PHOENIX — Barry Morphew, the husband of Suzanne Morphew, whose disappearance in 2020 triggered a yearslong search, was arrested Friday in Gilbert, Arizona, on a charge of first-degree murder.
A Colorado grand jury issued the indictment nearly a year after Suzanne’s skeletal remains were discovered in a shallow grave during an unrelated search near Moffat, Colorado — roughly 40 miles from the couple’s home.
Suzanne was reported missing on Mother’s Day in May 2020. Her bike and helmet were found nearby in suspicious condition. In 2021, Barry was charged in her disappearance, but the case was dropped in 2022 due to prosecutorial misconduct — including the withholding of DNA evidence. The dismissal left open the possibility for future charges.
Barry Morphew has long denied any involvement and previously filed a $15 million lawsuit against authorities, claiming they violated his rights.
An autopsy confirmed Suzanne’s death as a homicide, but the cause remains undetermined. Wildlife tranquilizer chemicals were detected in her bones, and investigators previously found a tranquilizer gun and accessories in the family home.
Authorities say the investigation is ongoing.
