Husband Charged with First-Degree Murder in Suzanne Morphew’s Shocking Death, Arrested in Arizona

Suzanne Morphew, 49, disappeared on Mother’s Day in May 2020, leading to an extensive investigation. Her remains were discovered in Saguache County in October 2023.

This week, a grand jury indicted Barry Morphew on charges of first-degree murder. The 12th Judicial District grand jury delivered the indictment on Wednesday, resulting in Barry’s arrest in Gilbert, Arizona. He will soon be extradited to the San Luis Valley to confront these serious charges.

A media briefing is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday, where further details will be disclosed.

Suzanne lived in Maysville, Chaffee County, with Barry and their two daughters, Mallory and Macy. Her last known whereabouts were on May 9, 2020, when she set out for a bike ride but failed to return.

Initially arrested in May 2021, Barry faced charges of first-degree murder related to Suzanne’s disappearance. However, all charges were dismissed just days before his trial in April 2022, following a motion from prosecutors.

Prosecutors had previously claimed that on the day Suzanne vanished, Barry prepared a syringe containing a tranquilizing agent, turned his phone to airplane mode, and then shot her with the dart. They alleged he chased her around their home until the drug took effect.

An autopsy report determined that Suzanne’s death was a homicide, listing the cause as “homicide by undetermined means in the setting of butorphanol, azaperone, and medetomidine intoxication,” according to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.

The substances in question, known collectively as BAM, are subject to strict regulation. Barry was reportedly the only private individual in Colorado with access to these controlled substances during that timeframe. Records confirm that no other entities, apart from specific government agencies, procured BAM prescriptions from 2017 to 2020.

Barry’s attorney previously argued that the autopsy findings do not link him to the crime. In response, 12th Judicial District Attorney Anne Kelly emphasized the ongoing commitment of law enforcement to seek justice for Suzanne and her family.