DENVER (AP) — The husband of a Colorado woman, Suzanne Morphew, whose remains were discovered over three years after she was reported missing on Mother’s Day 2020, was arrested again Friday on suspicion of first-degree murder, authorities said.
Barry Morphew was arrested Friday in Arizona after a Colorado grand jury returned an indictment.
He was first arrested in the death of his wife in May of 2021 on suspicion of first-degree murder, tampering with a human body and other offenses. But prosecutors dropped their case against him the following year just as he was about to stand trial. A judge barred prosecutors from calling key witnesses for repeatedly failing to follow rules for turning over evidence in Barry Morphew’s favor. That included DNA from an unknown male found in Suzanne Morphew’s SUV. At the time, prosecutors said they wanted more time to find her body.
Barry Morphew has repeatedly maintained his innocence and previously filed a $15 million lawsuit against county officials, accusing them of violating his constitutional rights.
The mystery surrounding Suzanne Morphew began on May 10, 2020 when the 49-year-old mother of two daughters, who lived near the small town of Salida, was reported missing on Mother’s Day. Suzanne Morphew’s mountain bike and helmet were soon found in separate spots not far from her home but investigators suspected the bike had been purposefully thrown down into a ravine because there was no indications of a crash. A week after she went missing, Barry Morphew posted a video on Facebook pleading for her safe return.
