Remains of missing CO wife, mother Suzanne Morphew found after 3 years

In a tragic ending to a story that has puzzled investigators for years, the remains of missing Colorado wife and mother Suzanne Morphew were found and have been positively identified, as CBS News reports.

Last seen during a Mother's Day bike ride in 2020, the disappearance of Morphew, who was then 49 years old, has sparked voluminous speculation and countless news reports, even featuring on the CBS crime investigation series 48 Hours.

Officials with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation revealed that Morphew's remains were found amid a Sept. 22 search in Saguache County that was part of an unrelated investigation and that they were subsequently identified as hers by the El Paso County Coroner.

Though the mystery of Morphew's disappearance had persisted for years, Chaffee County Sheriff John Spezze stated that solving it always remained one of his agency's top priorities.

“While this case has garnered attention from around the world, it has touched our community and the sheriff's office deeply,” Spezze said.

The sheriff added, “We have never stopped our investigation and will continue to follow all leads in pursuit of justice for Suzanne.”

Morphew's unexplained disappearance left two teenaged daughters without their mother and a husband, Barry Morphew, without a wife.

Mr. Morphew, it is worth noting, was deemed the prime suspect in the disappearance, and was ultimately hit with murder charges in what was the presumed death of his wife, and evidence was unearthed pointing to discord in the marriage and Suzanne Morphew's apparent plans to leave her husband.

As Fox News notes, charges against Barry Morphew – which included allegations of evidence tampering – were later dropped, and the onetime suspect filed a multi-million-dollar lawsuit against investigators and prosecutors in the case.

After news broke that Suzanne Morphew's remains had been located at last, a statement was issued by Iris Eytan, an attorney for the family.

According to Eytan, Barry Morphew and his daughters are “struggling with immense grief and shock” over the devastating outcome.

“They had faith that their wife and mom would walk back into their lives again. The news is heartbreaking,” Eytan said.

Adding insult to injury, the attorney explained, was the fact that “[n]either the D.A. nor the authorities notified [daughters] Mallory and Macy Morphew about the recovery of their mom," and as for their father, Eytan said, "[f]rom what we know, Barry is as innocent as he was from Day 1...[w]e hope the authorities will quickly admit their wrongful persecution of Barry, an innocent man, to treat the Morphews like the victims they are, and charge the person(s) responsible for Suzanne's killing."

There have been no other arrests made in the matter to date, and since the prior charges against Barry Morphew were dismissed without prejudice, there is always the possibility that he could face legal jeopardy once again if that is where the evidence – which Spezze has pledge to continue pursuing – eventually leads.