Southwest
Suzanne Morphew's remains may have been moved twice after being killed, forensic scientist says
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Suzanne Morphew’s body may have been moved twice after she died, according to a forensic scientist.
Barry Morphew was re-indicted by a grand jury in Colorado on a murder charge on June 20 after he allegedly killed his wife, 49-year-old Suzanne Morphew, who vanished on Mother’s Day in 2020. The Morphews lived near Salida, Colorado, where Suzanne Morphew was last seen alive.
Barry Morphew was arrested near Phoenix, Arizona, on June 20, booking documents show. He was living inside a trailer park located in Cave Creek, Arizona, according to property tax records.
Though Suzanne Morphew went missing in 2020, agents with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation found her remains on Sept. 22, 2023. According to prosecutors, a 2024 autopsy report showed a deer tranquilizer called “BAM” was found in her bone marrow, which stands for the chemicals butorphanol, azaperone and medetomidine.
Prosecutors said Suzanne Morphew’s remains were found “in and around a shallow clandestine grave” in Saguache County, Colorado, a “few hundred feet” off Highway 17.
INSIDE BARRY MORPHEW’S SECRETIVE LIFE 600 MILES AWAY FROM EPICENTER OF MURDER INVESTIGATION INTO WIFE’S DEATH
Suzanne Morphew in an undated picture provided by deputies. Barry Morphew enters Alamosa, Colorado court on Jul. 1, 2025. (Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office and Pool via KRDO)
According to the indictment charging Barry Morphew with first-degree murder after deliberation, the clothes on Suzanne Morphew’s body “lacked evidence of decomposition.” Officials also said a “very small amount” of dried soft tissue was found on the bones, no hair mass was located and there was a lack of animal predation visible on the bones.
“All these features would have been expected if this had been the original gravesite where decomposition occurred,” a board-certified forensic anthropologist, a botanist and an entomologist told prosecutors. “The forensic anthropologist opined that based on these factors it was unlikely Suzanne decomposed from a fresh body to a skeleton at this location.”
Peter Valentin, associate professor of forensic science at the University of New Haven, told Fox News Digital the body was moved “at least” one time.
“There’s certainly every indication that decomposition occurred in a place other than where the body was found,” Valentin said. “Now, I’ve seen that people have said the body’s been moved at least twice. And I think that’s a reasonable inference. But you can’t know that for sure, because that assumes, that makes an assumption, that the body was killed in one location. Transported to a second location where the decomposition occurs, and then brought to the third location where the body is discovered. And I don’t think you know that for sure yet.
HOW LAW ENFORCEMENT’S DISCOVERY OF RARE DRUG IN SUZANNE MORPHEW’S BODY LED TO HER HUSBAND’S EVENTUAL ARREST
Barry Morphew was booked into the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. (Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office)
Valentin also said there’s an “absence of evidence” suggesting that the clothing Suzanne Morphew’s remains were found in is what she decomposed with.
Suzanne Morphew’s bones were found “significantly bleached,” according to the indictment. Valentin said the term “bleached,” in this context, refers to how much sun exposure the bones had.
In this case, Valentin said the “significantly bleached” bones help support prosecutors’ argument that Suzanne Morphew’s body was moved.
Suzanne Morphew and Barry Morphew (Fox News/ Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office)
“As part of the decomposition process, so if some bones are bleached and some aren’t, you can get a sense of you know how the remains are positioned. If where Suzanne Morphew’s remains are found, are in a place that are not exposed to the sun, therefore they couldn’t be bleached at the site where they recovered that would be another indicator that she was.”
Barry Morphew’s next court date is Sept. 2.
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Shohei Ohtani will not make his scheduled start Friday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks because of continued irritation in his left knee, the Los Angeles Dodgers announced Friday.
Ohtani left a June 11 game against the Pittsburgh Pirates due to irritation in his left knee, which underwent surgery in 2019 to correct a congenital condition called bipartite patella.
According to ESPN, he has been managing the issue since.
Due to the injury, Ohtani will also not travel to Philadelphia or participate in the 2026 All‑Star Game.
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O.C. police prep for beach, theme park ‘takeovers’ promoted on social media
A woman injured during the chaotic Fourth of July beach takeover in Newport Beach is speaking out as authorities prepare for a similar event that could target nearby Huntington Beach this weekend, as well as an Orange County theme park.
The July 4 gathering in Newport Beach devolved into violence, with fires set, businesses looted and law enforcement officers targeted with explosives.
More than 400 people were arrested in connection with the unrest. Authorities later said many of those taken into custody had traveled from Arizona and Nevada.
Among the dozens of people injured was Cassandra Torres, a longtime Orange County resident who said she never expected to become a victim while celebrating the holiday in a city she has visited for years.
“It’s horrible. It’s disgusting behavior, and now we’re paying for it,” Torres told KTLA.
Torres said she was riding her e-bike when a large crowd of young people suddenly rushed toward her.
“The next thing I know, I’m waking up with strangers around me, which I’m grateful for all of them, and all I hear is, ‘She got pushed off her bike,’” she recalled.
She was taken to a hospital, where she was treated for multiple injuries, including serious cuts, bruising and a concussion.
“I’ve never seen a hospital that busy in my life,” Torres said. “It was supposed to be a safe, fun day, and it turned into a nightmare.”
As victims continue to recover and investigators sort through the aftermath, law enforcement agencies are now focused on preventing another large-scale disturbance after social media posts promoted a so-called “Beach Bash” in Huntington Beach.
The Huntington Beach Police Department acknowledged the online flyer in a social media post Thursday, writing:
“Dear ‘Beach Bash’ organizers… Thanks for the flyer. We’ve seen it too. We have no intention of allowing that to happen here.”
In a statement to KTLA, the department said it has implemented a comprehensive public safety plan.
“Our comprehensive public safety plan includes increased staffing, proactive enforcement and the deployment of specialized resources throughout the city,” police said. “We are coordinating closely with our regional law enforcement partners and are prepared to respond quickly to any criminal activity.”
Officials also warned that anyone who organizes, promotes, encourages or participates in criminal acts associated with a takeover event could face arrest and prosecution.
Officials at Knott’s Berry Farm said they were also aware of a social media post promoting a teen takeover of the park over the weekend. Buena Park police officials said they plan to have an increased presence at the park.
As for Torres, a GoFundMe has been organized to cover her medical expenses as she continues to recover and follow up with specialists.
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