Barry Morphew attempted to obtain and cremate dead wife’s remains before trial Prosecutors objected Wednesday to a request from the daughters of Suzanne Morphew to turn over her remains as her husband awaits trial for her murder. 12th Judicial District Attorney Anne Kelly said in a motion that...
gazette.com
3/5/26
Bert Nieslanik, an attorney representing Mallory and Macy Morphew, asked a judge to weigh in on the matter last week, calling the fact that Morphew’s remains were removed from Swan-Law Funeral Directors before the daughters could hold a memorial service “outrageous, cruel and shocking to the conscience.”
But Kelly, in her opposition Wednesday, said that it was Barry Morphew who had signed for the remains to be released to the Colorado Springs funeral home in January, and authorized them on Feb. 11 and Feb. 13 for their intended cremation a week later.
Prosecutors collected the remains on Feb. 19, the day before they were set for cremation.
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Under the revised statutes added in 2024 to the act, Morphew should not have had the right make decisions about his wife’s remains. Under that statute, the definition of a victim is “any natural person against whom any crime has been perpetrated or attempted unless the person is accountable for the crime.”
Since Morphew was charged with the murder last summer, as a defendant, he is not considered a victim with the same rights as his daughters, Mallory and Macy. Suzanne Morphew’s brothers and sister are also considered victims.