COLORADO — Barry Morphew, the husband of missing Colorado woman Suzanne Morphew, has been arrested again—this time after a grand jury indicted him for first-degree murder in the death of his wife, whose remains were discovered in 2023, more than three years after her disappearance.
The 49-year-old mother of two vanished on Mother’s Day in May 2020, prompting an extensive search near their home outside Salida, Colorado. Early clues, including her abandoned bike and helmet, led investigators to suspect foul play. Barry Morphew was first arrested in 2021, but the case was dismissed in 2022 just before trial due to prosecutorial misconduct and missing evidence, including DNA from an unknown male found in Suzanne’s SUV.
Despite his claims of innocence, Barry Morphew became the focus of national attention. After charges were dropped, he filed a $15 million civil lawsuit against county officials for allegedly violating his constitutional rights.
Break in the Case
In September 2023, Suzanne’s skeletal remains were accidentally discovered by Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) agents during an unrelated operation near Moffat, about 40 miles from the Morphew home. An autopsy in April 2024 determined her death was a homicide by undetermined means, but toxicology revealed the presence of wildlife tranquilizers—raising suspicion due to a tranquilizer gun found in the couple’s home early in the investigation.
Now 56, Barry Morphew was taken into custody in Arizona on Friday and is being extradited to Colorado. He faces new charges of first-degree murder, tampering with a body, and evidence-related offenses.
Background and Legal Fallout
Investigators say Suzanne had planned to leave Barry prior to her disappearance. GPS data and inconsistencies in Barry’s statements raised early red flags. In one account, Barry claimed he diverted his route to watch an elk, coincidentally passing near where Suzanne’s helmet was later found.
The dropped charges in 2022 were dismissed without prejudice, allowing the case to be reopened if new evidence emerged—which it did with the discovery of Suzanne’s body.
Barry Morphew’s upcoming court dates have not yet been announced, and his attorneys have not issued a public statement.
