CHAFFEE COUNTY, Colo. — Barry Morphew appeared in a Chaffee County courtroom remotely on Thursday morning sitting alongside his attorney to face the accusation of submitting an election ballot for his missing wife.

Morphew was arrested for first-degree murder on May 5, 2021, nearly a year after his wife, Suzanne, was reported missing. Her body has still not been found.

But in April of this year, after spending five months in jail and several additional months under court-mandated supervision, the murder charges facing Morphew were dismissed without prejudice.

However, Wednesday’s court date revolved around charges against Morphew for forgery of public records and an election mail ballot offense. Those charges were filed after Morphew was accused of filling out his missing wife’s ballot and submitting it in her name.

At the time, Morphew told investigators he mailed the ballot on behalf of his wife, Suzanne, to help Trump win, saying “all these other guys are cheating,” and that he thought his wife would have voted for Trump anyway, according to an arrest warrant affidavit

As part of a plea deal, Morphew agreed to plead guilty to the forgery charge.

The judge asked if Morphew wanted to say anything during his sentencing. Morphew spoke to his attorney, but she shook her head and said “no.”

Ultimately, Morphew was sentenced to a deferred one-year sentence of supervised probation. But he will have to complete 32 hours of community service. He will be allowed to complete those hours in Denver.