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Dan Brophy, an instructor at the Oregon Culinary Institute, was a member of the Portland metropolitan area community. He was preparing to give a lecture in Kitchen One of the institute, where his body was discovered lifeless at the institute by students. Brophy was shot twice in the back and died immediately due to the bullets piercing his heart.
Investigation into the murder unveiled details about Nancy Crampton-Brophy, who is a romance novelist and once wrote an essay called How to Murder Your Husband. This case gripped the public with its weird twists and shocking revelations.
NBC Dateline has covered this case in an episode titled Murder in Kitchen One, which delves into the details of the investigation and trial. Oxygen will reair the episode on September 18, 5: 00 a.m. The following are five chilling facts about the murder of Dan Brophy.
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5 shocking details about Dan Brophy's murder
1) The shocking, silent attack
Dan Brophy's killing happened at work in the early morning of June 2, 2018. He was preparing for the day when the killer shot him twice in the back with a 9mm pistol. The assault must have been very swift and accurate as he might have never got a glimpse of his killer.
Both bullets went through his heart and killed him almost instantly. The investigators hypothesized that his killer knew his schedule because there was no evidence of struggle or defense.
2) No evidence left behind
There was no significant physical evidence at the crime scene at the Oregon Culinary Institute. Even intense questioning with the help of a thorough investigation didn't unearth any fingerprints, usable DNA material, or security cameras that would point fingers at the killer.
This institute had no cameras inside or outside its premises, making it even more difficult for the detectives. Initially, the lack of evidence made it very hard for the authorities to construct a case, but they would soon center on a surprising suspect.
3) Suspicious behaviour of Nancy Crampton-Brophy
Even with a clean crime scene, it did not take much time to suspect Nancy Crampton-Brophy, Dan Brophy's wife. In her 2011 blog post, How to Murder Your Husband, she echoed the very circumstances in which her husband died.
Although this essay is not admissible in court, it gave an eerie layer to the case. Furthermore, just weeks before the murder, Nancy had purchased a 9mm handgun, the same caliber of weapon used to murder Dan, and an untraceable firearm kit from the internet.
4) Financial motive and inconsistent statements
The motive could also be financial for Nancy. Nancy would come out by inheriting $1.2 million from Dan Brophy's life insurance and their $300,000 home, making her financially comfortable. Footage taken from a surveillance camera of a traffic camera showed Nancy driving around the culinary institute at the time of the murder, further establishing that she was an accomplice in the killing.
Although she testified to not being in the neighborhood, she later claimed that going there was probably no big deal and just a coincidence, probably just getting a cup of coffee or making notes for her writing.
5) The missing murder weapon
No murder weapon could be found either at the crime scene or later. Although Nancy had a similar 9mm pistol, no such gun was found. In the words of Nancy's defense attorneys, the absence of the murder weapon eliminated the possibility of actual proof showing the connection between Nancy and the murder.
But it was the circumstantial evidence — being present at the scene, with a possible motive of financial gain, and an untraceable gun kit — that sealed the deal against the jury. It did not help Nancy's case that she had inconsistent statements regarding the event.
The murder of Dan Brophy is, to this day, a very chilling betrayal and mystery. His wife, Nancy Crampton-Brophy, was convicted of second-degree murder in May 2022, ending the case that transfixed the public for nearly four years. Although a murder weapon was never found and Nancy never stopped asserting her innocence, enough circumstantial evidence seemed to paint the picture of guilt.
