Barry Morphew Arrest Report Says He Used an Alias in Arizona While Murder Case Tied to Wife’s Disappearance Moves Toward Trial in Colorado

GRAND JUNCTION, CO — Barry Morphew allegedly lived in Arizona under a false name before his arrest in the killing of his wife, according to a newly released report from law enforcement. The report says he stayed with a woman for about a month while concealing his identity, even as the Colorado case against him continued to move forward.

Morphew has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the death of Suzanne Morphew, who vanished on Mother’s Day in 2020 after the couple lived in Colorado. He was later arrested in Goodyear, Arizona, roughly 11 hours from where she disappeared.

Trial Pushed Back

At a Wednesday status conference, Judge Amanda Hopkins approved a defense request to delay the murder trial that had been set for October. No new trial date was fixed, but the judge ordered both sides to propose one before June 1, 2027.

Defense attorney Alexis Bair-Elson said her team is still working through what she called a huge volume of discovery material and expects to be ready around May 2027. Prosecutors objected and said a January 2027 trial would give both sides enough time.

Arrest Report Details

The arrest report, obtained through a public records request, says Morphew was using the name “Lee Moore” while living in Arizona. According to the report, the woman he was staying with said he moved in on May 1, 2025, and brought much of his personal property with him.

She told troopers she had known him only as Lee Moore until June 15, when he disclosed his real identity and told her Suzanne Morphew had been abducted in Colorado. Fox News Digital did not name the woman because she has not been charged.

Evidence And Investigators

Investigators said they found an AR-15-style rifle and a silencer in a safe at the Arizona home where Morphew was living. The report also says Colorado authorities had asked Arizona officials in February to watch his movements because a grand jury indictment was expected, and a warrant was obtained for GPS tracking on his truck.

Prosecutors have said chemicals tied to a deer tranquilizer were found in Suzanne Morphew’s bone marrow and allege Barry Morphew used the drug on animals while living in Indiana. He has remained charged with one count of first-degree murder.

Family Waits For Closure

Suzanne Morphew’s siblings objected to the postponement, saying they have waited years for answers and had already made travel plans for the trial. Judge Hopkins said she wanted to make sure the case is tried only once and that both sides are prepared.

Morphew’s lawyer, David Beller, has said his client maintains his innocence and argued the government is working backward from a conclusion. The judge kept a July 6 motions hearing on the calendar as the case continues to advance.

TNSO covers California, Nevada, and Arizona as the story unfolds.