• Barry Morphew Indicted Again: Five years after Suzanne Morphew vanished on Mother’s Day 2020, her husband Barry Morphew has been indicted for her murder by a Colorado grand jury. He was arrested in Arizona and will be extradited to face trial.
• Remains and New Evidence Discovered: Suzanne’s body was found in September 2023, and toxicology reports revealed she had been drugged with animal tranquilizers. Barry, a former deer farmer, was the only person in the region with access to those drugs.
• Public Division and Legal Drama: Barry maintains his innocence, claiming wrongful prosecution. The community remains divided, especially after the original charges were dropped in 2022 and the original prosecutor was disbarred for misconduct.

It’s been five long years since Suzanne Morphew disappeared without a trace on Mother’s Day 2020. Now, in a stunning twist, her husband Barry Morphew has been charged once again with her murder—reviving a case that has captivated and divided the nation.

The indictment comes after the discovery of Suzanne’s remains last fall, a heartbreaking confirmation of what many feared but few could prove. For her family, friends, and a public that has followed the case for years, the renewed charges are reopening deep wounds—while also offering a glimmer of hope for long-awaited justice.

A Mother’s Day That Ended in Silence

On May 10, 2020, Suzanne Morphew was reported missing from her Colorado home. Barry told police she had gone out for a bike ride while he was away on a landscaping job. Her bike was found, discarded near a remote road. Her helmet turned up separately. But Suzanne was nowhere to be found.

Her sudden disappearance shocked her quiet mountain community. Suzanne, a beloved mother of two, simply vanished—no calls, no texts, no signs of a struggle in the home. At first, the town rallied around Barry. He pleaded publicly for her safe return. But behind the scenes, police were already suspicious.

A Marriage in Trouble and a Mysterious Message

As investigators dug deeper, cracks began to appear in the picture-perfect image of the Morphews’ marriage. Suzanne, close friends said, had been unhappy for a long time. She had even spoken about divorcing Barry and had begun communicating with an old flame.

Then came the message—a text found on Barry’s phone, sent just four days before Suzanne disappeared. In it, she wrote: “I’m done. I could care less what you’re up to and have been for years. We just need to figure this out civilly.”

This wasn’t a couple working through a rough patch. Suzanne was preparing to leave.

First Arrest, Then a Shocking Dismissal

Barry Morphew was first arrested and charged with Suzanne’s presumed murder in 2021, more than a year after her disappearance. The case made headlines nationwide. But just before his trial was set to begin in 2022, prosecutors abruptly dropped the charges, claiming they needed more time to find her body and strengthen their case.

It was a controversial move. Supporters of Barry called it proof of his innocence. Suzanne’s family, however, felt justice had slipped further away.

Her Remains Found by Accident

Then, everything changed in September 2023. In a completely unrelated investigation, authorities stumbled upon Suzanne’s remains near the tiny town of Moffat—about 50 miles from where she lived. It was the break investigators had been waiting for.

An autopsy confirmed her death was a homicide. Toxicology reports showed she had been drugged with a powerful combination of chemicals—used primarily to sedate animals.

A Chemical Trail Leads Back to Barry

The details are disturbing. The tranquilizer cocktail—made of butorphanol, azaperone, and medetomidine—is known as BAM and used to immobilize large animals. Before moving to Colorado, Barry ran a deer farm in Indiana and had used BAM to handle animals on his property.

Records show he was the only private individual in the area who had access to the substance around the time Suzanne disappeared. The last known purchase was traced directly to him. Authorities say no veterinary clinics or other private citizens had BAM during that period.

To many, the evidence painted a chilling picture. A man trained in animal sedation, whose wife was preparing to leave him, was now the sole link to a deadly drug found in her system.

Back in Handcuffs and Headed for Trial

On Wednesday, a Colorado grand jury indicted Barry Morphew on a single count of first-degree murder. He was arrested in Arizona and will be extradited back to Colorado to face trial.

District Attorney Anne Kelly, whose office is leading the case, issued a strong statement: “Federal, state, and local law enforcement never gave up. We stand with Suzanne’s family and the people of Chaffee County in seeking justice.”

It’s a dramatic reversal in a case once considered cold. And this time, prosecutors believe they have what they need to make the charges stick.

Barry Maintains Innocence, Calls It a Witch Hunt

Barry Morphew’s legal team has come out swinging. His attorney, David Beller, slammed the indictment, accusing prosecutors of chasing a narrative instead of facts. “Barry maintains his innocence. This case hasn’t changed, and neither will the outcome,” he said.

Barry himself has long insisted he had nothing to do with Suzanne’s disappearance or death. In 2023, he and his daughters filed a lawsuit against the state, claiming he was wrongfully accused the first time. “They’ve had tunnel vision,” Barry said at the time. “They’re too proud to admit they were wrong.”

The first prosecutor to charge Barry, Linda Stanley, has since been disbarred for misconduct in the Morphew case and others. That development gave Barry’s defenders more ammunition. But with new prosecutors at the helm and Suzanne’s remains now in evidence, the road ahead looks very different.

A Community Torn and a Family in Limbo

The renewed charges have left the community split. Some see it as overdue justice. Others remain skeptical, pointing to the earlier dismissal and legal missteps.

Suzanne’s family has largely remained quiet in recent months, focusing on honoring her memory. But those close to her hope the renewed legal action brings answers—and accountability.

For Suzanne’s two daughters, the new indictment is yet another emotional blow. They’ve stood by their father publicly, even as the evidence mounted. The trial will likely test that loyalty and force them to relive the trauma all over again.

Justice at Last, or Another Dead End?

Five years have passed since Suzanne Morphew disappeared on what was supposed to be a day of celebration. In that time, her story has become one of heartbreak, betrayal, and now, possibly, justice.

Whether Barry Morphew is guilty or not, only a jury can decide. But one thing is certain: the search for the truth is far from over. And this time, with her body finally found, Suzanne may get the voice she was denied for so long.

As her case heads back to court, the world will be watching. Not just for a verdict—but for closure.