Kelsey Berreth was a loving mother and a hardworking flight instructor whose life was cruelly cut short in one of Colorado’s most disturbing murder cases. Her 2018 disappearance gripped the nation, not only because of the horror of the crime but also because of the shocking betrayal at its core — by the man she was engaged to and the woman he manipulated into helping cover up the murder.
Kelsey Berreth: A Life Full of Promise
Kelsey Berreth was only 29 years old when she was murdered. Raised on a hay farm in Moses Lake, Washington, she was known for her down-to-earth nature, tomboy spirit, and ambition. After high school, she followed her dream of becoming a flight instructor — a career she pursued passionately in Colorado.
In 2015, Kelsey met Patrick Frazee, a rancher from Florissant, Colorado. They began a relationship, and in 2017, Kelsey gave birth to their daughter, Kaylee. Although they got engaged, the couple never moved in together — Kelsey lived in her own condo while Frazee stayed on his ranch.
The Disappearance That Sparked a Nationwide Search
Kelsey was last seen on Thanksgiving morning in 2018, shopping with her daughter at a Safeway store in Woodland Park. That afternoon, she texted Frazee about preparing sweet potato casserole. It was the last anyone heard from her.
When her mother, Cheryl Berreth, couldn’t reach her for over a week, she reported her missing. Frazee claimed Kelsey had broken up with him the day before Thanksgiving and that they had continued texting afterwards. But something didn’t add up.
Surveillance footage later showed Kelsey and Frazee together at her condo’s front door, and then Frazee returning alone later in the day. Authorities also traced Kelsey’s phone to Idaho — over 800 miles away — where Frazee’s secret lover lived.
Uncovering the Truth: A Twisted Plot Comes to Light
Police soon discovered that Frazee had a mistress named Krystal Lee Kenney, a former Idaho nurse. The two had been in an on-and-off affair since 2006 and rekindled their relationship in 2018. Kenney later admitted she had no idea Frazee had a child or was engaged.
Frazee manipulated Kenney into believing that Kelsey was a danger to their daughter. He convinced her to help eliminate Kelsey — and allegedly tried to get her to kill Kelsey herself three times. Each time, Kenney backed out. Finally, on Thanksgiving Day, Frazee murdered Kelsey himself, while their daughter was in another room.
Kenney said Frazee blindfolded Kelsey under the pretense of a “candle-sniffing game” and then beat her to death with a baseball bat. He put her body in a black tote and later burned it on his ranch.
Two days later, Kenney drove from Idaho to clean up the crime scene, scrubbing Kelsey’s condo with bleach. She even took Kelsey’s phone and sent texts to make it look like she was still alive.
The Arrest and Trial of Patrick Frazee
On December 21, 2018, Patrick Frazee was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. During his 2019 trial, Kenney became the prosecution’s star witness, revealing chilling details of the murder and the cover-up.
The jury found Frazee guilty after just three hours of deliberation. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole, plus 156 years for additional charges.
Frazee is currently serving his sentence at the Arkansas Valley Correctional Facility in Colorado. Their daughter, Kaylee, is being raised by Kelsey’s parents.
Krystal Lee Kenney’s Role and Sentence
Kenney pleaded guilty to evidence tampering in exchange for testifying against Frazee. She admitted to helping clean the crime scene and covering up the murder. Initially sentenced to three years, her sentence was later reduced to 18 months after a court ruled the original sentence exceeded the legal maximum for her charge.
She was released on parole in March 2021. At her sentencing, Kenney said she was deeply sorry for what happened and that she couldn’t forgive herself. However, the judge described her actions as “cold, calculating and cruel.”
