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Romance novelist goes on trial in fatal shooting of spouse

FILE - In this screen shot from video of her court appearance, romance writer Nancy Crampton Brophy appears in Multnomah County Circuit Court in Portland, Ore., on Sept. 6, 2018, on one count of murder with a firearm constituting domestic violence in the June death of her husband, Daniel Brophy, a chef at the Oregon Culinary Institute who was found shot in the school
FILE - In this screen shot from video of her court appearance, romance writer Nancy Crampton Brophy appears in Multnomah County Circuit Court in Portland, Ore., on Sept. 6, 2018, on one count of murder with a firearm constituting domestic violence in the June death of her husband, Daniel Brophy, a chef at the Oregon Culinary Institute who was found shot in the school's kitchen. Brophy's trial started Monday, April 4, 2022. (Aimee Green/staff)
Associated Press

Associated Press

PORTLAND – The trial of a self-published romance writer accused of fatally shooting her chef husband started Monday.

Nancy Crampton Brophy has remained in custody since her arrest in September 2018, facing a murder charge in the death of Daniel Brophy, 63, the Oregonian/OregonLive reported.

He was killed as he prepped for work at the Oregon Culinary Institute in Southwest Portland around 7:30 a.m. on June 2.

Nancy Crampton Brophy is a self-published romance writer who years before her husband’s death penned an essay titled “How to Murder Your Husband.” Brophy’s death remained a mystery until his wife’s arrest, and authorities have never publicly disclosed another suspect.

Investigators determined there were no signs of force or struggle and no signs of robbery. Brophy still had his wallet, cellphone, and car keys with him, documents said.

Traffic cameras show Crampton Brophy’s minivan approaching and departing from city streets near the institute close to the apparent time of the shooting, court documents said.

Multnomah County Senior Deputy District Attorney Shawn Overstreet told jurors Monday that Crampton Brophy was motivated by greed and a $1.4 million insurance policy.

Lead defense attorney Lisa Maxfield said Crampton Brophy and her finances both deteriorated after Brophy’s death, far from the prosecution’s claim that she profited from ill-gotten gains.

She previously entered not guilty plea to the charge.

The trial is expected to last seven weeks.