliminated as connected to this case is all. IMO

I saw a new video this morning of the dig site property with a new driveway. It’s dark, looks like asphalt they use on roads and sort of circular. I remembered an OP discussing a driveway permit. Do you think the FBI had scent dogs cover the entire property and not just where the concrete was poured? What about the ground penetrating radar used over the concrete...did they use it over the dirt areas as well? I feel certain they covered the entire property. But just what if the loud machinery during the night was someone digging a hole in the ground closer to the street where the driveway was going in the future? In the photos of the dig site, all the action was focused under the concrete slab and the pilings area near the river. I believe Suzanne is most likely somewhere else but is there a small chance she could have been missed? The loud noise heard by the neighbor is hard to dismiss without another explanation. Why and who was there running equipment that late? It’s such a big coincidence. From what we have learned about the scent dogs from you they would have been able to smell cadaverine through anything - plastic, wood, concrete, metal, lime, etc. I wonder what made the FBI cut out that rectangle in the concrete and focus the dig & sift operation in that location?

 

[MrsWatson]

@lilypad, I agree. I don't think that equipment, running that late at night, at that job site, was just a coincidence.

 

[Lilypad13]

I still think she ended up in pieces, easy and quickly done by a big game hunter, even a self described one. She weighs less than the average female white tailed deer. Same mo as Frazee, imo. In fact Frazee could have been a studied role model and inspiration.

I know next to nothing about hunting. Do hunters use any type of containers or bags to put the deer or bear or whatever they killed in to hide the scent from other animals? Like say they are on an overnight hunting trip and they kill a deer, what do they do with it until they are ready to leave? Do they cut it up immediately and put it in something? My train of thought here is I’ve heard when you camp you need to put your food in something so bears won’t smell it. So is there something hunters use to hide the smell of a freshly killed deer from say a Bear or mountain lion who might want to eat it? I hope this is not a dumb question. I’m still stuck on any way to conceal the cadaverine smell from scent dogs...

 

[happyday]

@lilypad, I agree. I don't think that equipment, running that late at night, at that job site, was just a coincidence.

I don’t either.

 

[K9Enzo]

I find the neighbor's account quite credible. IMO, no one was hiding anything at the worksite that night, but rather retrieving the heavy equipment needed to hide something a few hours later. Say, enroute to Denver.

(dunking from flying tomatoes-ha!) IMO, I believe more that this neighbor is a busy body, than what she claims she heard.

 

[MrsWatson]

(dunking from flying tomatoes-ha!) IMO, I believe more that this neighbor is a busy body, than what she claims she heard.

Well ya, she is a curtain twitcher, no doubt, heh.

 

[Lilypad13]

@lilypad, I agree. I don't think that equipment, running that late at night, at that job site, was just a coincidence.

Me either! Suzanne may not be buried there but it’s such a big coincidence especially after the time line was narrowed down. Maybe the intention was to bury her there but the neighbor scared him/them away? Or maybe the loud machine that was used for approximately 30 minutes was pulled right down to the river bank such as a wood chipper. I know we have discussed the wood chipper scenario ad nauseam and it’s so awful ai hate to even bring it back up. I can’t let go of the neighbor hearing loud machinery late into the night at a job site where BM laid dirt. IMO

 

[oviedo]

Me either! Suzanne may not be buried there but it’s such a big coincidence especially after the time line was narrowed down. Maybe the intention was to bury her there but the neighbor scared him/them away? Or maybe the loud machine that was used for approximately 30 minutes was pulled right down to the river bank such as a wood chipper. I know we have discussed the wood chipper scenario ad nauseam and it’s so awful ai hate to even bring it back up. I can’t let go of the neighbor hearing loud machinery late into the night at a job site where BM laid dirt. IMO

and to add it was the evening of May 9 after an abrupt(?) end to a conversation SM was having with her friend....
JMO

 

[Area52]

Interesting comment from a former prosecutor
and now private attorney, who spoke on
Court TV this past evening.
She said she doesn't remember any case she ever prosecuted of homicide committed by husband against wife, where there wasn't
prior violence against wife before her murder.
My mind jumped to SM and how we've discussed BM's controlling personality.
I'm sure LE has most all the pieces and knows pretty much what happened.
They just need those little additional details
to put a credible story together to convince a
jury of what happened.
It's coming BM, get your affairs in order.

I have wondered since the beginning about WHY the FBI and CBI got involved so quickly. Could there have been some history of discord or abuse? Did the neighbor who called 911 offer some info on a personal level that made the sheriff consider homicide and reach out for more law enforcement,? Just thinking out loud.
MOO

 

[Chelly]

The M property and Arkansas River conversation got me thinking about a similar post I made recently. This post is MOO and is just something to consider regarding where SM’s body might be found.

-BM was/is a volunteer firefighter
-Volunteer firefighters train on swift water rescue in the Arkansas River
-I’d imagine some aspect of that training involves what happens if a person is swept down the river with knowledge that there is a dam. I’d imagine you’d also be familiar with how corpses of people that drown are found in that area
-As a volunteer FF, you’d also have a lot of experience with the various terrain in the area
-As a big game hunter, you’d feel comfortable being out in remote areas

That leads me to think that if BM is the perp, he’d have enough info on why trying to hide a body in the Arkansas River is not a good option. I could see a weapon that would sink being disposed in the river but not a body.

On the other hand, as a FF, Big game Hunter, and someone very familiar with hardscape work, I think you’d have a lot of ideas on how you could use the terrain for your benefit.

Thanks for this helpful post @EggSalad . I have been wondering for some time about body disposal in the Arkansas River vs land disposal

 

[Hatfield]

I know next to nothing about hunting. Do hunters use any type of containers or bags to put the deer or bear or whatever they killed in to hide the scent from other animals? Like say they are on an overnight hunting trip and they kill a deer, what do they do with it until they are ready to leave? Do they cut it up immediately and put it in something? My train of thought here is I’ve heard when you camp you need to put your food in something so bears won’t smell it. So is there something hunters use to hide the smell of a freshly killed deer from say a Bear or mountain lion who might want to eat it? I hope this is not a dumb question. I’m still stuck on any way to conceal the cadaverine smell from scent dogs...

When hunting, normally a large game animal like a deer should be gutted immediately to remove entrails and then either butchered immediately or kept cold and cool until the deer can be transported to a deer processing place.

For hunters, they make all types of Large Game Bags that can help transport a deer or other large game animal but most are "breathable" because you typically want to let it breathe.

However, if only going for a short drive to a butchering station, they do make very heavy duty plastic game bags like this one in 1st link below. Most of the other types in the 2nd link are the breathable type.

I think BM would know about all types of game bags. The heavy duty large plastic ones are hard to find like in 1st link. I bought one one time to transport a deer to a butchering place and it worked great to keep the back of the truck clean but I kept one end open to let air in and keep it breathable. I also packed ice all around the outside.

Single Quarter Game Bag Available in Small - Medium - Large

GAME BAGS

 

[MrsWatson]

I have wondered since the beginning about WHY the FBI and CBI got involved so quickly. Could there have been some history of discord or abuse? Did the neighbor who called 911 offer some info on a personal level that made the sheriff consider homicide and reach out for more law enforcement,? Just thinking out loud.
MOO

Could the friend she was texting with have requested a welfare check sometime Sunday afternoon after not being able to get hold of her, and the daughters also not being able to reach her? The friend could have also talked about concerns she may have about SM in general, not just the abrupt end to their texting.

MOO

 

[susiQ]

I have wondered since the beginning about WHY the FBI and CBI got involved so quickly. Could there have been some history of discord or abuse? Did the neighbor who called 911 offer some info on a personal level that made the sheriff consider homicide and reach out for more law enforcement,? Just thinking out loud.
MOO

Could be! I doubt it was BM’s intention to have the neighbour involved at all. He expected the girls to find their mother missing and he could then introduce the bike ride and direct them to search her usual route and find the bike? But, they were running late and how could he refuse the suggestion of calling the neighbour? Perhaps neighbour heard strange things late Saturday night that seemed off? Headlights late at night at the M’s home coming and going? Machinery being loaded? Although I am not 70, many of us women develop insomnia in our 60’s and it’s surprising what we all see at night . JMHO

 

[OldCop]

I apologize if this has been covered previously... I admittedly haven't read everything - but I still wonder about the noises reported by the neighbor at the job site late on the 9th.

Does it seem like someone would take the risk of making all that commotion if they were in the process, or in the possession, of something nefarious? Someone might do this I guess and we know (thankfully) that mistakes do get made. But could it serve another other purpose to have a verifiable reason to be out and about that night on that route? I guess it could also have been that something was needed for the trip on Sunday to be believable, or to make up for lost time if work had been planned and missed for another reason. I believe the neighbor said she heard noise for about 30 mins, no clue how long loading up equipment or finishing up a job might take.

If I recall correctly, LE said a "tip" led them to search there the way they did. Would a search like that have been carried out based upon just a tip without someone else's admittance of being out there or GPS data? I think about the unknown item being referenced widely in the media and wonder if they could be looking for someone to have seen it there (if you know what is it, then you saw it) before a morning ride was feasible. IMO.

Welcome, @NatKingCola. You made some good points that got me thinking. What if BM had one of his workers, or two, take his truck and trailer and asked him to go pick up a piece of equipment at that job site and bring it to Denver for the other job prep. While this was going on it gave him opportunity to stage a bike, drop a personal item, and dispose of a body in a vehicle that wasn’t his and which, potentially, had no GPS. He may have taken the worker’s older vehicle and told him he would swap back when he got to Denver. The workers may have had no idea they were being used as pawns. This may have been another one of BM’s false trails.
When LE confronted him about the dig site, he could say, “No, that wasn’t even me. I was home with my wife until 5:00 a.m.”
Theoretical scenario.