Battle Over Rare Wildlife Sedative Takes Center Stage in Barry Morphew Murder Trial

Barry Morphew's murder trial will focus on BAM, a rare wildlife sedative found in Suzanne Morphew's remains. Read about the forensic battle in Colorado.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 6, 2026, 8:12 AM EST

Source: The information in this article was sourced from The Colorado Sun.

The Forensic Core of the Prosecution

The upcoming murder trial of Barry Morphew is poised to center on a potent, highly regulated chemical compound known as BAM. Discovered in the bone marrow of Suzanne Morphew’s remains, BAM is a premixed blend of butorphanol, azaperone, and medetomidine—substances used almost exclusively by veterinarians and biologists to immobilize large wildlife. While Suzanne's cause of death is officially listed as homicide by unspecified means, the presence of these sedatives is being treated by the prosecution as a critical link to her husband, who was reportedly the only private citizen in the Salida area possessing the substance at the time of her 2020 disappearance.

A History of Arrests and Discovered Remains

Suzanne Morphew vanished on Mother’s Day in 2020, leading to an investigation that has spanned over six years and multiple judicial districts. Barry Morphew was initially arrested in 2021, but charges were dismissed in 2023 just before trial when her body had not yet been found. A major breakthrough occurred in September 2023 when her "significantly bleached" remains were located in an open field in Moffat, Colorado. Following a grand jury indictment in June 2025, Morphew was arrested a second time, eventually pleading not guilty this past January.

The Debate Over "Junk Science"

The defense team, led by attorneys David Beller and Jane Fisher-Byrialsen, has launched a vigorous attack on the toxicology reports, labeling the BAM theory as "junk science." They contend that only one of the three labs involved in the analysis found traces of the sedatives and plan to challenge the credibility of the El Paso County Coroner’s Office lab. The defense argues that the prosecution's narrative is incomplete and ignores evidence pointing to Morphew’s innocence, while also noting that some of Suzanne’s bones and personal items were missing from the recovery site.