SALIDA, COLORADO: Colorado authorities recently admitted that they know where missing Suzanne Morphew’s remains were dumped but their probe could take years to prove that she was murdered. The 49-year-old Morphew was reported missing on May 10, 2020, after she disappeared without a trace while riding a bike in Salida, Colorado. Her husband, Barry Morphew, 55, is the only person who has been officially named as a suspect in connection with her possible death.
Barry was arrested and charged with Suzanne’s murder in May 2021, but the judge subsequently dismissed the charges without prejudice, meaning the case may be reopened at any time. Now more than two years later, 11th Judicial Deputy District Attorney Mark Hulbert said in court that it "could be a long time" until investigators find Morphew. "It could be quick, it could be long. It depends a lot on our investigation," he remarked on Monday, June 26. However, he added that investigators are convinced they know where the missing mother’s body may be located.
‘We actually have more than just a feeling’
“She is in a very difficult spot. We actually have more than just a feeling … and the sheriff’s office is continuing to look for Mrs. Morphew’s body,” Hulbert noted. Investigators had long speculated that Suzanne's remains may be in the Garfield Mine region near Salida after Barry admitted taking a detour there around the time of her disappearance, according to Daily Mail. However, they found nothing while examining the area. Hulbert made the startling claims at a hearing that was scheduled by Barry Morphew's legal team in order to seal court records related to his dropped murder charges. These records include intimate messages Suzanne sent to her best friend, Sheila Oliver, detailing her plans to leave Barry and her affair with Jeff Libler, an old high school boyfriend, whom she dated for more than two years before her disappearance.
She even sent numerous texts to her sister Melinda Baumunk, detailing Barry’s abusive behavior towards her. On May 8, 2020, Suzanne sent Baumunk several messages claiming that her husband of 25 years had been both physically and emotionally abusive toward her, according to the Sun. “I’m sure I struggle with some of the same. It’s been hard dealing with the harsh abrasive ness [sic] and having to show respect. He’s also been abusive, emotionally and physically. There’s so much. Hard to share it all and give you a clear picture,” she said in a chain of messages. "Last year during [redacted] gave me lots of time to realize and see things for what they are. I went through a period of acceptance and I feel more angry now. Anger at what I’ve allowed," she continued.
'A Jekyll and Hyde character’
She even called her husband "a Jekyll and Hyde character" in those texts. Later, Suzanne expressed concern that her husband was turning their daughters, Macy and Mallory, against her. In the texts, Morphew said she “had a very tough talk” with Macy, who was “weary of the tension here” and “begged” her to get a divorce. “He’s still pulling Mal in,” another message read. Other text messages Suzanne Morphew sent to Oliver revealed she felt her husband was possessive and “narcissistic.” Barry is currently suing law enforcement and prosecutors for $15 million, alleging that they fabricated evidence, withheld information that exonerated him, and conducted a careless investigation leading to his arrest.
