Barry Morphew pleads guilty to careless driving in hit-and-run case

Barry Morphew, who faces a murder charge in the death of his wife Suzanne, pleaded guilty in a separate hit-and-run crash case Friday morning.

Morphew took a plea deal and as a result, four other charges he was facing in the hit-and-run case were dropped. He will serve 60 days in jail. Restitution will be decided later.

Authorities say the hit-and-run crash happened in Denver on Aug. 26. It's alleged Morphew drove aggressively before hitting two vehicles. A judge said the driver of one of the cars filmed the crash and that a person who is very clearly the defendant claimed that he did not have insurance and refused to identify himself. Officials say Morphew offered the driver $300 for the damages to her car, but she turned it down.

Video shows Morphew trying to buff out the scratches on one of the cars with his hand and T-shirt. Officials say Morphew refused to identify himself and took off from the scene after learning authorities were called. They say he then drove over a curb and nearly hitting another person.

Prosecutors say he did not report the incident to law enforcement. He was arrested Sept. 3.

A motion was filed after prosecutors reviewed GPS data from Morphew was wearing. At the time, court records show Morphew was ordered to be in his home at all times with exceptions for medical appointments or emergencies, meetings with his legal team, attending court or working.

After the crash, a judge ordered much stricter restrictions, barring Morphew from leaving his home with no exceptions.

Morphew was charged in his wife's murder after she vanished in Chaffee County six years ago. Her skeletal remains were found three years later in 2023, and Morphew was arrested in connection to her death in Arizona in 2025. He's scheduled to go on trial in July 2027.