Found Deceased CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, did not return from bike ride, Chaffee County, 10 May 2020 #6

[bancam]

On the eastside dig: this is the second (or maybe third?) property-specific search of what could easily be many, stretching out over several weeks or months. LE doesn’t work to a news cycle, and as we know this has been a coordinated multi-agency effort from the get go.

I think there is still a lot of juice in the tank, many miles left to run and much more dust to kick up before we get to a point of handwringing over LE’s approach.

John Spezze is no hick from the sticks, and I’d wager that he has methodological and investigative cunning in spades:

About Sheriff John Spezze - Chaffee County Sheriff

...Sheriff Spezze retired from the Denver Police Department after 27 years of service. While with the Denver Police Department Spezze worked as a narcotics investigator in both street level investigations and complex investigations. As a sergeant Spezze gained a vast amount of experience in both community policing and problem oriented policing as well as running undercover operations in both Districts 1 and 6...​

 

[Knox]

But wouldn’t it have left a bloody trail somewhere that they searched?

Right? Good story links in Melrose' post, but I'm 100% convinced we are not looking at an animal attack or a stranger abduction.

 

[Frupstny2]

I have nothing new to add, but still have to open my mouth. I'm not stating any facts, just random thoughts.

My thoughts regarding a MOTHER'S DAY mountain bike ride: Nope, never happened.

If she went riding with her daughters on that day, I'd believe that no problem, but to go alone without having spoken with them...NFW.

Fact: SM and her daughters never connected that day.
My thought: She wouldn't have left the home for any reason other than an emergency because she would be probably be hoping to speak with her children.

I can't believe a mother would have gone on a mountain bike ride alone at any time – but especially on Mother's Day – without telling anyone. Mountain lion, car accident, deliberate human attack, skid off the trail down a slope, break a bone, etc. and nobody knows where you are. NOPE, she wouldn't have gone on a ride that day under those circumstances.

LE searching the home and taking evidence: expected to a certain extent. But, not allowing reentry to the family? She didn't go on a bike ride. A kidnap or murder (or a fight that resulted in her death and not reported and body moved) would make it a crime scene.

LE searching, digging and sifting a husband's recent job site: they don't believe she went on a bike ride. At some point, we'll find out why they searched there specifically – someone pointed them to it with believable information that supported the possibility of her being buried there.

Nephew calling for people to ask LE about the condition of the bike: he knew the bike wasn't working and she wouldn't or couldn't have ridden it.

Suicide not an option on Mother's Day. That would be deliberately cruel and twisted for any mother to do on that day.

Sadly, many mothers have been murdered on Mother's Day.

If she didn't ride the bike, who would think to use that as a red herring and how and when was it left to be found?

Well. I believe the bike was staged. It certainly would bolster Barry’s claim on his 26 second video of her being kidnapped. Wouldn’t it?

 

[Boxer]

Exactly! We’ve been told (I think) that she was last heard from on May 9, but do we know if that was an actual conversation with someone or merely a text? It could become even more complicated if someone else is involved as in the KB case. Rest assured, LE have something substantial. We are not only struck by the direction this investigation has gone, but by all the things they have not done. If they really didn’t have a clue, and actually thought random abductor, they would have collected every piece of video available to them, and not merely told homeowners to hold onto it in case they need it. I don’t think they need it except to bolster their case once an arrest is made. They already know how this went down. They just need to nail their case for the DA. It’s always better if they have the body. It’s my sincere hope they find her soon so her family can lay her to rest. All, IMHO.

"Last seen."
Why is the info not part of the to the public?

 

[CronesEye]

<modsnip>

What does one do if there is No evidence.
It's complicated.
Bias, Intuition, Evidence.....

What if you had a strong gut feeling about a particular situation? Would you ignore it? Sometimes that is what keeps us safe. Our brain doesn't always consciously process everything.

We are multifaceted and diverse. Some do good with logic, some intuition.

Whatever gets the job done.
I don't care if the cops use water witchers to find her, whatever works.
Just find her.

 

[Boxer]

Any sheriff, LE or FBI who goes off a 'feeling' with zero evidence....should be fired

Having said that I expect all LE to have their Hinky-o-meters set to 'extreme high likelihood'
& work back from that

JMO

MOO don't think FBI too shy to tell a local sheriff he doesn't have the evidence to pull them in.

 

[RickshawFan]

But wouldn’t it have left a bloody trail somewhere that they searched?

LE pretty much ruled out an animal attack very early on.

Referenced here: CO - Suzanne Morphew, 49, Chaffee County, 10 May 2020 , MEDIA,MAPS,TIMELINE *NO DISCUSSION*

 

[gliving]

If LE completed their search at that location, I assume the property was released back to the owners and construction will resume.

Search For Suzanne Morphew In Salida Concludes With No New Clues

 

[Truecolors]

Hi, it’s nice to join all of you here, thanks for an interesting discussion.

I was drawn to this case as I am an avid cyclist myself. In fact I have ridden 5 century rides raising funds for posters for missing children. So this case really speaks to me. I have often ridden alone early on Mother’s Day as a gift to myself.

I keep seeing people ask how they knew she was out on her bike. Well, no one knows.

Just from my experience as a female cyclist I, and many of the women I used to ride with, often had regular times we would bike in order to fit it into our busy schedules. So, for instance, mine was Sunday morning. Now I was a single mom, so my circumstances were different, so again, this is just me. I love morning rides, the air is fresh, there is almost no traffic on Sunday morning early and, very importantly, as a woman riding on my own, my whole family knew that Sunday was ride day. If no one heard back from me on Sunday late morning or early afternoon, they knew to check the house, look for my bike see if my car was gone and check my regular routes.

If I had been unavailable by 5 pm on a Sunday, and my bike was gone but my car was at home, my kids would have been very worried and I would have been considered possibly missing since about 7 am.

Just some food for thought, MOO.

Thank you for your thoughts. I, too, engage in my outdoor physical activity of choice as a gift to myself, so I can relate. And it would make sense for her family to know her typical riding schedule. I could see the daughters calling the neighbor and asking them to check the garage and look to see if the bike is there....but I just haven’t read anything like that.

It seems important to know where the idea came from. In fact, the bike was found. It could amount to a “slip” of having too much information before it should’ve been known that a bike was involved.

 

[Nerissa]

MOO don't think FBI too shy to tell a local sheriff he doesn't have the evidence to pull them in.

Think I get what you're saying...but that's not what I'm saying

I'm saying: if you've reason to think a woman has been abducted or is out there in the woods: well then: you keep searching, search 'till you drop

Put her description out there: last seen, last seen where, last seen wearing...

You DO NOT decide anything, take any direction aside from protocol without sufficient evidence

JMO
ETA nah doubt FBI is known for being shy!

 

[RickshawFan]

...
John Spezze is no hick from the sticks, and I’d wager that he has methodological and investigative cunning in spades:

About Sheriff John Spezze - Chaffee County Sheriff

...Sheriff Spezze retired from the Denver Police Department after 27 years of service. While with the Denver Police Department Spezze worked as a narcotics investigator in both street level investigations and complex investigations. As a sergeant Spezze gained a vast amount of experience in both community policing and problem oriented policing as well as running undercover operations in both Districts 1 and 6...

......​

Respectfully snipped. Hmmm... the Sheriff knows Denver like the back of his hand: community policing and narcotics. He's "been around the block" in Denver a few times over. It would likely be a VERY VERY bad idea to make up a story—or any aspects of a story—about being in Denver on Mother's Day. For work.

 

[Seattle1]

"Last seen."
Why is the info not part of the to the public?

No information has been reported by MSM or LE about SM's last sighting (physically seen alive).

MSM reported SM's last contact was May 9 but this not confirmed by LE either.

I think we're all looking forward to learning LE's timeline.

MOO

 

[RickshawFan]

Well. I believe the bike was staged. It certainly would bolster Barry’s claim on his 26 second video of her being kidnapped. Wouldn’t it?

It could have been staged (or not), but not necessarily there. It could simply have been put in plain view by a passerby, thinking it fell off someone's car and they'd be looking for it. If they noticed the jammed brakes? Well, said passerby might think, maybe they jammed when it fell off the car.

 

[NoSI]

This is the quote in the news:

"Investigators searched several locations on the property; however, they were unable to make any connection to Suzanne Morphew’s case at this time." (link)​

The critical point is "at this time." That could mean that forensic analysis is needed to conclude that anything they found is related to Suzanne.

Very excellent point, Otto! I agree. If no intact body, forensic analysis will take some time.

 

[Boxer]

Think I get what you're saying...but that's not what I'm saying

I'm saying: if you've reason to think a woman has been abducted or is out there in the woods: well then: you keep searching, search 'till you drop

Put her description out there: last seen, last seen where, last seen wearing...

You DO NOT decide anything, take any direction aside from protocol without sufficient evidence

JMO
ETA nah doubt FBI is known for being shy!

Then the evidence is there for foul play and that is the way they are searching. Whether or not the husband is invoved.

 

[susiQ]

"Last seen."
Why is the info not part of the to the public?

“Last seen,” by whom? The person who made her disappear?

 

[Cindizzi]

Thank you. The reason I don’t think he has that evidence is that it took so long to get the search warrant for the house. She is a critical, endangered, missing person. If evidence so obviously pointed toward the husband, wouldn’t the sheriff want to get in that house ASAP? Don’t tell me he didn’t apply for a search warrant within the first week—any competent LE officer would have raced to the courthouse for it. But it took him until nine days in to get a judge to sign off. Maybe he shopped it to several different judges before one agreed there was probable cause. If there was really so much evidence that the husband is responsible, Barney Fife could have convinced a judge sooner.

I have no idea what’s involved in requesting a search warrant, but the CBI stated on Wednesday 5/13 that the house was sealed off. IMO that was pretty quick.
This article was originally posted on Monday 5/18.

On Wednesday, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation stated Morphew's house was being "held," simply meaning no one was being allowed in or out as the missing persons case continued.
Authorities call off search at residence in Salida, still investigating leads

 

[CronesEye]

"IME folks who hike and bike backcountry are a crowd that tends not to be into guns. Also, guns are prohibited in a lot of areas, e.g. public trails.This crowd tends to take precautions, not guns. "

Her husband was a hunter. I lived by mountains, had family who lived in mountains so I do understand the "crowd" you are referring to however some husbands urge their wives to carry for their safety. I do not know what Colorados gun laws currently are. States vary widely. I do know people carry them in back country to be safe.

Colorado Gun Laws
Open carry in Colorado - laws, exceptions, and penalties

You are allowed to carry in Colorado

And as others have said there is no definitive proof she ever went out on a bike ride on Mother's Day. HOWEVER -- if she did, AS A PRACTICE, did she ride with a weapon?

I can't see anyone going into back country alone without one. While this wasn't back country, it's not Denver either.

A woman going on a bike ride alone without protection in mountains, without a cell or PLB just doesn't make sense.

 

[Truecolors]

It's a complete mystery how the "cycling" clue was discovered. No one saw her cycling. The information must have been provided by family at the time that her disappearance was reported.

Indeed her bike was not at home, but how would anyone know that since her husband and children were away that weekend.

All they knew was that they could not reach her on Mother's Day. No one had any reason to assume that something happened while she was cycling. She was a 49 year old cancer survivor, not a triathlete. A couple of hours mountain biking was probably enough for one day. That leaves 22 other hours that many things could have happened.

Exactly. So it seems important to know where the bike ride idea originated, especially if it originated before anyone searched the house or found the bike. How would they know that? Could be because they planted the bike....

 

[Feistyomi]

We discussed this missing person case here 5 years ago. We couldn't understand why investigators spent so much time at the site with a tented area. They declared at the end of the search that no body was found. That was true. Also true was that they found tooth fragments of the three victims. That information was released during trial.

Just because there isn't a body, and just because there's no evidence related to the missing person at the time of the search, it is premature to assume that the search was a waste of time.

Calgary police search Airdrie property for more evidence related to Liknes and O’Brien homicides

Gannon...whell, that is a case I must have missed, and wish I still had...how cruel can a human be? Just awful!...would like more details, but then again, NO! Only detail I need answered is that LE ruled out other victims, lots of prep...