On June 2, 2018, Daniel Brophy, a 63-year-old chef and culinary instructor, was found dead at the Oregon Culinary Institute in Southwest Portland, Oregon. Brophy, who had been a beloved instructor at the institute since 2006, was preparing for the day's students when he was fatally shot. The incident occurred around 7:30 a.m. as Brophy was getting ready in the kitchen.
Students arriving for their classes discovered his body, and it was clear that he had been shot twice – once in the back and once in the chest – with no signs of force or struggle and no indication of robbery, as his wallet, cellphone, and car keys were still with him.
The investigation into Brophy's murder initially seemed to lack obvious suspects, but it soon focused on his wife, Nancy Crampton Brophy. Nancy, a self-published romance novelist, had written an essay titled 'How to Murder Your Husband' several years before the incident, although this essay was later excluded from the trial due to concerns about unfair prejudice and confusion of the issues.
Surveillance footage played a crucial role in the investigation. Traffic cameras captured Nancy Crampton Brophy's gray minivan driving in the area of the Oregon Culinary Institute around 6:39 a.m. and again at 7:08 a.m., just minutes before Daniel Brophy arrived at the institute. Her van was seen heading back to her home shortly after the time police believe Daniel was killed. This evidence contradicted Nancy's initial statement that she was home the morning of the shooting and only briefly spoke to Daniel before he left for work.
Further investigation revealed that Nancy had purchased a kit for a ghost gun online six months before the murder and later bought a 9mm Glock at a gun show in February 2018. She also purchased an extra slide and barrel for the Glock on eBay, which investigators believed she used to disguise the gun and alter the distinctive marks left on the bullets. Digital evidence from her computers showed a detailed browsing history of gun-related searches, including how to disassemble, clean, and assemble a Glock 17, which supported the theory that she had swapped out the slide and barrel to conceal her crime.
Nancy Crampton Brophy was arrested on September 5, 2018, three months after her husband's murder, and remained in custody until her trial. Her trial began in April 2022, after significant delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the trial, prosecutors presented circumstantial evidence, including her false account of her whereabouts on the morning of the murder, her financial distress, and the life insurance policies totaling around $1.4 million that she stood to gain from Daniel's death. Despite her claims that she was doing research for a novel and had no memory of driving near the institute, the jury found her guilty of second-degree murder on May 25, 2022.
Nancy Crampton Brophy was sentenced to life in prison on June 14, 2022, with the possibility of parole after 25 years. The sentencing included impact statements from Daniel Brophy's family members, who expressed their grief and outrage over the crime. The case drew significant public and media attention due to Nancy's prior essay and the dramatic nature of the crime, highlighting the contrast between her public persona as a grieving widow and the evidence that implicated her in her husband's murder.
