The husband of Colorado mom Suzanne Morphew, who went missing on Mother’s Day last year, has been charged with first-degree murder.
Barry Morphew was taken into custody and charged with murder, tampering with physical evidence and attempting to influence a public servant, authorities said.
At a press conference Wednesday, Chaffee County Sheriff John Spezze said he was arrested around 9:15 a.m. “without incident” along Highway 50 and was alone at the time.
Spezze said an arrest affidavit in the case has been sealed and said no further details will be released because the 49-year-old mom’s disappearance remains the subject of an ongoing investigation.
The sheriff said Suzanne Morphew’s body has still not been found, but added, “our belief is that Suzanne is not alive at this time.”
Spezze said the year-old investigation involved more than 70 local, county, state, and federal officers, with 135 warrants issued and approximately 400 interviews with potential witnesses — while pursuing 1,400 tips.
Linda Stanley, district attorney for the 11th Judicial District, said Barry Morphew refused to answer questions and asked for a lawyer after his arrest.
“Today is a good day,” Stanley said. “It’s a good day for all the men and women in law enforcement that have tirelessly worked towards getting here. They worked day in and day out, sacrificing more than any of you will ever know.”
Asked if there was sufficient evidence to prosecute Morphew, Stanley said “I wouldn’t bring charges unless I was confident.”
Federal investigators would not comment and referred questions to the sheriff’s office.
“I can confirm that Mr. Morphew has been arrested and I recommend you reach out to Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office for details,” Courtney Bernal, a spokesperson for the Denver FBI office told KKTV.
“The FBI continues to work with the Chaffee County SO, the 11th District Attorney’s Office, and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.”
Morphew had been under suspicion in the case but insisted he was innocent.
“My first reaction was relief,” the missing woman’s sister, Melinda Moorman, told Fox News. “And grateful. I’m just so grateful.”
“Today, justice is beginning for my sister,” she said. “It’s been a journey that no one ever imagines that they’ll take.”
Suzanne Morphew was reported missing by a neighbor after failing to return from a bike ride on May 10, 2020, while her husband was allegedly away on business.
Her bike was found near a bridge close to the home the couple shared with their two children.
Barry Morphew launched a campaign to find his wife shortly after her disappearance, including using Facebook to ask for help.
He offered a $100,000 reward for her return and took part in massive efforts to locate his wife — or her body.
But questions began to surface about his possible role in the case, including reports that he left a Denver hotel room scrubbed clean and smelling like chlorine prior to Suzanne Morphew’s disappearance.
That disclosure came from Jeff Puckett, a co-worker of Barry Morphew who said he was summoned to the hotel to work on a project with him.
However, Puckett waited for two days and never met with Barry Morphew, nor did he ever work on the contracting job he was summoned for, he said.
Instead, he said he found a pile of mail in the room — including correspondence from an insurance company — and said “the room smelled like chlorine real bad.”
“It was kind of weird,” Puckett said. “My first thought was that this must be an alibi. That’s what it felt like.”
