Three years after prosecutors dropped the case, Barry Morphew is facing a first-degree murder charge again — this time backed by a grand jury and a chilling new autopsy.

It’s been over five years since Suzanne Morphew vanished from her Colorado home on Mother’s Day 2020. In the time since, her disappearance stirred national headlines, a family torn apart, and a murder charge that was dropped just before trial.

Now, the case is back — with a vengeance.

On Friday, June 20, Barry Morphew was arrested in Arizona on a fresh indictment of first-degree murder, just months after his wife’s remains were finally discovered in a remote part of Colorado. The arrest marks a dramatic turn in one of Colorado’s most watched criminal cases in recent memory.

From Missing Mom to Cold Case Break

Suzanne was first reported missing from her home in Chaffee County, Colorado, on May 10, 2020 — Mother’s Day.

For over three years, her name remained etched in missing persons bulletins, online forums, and news updates. Her bike was found near her home, but no sign of a struggle. No note. No leads that led anywhere.

It wasn’t until September 2023 that a break came: Suzanne’s remains were found in Saguache County, about 50 miles south of where she was last seen. The autopsy that followed, released in 2024, ruled the death a homicide. The cause? “Unspecified,” but not without disturbing details.

Among the few things the forensic team did uncover: a chemical compound commonly used to tranquilize large animals — detected inside one of her bones.

Wildlife Tranquilizer and a Gun in the Home

The autopsy didn’t reveal visible trauma to Suzanne’s remains. But it did find something else investigators believe is damning — a wildlife tranquilizer compound not typically found in humans.

Back in 2021, during the original investigation, police had seized a tranquilizer gun and related equipment from the Morphews’ home. At the time, it was just another piece of odd evidence in an already strange case.

Now, it’s something else entirely: a link.

“There may be no bullet wound, no knife wound, but what we do have is a chemical signature — and a motive,” said a retired Colorado prosecutor familiar with the case but not involved directly. “It’s enough to take this back to trial.”

Rearrested in Arizona, $3M Bond

Barry Morphew was taken into custody on June 20 in Arizona, where he had reportedly been staying.

The indictment came after a Colorado grand jury handed down formal charges earlier in the week. Those include:

• First-degree murder

• Tampering with a deceased human body

• Attempting to influence a public servant

His bond was set at $3 million, cash only. Colorado prosecutors say they plan to bring him back to the state “as soon as legally and logistically possible.”

A Case Dropped, Then Revived

The initial charges against Barry were filed in May 2021, just a year after Suzanne vanished. The trial was set for 2022, but in a stunning reversal, prosecutors dropped the case days before it began.

Why? Evidence they expected to use — including then-unfound remains — wasn’t ready. And they feared going to trial without a body would doom the case.

At the time, critics accused the DA’s office of rushing to charge Barry without enough proof. And Barry’s attorneys went on the offensive, claiming it was a case built on “assumptions, not facts.”

Defense Strikes Back Again

Following this week’s arrest, Barry’s defense attorney David Beller issued a sharp response.

“Yet again, the government allows their predetermined conclusion to lead their search for evidence,” Beller said. “Barry maintains his innocence. The case has not changed, and the outcome will not either.”

The statement echoes a recurring claim from the defense: that authorities became fixated on Barry early, ignoring other leads and inconsistencies.

Back in 2022, Morphew even filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against investigators, alleging malicious prosecution and wrongful arrest. That case is still pending.

Timeline: From Disappearance to Rearrest

Here’s a quick breakdown of key events in the Morphew case:

Just one sentence here to break it up.

Public Reaction: Shock, Relief, and Wariness

In Colorado, the news of Barry’s arrest has reopened old wounds. And reignited a years-long debate.

“I never believed she just went on a bike ride and disappeared,” said Sandra McClure, a neighbor who followed the case closely. “But now that they have her remains — it’s real. It’s no longer just a mystery.”

Others are more cautious.

“Let’s not forget, this case was already dropped once,” said a local defense attorney in Salida. “They’ll need to show something new — and strong — if they expect to win this time.”

What Happens Next?

Barry Morphew will likely be extradited to Colorado in the coming days. Legal experts expect pre-trial motions to begin quickly, especially with high-profile attention returning to the case.

If convicted, he faces life in prison without parole.

But if the past is any guide, this will be a long legal battle — possibly with more twists to come.