Crime Stories with Nancy Grace | Episode Summary
Episode Title: RODEO QUEEN GIRLFRIEND SAYS PATRICK FRAZEE BASHED FIANCEE HEAD WITH BAT, NOW HE DEMANDS CONVICTION BE REVERSED
Date: January 31, 2026
Host: Nancy Grace
Panel: Ashley Wilcott (Judge/Lawyer), Karen Smith (Forensic Expert), Dr. Daniel Bober (Forensic Psychiatrist), Ellen Killoran (CrimeOnline Reporter), Joseph Scott Morgan (Forensics Professor), Wendy Patrick (California Prosecutor)
Episode Overview
This episode delves into the chilling murder of Kelsey Berreth, the complex investigation and trial of her fiancé, Patrick Frazee, and recent developments as Frazee attempts to overturn his murder conviction. Nancy Grace and her expert panel unravel the forensic evidence, explore the disturbing roles of both Frazee and his mistress, and scrutinize the intricacies of the legal process and court appeals.
Main Discussion Points & Insights
1. Case Background and Timeline
- Kelsey Berreth Disappears: Last seen on Thanksgiving Day, November 22nd, at a Safeway in Woodland Park, CO, with her 1-year-old daughter. (03:59)
- Handing Off Her Daughter: Later that day, Kelsey meets Frazee, hands off their daughter, and disappears. (04:07)
- Suspicious Texts and Phone Pings: Kelsey’s phone sends texts to her employer and Frazee three days later, but her phone pings 600 miles away in Idaho; law enforcement can't confirm Kelsey was with the phone. (08:49, 09:16)
- Late Missing Persons Report: Kelsey’s mother reports her missing 10 days after last contact, raising questions about Frazee’s behavior and concern for Kelsey. (08:30, 15:03)
- Timeline Importance: Nancy emphasizes: "Every investigation starts with a timeline and the forensics around that timeline." (08:03)
2. Suspicion and Forensic Difficulties
- Frazee’s Cooperation: Mixed signals—he provides DNA, phone records, and submits to interviews, but does not attend press conferences and is perceived as ‘reluctantly’ helpful. (12:11–17:25)
- Kelsey’s Home Clues: All personal items, except her purse, left behind. Baked cinnamon rolls out to cool, suggesting no plan to leave. Both vehicles remain. (18:24–19:27)
- Expert Suspicion:
- Karen Smith: “If my fiancé had gone missing, I would be freaking out after three hours...10 days is a long time!" (15:29)
- Nancy Grace: "Who waits 10 days to figure out where somebody is, especially the mother of your one year old?" (17:01)
3. Shock of the Crime – Frazee’s Brutality and Aftermath
- Murder Details: After blindfolding Kelsey, Frazee strikes her repeatedly with a bat, according to his girlfriend/mistress Crystal Lee Kenney. (24:07, 25:16)
- Clean-Up: Kenney drives 13 hours to clean the “blood everywhere”—including on toys and personal items—while the couple’s daughter is in the next room. (25:16, 28:37)
- Frazee’s Concerns: More preoccupied with missing teeth as forensic evidence than with the horror of the crime—“He didn’t find all of her teeth that he knocked out of her head.” (25:16)
- Crime Scene Forensics: Use of Blue Star Regent to detect blood traces, discussion of cleaning delays making evidence removal difficult. (36:24–37:04)
Notable Quote:
- Nancy Grace:
“Patrick Frazee tricks his fiancée…into blindfolding her and asking her to smell different scented candles. Then rearing back with a baseball bat and striking her…his big concern, he didn’t find all of her teeth that he knocked out of her head.” (25:16)
4. Crystal Lee Kenney’s Role and Credibility Crisis
- Kenney’s Complicity: She not only covers up the crime but had previously been approached by Frazee to help murder Kelsey by various means—baseball bat, metal pipe, poisoned coffee. Yet, she goes along and conceals evidence. (29:06, 41:44)
- Testimony in Question: She initially lied to police and friends, set up alibis, switched vehicles, obtained a new phone, and left only minimal blood evidence, which she claimed was to help police. (33:10, 40:03)
- Expert Disagreement:
- Nancy: “I’m not really buying it that she intentionally left blood behind for detectives to find.” (33:10)
- Dr. Bober: "She’s claiming to be this clueless, hapless victim…Clearly she’s complicit. Clearly she’s involved." (38:04)
- Wendy Patrick: Her many lies “has got to amount to a huge blow to her credibility…” (41:44)
Notable Quote:
- Ashley Wilcott:
“She’s complicit in this crime. You don’t go clean it up… These are crimes that you report to police immediately.” (28:49)
5. Legal Maneuvering and Recent Supreme Court Decision
- Frazee’s Appeal: Claims statements to a child welfare caseworker (about his daughter) should have been excluded as he wasn’t Mirandized, suggesting custodial interrogation. (22:14, 24:07)
- Court’s Ruling: Colorado Supreme Court finds the caseworker acted in a welfare—not law enforcement—role, upholding Frazee’s conviction. (46:02)
- Next Steps: Nancy predicts the legal battle will continue, potentially to the U.S. Supreme Court. (46:02)
- Insight: “Probably because of the incendiary nature of the facts that came out at trial…Frazee is going to appeal this all the way…And we wait as justice unfolds.” (46:02)
6. Psychological Analysis
- Frazee’s Mindset:
- Dr. Bober calls Frazee a psychopath, capable of such brutality without regret—“Zero remorse, zero empathy, zero connection with other human beings.” (38:04)
- Nancy’s Analysis:
- “A woman that's calling her mom for a recipe is not a woman who’s gonna leave her mom hanging out in the wind, doesn’t know where you are, worried sick about you, not taking care of your baby girl. No!” (10:33)
7. Panel’s Reflections on Justice and Responsibility
- Missed Opportunities: Multiple people, not just Kenney, knew Frazee had murderous intentions. Why did no one call police? (32:53, 33:10)
- Reiteration of Core Question:
- Nancy: “If you really wanted to help investigators, maybe don’t dispose of the tooth… If you really wanted to help, you would leave something more obvious.” (33:49)
- Credibility of State’s “Star Witness”: Prosecution must “hold their nose” while relying on Kenney's tainted testimony. (34:56)
Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps
-
Nancy Grace:
“Every investigation starts with a timeline and the forensics around that timeline.” (08:03) -
Karen Smith (Forensics Expert):
“If my fiancé had gone missing, I would be freaking out after three hours…10 days is a long time!” (15:29) -
Ashley Wilcott:
“She’s complicit in this crime. You don’t go clean it up… These are crimes that you report to police immediately.” (28:49) -
Dr. Daniel Bober (Forensic Psychiatrist):
“True psychopathy, Nancy. Zero remorse, zero empathy, zero connection with other human beings. But Crystal Lee…clearly she’s complicit. Clearly she’s involved.” (38:04) -
Nancy Grace:
“He beat her with a baseball bat. Number two. She’s complicit in this crime.” (28:49) -
Wendy Patrick (Prosecutor):
“Huge blow to her credibility, notwithstanding the fact that she was involved in a very sick relationship.” (41:44)
Key Timestamps for Reference
- 03:59–04:50 – Disappearance recap
- 08:03–08:49 – Timeline & text message evidence
- 15:03–17:25 – Frazee's inconsistent cooperation and suspicious behavior
- 18:24–19:27 – Evidence from Kelsey’s home
- 24:07–25:16 – Crystal Lee Kenney's bombshell affidavit
- 28:37–29:06 – Aftermath and clean-up specifics
- 36:24–37:04 – Forensic evidence discussion
- 38:04–38:31 – Psychological profile
- 41:44 – Kenney’s credibility, panel reaction
- 46:02 – Supreme Court decision summary and episode close
Tone & Takeaways
The episode is driven, urgent, and emotionally charged, with Nancy Grace pressing her panel for precise facts and sharp interpretations. The tone is a mix of prosecutorial scrutiny and empathetic advocacy for the victim and her child. The panel refuses to sugarcoat any aspect—from Frazee’s monstrous behavior to his mistress’s self-serving involvement.
Listeners gain: A clear understanding of the evidence timeline, the gravity and brutality of the crime, legal twists, and the profound responsibility people carry when they know of impending violence. The discussion foreshadows continued legal wrangling, while never losing sight of the real-world horror and heartbreak left behind.