Three years after the charges against him were dropped, Colorado man Barry Morphew has been, once again, indicted on a first-degree murder charge. He is accused of killing his wife, Suzanne, back in 2020.
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As reported by PEOPLE, Suzanne vanished on Mother’s Day in May 2020. She had gone on a bike ride. Days before, as per 9 News, she had told Barry that he was ending things with him.
According to ABC News, while Barry claimed that his marriage to Suzanne was “the best,” other witnesses differed. Some even revealed that Suzanne had confided in them her unhappiness with her marriage to Barry.
A year later, in May 2021, Barry Morphew was arrested and charged with murder, tampering with evidence, and attempting to influence a public servant. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Less than a year later, however, all charges were dropped, and the case was dismissed without prejudice. At that point, in April 2022, Suzanne remained missing. However, prosecutors decided to file a motion to dismiss, believing they were close to finding her body.
Body Found, Identified
More than three years after she disappeared, on September 22, 2023, human remains were found in Saguache County, Colorado. As per PEOPLE, the remains were identified as Suzanne Morphew just five days later.
“While this case has garnered attention from around the world, it has touched our community and the sheriff’s office deeply,” Chaffe County Sheriff John Speeze said at a time. “We have never stopped our investigation and will continue to follow all leads in pursuit of justice for Suzanne.”
Less than two years after Suzanne’s remains were identified, on Friday, June 20, Barry Morphew was arrested in Arizona. A grand jury indicted him on a first-degree murder charge. It isn’t clear what led to Barry’s arrest.
Twelfth Judicial District Attorney Anne Kelly said in a statement that they never stopped investigating the case, even if Barry’s charges were dropped back in 2022.
“Federal, State and local law enforcement have never stopped working toward justice for Suzann,” Kelly said. “The Twelfth Judicial District Attorney’s Office stands in solidarity with Suzanne’s family and the citizens of Chaffee and Saguache Counties in pursuing the Grand Jury’s indictment.”
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, you can reach the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233. You can also chat with a representative at thehotline.org​ or by texting “START” to 88788.