Crime Stories with Nancy Grace
Episode: MOM Suzanne Morphew's Body Found in "The Boneyard" Dump, HUSBAND "I DIDN'T DO IT"
Original Air Date: January 14, 2026

Episode Overview

Nancy Grace leads a panel of legal, forensic, and investigative experts through the latest twist in the case of Suzanne Morphew, a missing mom whose remains have finally been discovered in an area known as "the Boneyard." With the chilling revelation that her body contained animal tranquilizers, and her husband, Barry Morphew—the only private citizen in Colorado with access to the drugs found in her system—again facing a murder indictment, the episode digs deep into the evidence, police procedures, and human drama at the story’s core.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Barry Morphew’s Legal Saga

• The episode opens with Nancy Grace recapping Barry Morphew’s initial murder indictment, the dropping of charges, and his subsequent $15 million lawsuit against prosecutors for alleged misconduct.
• Mark Tate (veteran trial lawyer) comments on the risk:

  "It may well be legal malpractice to have done that because it certainly drew Barry back into the spotlight of this district attorney's office." [02:48]

2. Discovery of Suzanne’s Remains ("The Boneyard")

• Suzanne’s bones were found in a wasteland known for animal remains—“the Boneyard,” southwest of Salida, Colorado.
• With the passage of three years, only her skeleton and her cancer port were found.
• Gregory Nieto (investigative reporter, Fox31 Denver):

  "But usually we're talking about animal bones. We're not talking about the bones of a mother and a wife." [16:29]

3. The Animal Tranquilizer Connection (BAM)

• Forensic evidence revealed the presence of BAM (Butorphanol, Azaperone, Medetomidine)—a potent animal tranquilizer mixture, in Suzanne’s system.
• Dave Mack (Crime Stories investigative reporter):

  "There's only one private citizen living in the entire state of Colorado that had access to BAM. Barry Morphew." [05:13]

• Dr. William Maroney (medical examiner/toxicologist):

  "It's a cocktail that paralyzes." [10:46]
  "If it didn't kill her right away, she'd sleep for two weeks." [11:11]

4. Physical and Circumstantial Evidence

• Needle cap and tranquilizer dart gun cylinder matching BAM found in the Morphew home dryer, along with Barry’s shorts seen in footage from the relevant dates [14:21].
• The shorts place Barry at home at critical times (May 9-10), aligning with Suzanne’s last communication.

5. Scene Reconstruction and Victimology

• Nancy Grace and Karen Stark (forensic psychologist) depict a grim possibility:
  • Barry as a controlling, emotionless spouse:

    "He coerced her, he controlled her. He did things like using a gun... even the fact that he puts the blame on everybody else... Classic traits that show that this guy is not someone who feels anything." [21:09]

  • The brutality of leaving a cancer-surviving mother’s body for animals to scavenge:

    "How can you look them and they're going to all look over at Barry Morphew and think he left her out there for this beautiful mom to have her body torn apart by animals and gnawed on." [18:48]

6. Digital and Forensic Trail

• Scott Eicher (digital forensics, ex-FBI):

  • Digital evidence (cell phones, vehicle data, surveillance) tracked Barry’s true movements, contradicting his account.

  "They're putting a timeline together saying that her phone went off at this point in time. His phone went off ... His vehicle moved..." [27:11]

• Gregory Nieto:

  "Stories just don’t match ... surveillance video of Barry going to various dumpsters in the Broomfield area." [27:38]

• Barry left at 3 AM, not 5 AM as claimed, did not bring the expected tools for a job, and was seen at multiple dumpsters [28:27–29:39].

7. Defense Strategies and Prosecution Challenges

• Mark Tate signals likely attacks on the forensic methods, specifically the reliability of identifying and quantifying BAM in decomposed tissues [19:08].
• Dr. Maroney explains in lay terms:

  "We take dry muscle, desiccated dried organs... we can cut them up and rehydrate them ... then we can give you a concentration..." [35:34]

• The defense could assert that decomposition limits reliability, but Maroney highlights supporting research and protocol standardization. [38:32–39:30]

8. The Family’s Dilemma

• Daughters have remained by Barry's side; Nancy and Karen Stark discuss the psychological difficulty adult children face in accepting a parent's guilt, especially losing both parents to tragedy and criminal proceedings [43:54–44:49].

9. The “Bike Ride” Alibi

• Barry insisted to investigators and media that Suzanne died during a bike ride.
• Her bike was found with no significant damage; her helmet was found a mile away, prompting skepticism.
• Deleted text chains on Barry’s and Suzanne’s phones further cast doubt on marital harmony and Barry’s narrative [49:04].

10. Barry’s Demeanor in Court

• Barry appeared unfazed, even smiling in court. “Delay, delay, delay. A defense attorney’s best friend,” Nancy observes [51:08].

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Mark Tate on Morphew’s Lawsuit Repercussions:

  "He sued the government for $15 million... That's bold. You should just take your win and quietly creep away." [01:42]

• Dave Mack—Scarcity of BAM:

  "There's only one private citizen... that had access to BAM. Barry Morphew." [05:13]

• Dr. Maroney on the Tranquilizer Cocktail:

  "It's a cocktail that paralyzes." [10:46]

• Nancy Grace on Prosecution Strategy:

  "You start your case always with a bang, with some of your strongest evidence..." [15:30]

• Gregory Nieto describing "The Boneyard":

  "If you didn't know it existed, you drive right past it. But it's known for unfortunately finding... animal bones. Not... the bones of a mother and a wife." [16:29]

• Karen Stark—Forensic Psychology:

  "This guy has no emotions, clearly, right? He's narcissistic." [21:09]

• Nancy Grace on Jury Strategies:

  "I would make the jury... walk them through what happened to her body... birds taking her eyes? I don't know, but by closing, I would know..." [21:55]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• BAM drug as the key forensic evidence: [04:30—08:52, 10:46–11:11]
• The autopsy’s significance and possible defense attacks: [19:08–19:43]; [35:34–40:36]
• Digital forensics timeline (phones, truck data): [25:56–29:39]
• Barry Morphew’s suspicious activities—trash dumping: [29:39–33:14]
• Daughters’ psychological predicament: [43:54–44:49]
• Barry’s courtroom demeanor: [49:53–51:08]
• Suzanne's bike and helmet, more holes in the alibi: [45:30–47:13]; [49:04–49:53]

Concluding Thoughts

The episode presents a thorough, emotionally charged analysis of the case against Barry Morphew, drawing from forensic chemistry, digital sleuthing, psychology, and good old-fashioned investigative journalism. Nancy Grace and her guests highlight the damning scientific evidence while examining the strategies likely to play out at trial—and the toll the ordeal takes on the entire Morphew family.

For listeners seeking justice for Suzanne Morphew, Nancy Grace urges:
“If you know or think you know anything regarding justice for Suzanne, please call CBI, 719-312-7530.” [51:08]

Listen for:

• The science behind forensic drug detection in skeletal remains
• Digital and behavioral red flags
• The enduring impact on Suzanne's daughters
• The troubling recurrence of spousal homicide cover stories

Episode in a Sentence:
Suzanne Morphew's tragic story is back in the spotlight with new forensic evidence implicating her husband, and Nancy Grace’s team skillfully parses the legal, scientific, and emotional landscape of a haunting and still-unresolved mystery.