A Portland jury convicted a self-published romance novelist of fatally shooting her husband four years ago.
Nancy Crampton Brophy, 71, was found guilty of second-degree murder Wednesday after a two-day trial, KOIN-TV reported. Brophy, 63, was killed June 2 as he prepared for work in Southwest Portland.
Crampton Brophy didn’t react in court Wednesday. Crampton Brophy’s attorney Lisa Maxfield said the defense will appeal.
Money problems and a life insurance policy motivated Crampton Brophy, prosecutors said.
Crampton Brophy testified that she had no motive to kill her husband and that their financial issues had been fixed by cashing in Brophy’s retirement savings.
Court exhibits and testimony showed she owned the same gun used to kill her husband and drove to and from the culinary institute.
Brophy’s gun was never found. Prosecutors said Crampton Brophy swapped and discarded the gun’s barrel.
Defense attorneys said Crampton Brophy’s writing was inspired by gun parts and proposed he was killed in a botched robbery. Crampton Brophy testified during the trial that she parked near the culinary school on the day of her husband’s death to write.
Crampton Brophy’s how-to book discussed undetectable killings and avoiding capture. Judge Christopher Ramras excluded the 2011 essay from trial. A prosecutor alluded to Crampton Brophy’s essay without identifying it.
Crampton Brophy remained in custody months after her husband was shot. Sentencing is set for June 13.
