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

[ColoGirl]

Anyone know why they moved to Colorado? Aside from volunteer fire fighter which pays nothing ... what does the husband do for work?

 

[Knox]

me too - we've monitored so many searches lately where we are all online when the body is found - brings back all those memories for me. We've also had a couple miracles - but this one just doesn't feel hopeful to me ... at all...sign...
JMO

No it doesn't feel hopeful

 

[tge17]

Anyone know why they moved to Colorado? Aside from volunteer fire fighter which pays nothing ... what does the husband do for work?

I'm guessing just preparing for life after an empty nest. well, at least the wife was...

 

[MsBetsy]

Highway 50 gets a lot of traffic. It's the only other main route across the mountains aside from I-70. Lots of tourist/recreationists passing through, quite a bit of commercial traffic.

Thank you. I wondered about that because from the pictures I've seen, the area looks very secluded.

 

[Knox]

Anyone know why they moved to Colorado? Aside from volunteer fire fighter which pays nothing ... what does the husband do for work?

Is he a volunteer? I didn't get that impression.

Our wildland fire-fighters (CDF) make enough money during fire season, they don't have to work three months out of the year.

 

[Inthedetails]

i can't recall if the 911 calls are released in CO? I'm thinking no?
IMO

We heard Shannon Watt's friend's call to 911, iirc - or am I imagining that?

jmo

 

[ab01]

Is he a volunteer? I didn't get that impression.

Our wildland fire-fighters (CDF) make enough money during fire season, they don't have to work three months out of the year.

Suzanne Morphew Missing: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know | Heavy.com

"According to his Facebook page, Barry is a volunteer firefighter in Colorado. He wrote that he is a wildland firefighter at Chaffee County Fire Protection District."

 

[Knox]

Suzanne Morphew Missing: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know | Heavy.com

According to his Facebook page, Barry is a volunteer firefighter in Colorado. He wrote that he is a wildland firefighter at Chaffee County Fire Protection District.

Hmmn, I must have missed that. I don't see the descriptor volunteer (on his page) anywhere. Not belaboring, but a full-time position is much different in terms of pay scale than a volunteer.

 

[Inthedetails]

Not known if she even took a phone with her. Could be though, or Apple watch maybe, or Fitbit. Also could be something she wears while riding. There is some way that LE knows it's hers though, some identifying factor. JMO

Article of clothing, shoe, sunglasses....could be just about anything. And, sometimes it turns out that what they thought was an item belonging to a victim actually was a random item that belonged to someone else.

And every once in awhile a search (or some other event) is scheduled and all attention goes to it....while LE is doing something else. I'm not getting that vibe here, but maybe.

Trying to be both hopeful today, but also prepared to hear that nothing developed during today's search.

Suzanne, where are you?

jmo

 

[ab01]

Hmmn, I must have missed that. I don't see the descriptor volunteer anywhere. Not belaboring, but a full-time position is much different in terms of pay scale than a volunteer.

Original MSM source:
Suzanne Morphew Missing: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know | Heavy.com

Chafee County fire is almost entirely volunteer with 40 some unpaid positions and only 4 paid. You can view the paid positions and persons here.

Linked in article:
https://www.chaffeecountyfire.org/

 

[oviedo]

no reports of LE at the family home right? I haven't seen any so far - they seem to be only at the searches ?
IMO

 

[Lore Listener]

Wow, I had just posted that I thought it was safe to say that the nephew is on Suzanne's side. just off his reference to Barry alone... "the" husband, not "her" or "my uncle".
im guessing the family, her family, suspect Barry. Perhaps, Barry was in Denver to see a gf. Everyone is in lockdown, so what work-related event - convention, training, etc- would be going on now, and on a sunday, and on mother's day.
the wife's family most likely provided for their standard of living. there's your motive. with gf waiting in the wings. I don't think for a second she was abducted.
I first thought the neighbor...but it wouldn't surprise me if Barry is the one who sounded the alarm WITH the neighbor, while safely ensconced in Denver.

I definitely think this is as likely a scenario as any... however, it is possible that BM was at a wild land firefighter training somewhere in the Denver area. SW Colorado is in a drought, and wildfire season usually starts right about now. Firefighters are definitely essential personnel and are still conducting trainings right now. Not saying he definitely was, just that it certainly is within the realm of possibility. Although, as you state, less likely on a Sunday/Mother's Day.

Foothills Residents May See Firefighting Planes Over Next Week As Crews Train
Pandemic Stands To Complicate Potentially Bad Fire Season

Just a few min ago... CCSO facebook
Chaffee County Sheriff's Office

While the search for Suzanne Morphew continues, a specific area just west of County Road 225 and Highway 50 (outside of Maysville), is being targeted by investigators after they located what’s believed to be a personal item of the missing woman.

On Friday, May 15, members of the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office, Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) plan to launch a comprehensive search of the area.

More than fifty searchers and investigators will comb the area in an effort to seek additional items or other clues that may identify the whereabouts of Ms. Morphew.

Unfortunately, this search will cause a temporary closure U.S. Highway 50, Monarch Pass for an undetermined amount of time.

The Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office and its partners will work to ensure the roads are opened as quickly as possible as to reduce the impact on drivers and those living in the area.

Note: The media will not be granted access to the site due to the location and nature of the search; however, Chaffee County Sheriff John Spezze plans to brief the media at the conclusion of the search, most likely Friday afternoon. Briefing details and location will be released as soon as they are available.

View attachment 246863

Also, Hwy 50 is kind of a big deal. As far as I know it's the only route to/from Gunnison (which is one of the biggest towns in the region, like, has a university and everything) from points east without going all the way north through BV and over Cottonwood pass which goes higher than 12,000 ft and is dirt in parts. They wouldn't shut that down unless what they found is really important.

 

[AmandaReckonwith]

Suzanne Morphew Case Archive:
Suzanne Morphew -CO- by amanda reckonwith

Cell phone users, try this and scroll:
Suzanne Renee Morphew

 

[Inthedetails]

Hmmn, I must have missed that. I don't see the descriptor volunteer (on his page) anywhere. Not belaboring, but a full-time position is much different in terms of pay scale than a volunteer.

I'm assuming he's a volunteer until MSM reports otherwise, but even a volunteer comes with some perks.

Since they have only been in CO for a couple of years, joining the volunteer fire service is a great way to become part of a community, make connections with others who are involved with the community, and not remain newcomers/outsiders. It can be good for business, as well, to be known as someone who serves the public like a fire fighter. People like fire fighters!

When I saw he was a volunteer fire fighter, I thought that he must be savvy in knowing how to make connections as a newcomer (as well as brave and helpful, of course, as firefighters are).

jmo
(daughter of a former firefighter in a small town)

 

[Knox]

no reports of LE at the family home right? I haven't seen any so far - they seem to be only at the searches ?
IMO

They had the road leading to the house blocked off a few days ago. The reporter could not get any details out of LE at the scene. It was assumed they were searching the home and surrounding area.

Amber Jo Cooper (@AmberJoCooper) | Twitter
May 13
The Sheriff’s Office has blocked off the road at Hwy 50 and County Road 225. According to online records, Suzanne Morphew may have a house down this road. There looks to be a few houses down the road that I can see through the trees.

 

[Inthedetails]

So, technically, according to the TOS here, sleuthing a family member NOT named as a POI or suspect, is off limits.

Hubby's work, sports, social media pages, or anything else... all off limits, for public posting and discussion, unless LE has already mentioned it or MSM has.
And, they have not.

ETA: heavy.com has mentioned hubby's FB but still, for purposes of WS and the TOS, I don't think it's open for discussion. I'll flag my post and hopefully a mod can clear that up.

I think we can discuss what has been reported in MSM, and his firefighting as been. We're limited to that, though.

jmo

 

[AmandaReckonwith]

To close off such an important route without at least a 1-way lane passage, and also no media...
have they found her body and have to bring it up the mountain? Just speculation.

I mean, seriously it's not a cellphone or necklace...

 

[Knox]

Josh Helmuth KRDO[URL='https://twitter.com/Jhelmuth']@Jhelmuth[/URL]
Update on search for Suzanne Morphew: an area west of Co. Rd 225 & Hghwy 50 (outside Maysville) is being targeted by investigators after they located what’s believed to be a personal item of Morphew's; search will cause a temp closure of U.S. Hghwy 50, Monarch Pass.

 

[oviedo]

They had the road leading to the house blocked off a few days ago. The reporter could not get any details out of LE at the scene. It was assumed they were searching the home and surrounding area.

Amber Jo Cooper (@AmberJoCooper) | Twitter
May 13
The Sheriff’s Office has blocked off the road at Hwy 50 and County Road 225. According to online records, Suzanne Morphew may have a house down this road. There looks to be a few houses down the road that I can see through the trees.

thank you - and no media access today.
--------------------
Amber Jo Cooper
@AmberJoCooper
According to the press release, the media will not be granted access to the site. Chaffee County Sheriff John Spezze plans to brief the media at the conclusion of the search, most likely Friday afternoon.
11:36 AM · May 15, 2020·Twitter for iPhone

 

[oviedo]

@Hatfield your very thoughtful post is in the media thread - no discussion. You may want to copy it over here to our discussion - the mods will remove it
JMO