Minnesota nurse practitioner charged with murdering mistress after claiming she shot herself with his gun

Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.

MINNESOTA, UNITED STATES: Matthew Ecker, aged 45, was convicted by a jury on Friday of second-degree intentional murder in the case of 32-year-old Alexandra Pennig.

The incident occurred during the early morning of December 16, 2022, when Ecker dialed 911, asserting that Pennig had taken her own life in her downtown St Paul residence.

Ecker, who was married and a father at the time of the shooting, was engaged in an extramarital affair with Pennig.

What did Matthew Ecker report during the investigation?

During the police investigation, Ecker claimed that Pennig shot herself in the head. He informed investigators that she retrieved his gun from his backpack, went into a bathroom, locked the door, and subsequently shot herself.

Upon hearing the gunfire, Ecker stated that he hurried to the bathroom and forcefully pushed the door open, discovering Pennig on the floor surrounded by a pool of blood.

Officers responded to the 911 call and noticed inconsistencies and suspicious behavior early on as per Crimeonline.

What did Matthew Ecker do after the shooting?

After the shooting, Ecker purportedly placed the pistol in his suitcase out of fear of potential consequences, as he claimed. He asserted ownership of the gun, stating that he possessed a permit for it.

However, upon finding Pennig on the bathroom floor, he positioned the gun on Pennig’s chest. Investigators also noted the gun's apparent cleanliness, despite the circumstances of the scene.

Ecker claimed that he tried to stop the bleeding from the bullet wound but had clean hands when the officers arrived.

He insisted that he washed his hands with soap before calling 911, although authorities observed the dryness of the bathroom sink.

Initially, Ecker stated that Pennig was still breathing when he found her and that he attempted to revive her.

However, he later admitted to not performing CPR and claimed he was unsure of what to do, despite his occupation as an emergency room nurse practitioner.

Investigators noticed that Pennig, who was right-handed, had the gun in her left hand.

Records indicate that Ecker, who lived in Fergus Falls with his family, about 200 miles northwest of Pennig's apartment in St Paul helped Pennig, who was a registered nurse, refill her prescription drugs and assisted with her rent.

Matthew Ecker’s lawyer mentions Alexandra Pennig’s depression

According to KARK, Ecker's lawyer, Bruce Rivers, informed jurors that there was no physical evidence proving his client shot Pennig. Rivers also mentioned that Pennig had been dealing with depression and had tried to take her own life before.

During his opening statements, Rivers conveyed, "In text messages two days before, she wrote that she felt hopeless." Rivers also informed the jury that Ecker and Pennig had an open relationship, adding that Pennig was dating another man named Shane Anderson.

Anderson had plans to move in with Pennig but changed his mind. According to Rivers, Anderson and Pennig argued that morning. Ecker went to St Paul to be with Pennig and protect her, as per Rivers.

That evening, Ecker and Pennig encountered Anderson with another woman at a bar. Pennig became upset, and when Ecker and Pennig confronted Anderson, he punched Ecker.

Rivers informed the jury that Pennig was distressed due to her situation with Anderson, but there were no arguments between Pennig and Ecker. “There is no reason for Matthew Ecker to kill her. Zero. There is no motive whatsoever. Zero,” Rivers stated.

Court records indicate that immediately after the shooting, Ecker and his wife Elizabeth separated. Elizabeth filed for divorce from him last year, and prosecutors included her on their witness list.

“Did he cheat on his wife? Yeah, he cheated on his wife. Does that mean he’s a murderer? It does not,” Rivers said, also noting that Ecker’s wife was not aware of his relationship with Pennig.

Rivers said the lack of evidence in the case is “appalling.”

At the end of his opening statement, Rivers asked the jury to return “the quickest not guilty verdict in the history of Minnesota jurisprudence.”

Two medical examiners, including one hired by the defense, concluded that the cause of death was undetermined.

Following the verdict, Ecker was taken into custody. His sentencing is scheduled for March 29.