The Evil Story Of Patrick Frazee

The TruRed CRIME podcast episode 'The Evil Story Of Patrick Frazee' delves into the harrowing case of Kelsey Barrett, a 29-year-old flight instructor and mother from Woodland Park, Colorado, who vanished on Thanksgiving Day, 2018. Her disappearance sparked a multi-state investigation after police discovered her phone had pinged a cell tower in rural Gooding, Idaho—over 800 miles away. This led investigators to Crystal Lee Kenny, a former rodeo queen and longtime confidante of Patrick Frazee, who confessed to helping Frazee murder Kelsey. According to Crystal, Frazee orchestrated the killing by luring Kelsey with a poisoned coffee, then bludgeoning her during a blindfolded candle game. She described cleaning the blood-soaked crime scene and later burning Kelsey’s body and belongings at Frazee’s ranch. Evidence, including blood spatter patterns, forensic findings, and surveillance footage of Frazee’s truck carrying a black tote, confirmed the timeline. Frazee was arrested and convicted of first-degree murder and solicitation, receiving a life sentence without parole plus 156 years. Crystal, who cooperated under a plea deal, was initially sentenced to three years but had her sentence reduced to 18 months after an appeal. The episode underscores the chilling psychological manipulation, abuse, and calculated evil behind the crime, while highlighting the limitations of justice when physical remains are destroyed. Key takeaways include: 1) The danger of controlling relationships masked as affection, especially when combined with manipulation and isolation; 2) The critical role of digital forensics and cell tower pings in long-distance investigations; 3) The psychological toll on victims’ families and the lasting trauma even after conviction; 4) The importance of cooperation from accomplices, even when morally compromised, in securing justice; 5) The vulnerability of incarcerated individuals to further manipulation, as Frazee attempted to recruit another inmate to commit more murders; 6) The limits of forensic science when evidence is destroyed by fire; 7) The necessity of multi-agency collaboration in complex, cross-state cases; 8) The emotional weight of a child growing up without a mother, despite legal justice being served.