It did.
Suzanne Morphew - Chaffee County Sheriff
CHAFFEE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
Salida, Colorado
With the private search by Andrew Moorman concluding on September 29, 2020, the Suzanne Morphew Missing Person Investigative Task Force, consisting of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI), 11th Judicial District Attorney’s Office and the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office provides a recap of the search for Suzanne over the last several days, and since she went missing on May 10, 2020.
As reported previously, the law enforcement team responded to collect several pieces of possible evidence found by the searchers across the county, and will continue to follow-up to determine if there is any connection to Suzanne’s disappearance.
Also this week, members of the law enforcement task force responded to the report of human remains trained dogs “alerting” on three separate properties in Chaffee County. To clarify, none of these properties are owned by members of the Morphew family. One of the locations investigated by the task force was along the Arkansas River in the county. The dog handler used on that private property was interviewed by our team and explained that the dogs did not “alert” to anything on the property but did show interest. Our law enforcement team obtained consent from the property owner, and after further investigation, including working with the private human remains dogs on the property, it was determined this was not a viable lead in this case.
A second property near the Morphew home was also investigated after the same dog team alerted to an area on that private property. Our investigation team, immediately upon being notified, secured the scene and provided around the clock security until investigators from the Chaffee County Sheriff’s office, FBI and CBI arrived. This location of interest on the private property, with the consent of the property owner, was investigated extensively by members of the task force, and found to have no evidentiary significance to the case.
A third location was also identified in unincorporated Chaffee County near Salida on private property where a different pair of human remains dogs alerted. Also, once alerted, our team responded immediately and secured the property providing security around the clock. This morning our team, along with the FBI and CBI, and with consent of the property owner, excavated this location and once again, nothing of evidentiary value to the Suzanne Morphew case was located.
The Suzanne Morphew Missing Person Investigative Task Force remains dedicated to determining what happened to Suzanne. “The level of commitment from the entire team from the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office, CBI and FBI investigators is unprecedented and unparalleled,” said Sheriff John Spezze. “While the public may not see all of the effort being put forth in this case, I can assure the community that this investigation continues to move forward.”
The Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office is dedicated to assigning financial and staffing resources to this case, as leads continue to be extensively followed up on by investigators. “The investigative task force remains resolved in their commitment to finding Suzanne, and our hearts go out to her family and friends,” said Sheriff Spezze.
Anyone with information that could assist law enforcement in locating Suzanne Morphew is encouraged to call 719-312-7530.
Suzanne Morphew missing person Investigative Task Force Recap since May 10:
- 1,123 Total tips called to the designated tip line (includes hang-ups and duplicates).
- 180 Interviews conducted in Colorado, Indiana and other locations. This number does not take into account the hundreds of other contacts made between investigators and individuals as part of this case since May.
- 130+ Searches conducted (including warrants, which remained sealed at this time)
- 4,000+ Hours spent by Task Force investigators on the case.
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Now, I can't speak for anybody else, but personally, I take a lot of encouragement from this statement by LE.
I really never questioned their dedication to pursuing justice Suzanne, but seeing the actual numbers r/t the searches and man-hours that have been poured into this investigation, I'm feeling extremely optimistic that LE is going to see this case through to an arrest, no matter how long it takes.
The other hopeful news is that hundreds of people who never even met Suzanne came from all around the country to invest a great deal of time and emotional energy into the search for SM.
Is it disappointing that SM wasn't located?
Yes. It is.
Does the fact that she wasn't found mean the search was a failure?
No. It doesn't.
This very much takes me back to when the landfill search for Kelsey concluded without her remains being found.
It's hard not to feel disheartened.
But, then, I remember all those hundreds of searchers out there for the past week, including WS members here on this thread, working diligently to find Suzanne.
And SM's brother, pouring every last ounce of energy and devotion he could into finding his sister.
And the LEOs who are working so tenaciously to ferret out the truth despite all of the perp's efforts to conceal his crime.
And all of the amazing people here who continue to keep Suzanne's thread alive and active.
I find that pretty inspirational.
And, too, I'm reminded of this fact:
At the end of the day, Goodness does ultimately prevail over Evil.
"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."
JMO.
