Even if the suspect facing a first-degree murder charge in the death of his wife posts the bond, he’ll be confined to his home

An Alamosa County district judge on Tuesday agreed to increase the bond on a murder suspect alleged to have killed his wife to $10 million.

Twelfth Judicial District Judge Amanda Hopkins agreed with prosecutors’ request to raise the amount of Morphew’s cash-only bond. Even if he does post the bond, he will be required to stay home unless meeting with attorneys, going to a court hearing, or experiencing a medical emergency — for which he must call an ambulance.

“Mr. Morphew has shown time and again that he has no respect for any order of this court, and he is not going to comply with it if it is inconvenient to the lifestyle he wishes to live while out on bond,” Hopkins said during her ruling.

Barry Morphew, 59, faces a first-degree murder charge in Alamosa County in connection with the death of his wife, Suzanne Morphew. She disappeared on Mother’s Day weekend in 2020.

Boulder County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested Morphew at 9:11 p.m. Thursday “on an outstanding warrant from Alamosa County for Failure to Comply,” according to a Friday sheriff’s news release.

Last Wednesday, Judge Hopkins issued an order requiring Morphew to “remain in his home at all times, no exceptions. If the Defendant has a medical emergency during that time, he can call 911 and be transported by ambulance.”

That came after the judge was shown video evidence of Morphew being involved in a hit-and-run crash in Denver on Aug. 26, then leaving the scene after offering the driver he allegedly hit $300 to cover damages, court records show.

Twelfth Judicial District Attorney Anne Kelly filed a “Motion to Modify Bond,” stating the video shows: “Defendant Barry Morphew is clearly visible and identifiable as the person who perpetrated the hit-and-run.”

Morphew appeared in court wearing orange and white striped jail clothing. He did not speak.

His defense attorneys Jane Fisher-Byrialsen and David Beller actually agreed with the judge’s order to keep Morphew at home if he posts the new cash bond.

But they pushed back against his bond amount being raised, arguing that he’s shown up to every court hearing in almost six years of court proceedings, which shows he’s not a flight risk.

“The public is not in danger,” Fisher-Byrialsen said.

Special Deputy District Attorney Fred Johnson said looking at Morphew’s activities on Aug. 26, the alleged hit-and-run, and in days before, showed he had not complied with court orders.

The report on the GPS whereabouts showed Morphew went to Denver International Airport, allegedly to pick up his daughter, Johnson told the court.

He noted that Morphew was counting on getting out on the $3 million bond.

This morning “the deputies came up to me, and they said on his jail calls that Mr. Morphew is already saying he’ll be out by the weekend,” Johnson said. “Your Honor has revoked his surety and made it $3 million, and he’s already not only saying he’ll be out this weekend, but making plans this weekend. I don’t know what else could show less regard for the court’s order than to treat a hearing of this magnitude so crassly.”

The six years since Suzanne Morphew went missing have been an emotional hardship for her family.

Barry Morphew was arrested and charged with her murder twice.

The first prosecution case was dismissed on the eve of the trial in April 2022 due to lack of a body. Morphew was rearrested in June 2024, nine months after her remains were discovered near the small town of Moffat in Saguache County.

Morphew is also scheduled for a status hearing Nov. 3, and his trial — originally scheduled to begin next month — was moved to July 19 after prosecutors moved to enter alleged domestic violence abuse evidence.