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Man allegedly killed wife, submitted presidential election ballot in her name

2 years 10 months 4 days ago Friday, May 14 2021 May 14, 2021 May 14, 2021 5:59 PM May 14, 2021 in News
Source: ABC News

SALIDA, Colorado - A man arrested earlier this month in his wife's murder is now accused of voting more than once in the 2020 presidential election using her name. 

Barry Morphew, 53, is charged with felony forgery and offenses related to mail ballots.

Morphew was previously arrested May 5 on charges including first-degree murder, tampering with physical evidence and attempting to influence a public servant. Court records said the charges stem from the disappearance of his wife, Suzanne Morphew, who vanished over a year ago. 

ABC News reports Suzanne first disappeared May 10, 2020 near the small mountain town of Salida. She still hasn't been located. 

Despite her being missing at the time, the Chaffee County Clerk's Office said it received a ballot in October from Suzanne Morphew casting her vote for Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election. The ballot did not have her signature as required, but it was apparently signed by Barry Morphew on the witness' signature line. 

The Chaffee County Sheriff's Office seized the fraudulent ballot, and Barry Morphew's ballot was seized as evidence in March as well. When interviewed by the FBI in April, he reportedly admitted to submitting his wife's ballot.

"Just because I wanted Trump to win," he said, per a transcript of the conversation included with arrest records. "I just thought, give him another vote."

"I figured all these other guys are cheating," he allegedly said, adding that his wife was "going to vote for Trump anyway."

Morphew told investigators he wasn't aware it was illegal to submit a ballot in his spouse's name. 

He's currently being held without bond in the murder case. Officials said he is the only known suspect in Suzanne Morphew's disappearance at this time. 

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