Colorado Family Leaves Suzanne Morphew's Body in Morgue for Two Years Amid Husband's Murder Charges and Legal Battle Over Remains

A Colorado family left the body of Suzanne Morphew in a morgue for two years after being told they could reclaim her remains, court documents reveal. The mother of two, who vanished from her $1.5 million home in Maysville on Mother's Day 2020, was discovered in a field in September 2023. Despite being notified in April 2024 that her body was available for collection, the family did not claim it for over two years.

Suzanne's husband, Barry Morphew, 57, is accused of her murder. He pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder charges earlier this year. At the time the family were informed they could collect her remains, no one had been charged with her death. Her daughters, Mallory and Macy, now fight the state for control of her body after prosecutors retook it the day before her scheduled cremation.

Barry Morphew signed the paperwork to release Suzanne's remains to a funeral home in late January. Law enforcement discovered the body's location on February 17, a search warrant was issued on the 18th, and the remains were reclaimed by prosecutors on the 19th. Suzanne's body was set to be cremated on February 20, according to court filings.

Prosecutors rejected a request from Suzanne's daughters to return the body to them. District Attorney Anne Kelly stated that the remains were lawfully obtained via a search warrant, leaving the family without authority to intervene before Barry's trial. Bert Nieslanik, the daughters' attorney, called the removal of the body from the funeral home 'cruel and shocking.' He argued the family had a right to practice their religion, though Barry's lawyers remained neutral.

Statutes under the Victim Rights Act suggest Barry should not control decisions about his wife's remains due to his arrest. It remains unclear if Suzanne's family had any input in her final arrangements. Her sister, Melinda Moorman, had expressed fear for Suzanne's safety in 2021.

Despite Barry's charges, his daughters have remained loyal to him, insisting they do not believe he committed the crime. The Alamosa County District Attorney's Office noted that Suzanne's remains were made available to her family in April 2024, but no one took possession.

Swan-Law Funeral Directors, the firm handling Suzanne's remains, issued a statement expressing empathy for the family. They emphasized their commitment to following the law while hoping the daughters can soon memorialize their mother.

Barry was first arrested in 2021, nearly a year after Suzanne disappeared. He faced charges of murder and evidence tampering, but the case was dismissed due to prosecutorial misconduct. Suzanne's remains were found in 2023 in a remote area of Southern Colorado known as 'The Boneyard.'

Barry was arrested again in 2024 and charged with first-degree murder. He entered a not guilty plea earlier this year, flanked by his daughters during the court hearing. Currently, he is under strict house arrest after posting $300,000 of his $3 million bond with the help of supporters.

Chief Judge Amanda Hopkins has scheduled Barry's trial for October 13. The trial is expected to last up to six weeks, bringing long-awaited closure—or renewed controversy—to a case that has haunted the community for over four years.