Romance Novelist Arrested for Killing Her Chef Husband at Oregon Culinary Institute
Romance novelist Nancy Crampton-Brophy is known for writing books with unexpected plot twists.
However, no one could have predicted that the most surprising plot twist of all would occur in her real life.
The 68-year-old author, who is known for her sultry novels The Wrong Husband, Hell on the Heart and The Girl Most Likely To, was arrested Wednesday for murdering her 63-year-old husband Daniel C. Brophy, a chef, Portland Police Bureau said in a statement.
Nancy allegedly shot her husband in June at the Oregon Culinary Institute where he worked as a teacher.
“The investigation began on Saturday, June 2, 2018 at 8:30 a.m., when Central Precinct officers responded to the report of a shooting with one person injured at the Oregon Culinary Institute, located at 1701 Southwest Jefferson Street,” police continued.
After being called to the scene, officers and medical personnel attempted to revive Daniel but they were too late.
Following Daniel’s murder, Nancy mourned his death on Facebook writing, “For my Facebook friends and family, I have sad news to relate. My husband and best friend, Chef Dan Brody was killed yesterday morning.”
“For those of you who are close to me and feel this deserved a phone call, you are right, but I’m struggling to make sense of everything right now,” Nancy added.
? Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.
On her website, Nancy describes her marriage as having “ups and downs” but “more good times than bad.”
“I can’t tell you when I fell in love with my husband, but I relate the moment I decided to marry him. I was in the bath. It was a big tub. I expected him to join me and when he was delayed, I called out, ‘Are you coming?'” Nancy continued.
“His answer convinced me he was Mr. Right. ‘Yes, but I’m making hors d’oeuvres.’ Can you imagine spending the rest of your life without a man like that?”
As for her work, Nancy added, “My stories are about pretty men and strong women, about families that don’t always work and about the joy of finding love and the difficulty of making it stay.”
Nancy was charged with murder and unlawful use of a weapon and appeared in court Thursday, according to The Oregonian. Her next court date is set for Sept. 17.
“Everyone that knows her, especially those closer to her than myself are sick at heart,” Anna Brentwood, a friend of the couple,” said in a statement obtained by The Oregonian. “We are hoping the police are wrong and just going after the easiest target.”
Nancy and Daniel were married for 27 years, the publication reported.