Found Deceased CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, did not return from bike ride, Chaffee County, 10 May 2020 #51

[dspdenver]

Actually, the percentage of murdered women who are killed by an intimate partner (not necessarily a spouse) is fifty percent, according to the largest study to date.

Yes, I agree the study shows this. Where circumstances of the 10,000 female murders scrutinized were known (8,028), Table 1 of the study shows about 55% of those homicides were Intimate Partner Violence related, and Table 2 breaks that number down to show a little more than 6 percent of those murderers were people other than current or former IPs (friends or family, for instance.) That means out of all the female homicides in the study where details were known, a little over 50 percent were committed by IP, still a large percentage of all female murders.

Racial and Ethnic Differences in Homicides of Adult Women...

 

[borndem]

Yes, I agree the study shows this. Where circumstances of the 10,000 female murders scrutinized were known (8,028), Table 1 of the study shows about 55% of those homicides were Intimate Partner Violence related, and Table 2 breaks that number down to show a little more than 6 percent of those murderers were people other than current or former IPs (friends or family, for instance.) That means out of all the female homicides in the study where details were known, a little over 50 percent were committed by IP, still a large percentage of all female murders.

Racial and Ethnic Differences in Homicides of Adult Women...

Interesting article -- thanks. It's a lot to take in.

It is also interesting to see the pregnancy stats... We have agreed many times that pregnancy seems to be a trigger in some situations. SMH. At least we see that a lot here on WS. SMH. Maddening and sad.

 

[mom2chloe]

Interesting article -- thanks. It's a lot to take in.

It is also interesting to see the pregnancy stats... We have agreed many times that pregnancy seems to be a trigger in some situations. SMH. At least we see that a lot here on WS. SMH. Maddening and sad.

Pregnancy and leaving the relationship are the two riskiest Situations for women.

 

[OldCop]

I don't know myself, but here's a quote about families posting rewards, from a website supporting families of missing children, that makes sense to me even in an adult context:

"Be prepared to meet resistance from law enforcement. Some law enforcement agencies disapprove of reward offers because they can result in a of false leads."

Yes, that can be true, but if we make the argument that BM was only doing what LE was telling him to do, (don’t search, don’t go public, don’t offer a reward), why did he post a $100,000 reward?
Oh, so the only time BM listened to LE was when they told him, “Don’t search. Don’t show your face. Don’t put up flyers. Don’t stand with us and beg for your wife’s return.” Um........

 

[OldCop]

Respectfully: Bobcat-Shmobcat!

Today’s disposal of choice for unwanted women is chopping the body into pieces and throwing them out like trash. Preferably into a dumpster or the like which is regularly emptied into a garbage dump at a distant location.
This is and will remain a “no body” case. The pursuit of physical evidence is a blind alley.
If BM did it, the case can only be solved by a meticulous (and brilliant) (and lucky) analysis of his alibi/timeline.
Poor SM’s remains will never be found.

I would tend to agree with you except that BM was obviously upset about getting caught lying about what time he did a “mechanical thing” with a Bobcat. He let the (Bob)cat out of the bag by bringing it up himself.

 

[Trackergd]

Disarticulating a body is messy, even with the correct tools and the detailed cleanup afterwards is time consuming. I doubt that someone inexperienced in it would have the knowledge to clean up every microscopic spot of forensic evidence. I would think outside of PP. If in fact this is what occurred, it speaks volumes about the actor. Same with the wood chipper scenario. I am betting that the forensic teams went over PP with a fine tooth comb. If any biological evidence had seeped under cabinets, between floor boards and lodged in drain joints, it would have been found. I'm still in the "body is in the back 40 behind PP camp". All the other locations were to lead LE in other directions. Why go to all the trouble to cut up a body or transport it miles away when you can travel a half hour into the wilderness behind your house (without your cell phone) and deposit the remains in a well hidden hole and be back home with no one the wiser. Then it's off to plant false leads and act all panicked and out of sorts.

 

[Dalgliesh]

Yes, that can be true, but if we make the argument that BM was only doing what LE was telling him to do, (don’t search, don’t go public, don’t offer a reward), why did he post a $100,000 reward?
Oh, so the only time BM listened to LE was when they told him, “Don’t search. Don’t show your face. Don’t put up flyers. Don’t stand with us and beg for your wife’s return.” Um........

MOO he listened only initially. When he lost confidence in LE he went his own way.

 

[Dalgliesh]

Yes, I agree the study shows this. Where circumstances of the 10,000 female murders scrutinized were known (8,028), Table 1 of the study shows about 55% of those homicides were Intimate Partner Violence related, and Table 2 breaks that number down to show a little more than 6 percent of those murderers were people other than current or former IPs (friends or family, for instance.) That means out of all the female homicides in the study where details were known, a little over 50 percent were committed by IP, still a large percentage of all female murders.

Racial and Ethnic Differences in Homicides of Adult Women...

ITA. SM if you look at the data, by far the most likely to be victims are young, black and brown women. For white, upper middle class women outside childbearing age (over 44), the likelihood of a DV murder goes way down.<modsnip: rude and personalizing>

 

[Dalgliesh]

How do you know CCSO's silence results from the lessons learned from the Richard Jewell case and other cases?

Source, please.

Sorry, I should have edited the post to say explicitly that this is MOO. But MOO it's a reasonable inference from the statements in the article. Notwithstanding recent events and controversies, I believe LE generally wants to do justice. Also, legal liability disasters like the Richard Jewell case tend to be incorporated in future training as examples what not to do. MOO this is true across all businesses and government agencies.

 

[LietKynes]

Respectfully: Bobcat-Shmobcat!

Today’s disposal of choice for unwanted women is chopping the body into pieces and throwing them out like trash. Preferably into a dumpster or the like which is regularly emptied into a garbage dump at a distant location.
This is and will remain a “no body” case. The pursuit of physical evidence is a blind alley.
If BM did it, the case can only be solved by a meticulous (and brilliant) (and lucky) analysis of his alibi/timeline.
Poor SM’s remains will never be found.

Fotis Dulos comes to mind.

 

[Ontario Mom]

ITA. SM if you look at the data, by far the most likely to be victims are young, black and brown women. For white, upper middle class women outside childbearing age (over 44), the likelihood of a DV murder goes way down. <modsnip: rude and personalizing>

I'm not looking at the data in any study to come to the conclusion that it's likely BM murdered SM.

I'm looking at the way the CCSO has handled this investigation into her disappearance, from day 1.

Sheriff Spezze didn't have to say "we suspect BM has something to do with this", all they had to do was show up at his worksite and start digging.

That very action tells the world, that they have probable cause to "suspect BM has something to do with this".

Search warrants requiring probable cause, are very compelling.

jmo

 

[charminglane]

This morning I am thinking that BM was not in contact with anyone at all on his way home, after the initial alert that Suzanne was missing.
That might have been the alert that Spezze had that this was no ordinary missing event - no constant contact with the husband on the long drive to the house.

 

[Dalgliesh]

I'm not looking at the data in any study to come to the conclusion that it's likely BM murdered SM.

I'm looking at the way the CCSO has handled this investigation into her disappearance, from day 1.

Sheriff Spezze didn't have to say "we suspect BM has something to do with this", all they had to do was show up at his worksite and start digging.

That very action tells the world, that they have probable cause to "suspect BM has something to do with this".

Search warrants requiring probable cause, are very compelling.

jmo

ITA. A judge's approval of the second search warrant on the PP home and the warrant for the Salida worksite represent independent affirmation that LE presented substantial evidence that a crime was committed and that evidence related to that crime could be found in those locations - both of which have something in common: BM.

 

[borndem]

I keep thinking, woodchipper... Just one more thought to add to the pile. If you clear areas with underbrush, or shrubs, dead trees, branches, etc., a woodchipper is a must... would he or any of his crews have one?

I am beginning to wonder if there really is an intact body out there -- unless it's in a river or pond or deep hole (unlikely) many, many miles away -- and, if so, how was that accomplished?

Still hoping a body will be found...

 

[Ontario Mom]

I keep thinking, woodchipper...
If you clear areas with underbrush, or shrubs, dead trees, branches, etc., a woodchipper is a must...
Still hoping a body will be found...

I know it's happened in a couple of other cases over the years, but to use such a machine to get rid of a body would be incredibly messy, and just leave SO much evidence scattered & nearly impossible to collect and dispose of.

If you were trying to hide evidence, it seems to me that a wood chipper might be the last thing you'd use.

jmo

 

[borndem]

I know it's happened in a couple of other cases over the years, but to use such a machine to get rid of a body would be incredibly messy, and just leave SO much evidence scattered & nearly impossible to collect and dispose of.

If you were trying to hide evidence, it seems to me that a wood chipper might be the last thing you'd use.

jmo

Yes indeed, there's that -- bone and tissues aren't like wood -- traces can be found if the parts are inspected, etc.

I'm still trying to decide if BM is smarter than the average bear -- so far, so good for him.
And there is no limit on time for investigations by LE... and we've seen cases drag on with no body before, and we do have patience...
Just throwing it out there...

 

[LietKynes]

Yes indeed, there's that -- bone and tissues aren't like wood -- traces can be found if the parts are inspected, etc.

I'm still trying to decide if BM is smarter than the average bear -- so far, so good for him.
And there is no limit on time for investigations by LE... and we've seen cases drag on with no body before, and we do have patience...
Just throwing it out there...

bbm
Indeed we do !

I'm betting someone is having some sleepless nights....
MOO

 

[Dalgliesh]

I'm not looking at the data in any study to come to the conclusion that it's likely BM murdered SM.

I'm looking at the way the CCSO has handled this investigation into her disappearance, from day 1.

Sheriff Spezze didn't have to say "we suspect BM has something to do with this", all they had to do was show up at his worksite and start digging.

That very action tells the world, that they have probable cause to "suspect BM has something to do with this".

Search warrants requiring probable cause, are very compelling.

jmo

Those who want to explore the nature of probable cause determinations and the evidence required for search warrants in Colorado can look at People v. Scott, a 2010 Colorado Supreme Court decision. In Colorado, judges apply a non-technical, common sense approach to determine whether it's likely that evidence of a crime can be found at the location to be searched. I highly recommend Websleuthers read the decision, because the searches of the PP home and the Salida worksite are viewed here - rightly IMO - as strong indicators LE has reason to suspect BM in SM's disappearance. But it's important to remember that the evidence supporting a search warrant can be far less than compelling proof.

 

[HongKongPhooey]

I know it's happened in a couple of other cases over the years, but to use such a machine to get rid of a body would be incredibly messy, and just leave SO much evidence scattered & nearly impossible to collect and dispose of.

If you were trying to hide evidence, it seems to me that a wood chipper might be the last thing you'd use.

jmo

Absolutely agree with you.

One word: Fargo

 

[borndem]

I'm not looking at the data in any study to come to the conclusion that it's likely BM murdered SM.

I'm looking at the way the CCSO has handled this investigation into her disappearance, from day 1.

Sheriff Spezze didn't have to say "we suspect BM has something to do with this", all they had to do was show up at his worksite and start digging.

That very action tells the world, that they have probable cause to "suspect BM has something to do with this".

Search warrants requiring probable cause, are very compelling.

jmo

Indeed they are -- they must be based on good solid evidence or other reasons to get a judge or magistrate to sign-off the issuing of a warrant.
Oh, how I wish we could see the Probable Cause write-up!!