Landfill search for Kelsey Berreth over; remains not found

The Woodland Park Police Department announced they are ending the landfill search for Kelsey Berreth on Wednesday.

"We absolutely could not have conducted this search without the support and cooperation of Waste Management, local businesses, our community and the countless law enforcement agencies that answered our call for help," said Woodland Park Police Chief Miles De Young, "We have been working diligently at the Midway Landfill since Feb. 25 and based on a lack of items such as discarded mail, local newspapers and typical ranch debris that comes out of the transfer station in Divide, Colorado, I do not believe it is prudent to continue. This is not the outcome that we hoped for, but we knew going into this search that there was a chance we would not locate Kelsey or evidence related to her disappearance."

Police want to make it clear the investigation is not over and they are "committed to bringing justice to Kelsey's family."

Berreth was last seen in public Nov. 22 with her 15-month-old daughter. Her fiance, 32-year-old Patrick Frazee, has been charged but has not entered a plea.

Investigators say Frazee's girlfriend told them he used a baseball bat to fatally beat Berreth at her townhome in Woodland Park, then burned her body and planned to dump the remains in a landfill or river.

Frazee's arraignment was postponed until May 24.

The search for the remains of a missing Colorado mom will continue at a landfill.

The Woodland Park Police confirmed on Friday authorities will be searching the Midway Landfill in Fountain on Tuesday tied to Kelsey Berreth case.

"Based on information developed in this case, investigators are now focused on recovering Kelsey's remains and any additional evidence that may be identified during the search of the landfill," Woodland Park Police wrote in a release.

The search is expected to last 16 to 80 days.

At the end of Tuesday's preliminary hearing, a judge ruled there was enough evidence to send her accused killer and mother of his own child to trial. An arraignment is set for April 8. Investigators say a Frazee beat his fiancee to death with a baseball bat after failing to convince a woman he was having an affair with to commit the killing. Berreth was a 29-year-old flight instructor who had a 1-year-old daughter with Frazee.

Frazee has not entered a plea. He's being held in jail without bond before his trial.

Patrick Frazee, clad in his inmate attire, made an appearance in court on Tuesday for his preliminary hearing. Authorities believe he killed Kelsey Berreth, of Woodland Park. New charges were announced against Frazee on Tuesday. Among the new charges, tampering with a deceased human body and violent crime causing death. The main charges remain the same, first-degree murder and solicitation of murder.

In the afternoon, authorities testified, revealing the disturbing details they believe led up to Berreth's murder. Berreth's body has yet to be found.

Krystal Kenney, a woman from Idaho tied to the case, reportedly told investigators her role in the crime. Kenney said she was involved in a romantic relationship with Frazee. Kenney claims Frazee told her Berreth was physically abusive toward her 14-month-old daughter. Investigators didn't find any evidence of that claim. There are no hospital records of abuse and no reports made to the Department of Human Services, according to officials.

Later in the day, it was revealed Kenney told investigators Frazee drove Berreth's body to Nash Ranch in Fremont County after killing her and placed her on top of haystacks in a barn. This information came out publicly after as a law enforcement official described what he believes led up to Berreth's murder.

Testimony from the CBI agent revealed the chain of events from Kenney's eyes. Before Nov. 22, Kenney said Frazee originally asked her to poison a drink and give it to Berreth as a way to "get rid of her." Frazee allegedly wanted Kenney to develop a "rapport" with Berreth, posing as a new neighbor. Kenney went to Berreth's house and claims she introduced herself with a fake name and gave her a cup of coffee that wasn't laced with anything.

Frazee was allegedly upset when he learned Berreth wasn't poisoned. Kenney told investigators Frazee asked her two more times to kill Berreth, once with a metal pipe and once with an aluminum bat. Both times she claims she couldn't do it.

According to testimony from an investigator with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, blood matching Berreth's was found in multiple locations in her townhouse bathroom, leading investigators to believe that is where she was killed.

Frazee allegedly told Kenney he blindfolded Berreth with a sweater and beat her with a baseball bat, according to testimony given by an agent with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. Testimony from authorities goes on to state Berreth's body was put in a black bag and then in a truck. Soon after Frazee allegedly took the body to a ranch in Fremont County.

Colorado Bureau of Investigation Agent Gregg Slater testified Tuesday that Kenney described the scene inside Berreth's home as "horrific." Kenney told police she brought gloves, a protective body suit and trash bags from her home in Idaho at Frazee's request.

Then Kenney states she received a call from Frazee on Nov. 22. Frazee allegedly said, "You got to get here now. You got a mess to clean up." On Nov. 24 Kenney claims she was on her way to Colorado with a clean-up kit. She told investigators when she got to Berreth's house, there was blood on the walls, floor and even children's toys. Kenney claims she cleaned everything and even took a tooth out of an air duct vent. She used bleach to clean everything down, according to testimony shared in court. Kenney also claims she purposely left blood spatter in areas of the house for investigators to find. Berreth's daughter is believed to have been in the home during the murder, based on the information provided by Kenney.

Kenney told authorities she went back to Nash Ranch in Fremont County and helped retrieve Berreth's body. From there they reportedly went to Frazee's property in Florissant and used gasoline to burn the black bag containing Berreth's body and the baseball bat that killed her. The body reportedly burned for hours.

Kenney then says she took Berreth's phone to Idaho. She claims she intentionally turned on the phone to tip off investigators and create a trail.

Tuesday's preliminary hearing comes just days after new documents filed in a wrongful death lawsuit were revealed. They suggest Frazee killed Berreth because he wanted full custody of their 1-year-old daughter.

The Woodland Park Police Department is offering a $25,000 reward for information that helps them find Berreth.

Click "See Ashley Franco's Other Tweets" for more from the 11 News reporter during the preliminary hearing: