SALIDA, Colo. (KDVR) — Just Moments after Barry Morphew was arrested for the murder of his wife Suzanne, the Sheriff called Suzanne’s sister to let her know.
“My first reaction is relief and grateful. I’m just so grateful for law enforcement. They have fought the fight for her and today justice is beginning for my sister,” Suzanne’s sister Melinda Moorman told Lauren Schraf, a reporter at FOX21 in Colorado Springs.
However, Moorman said while she is glad there had been arrest there is still a deep sense of sadness in both Suzanne and Barry’s families.
“It’s been the journey that no one ever imagined that they’ll take. It’s the journey you see other people take. And you never imagine you are going to be on that journey. It’s been a journey of a lot of heartache. A lot of brokenness,” Moorman said.
Suzanne’s family, her father and brother, organized searches for the missing mother of two over the course of the past year since she was last seen.
They combed the mountains for clues and dove into lakes near Salida.
Volunteers came from across the country to search the woman who disappeared on Mother’s Day.
The Morphew Case drew national attention from YouTube shows like Profiling Evil.
Host Mike King, a retired cold case investigator, said there were glaring red flags over and over.
“I was very troubled from the very beginning with the four scenarios the defendant painted in this case. Number one this wacky notion that a mountain lion took her down and carried her off into the woods to later consume her. That was a huge red flag to me,” said King.
King is also the author of book called “Deceived” which focuses on cults and abusive relationships.
He recognized some of those signs in Barry Morphew.
In the beginning Barry Morphew spoke, but very little and then went silent even ordering volunteer searchers to move away from his home.
Morphew’s arrest was not a surprise to King.
“How could you not be considered a person of interest or a suspect in a case where your wife disappears and you’re the closest connection to this thing,” said King.
Suzanne Morphew’s disappearance left a family beyond devastated and torn apart.
Ever since last May, Moorman has been estranged from her nieces.
“I’ve been praying for you every day and I adore you girls as the offspring of my beautiful sister, and I will never stop loving you. And I am here for you. Whenever you need me girls. I am here and I have all the love in the world for you,” said Melinda holding back tears.
In Salida, reaction to the arrest was mixed with some relieved and others saddened.
“There’s some peace that we finally are getting some answers,” said Tisha Leewaye.
Leewaye and others have spent nearly a year organizing regular search parties. Morphew’s body has still not been found.
“We’re still hanging on the fence waiting to bring Suzanne home,” said Deetta Wilson. “We just want to keep her voice out there so that everybody knows that Suzanne is still missing.”
At Integrity Tattoo, Brandon Beach said the arrest was all anyone was talking about Wednesday.
“It’s one of the biggest news stories to ever come out of a place like this, right,” he said. “There hasn’t been a trial or anything yet, so it’s another event in what seems to be a very long sort of process.”
A memorial bench to Morphew is set to be unveiled somewhere downtown in the next few weeks, according to Leewaye.
