Who is Jeff Libler? Newly unsealed records reveal Suzanne Morphew's final texts to secret lover
SALIDA, COLORADO: A slew of newly released court documents in Suzanne Morphew's missing case have provided further insight into her tumultuous marriage and two-year-long affair with secret boyfriend, Jeff Libler. The 49-year-old mother of two was reported missing on May 10, 2020, after she disappeared without a trace while riding a bike in Salida, Colorado. Suzanne's 55-year-old husband, Barry Morphew, is the only person officially identified as a suspect in connection with her possible death.
A court ordered to unseal new documents in the case on June 26, some of which revealed an abundance of messages that Suzanne had exchanged with Libler and other close friends in the weeks leading to her disappearance. In a chain of messages sent to Libler, the mother detailed several issues she had with Barry, including his over-possessiveness and verbal abuse. "I'm okay. Been a little tough around here with expectations and confrontation. Same stuff. Just this force of will to make things happen," she wrote in their conversation over LinkedIn. "When I don't play along it gets heated. Some harsh words were exchanged last night. But on a lighter note, had a dream that you [sic] and I were able to be open with our love. No more hiding!! It was great!" she continued.
'I love you deeply babe'
Between May 7 and May 9, Suzanne continued to declare her undying love for Libler in texts to him, stating, "The only real love I've known...the only love I want." "Goodnight. I'm thinking August and being wrapped up with each other… where we both belong," she added in a later message. Libler received some of the last messages ever sent by Suzanne on May 9, around 2 pm. "He's headed home," Suzanne wrote of Libler, attaching a selfie of her sunbathing in the backyard in a bikini. "I'll be spotty. I love you deeply babe… Guess who is alone again," she later wrote. "I am on wa [Whatsapp]." Although Suzanne's phone was never found, messages uncovered in the newly released court records were discovered on her iCloud account and social media profiles, according to The Sun.
Who is Jeff Libler?
As per reports, Morphew had been romantically involved with her former high school friend Libler for over two years and even planned to move with him to Ecuador. He is reportedly a businessman who lives in Michigan with his family, including his six children. 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 claimed that the two secret lovers reconnected 20 years later when Suzanne contacted Libler on Linkedin before switching to Facebook and then talking on the phone.
After a Colorado mother of two disappeared on Mother's Day, bizarre clues have emerged — including a chipmunk alibi, a tranquilizer gun, and a spy pen.
— 48 Hours (@48hours) January 21, 2022
Where is Suzanne Morphew? https://t.co/lC2yPHhgap pic.twitter.com/UUPwpDcEKd
As per reports, on November 26, 2018, Suzanne and Libler exchanged seven calls and spoke for four hours, showing the depth of their relationship. Between January 4 and 11, 2019, the pair called each other 26 times and then met up in New Orleans the following month, where their relationship turned physical. Along with their trip to New Orleans, the couple also met in Indiana in April 2019, Michigan in July 2019, Dallas in October 2019, and Florida in February 2020. Libler allegedly deactivated his LinkedIn account after Suzanne disappeared and told the police who found him that he didn't know Suzanne was missing until a friend emailed him a link on May 12, 2020. The couple supposedly messaged each other via LinkedIn to evade Barry's suspicion. Additionally, the police told the court that the couple had exchanged nude photos and that he had been behind her love of IPA beer and mountain biking.