On Monday afternoon, Barry Morphew faced arraignment and entered a plea of not guilty to charges related to the murder of his wife, Suzanne Morphew, which occurred on Mother’s Day in 2020.
The court has scheduled a jury trial to commence in October, as reported by Colorado Public Radio.
Morphew was taken into custody in June while residing in Arizona. This came after a judge had previously dismissed murder charges against him in 2021 without prejudice, leaving the possibility open for the charges to be refiled. This development followed the discovery of Suzanne Morphew’s remains in a secluded area of Saguache County in September 2023, as detailed by CrimeOnline.
Suzanne vanished in 2020 during a bike ride, with Barry Morphew suggesting she had been kidnapped. Her remains were positively identified using dental records after being found in Saguache County.
Last year, a report from El Paso County coroners revealed that Suzanne Morphew’s femoral trabecular bone tests indicated she died from “undetermined means” with the presence of butorphanol, azaperone, and medetomidine—substances used in a chemical immobilizer for wildlife that offers reversible sedation and analgesia.
During the investigation into Suzanne’s disappearance, authorities discovered a needle cap from a tranquilizer gun in Barry Morphew’s dryer. Prosecutors assert that Barry had access to the tranquilizing substances found in Suzanne’s system and was the only individual in Colorado with such access.
After his arrest in June, Barry Morphew argued to have his bond lowered from $3 million, claiming he couldn’t possibly raise that money. The judge denied the bond but did allow him to find a bondsman to guarantee his bail, which he did in September, raising thousands of dollars to secure the bail.
In court on Monday, Morphew’s attorney entered a plea of not guilty on his client’s behalf. Morphew agreed to waive his right to a speedy trial after his attorney complained that he “does not think that it’s realistic” to have his case ready to go in 180 days, despite already having more than that time since Morphew’s arrest.
