A romance novelist was arrested on suspicion of murder, three months after her chef husband was found fatally shot inside the culinary institute where he taught.
Portland, Oregon police said that Nancy Crampton-Brophy, 68, was arrested at her home on Wednesday — three months after Daniel Brophy was killed inside the Oregon Culinary Institute.
Crampton-Brophy was arraigned on Thursday on charges of murder and unlawful use of a weapon. Police did not release a possible motive, but said in a statement that based "on information learned during the investigation, detectives believe Nancy L. Crampton-Brophy is the suspect in Daniel C. Brophy's murder."
Crampton-Brophy describes herself on her website as the author of "fiction books under the Romance Suspense genre." Among her works is a series with the tagline "wrong never felt so right," which includes titles such as "The Wrong Hero," "The Wrong Brother," and "The Wrong Husband."
"The Wrong Husband" is about a woman who hatches a plan to run away from her abusive husband while on an anniversary trip overseas with him. Her escape efforts are sidetracked when the cruise ship they are on wrecks off the coast of Italy.
Brophy's June 2 murder stunned the community. At a vigil outside the culinary school where he taught for decades, students remembered him as an inspiring instructor with a good sense of humor who helped to shape their careers.
Crampton-Brophy also mourned him at the vigil, saying, "Daniel was one of the few people I've ever known who did exactly what he wanted in life and loved doing it. He was a person who did what he loved: he loved teaching, he loved mushrooms, he loved his family."
Former students of Brophy's were among those who packed the courtroom Thursday for the arraignment, where Crampton-Brophy was expressionless as a judge listed the charges against her, NBC affiliate KGW in Portland reported.
Tania Medlin, a friend of Crampton-Brophy's for three decades, said the arrest shocked her.
"I can’t imagine," Medlin told KGW. "I just don’t think she’s capable."
She added that friends and family had been by Crampton-Brophy's side constantly for the past three months to support her after her husband's death.
The couple had been married for 26 years, according to KGW.
On her website, Crampton-Brophy describes her husband as her "Mr. Right" and adds, "Like all marriages, we’ve had our ups and downs, more good times than bad."
