Fergus Falls man charged with killing girlfriend in St. Paul

A Fergus Falls man has been charged with shooting and killing a woman in her apartment in St. Paul's Lowertown neighborhood early Friday, after allegedly telling police her death was a suicide.

The victim was identified Monday as Alexandra L. Pennig, 32, of St. Paul. Her death was the capital city's 38th homicide this year, tying the record set in 2021. The city's 39th homicide happened Monday night.

The suspect in Pennig's death, 44-year-old Matthew Phillip Ecker, was arrested after reporting the incident Friday. He was booked into Ramsey County jail and charged with second-degree murder.

According to a criminal complaint filed Monday in Ramsey County District Court:

Officers responded to the 200 block of 5th Street E. shortly before 3 a.m. after Ecker called saying Pennig had shot herself in the head four minutes before. Ecker told police that he and Pennig had been in an open relationship for two years, and he later told investigators they met at a Fergus Falls clinic where they both worked.

Upon arrival at the apartment Friday, officers found Pennig lying in the bathroom, not breathing, with a gunshot wound to her head. Her hand was on Ecker's gun, which was on her chest. Officers noted Pennig had little or no grip on the gun.

Ecker told police that Pennig was being physically abused by her other boyfriend and had asked Ecker to visit her. Pennig and Ecker had gone to three bars that night, including Camp Bar, where Ecker said they encountered Pennig's other boyfriend. The other boyfriend punched Ecker in the face, Ecker said.

Ecker initially told officers that Pennig grabbed his gun after the two got into an argument in the apartment, and that she secluded herself in the bathroom before he heard a gunshot.

The complaint states that Ecker then changed his story — first telling police that Pennig pointed the gun at her head in front of him, then that she ran into the bathroom with the gun and closed the door on him.

Ecker was brought to police headquarters and agreed to speak to investigators, the complaint said. Analysis of his phone showed he had been prescribing Pennig controlled substances including Adderall and diazepam, and had been helping pay her rent.

Ecker repeated to investigators that Pennig took his gun, held it to her head, then locked herself in the bathroom. He said he heard a "pop," then forced the door open and found Pennig lying on the floor with the gun beside her.

Though Ecker has medical training, he said he didn't know what to do and did not perform CPR. He said he placed the gun on Pennig's chest, washed his hands and called 911 from Pennig's phone.