Barry Morphew Charged Again in Wife's 2020 Death

Barry Morphew faces first-degree murder charges in connection with the death of his wife, Suzanne, who vanished on Mother's Day 2020 while on a bike ride in Chaffee County, Colorado.

Suzanne Morphew was reported missing on May 10, 2020. For nearly three years, her fate remained unknown until human remains were discovered near Moffat, Colorado, in 2023—approximately 45 miles from where she went missing. The remains were identified as Suzanne's, and the Chaffee County Coroner ruled her death a homicide, though the official cause of death was listed as "unspecified means."

The case has taken a complex legal path. Morphew was initially arrested and charged with first-degree murder in 2021, but prosecutors dropped those charges without prejudice in 2022. The decision to dismiss raised questions about the evidence available at the time. However, the investigation continued, and new developments led to a fresh indictment.

In June 2025, a grand jury indicted Morphew on the first-degree murder charge. He was arrested in Arizona and subsequently released on a $3 million bond in September 2025. On January 12, 2026, he entered a not guilty plea in Alamosa County courtroom.

The prosecution's case centers on evidence discovered during the examination of Suzanne's remains. Her bones were found "significantly bleached," and forensic analysis detected a wildlife tranquilizer cocktail in her bone marrow. The cocktail, known as BAM, contains three drugs: Butorphanol, Azaperone, and Medetomidine. Crucially, investigators determined that Barry Morphew held a prescription for this exact tranquilizer—used for his deer farm operations.