Barry Morphew, the individual charged with murdering his wife Suzanne, has recently claimed in court documents that he approved her cremation in February. This occurred just before authorities attempted to intervene regarding the death.
Initially, after a failed prosecution in 2021, the charges against Barry were dismissed. However, he faced new charges from a Colorado grand jury in June 2025. Suzanne Morphew went missing on Mother’s Day in 2020, and her body was later discovered.
At the time of her disappearance, the couple resided near Salida, Colorado. Barry declared himself not guilty in January and is set to stand trial in October.
In February, attorneys representing Suzanne’s daughters, Macy and Mallory, sought to compel the state to release their mother’s body, but they withdrew that request on Thursday.
Suzanne’s brother has publicly labeled Barry Morphew as a “soulless predator,” adding that he sees no possibility of redemption for him as the judge reviews a bail request.
The daughters’ attorney stated that their mother’s remains were at a funeral home in Colorado Springs when law enforcement took custody of her body. They argued that this action prevented the family from holding a proper funeral, describing the state’s conduct as “outrageous and shocking.”
In response, prosecutors pointed out that Barry had authorized the cremation. In his court application, he did not express an opinion on the body’s release.
Prosecutors maintain that Suzanne’s remains are crucial evidence in the murder trial, urging the court to deny the motion for their release. They asserted that Barry had approved the cremation before expert testimonies and court decisions on the admissibility of scientific tests.
According to the prosecution, the timeline unfolds as follows:
- January 29, 2026: Barry signs off on Suzanne’s remains being transferred to Swan Law Funeral Home.
- February 17, 2026: Authorities are informed about the body transfer and pursue a search warrant.
- February 18, 2026: The court grants a search warrant to reclaim Suzanne’s remains.
- February 19, 2026: While retrieving her remains, authorities learn of the planned cremation.
- February 24, 2026: The court issues another warrant for documents linked to Suzanne’s remains, including cremation authorization.
- March 19, 2026: The daughters retract their request to compel the release of their mother’s body.
Interestingly, both Suzanne’s sister and brother oppose releasing her body, citing concerns about evidence integrity and suggesting they would like her returned to Indiana for burial.
A Colorado attorney, Colin McCullin, noted that, as a former prosecutor, he would be worried about the implications of returning the remains to the family, especially if defense counsels needed access for forensic testing later.
A hearing concerning Suzanne’s body is slated for March 30, while the trial is now set to commence on October 13.
On May 10, 2020, Suzanne vanished from their home, triggering an extensive search that yielded little at first.
Originally charged with murder in 2021, Barry’s charges were dropped the next year due to issues with the evidence. His defense claimed the case’s dismissal indicated the prosecution might not win if it went to trial.
Following the dropped charges, Barry moved to Arizona and adopted different identities, remaining unnoticed until his subsequent re-arrest.
Suzanne’s remains were later found in September 2023 in a shallow grave, with an autopsy determining her death was indeed a homicide. Toxicology results revealed the presence of a powerful tranquilizer in her system, suggesting she was alive long enough to process it—thereby ruling out accidental exposure.
Barry had access to the tranquilizer through his work and was the only civilian known to possess it. The investigation also linked a tranquilizer dart rifle found in their home and various data suggesting inconsistencies in his account of the events leading up to her disappearance.
After being re-indicted, Barry was arrested in Arizona and subsequently extradited to Colorado, where he was released on bail, currently under house arrest wearing an electronic monitor.
