Found Deceased CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, did not return from bike ride, Chaffee County, 10 May 2020 #50

[alexwood]

The comments are worth a look!

Yep. I can see a Change of Venue right off the bat when this goes to trial.

 

[Ontario Mom]

Yep. I can see a Change of Venue right off the bat when this goes to trial.

Care to explain why that might happen?

 

[K9Enzo]

He would be better off hiring a private detective. I can't imagine handing out flyers would suffice any court obligation to show proof of anything. I agree with most here, this is a strange step for him to take now. IMO

 

[Boxer]

He would be better off hiring a private detective. I can't imagine handing out flyers would suffice any court obligation to show proof of anything. I agree with most here, this is a strange step for him to take now. IMO

Yes. MOO He is working from an old to-do list or something, maybe he does literally have a screw loose.

 

[Boxer]

MOO So 7 months later is long enough, and now is the right time?

 

[kittythehare]

MOO So 7 months later is long enough, and now is the right time?

need those internet searches so bad!

 

[GordianKnot]

Frankly, I'm impressed that BM distributed the official LE flyers at the Safeway.

He must not have kept a copy of his carefully crafted "Baby blue bike helmet biker clothing" BOLO notice.
You know, the one that made no mention of his missing wife on it.
(A simple oversight on his part, I'm sure).

Anyway, nice to see him pulling out all the stops now.

It's amazing what 33k in Gimme $$$$ will buy you.

I'll bet he was able to pass out at least 100 flyers yesterday!

JMO.

 

[alexwood]

Care to explain why that might happen?

Well, the general social media population seems to think that the most likely suspect is responsible. Personally, I don't believe this will ever come to trial. If it did, then a change of venue would be sought by the defense due to the jury pool being contaminated by media in the case.

Sadly, I don't think her body will ever be found.

 

[MassGuy]

Well, the general social media population seems to think that the most likely suspect is responsible. Personally, I don't believe this will ever come to trial. If it did, then a change of venue would be sought by the defense due to the jury pool being contaminated by media in the case.

Sadly, I don't think her body will ever be found.

Just because a lot of people think someone did it, doesn’t mean that a change of venue will be approved. That’s not the standard, and change of venue is rarely approved on the whole.

I’d bet everything I have on this case ultimately going to trial. Rarely are task forces assembled this quickly, and law enforcement seemed focused on one scenario, and one person, from the very beginning.

I’m convinced there was a massive red flag from the beginning, and that guided law enforcement’s hand (not treating this as an abduction is a huge deal).

This is not the type of crime that lends itself to the suspect getting away with it. There were too many things working against this guy. The biggest difficulty was putting himself somewhere else, while being able to keep Suzanne alive via cell phone activity.

His story collapses if Suzanne’s phone goes dark before he claims to have left the house, and never comes back online on Mother’s Day.

That’s what must have happened, as a bike ride with BM being far away, would all but clear him.

We wouldn’t have seen the highly unusual excavation of BM’s job site, and those two warrants executed at the house.

One man is at the nexus of all of this, and there hasn’t been the slightest indication that the focus is anywhere else.

The reason would be evidence.

 

[alexwood]

@MassGuy

Thanks. This gives me hope!

 

[kittythehare]

Just because a lot of people think someone did it, doesn’t mean that a change of venue will be approved. That’s not the standard, and change of venue is rarely approved on the whole.

I’d bet everything I have on this case ultimately going to trial. Rarely are task forces assembled this quickly, and law enforcement seemed focused on one scenario, and one person, from the very beginning.

I’m convinced there was a massive red flag from the beginning, and that guided law enforcement’s hand (not treating this as an abduction is a huge deal).

This is not the type of crime that lends itself to the suspect getting away with it. There were too many things working against this guy. The biggest difficulty was putting himself somewhere else, while being able to keep Suzanne alive via cell phone activity.

His story collapses if Suzanne’s phone goes dark before he claims to have left the house, and never comes back online on Mother’s Day.

That’s what must have happened, as a bike ride with BM being far away, would all but clear him.

We wouldn’t have seen the highly unusual excavation of BM’s job site, and those two warrants executed at the house.

One man is at the nexus of all of this, and there hasn’t been the slightest indication that the focus is anywhere else.

The reason would be evidence.

Well spoke!
Also, thankfully ,we have not yet arrived at the stage where trials by social media ever lead to convictions in reality. They are not monitored for accuracy or truth.
A change of venue will not change the outcome of an evidence based trial.
People are the same the whole world over, facts and evidence are the truth.

 

[Dave F.]

Well, the general social media population seems to think that the most likely suspect is responsible. Personally, I don't believe this will ever come to trial. If it did, then a change of venue would be sought by the defense due to the jury pool being contaminated by media in the case.

Sadly, I don't think her body will ever be found.

Okay, I'm going to play the devil's advocate here:
Colorado's current judicial system makes it very difficult for a change of venue to happen, and if it does happen there is a high likelihood that the new venue will not be any "friendlier" than the original. That is by deliberate design.
The linked article is an opinion piece by a Colorado lawyer, which seems pretty accurate to me. You might find it interesting reading.
IMO, IANAL

https://www.criminal-lawyer-colorad...do-can-i-move-my-trial-to-another-county.html

 

[Dave F.]

*Speculation Alert*

Re: BM's flyer distribution yesterday::

Does anyone think it's remotely possible that BM has filed for permanent guardianship in Colorado and the court has advised him he needs to demonstrate he's made sufficient efforts to locate her before they'll sign off on permanent guardianship?

Given the fact that he filed for permanent guardianship of SM back in Indiana, I would fully expect him to do the same in Colorado.

Especially since SM's Puma Path house went on the market.

JMO.

No, it's not likely. Any action like that would have been listed on the District Courts docket, just as the recent divorce action in the Stauch case was......which was instantly picked up.

While it is easy for the public to do a statewide search by name only, it is my understanding that it is even easier for credentialed news reporters. To assume that he slipped one past an army of sleuths and highly skilled news reporters is a real stretch.
IMO

Colorado Judicial Branch - Courts - By District

 

[Minordetails]

Just because a lot of people think someone did it, doesn’t mean that a change of venue will be approved. That’s not the standard, and change of venue is rarely approved on the whole.

I’d bet everything I have on this case ultimately going to trial. Rarely are task forces assembled this quickly, and law enforcement seemed focused on one scenario, and one person, from the very beginning.

I’m convinced there was a massive red flag from the beginning, and that guided law enforcement’s hand (not treating this as an abduction is a huge deal).

This is not the type of crime that lends itself to the suspect getting away with it. There were too many things working against this guy. The biggest difficulty was putting himself somewhere else, while being able to keep Suzanne alive via cell phone activity.

His story collapses if Suzanne’s phone goes dark before he claims to have left the house, and never comes back online on Mother’s Day.

That’s what must have happened, as a bike ride with BM being far away, would all but clear him.

We wouldn’t have seen the highly unusual excavation of BM’s job site, and those two warrants executed at the house.

One man is at the nexus of all of this, and there hasn’t been the slightest indication that the focus is anywhere else.

The reason would be evidence.

Will BM be surprised when first presented with the ‘amount of’ evidence?

 

[Synergizer Bunny]

Yes. MOO He is working from an old to-do list or something, maybe he does literally have a screw loose.

Let's see...If a husband sells or rents or gets rid of a (missing) spouse's property and does nothing to find that spouse for seven months and then suddenly starts handing out "Missing" flyers on the 7th month, what message is the spouse trying to send and to whom?

I think that the spouse may be trying in a most clever way to keep the public and police second guessing themselves...I bet most are thinking, "Hmmm...Maybe, she is just missing..."

Of course, I'm not one who is falling for it. It's a day late and a dollar short. His squaring away of his finances first and foremost and doing nothing to find his wife speak volumes to me.

What perplexes me is why he didn't just hand out that "Blue helmet/blue bike" note again...I suspect that it is going to get the same result.

 

[alexwood]

Okay, I'm going to play the devil's advocate here:
Colorado's current judicial system makes it very difficult for a change of venue to happen, and if it does happen there is a high likelihood that the new venue will not be any "friendlier" than the original. That is by deliberate design.
The linked article is an opinion piece by a Colorado lawyer, which seems pretty accurate to me. You might find it interesting reading.
IMO, IANAL
https://www.criminal-lawyer-colorad...do-can-i-move-my-trial-to-another-county.html

Thanks, Dave F. Good article to explain the requirements in seeking a change of venue. It is much harder than I thought to obtain. If an impartial jury can't be empaneled, then the defense would file a motion for change of venue.

Also found this nugget from your article:

"Changes of Venue will most likely occur – if at all – when there is a high level of publicity in the original district where the crimes are alleged to have occurred, but not much publicity in other neighboring districts to which the case could be transferred. Cases of local and intense prejudicial publicity – especially in the smaller jurisdictions are most likely to fit this profile."

 

[MassGuy]

Will BM be surprised when first presented with the ‘amount of’ evidence?

The killer knows what he did, and he would know in a general sense what law enforcement has. When the time comes though, I think any rational person would be surprised at how through an investigation like this is.

Forensics, surveillance footage, GPS data, cell phone records, computer records, emails, financial records, witness statements, social media records, etc.

 

[GordianKnot]

The killer knows what he did, and he would know in a general sense what law enforcement has. When the time comes though, I think any rational person would be surprised at how through an investigation like this is.

Forensics, surveillance footage, GPS data, cell phone records, computer records, emails, financial records, witness statements, social media records, etc.

BBM:

Agreed.

I think the killer is going to be stunned when he sees the amount of evidence compiled against him.

I don't think the killer has the first clue what LE's capabilities are with regard to digital/electronic evidence gathering and analysis.

I also think the killer is incredibly arrogant, and thinks he can fool anybody and everybody,

This killer is going to be gobsmacked once he sees how thoroughly and accurately LE was able to reconstruct not just his actions, but to divine his motives as well.

LE's going to have answers to not just the Who, What, When, and Where questions.

They're going to be able to tell the world Why, too.

I'm 100% confident LE has $u$$ed out the killer's motive.

JMO.

 

[Minordetails]

BM is not is in PR battle with the public. What we think of him matters zilch. If there is PR involved, it’s with his close family and friends only.

JMO

 

[PaulaDC]

In October BM released "love letters" in November he talked to CBS in December he handed out fliers. I still believe he's following social media. It's obvious especially with the house situation. moo