Suvechha Sarkar
On Mother’s Day 2020, the sudden disappearance of Suzanne Renee Morphew left the quiet community of Salida, Colorado, completely shocked. The beloved married mother of two had supposedly gone out for a bike ride, only to never be seen or heard from again. What followed was a 3-year-long search for her, that is, until her remains were sadly found in September 2023. The episode titled ‘The Suzanne Morphew Case: Nothing Is What It Seems’ of CBS’ ’48 Hours’ offers a comprehensive look at the case and how the initial arrest ended in a controversial dismissal of charges against the accused. It also features interviews with experts and her loved ones.
Suzanne Morphew Led a Happy Life That Revolved Around Her Family
Suzanne Renee Moorman was born on April 30, 1971, in Alexandria, Indiana, as a beacon of light in the lives of her parents, Gene Cedric Moorman and Adrienne E. Owen. She grew up surrounded by their love and support, along with that of her brothers, David and Andrew, as well as her sister, Melinda. When she was 9 years old, her parents got a divorce. While her mother moved on to marry Dr. Thomas F. Owen, her father married Lou Ann. Thus, Suzanne’s stepsiblings – Jim and Tom Owen, Cathy Oplinger, Annie Owen-Bartley, and Cary Hasty came into her life. After graduating from Alexandria Monroe High School in 1989, she earned her degree in Elementary Education from Purdue University in 1994. It was during high school when Suzanne first met Barry Morphew.
Suzanne and Barry tied the knot on August 5, 1994. She was working as a teacher when she and Barry welcomed their two daughters, Mallory (July 4, 1999) and Macy (August 28, 2003), into the world. Later, Suzanne left her position and focused on raising her daughters. She had successfully battled Hodgkin’s lymphoma before her marriage, but it sadly returned around 2018. Seeking a fresh start and to be near Mallory, who was attending college, the family moved from Indiana to their home near Salida, Colorado, in June 2018. Suzanne loved spending her free time mountain biking along the trails. However, her perfect life turned upside down on May 10, 2020. Barry and their daughters had texted Suzanne to wish her on Mother’s Day. When their texts went unanswered, they promptly contacted their neighbor.
Suzanne Morphew’s Remains Were Discovered Three Years After She Went Missing
The neighbor informed the family that Suzanne’s mountain bike was missing, and there was no sign of her on the property. He then alerted the authorities about the situation. When Barry returned from work, he claimed that Suzanne usually rode her bike around 8 to 9 am. As the missing persons investigation began, officials discovered her mountain bike at the bottom of a ravine near their home. When Barry was questioned, he claimed that he woke up around 4:30 am and left the house to head to Broomfield for his work around 5 am. He alleged that Suzanne was sleeping when he left. A few days later, the search uncovered her helmet a mile off Highway 50. A plastic cap from their home dryer was also discovered, but it provided no DNA.
Suzanne’s car contained her ID, hydration pack, and many other personal items, but her cell phone was missing. They also found an unknown male’s DNA in the glove compartment of her truck. Even after months of searching, Suzanne’s remains were undiscovered. Ultimately, on September 22, 2023, her skeletal remains and some clothing items were discovered under a shallow grave within an hour’s distance from her residence. Although the autopsy found no DNA evidence on Suzanne’s remains, they found the presence of the compounds Butorphanol, Azaperone, and Medetomidine (BAM), which act as a tranquilizer for wildlife. Her cause of death was determined to be BAM intoxication. While the medical examiner noted that the drug was not readily available, they also believed that her remains had been moved twice.
A Mountain of Circumstantial Evidence Pointed to Suzanne Morphew’s Alleged Killer
During the initial investigation, Barry claimed that on May 9, 2020, he and Suzanne had a nice dinner and had no fights, unlike their recent strenuous marriage. The CCTV footage around the Broomfield area captured him throwing garbage away at five different locations. The surveillance camera also captured him not leaving his room from 12:42 pm to 5:55 pm. His cell phone location for the previous day pinged all around their house. In his defense, Barry claimed he was shooting chipmunks due to their nuisance. However, detectives found no such signs. When he was questioned about the plastic cap in the dryer, he explained that he often used tranquilizers for hunting deer to get their antlers, which were stored in his garage. Furthermore, a deleted text from Suzanne on Barry’s mobile revealed she was “done” with their marriage.
Shortly after, investigators discovered a spy pen in Suzanne and Barry’s bedroom, which uncovered her possible affair with a man named Jeff. It took authorities around six months to track down Jeff Libler, with whom Suzanne had a high school fling. When questioned about his deleted social media accounts, he explained he was afraid of tarnishing Suzanne’s reputation and of the affair being revealed to his family. Since his alibi was checked out, he was ruled out as a suspect. Investigators then obtained Barry’s car data, which uncovered that his car door had opened and closed around 3:52 am, and soon after, it arrived at the location where Suzanne’s bike was found. Based on circumstantial evidence, Barry was arrested on May 5, 2021, and charged with first-degree murder, attempting to influence a public servant, and tampering with physical evidence.
Barry Morphew is Currently Detained in a County Jail, Awaiting Further Legal Proceedings
In the summer of 2021, Barry appeared in court for his preliminary hearing for the judge to determine if there was enough evidence to proceed to a trial. When new DNA evidence from the glove compartment came forward, it turned out to be a partial match to an unknown male DNA related to three unsolved cases of sexual assault. However, the judge ruled that there was probable cause for trial, and he was granted a $500,000 cash-only bond. After paying the bond, Barry was reportedly released with an ankle monitor on September 20, 2021. His trial was set to begin on April 28, 2022, but the defense reportedly filed a motion raising concerns that claimed prosecutors were premature in pursuing charges before submitting evidence on time.
The judge also found that the prosecution missed deadlines in producing evidence and suspended 14 of their witnesses as a penalty. The prosecution then reportedly filed a motion to dismiss Barry’s charges without prejudice, which was granted by the Court on April 19, 2022. It meant the charges against him could be refiled for a new trial. The case took a new turn on September 22, 2023, when Suzanne’s skeletal remains were discovered. According to reports, authorities connected the revelation of BAM intoxication as the cause of death with the fact that the tranquilizers were available only to Barry in that area of Colorado during the time of the murder.
On April 29, 2024, Suzanne’s death was declared a homicide, and on September 25, the judge dismissed the civil suit Barry had filed against the authorities after the dismissal of his charges. However, based on the forensic evidence, a grand jury indicted Barry with first-degree murder on June 18, 2025. Two days later, he was arrested in Arizona and later extradited to Colorado. He appeared before the court on July 1, 2025, for his advisement hearing. During the hearing, he reportedly waived his rights to be advised of legal rights. Moreover, the defense objected to media coverage in the courtroom and requested full access to the prosecution’s evidence. Today, the 57-year-old is being held on a $3 million cash bond at the Alamosa County Jail, Colorado. As of writing, Barry is awaiting a status hearing, which is scheduled for September 2, 2025.
