Suzanne Morphew disappearance: A complete timeline of the case

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation stumbled on a bombshell of forensic evidence in Saguache County, which stunned cold case watchers on Sept. 22.

That day, investigators were searching for the remains of a missing woman named Edna Quintana, who had disappeared last May. Instead, the human bones they found in a shallow grave belonged to Suzanne Morphew, a 49-year-old mother of two whose unsolved case had confounded national and local law enforcement, citizen searchers, and YouTube podcasters.

For days, forensic teams dug up the desert ground, gathering the remains that were scattered across a large swath of sagebrush-dotted prairie estimated by Saguache County Coroner Tom Perrin to be around 75 yards. That next Wednesday — on Sept. 27 — the El Paso County Coroner identified the remains as belonging to Suzanne Morphew, who had been missing for three years and four months.

The area is adjacent to a remote highway and about a 45-minute drive directly south of Maysville, where Morphew was last known to be alive. Vehicle GPS coordinates and cellphone records from her husband Barry Morphew’s cell phone showed that he was not in the area on May 9 and 10, 2020 — the days Suzanne Morphew first disappeared.

The beleaguered investigation of the missing Chaffee County woman was considered a cold case and its future hinged upon finding her body. That she was last known to be alive in Chaffee County — but her remains were found in a bordering county where no one thought to look — brings up more questions about how she died.

An autopsy is being performed by the El Paso County Coroner, but the results may not be released, as they are considered to be part of an ongoing investigation.

The information in this timeline comes from family interviews, court documents, and testimony from Barry Morphew’s preliminary and probable cause hearings, as well as subsequent statements from other court hearings leading up to the case being dismissed in April 2022.

Who was Suzanne Morphew?

Suzanne Moorman and Barry Morphew’s love story started where they grew up in the All-American, small town of Alexandra, Indiana — a community surrounded by farmland an hour northeast of Indianapolis. Their relationship started on the golf course, where he worked tending the greens during summers when he was home from college. She lived on the first tee and was still in high school.

Morphew was a hometown sports hero who was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays. Suzanne, at 17, was the baby of the family, beautiful and shy. Her father, Gene Moorman, owned a popular root beer stand in a nearby town.

Though Gene Moorman died heartbroken in the fall of 2020, with the knowledge that his youngest child was missing, Gene’s Root Beer and Hot Dogs in Anderson, Indiana, is still run by the Moorman family.  

During one of the 30 interviews his attorney said Barry Morphew gave to law enforcement, he told deputies that Suzanne was “his angel since she was 17.” He was arrested and charged with murder in the case a year after she disappeared and then became a free man when the case against him was dismissed without prejudice in the spring of 2022.

1994:

Barry and Suzanne are married. They eventually have two daughters, Macy and Mallory.

2018:

The Morphews moved to Colorado from Indiana, hoping for a fresh start and to be closer to their oldest daughter. In May of that year, Suzanne’s cancer, Hodgkin's lymphoma, returned. Macy, in high school, lived at home and Mallory was away at college.

September 2018:

Suzanne’s best friend, Sheila Oliver, visited Colorado. Oliver was important to the case because Suzanne shared intimate details about her failing marriage over text and phone calls, which investigators later use to gain insight into her mindset during her last two years. Since Suzanne’s cellphone is still missing, they found their conversations on Oliver’s phone and through Morphew’s iCloud account.

Thanksgiving 2018:

Suzanne visited Oliver in Indiana.

February 2019:

Suzanne Morphew and Jeff Libler, a high school friend, started talking over text. 

September 2019:

Suzanne increasingly confided in Oliver about leaving her marriage to Barry. “I sort of wish he would just get fed up with me and leave,” she wrote of her husband. “I told him I’m done. I need peace.”

Valentine’s Day 2019:

Suzanne Morphew and Jeff Libler’s relationship became more than platonic. They met up in New Orleans, while he was there for a conference. After that, they continue to connect over LinkedIn and WhatsApp and met in person several more times. Barry Morphew told investigators later that he did not know about the affair.

Feb. 2, 2020:

Suzanne and Oliver met up for a girls’ Super Bowl weekend.

Feb. 4, 2020:

Suzanne talked with Sheila about getting out of her marriage. She never mentioned Libler to anyone.

Later February 2020:

Suzanne and Libler connected in Florida, while she was visiting her father.

May 6, 2020: (Four days before Suzanne Morphew was first reported missing)

10:17 a.m.

This is the moment when Suzanne let Barry know their marriage was over. Text messages from Suzanne obtained from Barry’s phone said: “I’m done. I could care what you’ve been up to for years. We just need to figure this out civilly.”

3:51 p.m.

Barry texted Suzanne: “I promise you are wrong about all the crazy thoughts about me. Only a fool would stray from an angel like you. When I’m dead, which won’t be long, you guys will be taken care of.”

Thursday, May 7:

Suzanne and Libler texted a lot that day. Barry and Suzanne have pizza and look at houses around town. She described the evening to Libler later as “a fine quiet night.”

Friday, May 8:

7:02 a.m.

Suzanne saved on her cellphone’s Notes application a list of grievances, which were her reasons to leave her marriage. One of those said that Barry accused her of having a boyfriend. Another said, “Act like I’m intruding in the garage,” which an investigator who interviewed Barry later testified meant that he thought she had cameras in the garage.

9:28 a.m.

Suzanne texted her sister, Melinda, about how hard it was “dealing with the harsh abrasiveness and showing respect.” Melinda told detectives later that she didn’t know what to say.

10 a.m.

Suzanne and Barry had a series of phone calls, which ended when Barry texted, “I love you Suzanne.”

Saturday, May 9:

Morning

Suzanne texted Libler “we need to be husband and wife” in one of 59 text messages exchanged between the two that day.

11:30 a.m.

Barry came home for lunch and left to change the blade to his Bobcat.

2:07 p.m.

Suzanne sent a selfie to Libler. It is the last known moment that she was alive.

2:42-2:44 p.m.

Barry returned home and his phone showed that he was moving around outside of the house. In an interview months later, he explained to prosecutors that he was shooting chipmunks.

6:40-6:48 pm

Oliver, told investigators she tried to reach Suzanne that day sending three Snapchat messages between 6:40 and 6:48 pm with no luck.

9:24 – 9:52 p.m.

Telematics showed that the doors of Barry Morphew’s truck opened and closed over and over.

9:25 p.m.

Telematics showed the gears went into reverse. The truck backed 96 feet to the edge of the driveway.

Sometime that night

Suzanne’s Facebook codes were reset and people started friending her there. She gained 23 total friends from Indiana, 20 of whom were men.

May 9-May 10

2:47 p.m. until 4:37 a.m. May 10

Barry’s phone went into “airplane mode,” a setting on cellphones that prevents the device from sending or receiving calls and text messages.

Agent Jonny Grusing told the court during the fall 2021 probable cause hearing that this was “…six hours we don’t know what happened.”

Senior Deputy District Attorney Jeff Lindsey asked Grusing if this was enough time to dispose of a body. “Yes,” Grusing said, “He would have had six hours. That would be three hours round trip.”

It is an important point. During probable cause hearings, Morphew's attorneys say there was no blood and no DNA in Morphew's truck, which never left the driveway, and that the ground was frozen. "Somehow in this airplane off time - Barry has means and time to dispose of body," said Sean Connelly. 

May 10

3:25 a.m. – 3:52 a.m.

Doors of Morphew's truck were opened and closed repeatedly.

4:23 a.m.

Suzanne’s phone pinged for the last time. The cellphone has never been found.

4:30 a.m.

Barry told investigators he woke up.

5 a.m.

Barry told police he left for Broomfield to fix a retaining wall for his landscaping company. He said he left Suzanne sleeping soundly in their bedroom. He was the last known person to see his wife alive.

5:38 a.m.

Barry texted his mother: “Happy Mother’s Day”

6:56 a.m.

Barry was near Bailey, on his way to the Broomfield job.

8:41 a.m.

Barry told police he tried texting Suzanne "Happy Mother’s Day" and got no response, but added that this was not unusual because cell service was spotty around the Morphew home.

8:10 a.m.

Morphew arrived in Broomfield and soon after, surveillance cameras and truck data showed him throwing trash away at various places in Broomfield.

8:35 a.m.

Surveillance video from a hotel showed Barry walk through front doors.

8:41 a.m.

Barry texted Suzanne that he made it to Broomfield and asked her to call him when she got a chance. “You up? Happy Mother’s Day. I love you.”

10:10 a.m.

Barry left the hotel. During that morning he visited a McDonald’s and threw out something small, which he told police later was “wrappers.” He then visited a carwash and a Men’s Wearhouse store, where he throws away more trash. He also visited the worksite where he was to repair a retaining wall for around 20 minutes, but didn’t follow through because work was prohibited on Sundays.

12:42 until 5:55 p.m.

Surveillance video showed that Barry did not leave his hotel room.

3:30 p.m.

Barry texted Suzanne to call him.

5:15 p.m.

Neighbor Jeane Ritter called Barry to let him know Suzanne was missing. Her bicycle was gone, but her Range Rover was in the garage. Their daughters, Mallory and Macy, were on a road trip with one of Mallory’s friends and were not getting responses to their "Happy Mother’s Day" communications.

5:38 p.m.

District Attorney investigator Alex Walker was informed that Suzanne is missing. As evening fell, deputies arrived at the Morphew home and discovered Suzanne’s bike “with colorful pedals” down a ravine near the home. The handlebars are twisted.

5:45 p.m.

Morphew received a second call from Ritter. 

6 p.m.

Barry made several trips to his truck bringing in tools.

Around 6 p.m.

Miles Harden, a friend of Macy’s, is contacted by law enforcement. He drove around and looked for Suzanne with no luck. He told deputies that Suzanne had never gone up the trail where her bike was found because the “gains are hard and it’s a crazy climb.”

8:46 p.m.

Barry arrived at home in his truck. He asked deputies if they “saw any cats on the road,” referring to mountain lions. They responded that they hadn’t seen one recently.

Monday, May 11:

Investigators speak with Barry around 1 p.m. Suzanne was supposed to have a cancer treatment, but she did not show up for the appointment. Searchers were organizing to look for Suzanne Morphew.

May 12, 2020:

Investigators got a search warrant for Barry’s truck. Search dogs were called in to do smell tests on the vehicle. They found no blood inside or outside of the truck.

May 13, 2020:

Suzanne’s turquoise bike helmet was found undamaged .84 miles from where they found the bike and 10 meters off of the highway. Investigators suspected she never did take a bike ride. Her camelback & sunglasses, which her family said she always took with her when she rode, were in her Range Rover SUV, still in the garage.

May 15, 2020:

Evidence response team of the Denver division of the FBI was brought in to participate in ongoing efforts. 

May 19 and 20, 2020:

Necrosearch geologist conducted ground-penetrating radar survey and came up with nothing.

July 8, 2020:

Colorado Bureau of Investigation investigators called Barry and he invited them over for steaks. They ate dinner together and prayed for Suzanne.

July 9 and 10, 2020:

Morphew and his daughters were told to leave the home, while investigators searched. They found no blood inside. They found a tranquilizer dart cap in the dryer. Later, they theorized that Barry shot Suzanne with a tranquilizer to sedate her, an idea which his attorneys refuted.

November 2020:

Investigators learned about recordings on a spy pen that Suzanne bought and was using to try and catch Barry in an affair, and that it was Suzanne who was in a sexual or love relationship with a man named Jeff Libler. The two secretly met six times during a year-and-a-half-long relationship.

Nov. 13, 2020:

Police spoke with Libler. He told law enforcement that no one knew about the relationship, including Suzanne Morphew’s closest friends and family.

May 5, 2021:

Barry Morphew was arrested. Barry was charged with first-degree murder, tampering with evidence and attempting to influence a public servant. Suzanne's body was not recovered, but Chaffee County Sheriff John Spezze remarked, “Our belief is that Suzanne is not alive at this time.”

Aug. 9, 2021:

A preliminary hearing — where prosecutors presented evidence to a judge to determine if there's enough to send the case to trial — began for Barry. His family attended each day, and his daughters, Mallory and Macy, sat in the rows behind their father in support of him. They communicated via eye contact and made heart hands with Barry. Their belief in his innocence has never wavered.

Sept. 20, 2021:

11th Judicial District Chief Judge Patrick Murphy ruled to let Barry out of jail on $500,000 cash-only bail. He walked out a couple of days later after posting the amount, flanked by his two daughters. Murphy also unsealed the arrest affidavit, which laid out the prosecution’s case.

December 2021: 

Judge Murphy, who has presided over the case removed himself after defense attorneys complained about a conflict of interest.

February 2022: 

The murder trial was moved from Chaffee County to Fremont County. In a statement, officials said the move was made "because of the size of the community and the pervasive negative pretrial publicity since Suzanne Morphew's disappearance, the Court finds that a fair trial cannot take place in Chaffee County. This is a high-profile case in a relatively small county with a small jury pool. The media saturation is high." Soon after, 11^th Judicial District Judge Ramsey Lama took over.

April 19, 2022:

Less than two weeks before trial, Ramsey Lama granted a motion to dismiss filed by the prosecution in the murder case against Barry. The case was dropped without prejudice, meaning that the investigation could be revisited should new evidence surface.

May 2, 2023:

Barry Morphew filed a $15 million civil suit against several prosecutors, Chaffee County, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and the FBI. The lawsuit stated that Morphew was seeking damages caused by the prosecutors, Chaffee County, and law enforcement officials.

Sept. 22, 2023:

CBI investigators unearthed remains in a shallow grave near Moffat in Saguache County. They were looking for remains of a missing woman named Edna Quintana, who disappeared nn May 3. 

Sept. 25 2023:

The El Paso County coroner identified the remains found by CBI investigators as those of Suzanne, three years and four months after she disappeared. 

Sept. 29, 2023:

Investigators ruled the disappearance of Edna Quintana and the disappearance of Suzanne as not related. CBI said that Quintana’s disappearance remains an open and active investigation, so no further information is available at this time.

Later in the day, law enforcement said the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, the Chaffee County and Saguache County sheriff’s offices have concluded their search in the area where Suzanne's remains were found.