Shallow graves and scattered remains: Suzanne Morphew's case remains unsolved as mother-of-two's final resting place revealed
SALIDA, COLORADO: After more than three years long extensive search, the remains of Suzanne Morphew have been finally recovered by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.
Deputies discovered Morphew’s scattered remains on Friday, September 22 while investigating an unrelated case near the town of Moffat, about three hours south of Denver and just 45 minutes south of the Morphews' home in Maysville.
The 49-year-old mother of two was identified by the El Paso County Coroner on Wednesday, September 27.
The coroner dispatched to the scene claimed that her body had been buried in a shallow grave and then her bones were dispersed over the years.
"While this case has garnered attention from around the world, it has touched our community and the sheriff's office deeply," said Chaffee County Sheriff John Spezze in a statement.
“We have never stopped our investigation and will continue to follow all leads in pursuit of justice for Suzanne,” he stated, adding that the horrifying discovery has left them with more questions than answers.
No arrests have been made since the announcement and details on the state of her body have not been released, according to Daily Mail.
When Suzanne Morphew went missing?
Morphew was reported missing on May 10, 2020, after she disappeared without a trace while riding a bike in Salida, Colorado.
Her bike was found the day she went missing, discarded in a ravine near her mountain home.
After an initial investigation, officers found her bike helmet on the side of a highway less than half a mile from where her bike was found.
No clothing, blood, or evidence of a struggle was found near the bike or helmet.
However, her sunglasses and hydration backpack were discovered in her car, leading investigators to speculate that perhaps Suzanne never really went for a bike ride in the morning.
Desperate investigators then led an extensive investigation for more than three years, before eventually discovering Morphew’s remains on September 22.
Why Suzanne Morphew’s husband was arrested in her disappearance?
In May 2021, a year after Susan mysteriously went missing, her husband Barry Morphew was arrested and charged with her murder – despite police not having found a body.
During the trial, Barry revealed that at the time of his wife's disappearance, he was working in Broomfield, a suburb of Denver roughly 150 miles from the family home.
However, a report by Daily Mail revealed in September 2020 that Barry’s co-workers were suspicious of his movements and said he had left his Holiday Inn hotel room stinking of bleach.
Additionally, he left a trash can with shreds of correspondence that was later turned over to the CBI. In November 2020, he even cast a vote for Donald Trump in her name, claiming that she would have voted for him anyway.
Later, investigators stated that Morphew said he cast the ballot 'just because I wanted to vote for Trump to win. I just thought, 'Give him another vote.'
'I figured all these other guys were cheating. I figured she (Suzanne) was going to vote for Trump anyway,’ he further told investigators.
Last year, all charges against Barry were dropped after a judge sanctioned the district attorney's office for discovery violations.
Despite the defense's protests, the case was dismissed without prejudice, meaning it may possibly be re-filed if further evidence becomes available.
A source close to Barry Morphew told The US Sun that they thought he would be completely exonerated.
"It's a relief but also a great sadness," the insider said, adding "We now know she's not alive, which we'd desperately been hoping (for). But we hope that Barry's name can be cleared because of the location where she was found and the timing of it all.”
Barry has now filed a $15 million federal civil rights complaint against over 20 prosecutors and law enforcement agents for 'irreparably' damaging his 'name and reputation' with a 'conspiracy to violate his state and federal constitutional rights.'
Suzanne Morphew’s affair with Jeff Libler
As Barry’s case progressed further, authorities revealed intimate details about their rocky marriage, including how Suzanne had been having an affair with Jeff Libler.
Suzanne and he apparently first met as teenagers at the Alexandria-Monroe High School in Alexandria, Indiana.
The pair even appeared together in the 1987 edition of the school's yearbook, with Suzanne appearing in the school's German club while Libler took Spanish, as per Daily Mail.\
Investigators asserted that 20 years later, Suzanne contacted Libler on Linkedin before moving to Facebook and then speaking on call.
During a preliminary hearing in 2021, law enforcement officers showed the court text messages that Suzanne had exchanged with her lover, in which she told him she had a fine night and was looking at houses for sale.
On one occasion, when Barry came back home from work, he even saw her sending pictures to Libler via LinkedIn.
The court was then shown a picture of Suzanne that she had sent to Libler that day, showing her lying in front of her $1.3 million property, grinning, and wearing a bikini
His last known text to Suzanne was sent on May 11, 2020, in which he offered her well wishes for her cancer treatment.
Suzanne and Barry Morphew’s rocky relationship
The hearing in 2021 also made clear that days before her disappearance, Suzanne texted her husband, indicating her intention to end their rocky marriage, which was marked by accusations of infidelity and abuse
'I'm done,' Suzanne wrote to Barry on May 6, adding 'I couldn't care less what you're up to and have been for years. We just need to figure this out civilly.'
Suzanne reportedly believed her husband was cheating on her, and she even appointed a spy pen to snoop on him.
In an attempt to reassure his wife that he was not having an extramarital affair, Barry wrote in one text 'I promise you, you are wrong about all the crazy thoughts about me. Why would I want another, only a fool would stray from an angel like you.'
Police said the pair had a tumultuous marriage, with the suggestion being that he might have killed her out of jealousy or to stop her from filing for a divorce.