Colorado
Colorado prosecutors in Barry Morphew's dismissed murder case accused of scheming against judge
Colorado prosecutors are facing new complaints related to Barry Morphew’s dismissed murder case.
In 2021, Barry was charged with murder in connection with his wife Suzanne Morphew’s May 2020 disappearance, but a judge dismissed the charges in April 2022.
The Colorado Supreme Court’s Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel (OARC) has since filed formal complaints against 11th Judicial District Attorney’s Office prosecutors Robert Weiner and Mark Hurlbert, accusing them of withholding evidence in the Morphew case and plotting against District Judge Ramsey Lama in a text thread.
“It was well known that prosecutors in the Morphew case abused their authority and power to wrongly charge Mr. Morphew,” Iris Eytan, Barry’s lawyer, told Fox News Digital. “But, it is new news that these prosecutors also threatened the rule of law and our democracy by attempting to intimidate and threaten the presiding judge due to his rulings and sanctions for their pattern of misconduct.”
SUZANNE MORPHEW MURDER: DA UNDER FIRE AS HUSBAND, DAUGHTERS SAY THEY’RE ‘DISCOURAGED’ IN UNSOLVED CASE
“It was well known that prosecutors in the Morphew case abused their authority and power to wrongly charge Mr. Morphew,” Iris Eytan, Barry’s lawyer, told Fox News Digital. (Courtesy of Suzanne Morphew’s Family)
Hurlbert, the lead prosecutor on the Morphew case, told FOX 31 Denver his “only comment is that we deny the allegations and will be filing a response.”
Allegations against prosecutors
The complaints allege that Weiner and Hurlbert failed to turn over evidence in a timely manner, misstated facts in pleadings, violated court orders and attempted to intimidate Judge Lama in an “abuse of power.”
SUZANNE MORPHEW’S REMAINS FOUND IN ‘SHALLOW GRAVE,’ HUSBAND’S ATTORNEY SAYS
A text thread between the prosecutors cited as evidence in the complaint began in response to a debunked theory stemming from a crime podcast called “True Crime with Julez.” The podcast host, Julez Wolf, started a petition claiming “the ex-wife of Judge Lama is an advocate of Suzanne Morphew and victims of Domestic abuse.” After 11th Judicial District Attorney Linda Stanley requested a criminal investigation into Lama’s conduct in the case, 11th Judicial District criminal investigator Andrew Corey found no “wrongdoing.”
A text thread between the prosecutors cited as evidence in the complaint began in response to a debunked theory stemming from a crime podcast called” True Crime with Julez.” (OARC)
Lama’s wife told Corey that “never did any type of Domestic abuse happen in the relationship,” according to the complaint.
Stanley shared the petition with Weiner and Hurlbert in March 2022, writing, “You guys might want to read this…” Screenshots of texts between the three prosecutors included in the complaint show Stanley questioned the accuracy of the claims in the petition but suggested they investigate the judge. “[I]t could DEFINITELY explain why he hates us so much,” Stanley wrote of the judge.
“Holy crap! Let’s go after him!”
“Holy crap! Let’s go after him! He should have disclosed this. We need to confirm asap,” Weiner wrote.
OARC is alleging that 11th Judicial District prosecutors involved in the Barry Morphew case failed to disclose evidence and plotted against the judge in the case. (OARC)
“Let’s pull his divorce case,” Weiner said of Lama in another text, adding later, “He should not be on the bench.” Hurlbert called the judge “obviously biased.”
The OARC does not comment on pending complaints.
Allegations against DA Linda Stanley
The counsel filed a similar complaint against Stanley in October. The complaint accused Stanley of sharing information about the case with true-crime podcasters.
SUZANNE MORPHEW’S HUSBAND, DAUGHTERS ‘STRUGGLING WITH IMMENSE SHOCK AND GRIEF’ AFTER REMAINS FOUND
The complaint also alleges that the district attorney failed to share discovery, including DNA-match evidence, with the defense in a timely manner, among other accusations of misconduct.
Morphew’s bike was discovered on the same day she went missing in 2020 in a ravine along Highway 50 and County Road 225 in Chaffee County, near her family’s Maysville home. (Fox News)
No signs of human remains or blood have ever been located near the Morphew home in Maysville or in their family vehicles. But DNA was found on Suzanne’s glove box.
MISSING SUZANNE MORPHEW: NEWLY RELEASED DOCS REVEAL AFFAIRS, TROUBLED MARRIAGE BEFORE DISAPPEARANCE
The partial profile investigators were able to obtain matched profiles developed in sexual assault cases out of Chicago, Phoenix and Tempe, Arizona, Colorado Bureau of Investigation agent Joseph Cahill said during a hearing in 2021, as reported by the Denver Post. Barry’s DNA did not match that sample, his lawyers told KUSA-TV at the time.
In September 2023, authorities located Suzanne Morphew’s remains in a “shallow grave” in a desert about 45 miles south of Maysville, Colorado. (Chaffee County Sheriff)
In a July interview with FOX 21 Colorado Springs, Stanley called the OARC’s investigation “a witch hunt.”
“I stand up for people all the time, every day.”
“I stand up for people all the time, every day. So, me not being able to stand up for myself was difficult,” she told the outlet. “As of right now, the office is majorly underfunded.… If one person quits, it will set back everything, and that’s the kind of shoestring budget it is at this point.… But we have nothing but very, very experienced prosecutors in this office, and I’m so proud of that.”
Latest in the Suzanne Morphew murder case
In September 2023, authorities located Suzanne’s remains in a “shallow grave” in a desert about 45 miles south of Maysville while they were searching for another missing woman. Authorities have not named any other suspects in her murder since her husband’s case was dismissed nearly two years ago.
MISSING SUZANNE MORPHEW: COLORADO PROSECUTORS REVEAL BODY IS IN ‘VERY DIFFICULT SPOT’
Authorities announced that Morphew’s remains were located in the area of Moffat, Colorado, in Saguache County. She was reported missing on May 10, 2020. (Colorado Bureau of Investigation)
Morphew’s bike was discovered on the same day she went missing in 2020 in a ravine along Highway 50 and County Road 225 in Chaffee County, near her family’s Maysville home. Barry said he was working in Broomfield, Colorado, a suburb of Denver, at the time.
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Text messages from Suzanne and Barry, who had been married 25 years, that were unsealed in June 2023 suggest they were both having affairs just before her disappearance.
Four days before her disappearance, Suzanne sent Barry a text saying she was “done.” “I could care less what you’re up to and have been for years,” she wrote, adding that they needed to figure things out “civilly.”
Earlier in 2023, Barry’s legal team filed a $15 million lawsuit against prosecutors and investigators, accusing them of violating his constitutional rights.
“Barry was the most scrutinized, dissected, surveilled individual, minute by minute, hour by hour, using law enforcement cameras posted by his home, phone taps and GPS devices placed on his car – all during the time frame of her disappearance and the years following,” Eytan said in a statement at the time.
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“What needs to be done instead of pointing fingers at Barry Morphew, is asking the officials about the number of missing people and number of human remains that have been recovered in or from Saguache County in the recent past,” Eytan continued.
Authorities are asking anyone with information about the case to contact 719-312-7530.
Colorado
Colorado community reels after police say driver with revoked license hits three pedestrians, killing one
A man already driving with a suspended license from a DUI is now accused of intentionally plowing into three people on a sidewalk in Colorado.
This happened near the intersection of East Wildcat Reserve Parkway and Willowbridge Way in Highlands Ranch around 10:30 a.m. Monday.
Witnesses say that after the crash, the driver made a U-turn, went back to the scene, slowly drove past the wreckage, then left. That allowed another witness to follow him 5.5 miles down to Daniels Park, where just 15 minutes later, 28-year-old Adam Bauserman was taken into custody.
Bauserman’s demeanor was described by deputies as “unusually quiet.” At one point, he apparently asked, “Do you know if I killed the man?”
As it would turn out, the man survived, but his girlfriend did not. Flowers are piling up at the scene of a morning walk that turned deadly.
Right now, investigators don’t believe the driver knew any of those victims.
“You expect to be safe when you’re walking on the sidewalk,” said neighbor Beth Chitel, who lived just yards from the crash site until she moved last month. “These are very highly trafficked pathways around here; it could have happened to any of our friends, any of our neighbors, any of our children.”
“This was a horrific scene,” said Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly.
Thirty-five-year-old Corrine More died in the crash. Her sister tells CBS Colorado she lived in the neighborhood and was out on a walk with her boyfriend. She describes Corrine as a nursing student with a big heart who was loved by everyone who knew her, and who was beautiful inside and out.
Corrine’s boyfriend, 30-year-old Kyle Vasey, was seriously injured. He has undergone multiple surgeries and was described by a doctor in the affidavit as being at substantial risk for permanent disfigurement or death.
The other victim is 72-year-old Dianne Windes. The sheriff says she was walking in the opposite direction from the couple. She was also hospitalized with serious injuries.
Witnesses believe the driver who crashed into the three pedestrians did so on purpose.
“If we can prove that, we’ll certainly do that, but at this point we have no indication of that,” Weekly said.
It was thanks to a witness who followed that truck that deputies arrested Bauserman, who was driving with a revoked license after a DUI last year.
“Mr. Bauserman has had several revocations and suspensions of his license over the last 10 years,” Weekly said. “He should never have been on the roadway, and as a result of that, somebody is now deceased.”
Deputies did not detect immediate signs of intoxication but are waiting on blood test results.
Right now, investigators believe Bauserman was only traveling 3 mph over the speed limit, at about 48 mph in a 45 mph zone. That will need to be confirmed in the investigation.
“He should never have been on the roadway, period. And so, the fact that somebody in our community has been lost in such a tragic, horrible way. How many lives have been destroyed by this selfish act?” Weekly asked.
“I want to express my sympathies to the families, and yeah, we’re here to support you as a community, and we’re by your side,” said Chitel.
Neighbor Beth Chitel started an online fundraiser for the victims.
“The last thing that the family should be having to worry about right now is the bills that are coming,” said Chitel.
The sheriff says that 15 to 20 community members stepped up to help in the aftermath of this tragedy.
Chitel says the community has been hurt by other recent tragedies, like the death of 13-year-old Alex Mackiewicz, who was hit while in the crosswalk on his way to school. That fatal crash happened just over a mile away from this one.
“Something really needs to be done. The community is well aware of the safety issues posed there, of course. Again, we don’t expect them on the sidewalk,” said Chitel. “We need more crosswalks; we could use more stoplights. We need more safety measures put in place because, in general, it’s really not a safe road. People speed on it.”
“It’s absolutely horrible. As the sheriff, I have done a lot to increase traffic enforcement. We’ve almost doubled the size of our traffic unit. I expect my folks to be out there and be productive and ensure the safety of our citizens. These tragedies, certainly back to back, are heartbreaking for everybody involved, it shouldn’t happen,” Weekly said.
Three families are forever changed, a community is left with questions, and the investigation is just beginning.
“We need to make sure that we do our job well, and that we get justice for all these victims,” Weekly said.
Bauserman is being held on charges including vehicular homicide and leaving the scene of a fatal accident.
Preliminary charges Bauserman is facing include the following seven felonies and one misdemeanor:
- Vehicular homicide
- Failure to remain at the scene of an accident involving death
- Failure to remain at the scene of an accident involving serious bodily injury (two counts)
- Vehicular assault (two counts)
- Assault in the second degree – crimes to at-risk persons
- Driving a motor vehicle with a license is under restraint (express consent refusal/DUI conviction)
These charges could change based on the results of the blood tests and additional information that is garnered through the investigation.
A judge set Bauserman’s bond at $100,000.
As the investigation continues, the sheriff’s office says anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact Detective Pereira at bpereira@dcsheriff.net or call (303) 660-7537.
When Dave and Jean Gottenborg met as teenagers wrangling horses in Estes Park, they dreamed of one day running a ranch together. That dream fell by the wayside for decades until 2012, when the couple purchased Eagle Rock Ranch in the Tarryall Valley.
Talking about the Gottenborg’s ranch means deliberately avoiding words like “owners” and “ownership.” The couple “manage” their land — their preferred term — through the conservationist lens of thinkers like Wendell Berry and Aldo Leopold. Visitors are welcome on the land (see some basic guidelines here), and they sell their beef by the cut, box and share at their family-owned mercantile in Fairplay.
Colorado
Where to watch Colorado Rockies vs Los Angeles Angels: TV channel, start time, streaming for Jun. 02
What to know about MLB’s ABS robot umpire strike zone system
MLB launches ABS challenge system as players test robot umpire calls in a groundbreaking season.
The 2026 MLB season has surpassed the quarter mark, and after each team’s first 40 games, there’s plenty of reasons to tune in all summer long.
Chicago White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami has already proven doubters wrong by launching 17 home runs, Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes consistently looks like the best version of himself on the mound and Milwaukee ace Jacob Misiorowski is throwing harder than any starter in the majors.
The MLB action continues on Tuesday as the Colorado Rockies visit the Los Angeles Angels.
Here’s everything you need to know to tune in for the first pitch.
See USA TODAY’s sortable MLB schedule to filter by team or division.
What time is Colorado Rockies vs Los Angeles Angels?
First pitch between the Los Angeles Angels and Colorado Rockies is scheduled for 9:38 p.m. (ET) on Tuesday, Jun. 02.
How to watch Colorado Rockies vs Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday
All times Eastern and accurate as of Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at 6:33 a.m.
Watch MLB all season long with Fubo
MLB regional blackout restrictions apply
MLB scores, results
MLB scores for Jun. 02 games are available on usatoday.com . Here’s how to access today’s results:
See scores, results for all of today’s games.
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