'We Want Her Back': $200,000 Reward Offered In Search For Suzanne Morphew
CHAFFEE COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) -- The reward for information about a missing Chaffee County woman has been doubled to $200,000. Suzanne Morphew, 49, has been missing since Sunday.
"It's, it's the hardest thing," her nephew, Trevor Noel, told CBS4's Alan Gionet. "She's a beloved member of her family and the sweetest person that you've ever met."
In spite of intensive searching, the family still doesn't have any answers.
Morphew's husband, Barry, pledged a $100,000 reward for information that leads to finding her. That was matched by a family friend, bringing the reward to $200,000.
Sheriff's deputies responded to the area near County Road 225 and West Highway 50 in Maysville, west of Poncha Springs, Sunday evening. They spoke with a neighbor who said Morphew, reportedly went on a bike ride and never came home.
Family has said her husband was out of town at the time.
Noel says her bike was found that evening, but Morphew was nowhere to be found. Sheriff John Spezze has told CBS4 it was "probably not" animals. Noel urged people to question the sheriff about the condition of the bike.
Search and rescue crews started looking for her with help from eight tracking dogs and several drones with the Department of Corrections. Members from Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the South Ark Swiftwater Rescue Teams also looked at area watersheds.
"It's really tough physically. It's taxing up and down these hills. And it's emotionally draining you know being with the family and still being empty handed," Noel told CBS4. "We want to leave our options open and we want to make sure that we cover every hill… and know that everyone out here is doing everything they possibly can to find her."
"And if there's any chance that she could hear this maybe, I want to her know that the family wants her back and we love her we're out there working for her."
Noel and other family members and friends are working to put out as much information social media as possible.
"If you know anything, if you suspect anything, if you have a funny memory from Sunday or the days after please call the tip line," he urged. You can contact the Chaffee County Sheriff's Office at 719-539-2596 or Chaffee County Crime Stoppers at 719-539-2599.
In addition they are focused on sharing word with a Facebook page entitled "Find Suzanne Morphew."
The family also has a Go Fund Me page set up to help with their efforts in supporting family and sustaining volunteers.