CHAFFEE COUNTY, Colo. — It has now been three months since a Chaffee County mother disappeared. For the first time, a family member of the woman is speaking out to FOX21 News.
Suzanne Morphew, 49, was reported missing by a neighbor on May 10th, on Mother’s Day in the town of Maysville, Colorado.
One of Suzanne’s family members says that they are worried Barry, Suzanne’s husband hasn’t told investigators everything he knows. Barry told the family he was working in Denver when Suzanne was reported missing and their girls were on a camping trip out of state.
Her family also wants everyone to shine a bright light to remind the public that she is still missing and just how much she’s loved. FOX21 received photos of people shining lights all across the country and world.
“I’ll do anything to get you back,” Barry said in a video posted to Facebook on May 17.
One of Suzanne’s family members is breaking their silence with the promise of anonymity. They’re worried Barry is tampering with the investigation.
This family member says Barry refused two polygraph tests, a critical analysis test and the family member also says the data collected from his truck didn’t match up with what he told investigators.
The Chaffee County Sheriff wouldn’t offer any insight on the family member’s information.
PART ONE: “You don’t just see beauty when Suzanne is around, you feel it”
PART TWO: Neighbors want answers two months into Chaffee County woman’s disappearance
Suzanne Morphew / Courtesy photo Suzanne Morphew / Courtesy photo
“Everybody liked Suzanne, it was never a popularity thing with her,” Michelle Davis said. “Everybody liked her. Very calm sweet demeanor. She was just that girl that everybody liked. She would never try to get noticed. She had a natural beauty about her.”
Michelle Davis is a childhood friend of Suzanne’s. She also attended church together and the bond they formed there grew. They both dealt with cancer, each staying strong for the other.
“Getting to go through this journey of cancer to see where God had led us and it was encouraging words for her that day to get to go through this together,” Davis added.
Suzanne’s family says she beat Non-Hodgkins lymphoma as a young girl in her late teens. At the time, the family says doctors told Suzanne the harsh treatments meant children weren’t likely in her future.
“She lost her hair back then because I remember her getting a wig,” Davis recalled. “She didn’t expect to lose her hair this time but it just thinned a little bit. I did lose my hair. It wasn’t losing the hair that was the hard part it was others treating you differently. She was praying that she wouldn’t lose her hair this time so that Barry and the girls wouldn’t see her like that.”
“Suzanne is the kindest, sweetest, soft spoken woman I’ve ever known, but most importantly she’s a follower of Christ. Her gentle spirit is like that of Jesus’, always seeking to give him praise in whatever she does. If you need a friend that will lift you up in prayer or offer encouragement, Suzanne is that friend!
Thank you Lauren for continuing to put her face and story out there and thank you so much for seeking answers when they are sparse. I pray for Suzanne and for Mal, Macy, and Barry, that the truth will come out regardless of what that truth is. We have assurance that if Suzanne has already passed away from this earth that we will see her again in heaven one day because of what Christ did for us on the cross. That hope comes from knowing she trusts Christ as her Lord and savior and seeks to praise the Lord in any situation. That is what we are choosing to do as well.”
Friend of Suzanne’s from Church
Holly Burman has a daughter the same age as one of Suzanne’s daughters and that is how they became friends.
“She’s lots of fun and likes to things with the girls and that is why I don’t think she would have left on her own,” Burman explained. “Those girls mean too much to her to do that.”
Burman added that Suzanne wasn’t the kind of lady who had to look perfect before going out.
“She called one day and said let’s take the girls to Gene’s Rootbeer and Hotdog’s in your jeep,” Burman said. “It was a last-minute thing beautiful summer night she and I had ballcaps on, no makeup on, and we drove 45 minutes in the jeep. Top-down, hair blowing everywhere, and just laughed, and giggled, it was just carefree fun!”
Suzanne’s friends say she had faith and now they’re leaning on faith as they wait to hear from investigators as to what happened to their sweet friend.
“This whole thing is shocking to think that somebody you knew has disappeared out of the clear blue,” Davis added. “When I texted her on the 30th wishing her a happy birthday in April then that Monday morning my boyfriend who also went to school with us said did you hear Suzanne is missing and I’m like what… so it’s been a shock all along.”
Courtesy of Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office Courtesy of Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office
Investigators were handing out flyers on Monday and asking anyone with information to call the tipline at (719) 312-7530. So far 700 tips have been collected. Investigators went to Indiana a few weeks ago which is where Suzanne and Barry grew up to question friends and family.
FOX21 has reached out to Barry many times for an interview or a statement but haven’t heard back.
The Morphew family is offering a reward of $210,000 for information for a safe return – no questions asked.