Prosecutors Bring Shoshona Darke Infringement Case

Shoshona Darke and Barry Morphew appear in joint photos.

Prosecutors this week asked for their case to be dropped against a woman suspected of having an affair with a murder defendant. They said they want to continue the second degree crime case to fight Shoshona Louise Darke, 51 years old, but they do not believe they have a good chance of conviction, according to Fox 21 News. Darke argued that the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office harassed her.

This happens when a judge reuses herself not only from her case, but also from a murder case against her alleged lover. Barry Morphew54 years old, who is currently being charged with the murder of his missing wife Suzanne Morphew, a mother of two whom police authorities say was killed at the age of 49.

This is an allegation of trespassing on Morphew’s old home in Maysville. #ShoshonaDarke was arrested on September 28. Her attorney wanted to note to the court that this was symbolic of the harassment Darke suffered from the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office. @ FOX21News

– Lauren Scharf (@LaurenScharfTV) December 29, 2021

Authorities said that Darke took a package from the front door of a house in Salida. Barry Morphew used to own this mansion.

Judge Patrick Murphy presided over both cases but used himself from both. He admits he’s a close friend of Sean McDermott, a partner in the law firm representing Darke. That’s a problem because, according to court documents, prosecutors and the defense plan could call Darke as a witness in the murder case.

The court order shows that a partner in the company of #ShoshonaDarke The attorney, Sean McDermott, is known to Judge Murphy for over 40 years and is also the godfather of his nieces. Darke is said to be related to #BarryMorphew

Court Documents: https://t.co/M5GBK0ugQC

– Lauren Scharf (@LaurenScharfTV) December 30, 2021

As part of a murder case, law enforcement received a tip in December 2020 — amid the alleged disappearance of his wife — that Darke was having an intimate relationship with Barry. In this account, Darke denies it, but surveillance footage shows Morphew often visiting her home and sometimes staying overnight. Darke and Barry Morphew supposedly checked into a hotel in Colorado Springs on February 12, 2021. Morphew was carrying luggage and she was holding a bouquet of flowers.

Morphew arrested in May of the following year for allegedly murdering his wife. Although Barry Morphew featured his worried wife in a video posted online begging for Suzanne’s return, authorities say he actually killed his wife amid a deteriorating marriage. In a preliminary hearing, investigators said Suzanne wanted to leave her husband “Jekyll and Hyde” in control. Authorities believe she was having an affair with a former high school classmate John Libler, a married father of six children.

[Booking photos via Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office]

Is there a trick we should know? [email protected]