Barry Morphew Used Alias in Arizona Before Arrest in Colorado Wife Murder Case as Judge Delays Trial to 2027

GREELEY, CO — Newly released records say Barry Morphew lived in Arizona under a false name before his arrest in the murder case tied to his wife’s 2020 disappearance. The report says he stayed with a woman while using the alias “Lee Moore,” and that he later disclosed his real identity before being taken into custody in Goodyear, Arizona.

The case stems from the disappearance of Suzanne Morphew, who vanished on Mother’s Day in 2020 in Colorado. Barry Morphew was indicted in June 2025 on a first-degree murder charge and has pleaded not guilty.

Trial pushed back

At a Wednesday status conference, Judge Amanda Hopkins approved a defense request to delay the October murder trial while lawyers continue reviewing a large volume of evidence. No new trial date was set, but the judge ordered both sides to work toward a proposed date before June 1, 2027.

Defense attorney Alexis Bair-Elson said the team is still working through what she called a “mountain of discovery” and expects to be ready around May 2027. Prosecutors opposed the delay and said January 2027 would give them enough time to prepare.

Witnesses and records

The arrest report says the woman who let Morphew live with her told Arizona troopers she knew him only as “Lee Moore.” According to the report, he moved in with much of his property on May 1, 2025, after the two met in late December 2024.

The woman said Morphew revealed his real identity on June 15 and claimed Suzanne Morphew had been abducted in Colorado, according to the report. Authorities also say they found an AR-15-style rifle and a silencer in a safe at the home where he was staying.

How investigators tracked him

Records say the Colorado Bureau of Investigation asked Arizona authorities in February to monitor Morphew because an indictment was expected. Investigators also obtained a warrant for a GPS tracker on his truck.

Fox News Digital reported that Morphew paid property taxes on land at the Stardust Trailer Park in Cave Creek, Arizona, and was self-employed. A restaurant worker in Cave Creek said he knew Morphew by yet another name, Bruce, and said he only learned the suspect’s real identity after the murder charges became public.

Prosecution evidence details

Prosecutors allege chemicals including butorphanol, azaperone and medetomidine were found in Suzanne Morphew’s bone marrow. They say Barry Morphew used “BAM” deer tranquilizer on his farm when he lived in Indiana and argue he had access to it when Suzanne Morphew disappeared.

His attorney, David Beller, said Morphew maintains his innocence and accused prosecutors of starting with a conclusion and then searching for supporting evidence. The judge also kept a July 6 motions hearing on the calendar while the case moves toward a later trial date.

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