Judge who would have handled the Barry Morphew trial resigns, citing health reasons

FREMONT COUNTY, Colo. (KKTV) – A district court judge in Fremont County who would have presided over the Barry Morphew trial resigned this month, citing health reasons.

Barry Morphew has been accused in the past of murdering his wife Suzanne Morphew, who went missing on Mother’s Day 2020 while reportedly out on a bike ride in Chaffee County. The case was set to go to trial in Fremont County until the prosecution filed a motion to dismiss without prejudice. The dismissal was granted, but it could be filed again in the future. The dismissal came just nine days before the trial was scheduled to start.

To date, the body of Suzanne Morphew has not been recovered.

The following statement was released by the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office on April 19 when Judge Lama dismissed the charges:

“The Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office acknowledges the decision of Judge Lama to dismiss the pending charges in the Morphew case. Sheriff John Spezze responded, ‘As an on-going, active investigation, we will not share additional information at this time. The Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office maintains its commitment to this case and will continue to work tirelessly to find the body of Suzanne Morphew. While we are disappointed in the delay of the proceedings, we remain unwavering in our commitment to this investigation and the ultimate prosecution of Mr. Morphew. I stand behind the strong work of the investigators within the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office and the many law enforcement agencies involved and the strong case we have built. Above all else, we remain dedicated to seeking justice for Suzanne and her family.’”

Judge Ramsey Lama was planning on making the Morphew trial one of his last cases.

“About a year ago, Judge Lama began to consider stepping down from the bench. Prior to making his announcement at that time, Judge Lama was assigned a number of murder cases in Fremont County and agreed to see those cases through,” part of a statement from Deputy Public Information Officer Jon Sarche with the Colorado Judicial Department reads. “When People v. Barry Morphew was reassigned by the Chief Justice, Judge Lama agreed to take that case and intended to make it one of his last assignments on the bench.”

Judge Lama’s resignation letter can be read below:

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