The Idaho nurse who pleaded guilty to a role in the presumed murder of missing Colorado mother Kelsey Berreth was fearful that Berreth’s accused killer may hurt her as well, a friend claimed.
Michelle Stein, a close friend of Krystal Lee Kenney, spoke for the first time publicly in an appearance on “CBS This Morning” Monday, insisting that her friend attempted to help Frazee cover up the alleged murder because she was afraid of what he might do if she didn’t cooperate.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Kenney, a nurse from Twin Falls, Idaho, entered into a plea agreement in Teller County District Court on Friday, confessing to one count of tampering with evidence. In a statement to the court, Kenney, 32, said that she “moved” Berreth’s cell phone “with the intent to impair the phone’s availability in the investigation,” between November 24 and November 25.
Following Frazee’s arrest in December, prosecutors said they believed Berreth was murdered in her home on November 22, Thanksgiving Day.
In the “CBS This Morning” interview, Stein told reporter Nikki Battise that she believes Frazee is a murderer but that she is certain her friend did not play a role in the killing.
“I think [Frazee] is a very dangerous person,” Stein said. Asked if Kenney ever said that she was personally fearful of Frazee, Stein said yes.
“She did tell me that she has never seen that kind of evil in anybody,” said Stein.
Battise said on “CBS This Morning” that Stein told her Kenney had only learned “recently” that Berreth and Frazee were engaged and had a child together.
New details are emerging in the mysterious case of a missing Colo. mother. Krystal Lee, an Idaho nurse, pleaded guilty Friday to tampering with evidence.
Only on @CBSThisMorning, @nikkibattiste sat down with Lee’s close friend and confidante: https://t.co/IJ7Lw7YNg7 pic.twitter.com/QuGE5jCi0f
— CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) February 11, 2019
Asked specifically what Kenney feared Frazee might do if she didn’t cooperate with the allegedly cover-up, Stein said, “I will just tell you Krystal was very, very scared.”
Kenney reportedly met Frazee shortly after graduating high school while they were both on the Colorado rodeo circuit. Stein refused to comment on whether Kenney, a divorced mother of two, was romantically involved with Frazee around the time of the presumed murder.
Frazee is currently in custody facing multiple charges, including first-degree murder and solicitation to commit murder in the first-degree. Kenney is not in custody, and will not be sentenced until after Frazee’s murder trial. She has reportedly agreed to testify against Frazee as part of her plea agreement.
Frazee is due back in court on February 19.
