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SEQUESTERED Podcast
Suzanne Morphew: Murdered in 2020 (Salida, CO) | Part Three
00:30:45
After years of questions, one thing changed everything: Suzanne Morphew was found. In this gripping final installment, we follow the chilling discovery of Suzanne’s remains in a shallow grave in Saguache County—and the forensic secrets her bones...
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- [00:00]
T-Mobile Representative
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- [00:16]
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- [00:41]
Sarah Reid
A bike left behind, a story unraveling and a woman the world refused to forget for three years, the disappearance of Suzanne Morphew raised more questions than answers. And for a while, it looked like there might never be justice. But then something shifted.
- [01:08]
News Anchor
The grand jury has indicted Barry Morphew on the single count of murder in the first degree.
- [01:14]
Yet another stunning twist in the case of Suzanne Morphew, a Colorado mom of two who went missing on Mother's Day in 2020. Her husband, Barry Morphew, now charged a second time for her murder.
- [01:26]
It has been a long road, but I can tell you that our law enforcement officers have never forgot, have never given up. And they have been working so hard to get to the place where we are today.
- [01:37]
Sarah Reid
If you've been with us since the beginning of this case, you know this isn't just a story about a missing person. It's a story about hidden truths, a marriage unraveling, and a mother quietly documenting her pain while secretly trying to find a way to be with someone else. What sets this case apart from the others we've covered, though, is what came next. A body, an autopsy, and a second chance at justice. I'm Sarah Reid, and this is Sequestered. Season two, Case four, the Disappearance and Murder of Suzanne Morphew, Part three. Sam it's hard to describe the kind of strength it takes to live one way in public and another entirely in private. But Suzanne Morphew had been doing just that for years. Behind the pictures, the bike rides, the family photos in Salida, she was keeping secrets. Not because she wanted to, but because she was afraid not to. In January 2020, Suzanne began documenting things. She created a file in her notes app. By May, it had grown to 60 lines long. 60 lines of pain, of pleading, of tracking the control she felt from Barry and his anger, his accusations, his threats. On May 6, 2020, Suzanne sent Barry a message. I'm done. I could Care less what you're up to and have been for years. We just need to figure this out civilly. But they didn't find this message on her phone. Investigators found it as a screenshot on Barry's. He'd deleted the text, but not before accidentally saving an image of the very thing he was trying to erase. Just days earlier, on May 4, Barry had sent disturbing messages of his own.
- [04:19]
Barry Morphew
When I'm dead, going to see my savior. This life on earth is a mere grain of sand compared to eternity.
- [04:33]
Sarah Reid
Those texts were deleted, too. And that wasn't all. Suzanne had been confiding in friends through texts. She told them he's also been abusive, emotionally and physically. It's hard dealing with the harsh abrasiveness and having to show respect. I feel no peace when he's here. I would not feel safe alone with him. She even told one friend he won't speak of divorce, and that's why she was planning to leave. But that's not all Suzanne was doing. In secret, she also had a spy pen tucked into the drawer of her dresser, hidden between her bras, so that Barry would never find it. The pen wasn't just something Suzanne stumbled upon. It was given to her by her closest friend, Sheila Oliver. Sheila had grown increasingly worried, concerned about Barry's outburst, his control, and the fear that lived just behind Suzanne's soft voice. So she did what any best friend might do in that situation. She bought a spy pen. And convinced Suzanne to use was a way to record what couldn't be said out loud. A way to document the truth no one else could see. That pen became her only witness, and what it captured would tell a story no one expected. It had one to record the trut. Inside the recordings were arguments, raised voices, Barry's volatility. It's the kind of fear you don't just talk about. It's the kind of fear you record. But the spy pen didn't just capture Barry. It captured someone else. Someone who gave Suzanne hope, A voice that brought softness into her life. Jeff Liebler. Suzanne had reconnected with Jeff back in 2018 on LinkedIn. They were high school friends from Alexandria, Indiana. And by 2019, their friendship had become something more. They shared texts, emails, travel plans, and love. On May 9, 2020, the day before Suzanne disappeared, Jeff received 59 LinkedIn messages from her. At 11:42am she wrote Guess who's alone again? At 2:03pm she sent him a selfie. And at 2:11, she messaged I'm on wait. Which is believed to Mean WhatsApp. This was her last known communication. Jeff Texted again at 2:39pm 2:46pm and 2:47pm But Suzanne never replied. At that exact time, 2:47pm Barry Morphew's phone went into airplane mode. The timing wasn't just suspicious, it was chilling. Investigators would later learn that Barry had deleted dozens of texts and dozens of calls. Not a single voicemail from Suzanne remained on his phone. And when they asked why, he told.
- [08:08]
Barry Morphew
Them, I didn't want the girls to see them.
- [08:11]
Sarah Reid
But investigators knew what he was really trying to hide. Not just what happened to Suzanne, but who she really was and what she really wanted. Because Suzanne wasn't a woman who vanished. She was a woman who decided to stop pretending. And someone made sure she didn't get that chance to start over. Suzanne left behind a trail of truth. But bury he tried to rewrite the ending, and the story he told didn't match the facts. When Barry switched his phone into airplane mode at 2:47pm on May 9, 2020, it was like dropping a pin on a map. The timeline had officially begun. And whether he realized it or not, Barry had just marked the moment when everything would start to unravel. What happened next would take investigators months to piece together. But thanks to his truck's telematics, basically an onboard computer tracking movement and data, they did. From that moment at 2:47pm on May 9, until 5:37am the next morning, Barry Morphew's movements took told a story, and it wasn't the one he told police. Instead of grieving or searching, Barry was busy. He spent the evening disposing of evidence, covering his tracks, and, according to investigators, staging a crime scene. But when the questions started coming, Barry didn't say any of that. He said he'd been chasing a chipmunk with a gun. He said he was outside the house, circling the property, gun in hand, shirtless, while Suzanne sunbathed nearby. Later, he changed his story. He said he tranquilized a deer, and that's why investigators found a dart cap in the dryer. And when confronted about his truck's odd location, headed west toward where Suzanne's helmet would later be found. Barry told the FBI he was following a bull elk. A bull elk in the middle of the night on a highway. And then came the statement that stuck with everyone. Remember when he told FBI this in April of 2021.
- [10:50]
Barry Morphew
I look guilty from the evidence, and God allowed these things to happen.
- [10:56]
Sarah Reid
Investigators had already found Suzanne's bike and her helmet nearly a mile away. Staged, not tossed randomly, as it was intended to appear. They'd found a spent bullet casing near the garage. They'd found scratches on Barry's arms. They'd found deleted text messages, deleted calls, missing voicemails. They found Suzanne's own words in a hidden file on her phone. A record of abuse, of fear, and of a woman preparing to leave. And Barry? He wasn't just failing to help the investigation, he was trying to steer it. He misled police, changed his timelines, made excuses. He filed for guardianship of their two daughters, sold off assets, and moved on as if Suzanne was never coming back. But law enforcement was not letting go. Not of the case, not of the evidence, not of the truth. The timeline was building. By the spring of 2021, the public didn't know everything investigators had uncovered, but law enforcement did. And what they had was enough. That's when Barry Morphew was arrested.
- [12:19]
Barry Morphew
Let's map out this week's amazing destinations and travel tips.
- [12:23]
Will
Honestly, Will, I didn't plan any trips, but I did switch to T Mobile with their new Family Freedom offer.
- [12:31]
Sarah Reid
That's not the itinerary we're following.
- [12:33]
Will
Well, I'm departing from AT&T and embarking on a new journey with T Mobile. They paid off my family's four phones to $3200 and gave us four new phones on the house.
- [12:47]
Macy Morphew
Bon voyage.
- [12:48]
T-Mobile Representative
Introducing Family Freedom, our lowest cost. To switch our biggest family savings all On America's largest 5G network, visit your local T Mobile location or learn more@t mobile.com familyfreedom.
- [13:02]
Up to $800 per line via virtual prepaid card typically takes 15 days. Free phones via 24 monthly bill credits with finance agreement eg Apple iPhone16128Gigabyte8,2999 eligible trade in eg iPhone11Pro for well qualified credits. End and balance due if you pay off early or cancel Contact T Mobile.
- [13:15]
Sarah Reid
364 days after Suzanne disappeared, Barry Morphew was arrested. It wasn't for trespassing. It wasn't for obstruction. It was for murder first degree. Along with two more felony charges, tampering with physical evidence and attempting to influence a public servant. It was the moment Suzanne's case officially shifted from a missing persons investigation to a homicide. Initially, he was held without bond, but four months later, on September 20, everything shifted when Barry stood in court surrounded by his daughters and pleaded not guilty to all charges. He was released that same day after posting a $500,000 cash bond.
- [14:08]
News Anchor
In a case with no body, there are now no charges. And who killed Suzanne Morphew remains unf solved. Morphew vanished from her Chaffee county home on Mother's Day two years ago. Her husband Barry, charged with her murder. But today, a judge dismissed the charges and he walked out of the court with his daughters. Investigator Rick Salinger has the reason why, and he joins us live in the newsroom with our top story.
- [14:32]
Rick Salinger
Rick kelly, the trial was to start next week, but prosecutors were penalized, losing many of their key witnesses for failure to turn over evidence to the defense of on time. And now they ask for more time to find critical evidence. With his daughters at his side, Barry Morphew left court knowing charges could be refiled against him. The prosecution motion stated, further investigation into this matter is essential to answering the most consequential question presented by this case. That question, of course, is where is Morphew's wife Suzanne? Massive searches have taken place since she disappeared on Mother's Day 2020. The prosecution indicated it could be close to finding her. The defense claim they are looking at the wrong person.
- [15:24]
Sarah Reid
This community was actually believed wrongfully that Mr. Morphew is guilty when there's not.
- [15:29]
T-Mobile Representative
Even an ounce of evidence against him.
- [15:31]
Rick Salinger
The prosecution added, as his search cannot be accomplished in the coming weeks due to weather and snowpack conditions. And the people respectfully asked this court to dismiss the current indictment.
- [15:43]
Sarah Reid
We were going to get Mr. Morphew acquitted, rightly after a trial that we believed we were going to have to have.
- [15:52]
Rick Salinger
Prosecutors called off the charges after many of their expert witnesses were thrown out. Raj chohan is a CBS4 legal analyst.
- [16:02]
Barry Morphew
I think the fact that you have to file a motion to dismiss without prejudice shortly before trial is an indication that the prosecution's case was in really bad shape.
- [16:12]
Rick Salinger
Morphew left court without comment. The emotion of the moment left to his daughters and lawyer. If that trial had started and the charges dropped, then Morphew could not be charged again. Jim.
- [16:28]
Sarah Reid
It was a shocking visual. Barry Morphew, accused of murdering his wife, walking out of jail with his daughters at his side. The trial was scheduled, but then came more delays, more motions, more cracks in the case. By early 2022, Barry's legal team was pushing hard for a change of venue. Citing intense media coverage, the judge granted it. But that was just the beginning. Behind the scenes, the prosecution's case was falling apart. In April of 2022, just nine days before Barry was set to stand trial, prosecutors made a stunning move. They dropped the charges. It was an official filing, dismissed without prejudice, which meant they could Refile the charges later. But for now, the case was dead. So what was their reason? They said they needed more time. Without Suzanne's body, they couldn't prove how she died or even confirm that she had died. Deputy District attorney Mark Hurlburt admitted in open court, we actually have more than just a feeling.
- [17:43]
Barry Morphew
She is in a very difficult spot.
- [17:47]
Sarah Reid
Prosecutors hoped that with new forensic tools and more time, they'd finally find Suzanne. But there was more. Judge Ramsay Lama had sanctioned the prosecution for multiple discovery violations. Evidence was mishandled, expert witnesses were improperly prepared, and some of the most critical digital evidence wasn't shared with the defense. In time, it was enough to break the case. And so Barry walked free. But he didn't walk away quietly. He filed a $15 million federal lawsuit claiming malicious prosecution and civil rights violations. He said law enforcement had destroyed his life without ever proving he was guilty. And just like that, for more than a year, there were no charges, no trial, no answers. Suzanne was still still missing. But something else was simmering beneath the surface. Investigators weren't done. And neither was the story. Because In September of 2023, nearly three and a half years after Suzanne Morphew vanished, everything change. It was September 22, 2023, the first day of fall in the wide open stretch of Saguache County, Colorado, a place where trees give way to sagebrush. Investigators were digging in search of a body, working their way through the dry, stubborn sun, bleached dirt. It's a landscape that doesn't give up its secrets easily. But that day, that high desert basin gave up not one, but two secrets. It wasn't a search for Suzanne Morphew, at least not officially. Investigators were working a different case. But in that remote field roughly 45 miles from where she'd last been seen, they just happened to find her.
- [20:08]
News Anchor
Was one of two bodies found during.
- [20:10]
Sarah Reid
A search for a missing Saguache county.
- [20:12]
News Anchor
Woman in an unrelated case.
- [20:14]
Sarah Reid
That Woman's family tells 13 Investigates they want closure, too. Investigative reporter Quinn Ritzdorf is live in studio with those details on her disappearance.
- [20:24]
Barry Morphew
Quinn Edna Quintana has been missing from Saguach since early May. But searches for the missing 55 year old have led to the discovery of two bodies, including Suzanne Morphew. Suzanne Morphew's body was found south of Moffitt along Highway 17. But her body might not have been found if investigators weren't searching for Edna Quintana, a woman from Saguache who had been missing since May.
- [20:50]
Sarah Reid
That county, Saguache county, is getting a reputation for that being called like the boneyard. Just because they found, over the years, so many, you know, persons there and bodies or bones, whatever it was. A shallow grave, a forgotten patch of earth in the middle of nowhere. Dusty, remote, quiet. The kind of place no one stumbles upon unless they're looking for something else. Which they were. Another woman missing, presumed dead. Edna Quintana. Edna's disappearance is what prompted the search. And Suzanne's remains were found in the process. Bones, weathered and worn by time, but unmistakable. And finally, after more than three years of silence, of tip lines, protests, prayers and courtroom delays, Suzanne had finally been found. What arrived at the coroner's office that day wasn't a body. It was evidence. Three large paper bags filled with unknown skeletal remains. A skull, a jawbone, femurs, vertebrae, fragments of rib, bits of tibia. And then came the clothing. A green Nike tank top, a ripped blue hoodie labeled Crested Butte YETI brand shorts, a single pink and white glove, and a faded balaclava. Also found near the remains. Five fabric fragments and one weathered bullet. But what stood out most wasn't visible inside Suzanne's femur. Pathologists found something else. A cocktail of powerful animal butorphanol. Azaporone and metatomidine. Known in combination as bam. It's a potent drug used by veterinarians and wildlife officials to sedate large animals. Think moose, bears, wild horses. It works fast. It's actually reversible. And in high doses, it can be lethal. The coroner's report was clear. Homicide by unspecified means in the setting of BAM Intoxication. Here is the very interesting thing about bamboo. It's not just something anyone can get their hands on. This tranquilizer is tightly regulated. Only licensed veterinarians, wildlife officials, or individuals with special authorization can purchase or administer it. And records showed that only a few entities had access to it. The National Park Service, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and one private citizen in that region, Barry Morphew. Turns out he'd purchased several BAM kits back in 2018. And when Suzanne disappeared in 2020, he was the only civilian in the area authorized to possess.
- [24:29]
Barry Morphew
Lets map out this week's amazing destinations and travel tips.
- [24:33]
Will
Honestly, Will, I didn't plan any trips, but I did switch to T Mobile with their new family freedom offer.
- [24:41]
Sarah Reid
That's not the itinerary we're following.
- [24:44]
Will
Well, I'm departing from AT&T and embarking on a new journey with T Mobile. They paid off my family's four phones up to $3200 and gave us four new phones on the house.
- [24:57]
Macy Morphew
Bon voyage.
- [24:59]
T-Mobile Representative
Introducing Family Freedom Our lowest cost will switch our biggest family savings all on America's largest 5G network. Visit your local T Mobile location or learn more@t mobile.com FamilyFreedom up to $800.
- [25:13]
Per line via virtual prepaid card typically takes 15 days. Free phones via 24 monthly bill credits with finance agreement eg Apple iPhone 16128 gigabyte $8,029.99 Eligible trade in eg iPhone 11 Pro for well qualified credits End and balance due if you pay off early or cancel contact T Mobile.
- [25:28]
Sarah Reid
The autopsy further confirmed there were no signs of trauma, no broken bones, no gunshot wounds, no rope marks or ligature injuries. But the sedatives told a clear story. Suzanne hadn't fought. She hadn't run. She didn't have time to because she'd been hunted and taken down methodically, chemically. And there was more. The condition of Suzanne's remains suggested something deeply disturbing. Her bones showed minimal signs of decomposition. There was no insect activity, no gnawing, no evidence of animals disturbing the grave. In other words, she hadn't been there the whole time. Forensic experts and the coroner agreed this wasn't where Suzanne had died. Her body had likely been stored, hidden, preserved for months, maybe years, before finally being buried in that remote field. In fact, an article from 48 Hours, updated on July 6, 2025, reports that Suzanne's body was moved at least twice after she was murdered and before reaching that final location. Someone had kept her somewhere. And when the time came, they finally dug a shallow grave and quietly placed her remains in it. No markers, no stones, just her bones and dirt, as if she could be forgotten. By late 2023, prosecutors now had what they didn't have in 2021 Suzanne's body, a cause of death, and a forensic link between Barry Morphew and the drugs in her system. But that wasn't all. The lead prosecutor in the original case, Linda Stanley, the one who held the press conferences and led the high profile charge, had been disbarred for misconduct, sanctioned for making inappropriate media statements, and even attempting to launch a criminal investigation into the judge who had ruled against her and that $15 million lawsuit Barry filed against her and Chaffee County. It was dismissed. But behind the scenes, a grand jury had been quietly convened, and In April of 2025, the charges returned.
- [28:06]
News Anchor
Barry Morphew was initially charged with first degree murder and evidence tampering four years ago. Those charges later dropped just days before his trial was set to begin in 2022.
- [28:17]
Barry Morphew
The prosecution dropped the case against Barry Morphew because there was a number of holes within their case. There are some evidentiary issues that they're precluded from presenting, but probably the most serious part of it, they didn't have a body, no cause or manner of death to really explain what happened to.
- [28:32]
News Anchor
Susan Morphew in 2023. Morphew spoke exclusively to ABC News with his daughters Mallory and Macy by his side, maintaining his innocence and claiming his life had been ruined by the allegations.
- [28:44]
Did you have anything to do with the disappearance of your wife?
- [28:48]
Macy Morphew
Absolutely not.
- [28:49]
News Anchor
You never had a shred of doubt that your dad was completely innocent? I've never had a shred of doubt.
- [28:55]
Sarah Reid
Not one.
- [28:56]
News Anchor
Was there any indication before she disappeared that something was amiss?
- [29:02]
Sarah Reid
No. Macy and I were texting her on her road trip, having the sweetest conversations, and sending her pictures of the fun that we were having.
- [29:11]
News Anchor
Did you observe any fights, arguments, disagreements between your mom and your dad that concerned you before?
- [29:18]
Sarah Reid
No.
- [29:19]
News Anchor
When you found out that Suzanne was having an affair, what was your first thought?
- [29:24]
Macy Morphew
My heart was broken. My heart was broken. I didn't believe it. Anybody that knows her wouldn't have believed it. And I didn't believe it until they showed me proof. I made them prove it because they kept lying to me about other things. I thought, well, this is another lie to get me to say something. And I made them prove it. And it was just heartbreaking.
- [29:50]
News Anchor
Morphew denied the marriage, was in trouble.
- [29:53]
Macy Morphew
We had a wonderful life, wonderful marriage. She was just so loving and giving and such a good mother.
- [30:06]
Sarah Reid
Barry Morphew was re indicted by a grand jury and charged again with first degree murder, tampering with physical evidence, and attempting to influence a public servant. The same primary charges from Barry's original 2021 indictment. But this time they were supported by the new forensic evidence, the discovery of Suzanne's body, and the toxicology report showing the remnants of a powerful tranquilizer found deep in her femur. They also knew that Barry Morphew was the only private citizen in the region with access to that specific tranq mixture. My co producer, Andrea and I were present virtually at Barry's first court appearance. We watched him enter the courtroom. We heard the judge read the charges. And for the first time in years, the system felt ready. Ready to say Suzanne's name again, ready to try again, this time with her story intact, and this time with her body found. It's a moment many weren't sure would ever come. A second indictment. A system circling back, not to redeem itself but to give it a better shot, just like they had set out to do. This time, though, it would be with Suzanne's voice at the center. We'll continue to follow this case, including Barry Morphew's trial, and we'll be sure to keep you updated along the way. If you want a deeper dive into this case, head over to our website, sequesteredpod.com we have all kinds of content, footage, photos and more. Do you have something to share, A theory, a memory of Suzanne or question? Feel free to send us a message. We read every single one. If you've made it through all three parts of this case, thank you for sitting with the discomfort, for honoring the truth and for keeping Suzanne's name alive. We'll be back next week with a new case, one that's as devastating and as necessary as this one. Until then, stay curious, stay compassionate and never forget these stories. They deserve to be told. Satan.