Authorities announced last week that they had discovered the remains of Suzanne Morphew, a resident of Chaffee County, Colorado, who had gone missing in May 2020. Her husband, Barry Morphew, had previously faced criminal charges related to her disappearance, but the case was dismissed in April 2022 at the request of prosecutors, who claimed they were getting closer to finding her body. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation revealed that Suzanne Morphew’s remains were uncovered during a search on Friday, with positive identification by the El Paso County coroner occurring on Wednesday.
While officials have not disclosed the exact location of the discovery, they have stated that it was made during an unrelated search near Moffat in Saguache County. Barry Morphew consistently denied any involvement in his wife’s disappearance, which had been treated as a presumed death at the time. He had been arrested in May 2021 and charged with first-degree murder and other offenses. In April 2022, prosecutors moved to dismiss the case without prejudice, leaving open the possibility of re-filing it.
Suzanne Morphew, a 49-year-old mother of two, was reported missing from her Chaffee County residence on May 10, 2020. Since the discovery of her remains, no arrests have been made in connection with the case, according to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation’s statement on Wednesday.
Chaffee County Sheriff John Spezze remarked, “Although locating Suzanne’s remains is a critical component of this investigation, and for her family, we are left with many more questions than answers.”
Barry Morphew’s attorney, Iris Eytan, expressed the family’s grief over the news of Suzanne Morphew’s remains being found. Eytan stated, “They had faith that their wife and mom would walk back into their lives again. The news is heartbreaking.” Eytan firmly maintained Barry Morphew’s innocence and urged authorities to charge the individual or individuals responsible for Suzanne’s disappearance.
A voicemail left with the district attorney’s office, which had previously charged Barry Morphew, went unanswered on Wednesday evening. Morphew had filed a $15 million lawsuit in May against prosecutors and others, alleging that investigators had exhibited “tunnel vision”by solely suspecting him.
