SALIDA, Colo. — Barry Morphew will be back in court Monday for the second half of a preliminary hearing to determine whether there's enough evidence in his case to proceed with trial in the death of his wife, Suzanne.
Suzanne Morphew, 49, of Maysville in Chaffee County, was last seen May 10, 2020, and is presumed dead. Her husband was charged this past May with:
- First-degree murder
- Tampering with a deceased human body
- Tampering with physical evidence
- Possession of a dangerous weapon
- Attempt to influence a public servant
During the first two days of the preliminary hearing two weeks ago, prosecutors began to lay out their case and what happened in the days and hours before Suzanne Morphew's disappearance, but they have not yet presented evidence to connect Barry Morphew to his wife's death.
At the hearing on Aug. 9 and 10, testimony from Cmdr. Alex Walker of the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office, who led the investigation into Suzanne Morphew’s disappearance, and FBI Agent Ken Harris indicated that the Morphews had a troubled marriage.
Suzanne Morphew had carried on a 2-year-long affair with Jeff Libler, a Michigan man whom she had known in high school and had reconnected with in 2018. When Libler met with the FBI in November, he was told that he was not a target of the investigation, according to testimony.
Walker testified that Suzanne Morphew suspected her husband was having an affair, but so far, investigators have not found evidence of that. Investigators also found audio recordings of Suzanne talking on a “spy pen” that she had bought to try to find evidence of Barry’s affair.
Walker testified that Barry told investigators that he and Suzanne "loved each other to death” and that they had a “very good relationship.” Walker also testified that Barry claimed that he and Suzanne had a great night together the night before she disappeared.
But Harris testified that Suzanne texted a friend that she and Barry hadn’t had “a perfect night in a year and a half.”
Harris said that four days before Suzanne disappeared, she sent a text to her husband saying that she was “done” with the marriage.
Now-retired FBI Agent John Grusing testified that on the day that Suzanne was reported missing – Mother's Day of 2020 – Barry went to Broomfield, presumably on a business trip. Grusing said while Barry was in Broomfield, he made five trips to a dumpster, where video showed him throwing away numerous bags. Grusing said Barry has never been able to explain what was in some of those bags.
Walker testified that Barry sent his wife a “Happy Mother’s Day” text that she didn’t return. When Suzanne didn’t return another text and a phone call, Barry said he became concerned but did not return home until a neighbor called to say that Suzanne was missing, Walker said.
Suzanne’s bicycle was found undamaged about 7 p.m. the day she went missing, not far from the Morphews’ house.
Walker said when deputies found Suzanne's bicycle, they found no damage to the bike, no skid marks leading to the bike, no signs of a struggle, no blood and no torn clothes. Her bike helmet, also undamaged, was found four days later less than a mile away, just off Route 50.
According to Walker, immediately after Suzanne’s disappearance, Barry told investigators that he wanted to “help out any way he could.” Walker said Barry told them he feared that Suzanne had either been attacked by a mountain lion while bike riding, had been “picked up” by someone or that “something bad” had happened at a nearby recreational vehicle park.
Barry Morphew is currently being held without bail.
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