PORTLAND, Ore –
A Portland jury has convicted a self-published romance novel writer – who once wrote an essay titled “How to Kill Your Husband” – of shooting her husband to death four years ago. before.
KOIN-TV reported, a jury of seven women and five men found Nancy Crampton Brophy, 71, guilty of second-degree murder after deliberating for two days over the death of chef Daniel Brophy.
Brophy, 63, was killed on June 2, 2018 as he prepared for a job at the Oregon Culinary Institute in Southwest Portland.
Crampton Brophy had no apparent reaction Wednesday inside the crowded Multnomah County courtroom.
Lisa Maxfield, one of Crampton Brophy’s attorneys, said the defense team plans to appeal.
Prosecutors told jurors that Crampton Brophy was motivated by money problems and life insurance policies.
However, Crampton Brophy said during the trial that she had no reason to kill her husband and that their financial problems were largely resolved by cashing out a small portion of her retirement savings plan. Brophy.
She possesses the same make and model of the gun used to kill her husband and is seen on surveillance video driving to and from the food institute, court exhibits and court testimony. shows.
The police never found the gun that killed Brophy. Prosecutors allege Crampton Brophy swapped the barrel used in the shooting and then disposed of the barrel.
Defense attorneys say gun parts were the inspiration for Crampton Brophy’s post and suggest someone may have killed Brophy during a botched robbery. Crampton Brophy testified during the trial that her presence near the cooking school on the day of her husband’s death was coincidental and that she had parked her car in the area to write the article.
Crampton Brophy’s How-To-Two treatise details different options for committing an untraceable murder and declares a desire to avoid arrest. Circuit judge Christopher Ramras ultimately removed the essay from the trial, noting that it was published in 2011. However, a prosecutor alluded to the subject of the essay without naming it later. when Crampton Brophy stood up for himself.
Crampton Brophy has remained in custody since her arrest in September 2018, months after her husband was shot. Her sentencing date has been scheduled for June 13.
