Who is Barry Morphew? Case explored as murder charges against Colorado man accused of killing wife are dropped

Barry Morphew's case in connection to his wife Suzzane Morphew's disappearance and murder was dropped without prejudice (Image via Chaffe County Sheriff's Office and Carol McKinley/Twitter)
Barry Morphew's case in connection to his wife Suzzane Morphew's disappearance and murder was dropped without prejudice (Image via Chaffe County Sheriff's Office and Carol McKinley/Twitter)

On Tuesday, April 19, Barry Morphew, a Colorado man who was charged in connection with the 2020 disappearance and murder of his wife Suzzane Morphew, was dismissed from the case ahead of his trial hearing on April 28.

According to NBC News, Fremont County District Judge Ramsey Lama granted the prosecutors’ motion to drop the case without prejudice. The decision would allow authorities to file charges against Morphew at a later date.

The latest ruling came after prosecutors said that they faced setbacks in the search for Suzzane's body due to poor weather conditions despite finding a location and believing they were close to discovering the deceased victim.

Prosecutors also mentioned that the remote and mountainous area near Morphew's Chaffee County residence was covered with 5 feet of snow. The weather condition reportedly “concealed the location” and prevented the team from safely excavating the area.

Meanwhile, Morphew's attorney, Iris Eytan, said that the ruling was “emotional” for her client and his children. She said,

“The spectacle that's been made of him and his life, it's quite an emotional day for him. He really loved his wife and his daughters loved their mother and they want to know where she is just as anybody else does.”
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The attorney also believed that prosecutors will not file the case again, even if Suzzane’s body is found, as Barry Morphew is “innocent.” She claimed,

“He's not going to be charged ever again. It's over.”

Eytan also mentioned that Morphew is currently “enjoying the freedom with his daughters.” The Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office refrained from providing more details due to the ongoing investigation but said they will continue to work towards finding Suzzane’s body.


Everything to know about Barry Morphew

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Barry Morphew is a father from Colorado who was arrested in 2021 on suspicion of involvement in the 2020 disappearance and murder of his wife Suzzane Morphew.

He was initially charged with first-degree murder, tampering with a deceased human body, tampering with physical evidence, possession of a dangerous weapon, and attempted influence of a public servant.

However, Morphew pled not guilty to the charges and continued to say he was innocent. The New York Post reported that he also refused to undergo a polygraph test after his wife’s disappearance.

According to Indiana Business Records, Morphew reportedly started a company called BLM Enterprises in 2004. He was listed as an agent with BLM Landscaping in Indiana and also wrote on social media that he was a volunteer firefighter in Colorado.

In a now-deleted Facebook profile, Morphew referred to Alexandria as his “hometown” and mentioned that he studied at Purdue University. Reports suggest that the man also lived in Arcadia with his wife and two daughters before moving to Colorado in 2018.


What happened to Suzzane Morphew?

Suzzane Morphew with her husband Barry Morphew (Image via Attempt to Locate/Facebook)
Suzzane Morphew with her husband Barry Morphew (Image via Attempt to Locate/Facebook)

Suzzane Morphew went missing on May 10, 2020, after allegedly going out on a bike ride around County Road 225 and West Highway 50 near Maysville, Chafee County.

A missing complaint was filed after her neighbor noticed Suzzane’s disappearance and her daughters failed to connect with her for Mother’s Day. Authorities found the woman’s bike and helmet during a search investigation but failed to locate her body.

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Nearly a year after her disappearance, Suzzane’s husband Barry Morphew was charged with first-degree murder in connection with the same. Prosecutors noted that data obtained from the latter’s truck showed a 15-minute gap between the time he left home at 5.00 am on May 10 and reached a gas station camera in Poncha Springs at 5.14 am, when the journey usually takes less than five minutes.

Morphew told police officials that he took a detour close to an abandoned lead mine after allegedly spotting an elk. However, authorities believe he was involved in some other activity in the remote area.

Following Barry Morphew’s arrest, it was also revealed that his wife allegedly had an extra-marital affair with Jeff Libler, a father of six. Meanwhile, the former also had an account on the dating website Ashley Madison.

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Prosecutors assumed that Morphew was desperate to save his marriage, but Suzanne was determined to end the relationship, which served as one of the probable causes behind her murder.

It was also revealed that Morphew was seen with “multiple cuts and scratches” on his arms and hands following Suzanne’s disappearance. Authorities also found a plastic cap for a syringe in the couple’s dryer and believed it was used to fill a tranquilizer dart.

While Morphew admitted to being an experienced tranquilizer dart shooter, he said he did not know anything about the placement of the cap. Investigators also noted Barry Morphew’s cell phone pinged around his house over the 2020 Mother's Day weekend, but the man said it happened while he chased and shot chipmunks.

Officials also found a “spy pen” that was allegedly used to capture private conversations between Suzanne and her alleged lover Jeff. Following Morphew’s arrest, District Attorney Linda Stanley was “confident” about the evidence found against Barry.

Barry Morphew pled not guilty to the charges and his case has now been dropped without prejudice.

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Edited by Sabika