Current:Home > FinanceRemains of Suzanne Morphew found 3 years after her disappearance -WealthMindset Learning
Remains of Suzanne Morphew found 3 years after her disappearance
View
Date:2025-04-14 01:28:43
The remains of Suzanne Morphew, a Colorado mother of two who went missing in 2020, have been found, authorities said.
Human remains located on Sept. 22 during an unrelated search in the town of Moffat in Saguache County were positively identified as Suzanne Morphew on Wednesday, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation said.
"Specific information about the location and the state of the remains are being withheld at this time," the agency said.
Suzanne Morphew was reported missing from her home in Chaffee County on May 10, 2020, which was Mother's Day, after she never returned home from a bike ride, the Chaffee County Sheriff's Office said at the time.
Her husband, Barry Morphew, 55, was arrested almost a year later on charges including first-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence in connection with his wife's disappearance. But all charges were dropped in April 2022, just days before he was set to stand trial.
The move came after the judge presiding over the case barred prosecutors from using most of their key witnesses at trial as punishment for repeatedly failing to turn over evidence in the defendant's favor.
The case was dismissed without prejudice, which allows prosecutors to file charges against Barry Morphew again.
MORE: Barry Morphew and daughters speak out for 1st time since murder charges were dropped
No arrests have been made since Suzanne Morphew's remains were located, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation said.
"While this case has garnered attention from around the world, it has touched our community and the sheriff's office deeply," Chaffee County Sheriff John Spezze said in a statement. "We have never stopped our investigation and will continue to follow all leads in pursuit of justice for Suzanne."
Spezze said that while locating her remains "is a critical component of this investigation, and for her family, we are left with many more questions than answers."
Family notifications have been made following the formal identification of the remains, authorities said.
MORE: Suzanne Morphew's husband and daughters speak out for 1st time since filing lawsuit
Barry Morphew filed a $15 million federal lawsuit in May against prosecutors, the sheriff and several investigators, claiming that his life has been ruined by false accusations.
"It's very hurtful to lose your reputation and your integrity," Barry Morphew told ABC News in an exclusive interview following the filing.
When asked whether he has anything to do with his wife's disappearance, Barry Morphew told ABC News: "Absolutely not."
"They've got tunnel vision and they looked at one person and they've got too much pride to say they're wrong and look somewhere else," he added. "I don't have anything to worry about. I've done nothing wrong."
The couple's daughters, Mallory and Macy Morphew, told ABC News that the last three years have been "literally our worst nightmare," and they never doubted their father's innocence.\
Following the news that Suzanne Morphew's remains had been found, a lawyer for the family issued a statement.
"Barry is with his daughters and they are all struggling with immense shock and grief after learning today that their mother and wife whom they deeply love was found deceased. They had faith that their wife and mom would walk back into their lives again. The news is heartbreaking," the statement read.
The family has asked for privacy at this time.
veryGood! (6956)
Related
- The Grammy nominee you need to hear: Esperanza Spalding
- Pakistan human rights body says an upcoming election is unlikely to be free and fair
- Environmental Justice Advocates in Virginia Fear Recent Legal Gains Could Be Thwarted by Politics in Richmond
- NFL is aware of a video showing Panthers owner David Tepper throwing a drink at Jaguars fans
- Dick Vitale announces he is cancer free: 'Santa Claus came early'
- Powerful earthquakes off Japan's west coast prompt tsunami warnings
- A crash on a New York City parkway leaves 5 dead
- Brazil’s economy improves during President Lula’s first year back, but a political divide remains
- McKinsey to pay $650 million after advising opioid maker on how to 'turbocharge' sales
- Hail and Farewell: A tribute to those we lost in 2023
Ranking
- The 401(k) millionaires club keeps growing. We'll tell you how to join.
- Niners celebrate clinching NFC's top seed while watching tiny TV in FedExField locker room
- 22 people hospitalized from carbon monoxide poisoning at Mormon church in Utah
- 'Serotonin boost': Indiana man gives overlooked dogs a 2nd chance with dangling videos
- Mets have visions of grandeur, and a dynasty, with Juan Soto as major catalyst
- Brazil’s economy improves during President Lula’s first year back, but a political divide remains
- How Golden Bachelor's Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist Plan to Honor Late Spouses at Their Wedding
- What does a total abortion ban look like in Dominican Republic?
Recommendation
Working Well: When holidays present rude customers, taking breaks and the high road preserve peace
Best animal photos of 2023 by USA TODAY photographers: From a 'zonkey' to a sea cucumber
Plane catches fire on runway at Japan’s Haneda airport
Washington vs. Michigan: Odds and how to watch 2024 CFP National Championship
Hackers hit Rhode Island benefits system in major cyberattack. Personal data could be released soon
4 ways AI can help with climate change, from detecting methane to preventing fires
Mexican actor Ana Ofelia Murguía, who voiced Mama Coco in ‘Coco,’ dies at 90
How Dominican women fight child marriage and teen pregnancy while facing total abortion bans