Trace the hours before a young Minnesota woman falls victim to murder

On December 15, 2022, Matthew Ecker was on his way to work when he said he got a call from a former co-worker and friend. Alex Pennig. Pennig said he got into a fight with his boyfriend Shane Anderson and was afraid of what he could do. So, Ecker took the gun, which he had legally, and drove to Pennig’s St. Paul, Minnesota, apartment.

Ecker arrived around 2 pm He would later say the only reason he went to Pennig was to protect him.

The next day, Pennig was shot dead in her apartment. Detectives used surveillance footage to piece together the final moments.

Argument

Pennig and Ecker went out to several bars in the evening and ended up at Camp Bar at 12:30 on December 16, 2022. Anderson was at the bar. Surveillance video shows him walk up to Pennig and start talking to her. Ecker walked up to the two of them. Things got heated, and when Ecker got between Pennig and Anderson, Anderson punched him. Anderson was kicked out of the bar and Pennig and Ecker stayed around for hours drinking and chatting.

Matthew Ecker and Alex Pennig came home for the night

At 2:05 am, Pennig and Ecker arrived at her apartment building after walking from Camp Bar.

A returned to the lobby

At 2:24 am, Pennig and Ecker were seen back in the lobby as they exited the building. Ecker would later say he was going to the car to get his headphones. Pennig (pictured) returned first and waited in the vestibule for Ecker. He walks around looking at his cell phone.

Alex Pennig was last seen alive

Ecker returned two minutes after Pennig at 2:30 a.m. The two then walked through the lobby and back up to Pennig’s apartment. This was the last time Pennig was seen alive.

Police officer St. Paul arrived at the location

At 2:50 a.m., Ecker called 911 and reported that Pennig had shot himself in the head. St. Paul police officers raced to the apartment building and Ecker let them in at 2:56 am

Matthew Ecker’s story

After leading police to Pennig’s apartment, Ecker sat in the hallway, looking sad and emotional. Officer Justina Hser approached him and began asking him what was going on. The conversation, which lasted almost an hour, was captured on a body camera. Ecker told him everything was fine between him and Pennig and they had no objections. He said he grabbed the gun from his backpack, went back into the bathroom and locked the door. Moments later, Ecker said he heard a shot, so he broke open the bathroom door to find Pennig laying on the floor with a gunshot wound to his left temple.

weapons

Responding officers found the handgun. It was on Pennig’s chest with her left hand resting on top. He notes that this seems strange. One of the officers then moved the gun to the sink (pictured) to place it in a safe position.

Famous evidence

Ecker told officers he washed his hands after trying to help Pennig, so his hands were clean. But officers noticed that the bathroom sink was dry when they arrived. If Ecker just washed his hands, detectives believe the sink was probably still wet.

A lack of evidence in Matthew Ecker

Ecker was interviewed by detectives around 6:30 a.m. on December 16, 2022. He did not appear to have blood on his body or clothing. It was later discovered that Ecker also had no gun left on him.

Decisive evidence

While Ecker was being interviewed at the police station, the forensics unit processing the scene notified detectives that they had discovered new evidence that Pennig’s body had been moved. It was a piece of metal from the bathroom door lock, and it was found on the floor where Pennig’s head was. The detective suspects that when Ecker opened the door, the small piece of metal fell to the bathroom floor. According to the detective’s theory, Ecker broke down the bathroom door, then Pennig was shot and fell on top of the piece. They say this proves the bathroom door was forced open before Pennig was taken, and that Ecker had lied to them.

Accused: Matthew Ecker

On December 19, 2022, Matthew Ecker was formally charged with second degree murder. Ecker denies killing Alex Pennig.

The trial of Matthew Ecker

On February 8, 2024, Ecker’s trial began. Eight days later, on February 16, 2024, he was convicted of second-degree murder.

Matthew Ecker sentencing

On April 3, 2024, Ecker was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He appealed his anger.