“Devil’s Bargain”: Dateline Reports on Kelsey Berreth Homicide August 29 2025

Dateline NBC returns Friday, August 29, 2025, at 9/8c with a haunting two-hour episode titled Devil’s Bargain, reported by Andrea Canning. The broadcast examines the deeply unsettling disappearance and murder of Kelsey Berreth, a 29-year-old Colorado flight instructor and mother. The investigation would uncover a disturbing conspiracy involving her fiancé and a secret girlfriend, ultimately resulting in a conviction—but not without moral compromise. This feature explores the full case behind the episode, the individuals involved, and the outcome that shocked a nation.

Kelsey Berreth: A Life Built on Dreams and Devotion

Kelsey Berreth was raised in Moses Lake, Washington, where she developed an early fascination with aviation. Inspired by crop dusters flying near her family’s farm, she pursued a career as a pilot and eventually became a flight instructor, sharing her passion with others. Berreth was known for her warmth and dedication, remembered by family as someone who brought light to every room she entered.

In 2015, she met Patrick Frazee, a farrier from Colorado, through an online dating site. Though they lived more than a thousand miles apart, their relationship blossomed quickly. Berreth relocated to Colorado, found work at a local flight school, and soon after, the couple welcomed a daughter. They became engaged and made plans to raise their child together, but behind the scenes, their relationship was fraught with control and deception.

Thanksgiving Day Disappearance and Early Investigation

On November 22, 2018, Berreth was seen at a grocery store with her daughter. It was Thanksgiving Day. That would be the last time she was seen alive. Days passed without communication, prompting her mother, Cheryl Berreth, to report her missing. Patrick Frazee claimed she had broken up with him shortly after Thanksgiving and that they had continued discussing their separation by text.

Suspicion mounted after Berreth’s phone pinged in Idaho on November 25, far from her home in Woodland Park. Investigators discovered a smear of blood in her bathroom. Using luminol, crime scene investigators uncovered a shocking amount of blood throughout her home, suggesting someone had attempted to clean up a violent crime.

The Introduction of Krystal Lee Kenney

The investigation into Frazee’s phone records led authorities to a woman named Krystal Lee Kenney, a nurse and former rodeo queen living in Idaho. Though she initially denied knowing Frazee or Berreth, phone data and pressure from law enforcement pushed her to confess her involvement. Kenney revealed that she and Frazee had rekindled a romantic relationship, during which he manipulated her into helping plan and cover up Berreth’s murder.

Kenney admitted to driving 13 hours from Idaho to Colorado after Frazee called her to clean up the crime scene. She brought gloves, bleach, and a protective hospital outfit, finding a blood-soaked condo when she arrived. According to her, the scene was horrific—walls, floors, and even the baby’s stuffed animals were stained with blood. She disposed of uncleanable items and later witnessed Frazee burn Berreth’s body in a plastic tote at his ranch.

The Failed Murder Attempts and Fatal Attack

Before the murder, Frazee had tried multiple times to convince Kenney to kill Berreth. He allegedly claimed Berreth was an abusive mother and dangerous to their child. Kenney made three failed attempts: first, delivering a poisoned coffee drink; second, arriving at Berreth’s home with a metal pipe; and third, waiting with a baseball bat but leaving when spooked by a passing police car. Each time, she backed out, but never reported the plots.

Frazee eventually took matters into his own hands. On Thanksgiving Day, he lured Berreth into a game, asking her to guess candle scents while blindfolded. As she stood in her home, he struck her with a baseball bat—while their one-year-old daughter remained nearby. According to Kenney’s later testimony, Frazee hit Berreth 10 to 15 times before calling Kenney to clean up.

The Deal with the Devil: Kenney’s Testimony

Three weeks after the murder, Kenney came forward with a plea deal. In exchange for her cooperation and testimony, she was allowed to plead guilty to a single count of tampering with evidence. Then-District Attorney Dan May acknowledged the ethical complexity, calling it a “deal with the devil.” Prosecutors used Kenney’s testimony, phone records, and even a jailhouse informant to build a case against Frazee.

Frazee had attempted to solicit murder for a second time while behind bars, instructing a fellow inmate to eliminate witnesses including Kenney and Cheryl Berreth. The prosecution used these letters as further evidence of his guilt and state of mind.

Trial and Sentencing: Justice Delivered

Patrick Frazee’s trial took place in late 2019. The prosecution laid out Kenney’s detailed testimony alongside physical evidence, phone records, and surveillance footage. A forensic expert described the level of violence Berreth endured. The defense attempted to paint Kenney as a liar acting out of jealousy, but jurors found her account credible when backed by corroborating evidence.

After just three hours of deliberation, the jury found Frazee guilty on all counts: first-degree murder, solicitation to commit murder, and tampering with a deceased body. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole, plus 156 years.

Kenney was sentenced to three years in prison in 2020. However, in 2021, the Colorado Court of Appeals vacated that sentence, ruling it unconstitutional due to procedural issues involving her rights under Blakely v. Washington. She was resentenced to 18 months and released later that year.

Aftermath: A Family’s Loss and a Daughter’s Future

Kelsey Berreth’s remains have never been found, denying her family the closure of a burial. Her daughter, Kaylee, is now being raised by her maternal grandparents in Washington. For Kelsey’s family, the ordeal left emotional scars but also a sense of justice. Through Kenney’s cooperation—however morally troubling—the truth emerged, and a dangerous man was removed from society.

Devil’s Bargain lays bare the complex web of love, manipulation, and violence that led to a mother’s death. It shows how law enforcement, through persistence and strategic compromise, exposed a calculated murder hidden under the façade of an ordinary relationship. The episode stands as both a tribute to Kelsey Berreth and a harrowing account of what can happen when obsession turns fatal.