Explainers
The Barry Morphew Case: Nov. 3 Hearing and What Comes Next
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Status as of Nov. 1, 2026 (Pacific). Sources: Colorado Judicial Branch case page; Denver7, June 24 and July 6, 2026; The Gazette, Sept. 3, 2026; Denver Gazette, Sept. 8, 2026. Court dates can change. Check our Court Calendar for the latest checked status.
Suzanne Morphew disappeared on Mother’s Day, May 10, 2020. She was 49. Her remains were found in 2023. Her husband, Barry Morphew, is charged with first-degree murder in her death. He has pleaded not guilty. He is presumed innocent. A court check-in, called a status conference, is set for Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026.
Suzanne comes first
Suzanne Morphew was 49 when she disappeared in Chaffee County, Colorado, on May 10, 2020, which was Mother’s Day (Colorado Public Radio, Sept. 27, 2023).
In September 2023, agents with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation came across her remains near Moffat, in Saguache County. The El Paso County Coroner identified them (Colorado Public Radio, Sept. 27, 2023).
In June 2026, an attorney for her siblings said the family needs closure (Denver7, June 24, 2026).
We keep this page to what court and news sources confirm. Her family and friends are the best people to tell who she was.
Where the case stands today
| Item | Status as of Nov. 1, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Charge | First-degree murder. A grand jury indicted him in June 2025. This is an accusation, not a finding (Colorado Judicial Branch; KOAA, Jan. 12, 2026). |
| Plea | Not guilty, entered Jan. 12, 2026 (KOAA, Jan. 12, 2026). |
| Legal status | Presumed innocent unless and until a court finds him guilty. No court has done that. |
| Court | 12th Judicial District, Alamosa County, Colorado. Judge Amanda Hopkins. Case No. 25CR128 (Denver7, July 6, 2026; Colorado Judicial Branch). |
| Next hearing | Status conference. Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, 1:30 p.m. Mountain Time (12:30 p.m. Pacific). Virtual (Colorado Judicial Branch). |
| Trial | Jury trial reported for next summer (2027) in Alamosa. It is expected to last about six weeks (Denver7, July 6, 2026). |
| Bond | $10 million, cash only, set Sept. 8, 2026 (Denver Gazette, Sept. 8, 2026). |
The Nov. 3 hearing, in plain words
The court’s own case page lists a status conference for Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. Mountain Time (12:30 p.m. Pacific). It says the hearing is by virtual appearance (Colorado Judicial Branch). The Denver Gazette also reported a Nov. 3 status hearing (Denver Gazette, Sept. 8, 2026).
A status conference is a check-in. The judge and the lawyers talk about the schedule and open issues. It is not a trial. No verdict can come from it.
The court page does not say what will be discussed. We will not guess.
Earlier reports listed a Sept. 17 status date (Denver7, July 6, 2026; The Gazette, Sept. 3, 2026). The court’s current page lists Nov. 3.
The court page also says you cannot join the court’s Webex room without permission from the court.
How we got here
- May 10, 2020: Suzanne Morphew disappears in Chaffee County (Colorado Public Radio, Sept. 27, 2023).
- April 2022: The first case against Barry Morphew is dismissed before trial (Denver Gazette, Sept. 8, 2026).
- September 2023: Suzanne’s remains are found (Colorado Public Radio, Sept. 27, 2023).
- June 20, 2025: A grand jury indictment is filed (Colorado Judicial Branch).
- Jan. 12, 2026: Barry Morphew pleads not guilty (KOAA, Jan. 12, 2026).
- June 2026: Judge Hopkins delays a trial that had been set for October. Defense lawyers cited “the mountain of discovery” (Denver7, June 24, 2026; Denver7, July 6, 2026).
- Sept. 8, 2026: The judge raises his bond to $10 million, cash only (Denver Gazette, Sept. 8, 2026).
- Nov. 3, 2026: Status conference.
The bond change in September
Prosecutors asked the judge to change his bond. They said he had not followed court orders. They pointed to an alleged hit-and-run crash in Denver on Aug. 26 (The Gazette, Sept. 3, 2026; Denver Gazette, Sept. 8, 2026). Those are claims by prosecutors. They are not findings of guilt on any charge.
Barry Morphew was arrested on an Alamosa County warrant for failure to comply (CNN Newsource via Hawaii News Now, Sept. 6, 2026). On Sept. 8, Judge Hopkins raised the bond from $3 million to $10 million, cash only. She also limited when he may leave home (Denver Gazette, Sept. 8, 2026). The defense argued he has attended every hearing and the public is not in danger (Denver Gazette, Sept. 8, 2026).
We did not find a report that says whether the new bond has been posted. A bond order does not decide the murder charge.
Questions people ask
When is Barry Morphew’s next court date?
Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. Mountain Time (12:30 p.m. Pacific). It is a status conference by virtual appearance in Alamosa County, Colorado, per the court’s case page. Dates can change, so check the Colorado Judicial Branch case page and our Court Calendar.
What is a status conference?
It is a check-in hearing. The judge and the lawyers go over the schedule and open issues. It is not a trial. Nov. 3 cannot end with a verdict.
What is Barry Morphew charged with?
First-degree murder in the death of his wife, Suzanne Morphew. A grand jury indicted him in June 2025. He pleaded not guilty on Jan. 12, 2026. He is presumed innocent.
Has Barry Morphew been convicted?
No. No court has found him guilty. The charge is an accusation. He is presumed innocent unless and until a court finds him guilty.
When is the Barry Morphew trial?
Denver7 reported on July 6, 2026 that a jury trial is set for next summer in Alamosa; its June 24 report says the trial was delayed until 2027. It is expected to last about six weeks. The Gazette reported a July 19 start date (The Gazette, Sept. 3, 2026). The court’s case-page header does not list a trial date, so treat the date as reported, not confirmed.
Why was the first case against Barry Morphew dismissed?
It was dismissed in April 2022, before trial. The Gazette reported it was because no body had been found at that time (The Gazette, Sept. 3, 2026). Suzanne’s remains were found in September 2023. The current case began with a June 2025 grand jury indictment.
Can I watch the Nov. 3 hearing?
The court’s case page says you cannot join the court’s Webex room without prior permission from the court. We do not have more detail than that.
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Sources
- Colorado Judicial Branch, “People of the State of Colorado v Barry Morphew” case page (Case No. 25CR128; Nov. 3 status conference; June 20, 2025 indictment), checked Nov. 1, 2026: https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/node/13869
- KOAA, “Barry Morphew pleads not guilty in the murder of Suzanne Morphew,” January 12, 2026: https://www.koaa.com/news/crime/barry-morphew-pleads-not-guilty-in-the-murder-of-suzanne-morphew-tentative-trial-date-set
- Denver7, “Barry Morphew murder trial delayed until 2027,” June 24, 2026: https://www.denver7.com/news/investigations/barry-morphew-murder-trial-delayed-until-2027
- Denver7, “Barry Morphew trial pushed to next summer, 7 years after Suzanne Morphew went missing,” July 6, 2026: https://www.denver7.com/news/local-news/barry-morphew-trial-pushed-to-next-summer-7-years-after-suzanne-morphew-went-missing
- The Gazette, “Judge orders home confinement for Barry Morphew,” September 3, 2026: https://gazette.com/2026/09/03/judge-orders-home-confinement-for-barry-morphew/
- CNN Newsource via Hawaii News Now, “Man accused of killing wife arrested while awaiting murder trial,” September 6, 2026: https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2026/09/06/man-accused-killing-wife-arrested-while-awaiting-murder-trial/
- Denver Gazette, “Judge ups Barry Morphew’s bond to $10 million,” September 8, 2026: https://www.denvergazette.com/2026/09/08/judge-ups-barry-morphews-bond-to-10-million/
- Colorado Public Radio, “Suzanne Morphew’s remains found in Saguache County 3 years after disappearance,” September 27, 2023: https://cpr.org/2023/09/27/suzanne-morphew-body-found
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