Matthew P. Ecker, a resident of Fergus Falls, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for the murder of his girlfriend, Alexandra Pennig. Ecker was found guilty of second-degree murder by a jury on Feb. 16. The case began in December 2022 when Ecker called the police to report Pennig’s suicide. However, upon arriving at the scene, law enforcement noted inconsistencies in Ecker’s account, leading to a more thorough investigation. Ecker is currently incarcerated at the Minnesota Correctional Facility – St. Cloud, serving his sentence for this tragic crime.