Barry Morphew’s murder trial will be held in a new location.

In an order signed Monday afternoon, 11th Judicial District Judge Ramsey Lama ordered the trial be moved from Salida to Cañon City, two hours south of Denver.

In the order, Lama wrote that in a town where there are a little more than 16,000 residents over 18, and where 10,000 more live in the rural areas outside of the city, “many people know each other or know of each other.” He added that he granted a change of venue in part because 49-year-old missing mom Suzanne Morphew’s disappearance was known the day it was reported. As a result, Barry Morphew would not receive a fair trial in Chaffee County, where the Salida courtroom is located. The judge also noted that the case has received a “massive, pervasive and prejudicial” amount of pre-trial publicity.

Lama, who is the second judge to preside over the case after the original judge recused himself last month, said he saw evidence of prejudice on Jan. 25, when the Morphews’ closest neighbor, Martin Ritter, testified that he was supportive of Barry Morphew, but “came to believe he was guilty after reading the arrest affidavit.”

The 129-page document was released to the public in September by 11th Judicial District Judge Patrick Murphy, who originally oversaw the high profile case. 

Former prosecutor Ryan Brackley, who is now a defense attorney with Brackley Law Office, told The Denver Gazette: “They still may have a difficult time sitting an impartial jury in Cañon City, as it’s in the same judicial district as Chaffee County, but it does makes sense to try.” 

In the order granting the change of venue, the judge also noted District Attorney Linda Stanley’s numerous public appearances, including a news conference after Barry Morphew’s arrest, despite a pre-trial publicity order.

Brackley agreed, saying, “I’m concerned that the words and the actions of the elected District Attorney are a concern and should be cautionary tale to other elected prosecutors and law enforcement officials to follow court orders to stay within ethical bounds.” 

A hearing in the case was held in Chaffee County on Tuesday. All future hearings and the trial, scheduled for May, will be held in the Fremont County Courthouse, which is in the 11th Judicial District, but outside of the area where the Morphews had their family home and where Barry Morphew has been living while out on bail.

On Tuesday, the judge released video and audio recordings from the August evidentiary hearing. The recordings contain footage from the day Suzanne Morphew went missing, Mother’s Day 2020, including video of sheriff’s deputies when they found her abandoned bicycle. 

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