Latest news with #LindaStanley
Yahoo
21-06-2025
- Yahoo
Colorado murder suspect arrested in Gilbert maintains his innocence
The Brief A Colorado murder suspect was arrested June 20 in Gilbert. Barry Morphew is accused of killing his wife Suzanne in 2020. Her remains were found three years later, about 40 miles from where she went missing. The original case made national headlines in 2020. Suzanne Morphew, a mother of two, was last seen near her home in Salida, Colorado, on Mother's Day. She was reported missing after she didn't return home from a bike ride. The backstory Her husband, Barry, was initially charged with first-degree murder in the case, but the charges were dropped. Prosecutors at the time said they didn't have enough evidence to move forward and wanted more time to find her body. But the judge also accused the prosecution of withholding key evidence from the defense. The lead prosecutor in the case, Linda Stanley, was later disbarred, in part for her handling of the case. Suzanne's remains were found three years later, near the town of Moffat in Saguache County, Colorado, about 40 miles from where she went missing. An Associated Press report stated that an autopsy performed in 2024 found a drug cocktail used to tranquilize wildlife was found in her system. A tranquilizer gun and accessories were found in Barry's home, according to investigators. That brings us to this week, when a Colorado grand jury indicted Barry on first-degree murder charges. What they're saying The Gilbert Police Department says Barry was arrested in Gilbert during the morning hours of June 20 by the Arizona Department of Public Safety. "Federal, State and local law enforcement have never stopped working toward justice for Suzanne." said Twelfth Judicial District Attorney Anne Kelly. "The Twelfth Judicial District Attorney's Office stands in solidarity with Suzanne's family and the citizens of Chaffee and Saguache Counties in pursuing the Grand Jury's indictment." Barry has maintained his innocence throughout. "Yet again, the government allows their predetermined conclusion to lead their search for evidence," stated David Beller, Barry's attorney. "Barry maintains his innocence. The case has not changed, and the outcome will not either." What's next Barry's bond was set at $3 million.
CBS News
20-06-2025
- CBS News
Husband of Colorado mom Suzanne Morphew arrested for her murder for the second time
The husband of Colorado mom Suzanne Morphew has been arrested for first-degree murder in her death more than five years ago. This is the second time Barry Morphew has faced murder charges in connection to her homicide. Suzanne Morphew was reportedly last seen on Mother's Day May 10, 2020, when she went for a bike ride and never returned. Suzanne Morphew Suzanne Morphew/Facebook Suzanne Morphew left behind two teenage daughters and a husband, Barry Morphew, who was not only the prime suspect in her disappearance at the time but was also charged with her murder. Barry Morphew was arrested on May 5, 2021, for the first time on charges of murder after deliberation, tampering with physical evidence and attempting to influence a public servant. Less than a year later, in April 2022, a judge dismissed the case against Barry Morphew. TIMELINE: Suzanne Morphew case: Timeline of events in the death of the Colorado mother At the time, the 11th Judicial District Attorney, Linda Stanley, filed the motion to "dismiss without prejudice," which means that prosecutors could file charges against Barry Morphew at a later date. Since then, a disciplinary board has recommended Stanley be disbarred because of improper statements made to the media during the investigation, which they claim contributed to a change of venue for the trial. Suzanna and Barry Morphew grew up in the same hometown of Alexandria, Indiana, and met in high school. Suzanne Morphew/Facebook Barry Morphew filed a $15 million lawsuit against the Eleventh Judicial District Attorney's Office, the Chaffee County Sheriff's Office, the FBI, and the CBI, claiming he was wrongfully charged in his wife's disappearance and, at the time, presumed death in May 2023. That case was dismissed in September 2024. According to the CBI, Suzanne's remains were located during the course of a search in Moffat on Sept. 22, 2023, and those remains were positively identified just five days later as those of Suzanne Morphew by the El Paso County Coroner. Her death was determined to be a homicide of "undetermined means," and drugs typically used as tranquilizers for wildlife were detected in her remains. On Wednesday, the Twelfth Judicial District Grand Jury returned an indictment charging Barry Morphew with first-degree murder of his wife. He was taken into custody in Gilbert, Arizona, on Friday. The district attorney's office said it will seek to extradite Barry Morphew back to the San Luis Valley. "Federal, State and local law enforcement have never stopped working toward justice for Suzanne," said Twelfth Judicial District Attorney Anne Kelly in a statement. "The Twelfth Judicial District Attorney's Office stands in solidarity with Suzanne's family and the citizens of Chaffee and Saguache Counties in pursuing the Grand Jury's indictment." Investigators have not released details on why the case is now being prosecuted in the Twelfth Judicial District Attorney's Office when it was initially prosecuted in the 11th Judicial District Attorney's Office. The public is asked to continue to report any information about this case by calling (719) 312-7530 or emailing cdps_suzannemorphew_tipline@
CBS News
20-06-2025
- CBS News
Husband of Colorado mom Suzanne Morphew arrested for her murder... again
The husband of Colorado mom Suzanne Morphew has been arrested for first-degree murder in her death more than five years ago. This is the second time Barry Morphew has been facing murder charges in her homicide. Suzanne Morphew was reportedly last seen on Mother's Day May 10, 2020, when she went for a bike ride and never returned. Suzanne Morphew Suzanne Morphew/Facebook Suzanne Morphew left behind two teenage daughters and a husband, Barry Morphew, who was not only the prime suspect in her disappearance at the time but was also charged with her murder. Barry Morphew was arrested on May 5, 2021, on charges of murder after deliberation, tampering with physical evidence and attempting to influence a public servant. Less than a year later, in April 2022, a judge dismissed the case against Barry Morphew. TIMELINE: Suzanne Morphew case: Timeline of events in the death of the Colorado mother At the time, the 11th Judicial District Attorney, Linda Stanley, filed the motion to "dismiss without prejudice" which means that prosecutors could file charges against Barry Morphew at a later date. Since then, a disciplinary board has recommended Stanley be disbarred because of improper statements made to the media during the investigation which they claim contributed to a change of venue for the trial. Suzanna and Barry Morphew grew up in the same hometown of Alexandria, Indiana, and met in high school. Suzanne Morphew/Facebook Barry Morphew filed the lawsuit claiming he was wrongfully charged in his wife's disappearance and, at the time, presumed death in May 2023. That case was dismissed in September 2024. According to the CBI, Suzanne's remains were located during the course of a search in Moffat on Sept. 22, 2023, and those remains were positively identified just five days later as those of Suzanne Morphew by the El Paso County Coroner. Her death was determined to be a homicide of "undetermined means," and drugs typically used as tranquilizers for wildlife were detected in her remains. On Wednesday, the Twelfth Judicial District Grand Jury returned an indictment charging Barry Morphew with first-degree murder of his wife. He was taken into custody in Arizona on Friday. The district attorney's office said it will seek to extradite Barry Morphew back to the San Luis Valley. "Federal, State and local law enforcement have never stopped working toward justice for Suzanne," said Twelfth Judicial District Attorney Anne Kelly in a statement. "The Twelfth Judicial District Attorney's Office stands in solidarity with Suzanne's family and the citizens of Chaffee and Saguache Counties in pursuing the Grand Jury's indictment." The public is asked to continue to report any information about this case by calling (719) 312-7530 or emailing cdps_suzannemorphew_tipline@
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Citizens seek to renew Fort Collins natural areas tax, with no expiration
Don't be confused if you see two unrelated Fort Collins petition efforts using the words "natural area." There's a lot of signature-gathering activity happening in Fort Collins right now due to two different efforts by two different groups that propose two different actions. But all of the petitions seek to place a measure on a future city ballot. Here's what each initiative petition proposes to do: The Yes to Natural Areas campaign wants to renew an existing sales tax that funds the acquisition of Fort Collins natural areas and the restoration of these lands. Fort Collins has had a quarter-cent sales tax for that purpose for more than 30 years, since voters first approved it in 1992. The latest renewal was approved in 2002 and is set to expire at the end of 2030. But this time, advocates want to extend the tax into perpetuity, meaning it would never expire. An expiring tax makes planning for the future difficult, said petition coordinator Linda Stanley, who also said most city programs don't have expiration dates. "Some of the acquisitions have taken years to come to fruition, and you don't start relationships with land donors if you're not sure what the future will hold," Stanley said, noting some donors may be willing to sell or put a conservation easement on their land but might not be ready to take that step for a few more years. Taking the issue to the voters in 2025 instead of 2027 or 2028 will simply create certainty sooner, Stanley said, when asked why the effort is beginning five years ahead of the expiration. Stanley has been involved in the campaigns of multiple natural areas and open space sales tax efforts in the city and Larimer County since 1994. Kelly Ohlson, her husband, led the campaign to get the first tax passed in 1992. This petition is due July 9. This petition is associated with PATHS, which stands for Planning Action to Transform Hughes Sustainably, and Friends of Hughes Natural Area, the issue committee created to support the effort. The campaign is circulating two petitions, both of them focused on making 100% of the old Hughes Stadium site a city-managed natural area, instead of "parks, recreation and open lands, natural areas, and wildlife rescue and education." One of the group's two petitions calls for a special election and therefore requires more signatures to make it onto the ballot: 7,605, which is 15% of voters in the last regular election. The special election petition also asks for voters to weigh in on whether the city should be prohibited from selling, leasing or otherwise conveying the land to a third party. The second petition from Friends of Hughes aims to put a question on the next regular election ballot, rather than calling for a special election. As a result, the signature requirement is lower: 5,079, or 10% of voters in the last regular election. This petition, however, does not include the question of whether the city could sell, lease or convey the land to a third party. Two petitions were created so that if deadlines can't be met to get a question on the next general election ballot this fall, then the second petition would allow for a special election, said Melissa Rosas, a PATHS leader. Both of these petitions are due June 11. This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Fort Collins natural areas advocates seek to renew sales tax forever
