A Minnesota man was indicted in the murder of his ex-girlfriend whose body was found in her bed, wrapped in blankets and a plastic garbage bag, covered in abrasions and bruising, days after he was released from jail for previous assaults against her.
Matthew Scott Brenneman, 39, was charged in the indictment with one count of first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder in a domestic-violence-related homicide on July 8 of 33-year-old Danicka Bergeson, prosecutors said in a news release on Friday.
The indictment listed three counts against Brenneman — first-degree murder while committing domestic abuse with a past pattern of domestic abuse, second-degree murder while committing a felony, and second-degree murder while under restraining order for protection, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said.
“Our thoughts are with the victim’s family as they navigate this terrible chapter of their lives,” Moriarty said. “Intimate partner violence requires a powerful response. It is an act that leaves traumatized survivors and devastated families in its wake. We are aggressively prosecuting those who commit this violence.
“Prosecution is only part of the necessary response. More must be done to support domestic violence victims, from earlier interventions that account for the complexity of these situations to the tools and support survivors need to escape dangerous environments.”
Brenneman is in custody with bail at $2 million. His next court appearance is Dec. 18.
As Law&Crime reported in August, Bergeson was found dead in her bed, wrapped in blankets and a plastic garbage bag, covered in abrasions and bruising. She is believed to have been dead for at least a day.
Police found Brenneman in the apartment, reportedly having swallowed bleach in an attempt to take his own life, according to local Fox affiliate KMSP.
Eleven days earlier, on June 27, Brenneman had been released from jail after pleading guilty to abusing Bergeson, Minneapolis NBC affiliate KARE reported.
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Brenneman had faced two charges of domestic assault by strangulation, one charge of threats of violence against Bergeson, and a misdemeanor domestic assault charge.
Left: Matthew Brenneman (via Hennepin County (Minn.) Sheriff). Right: Danicka Marie Bergeson (via Legacy.com).
According to KARE, Brenneman was charged in April with striking and biting Bergeson. At the time, he reportedly told police that he was so drunk that he didn’t know what happened. He was released from jail the next day, the station reported.
He allegedly assaulted Bergeson again in May, according to KARE. This time, he allegedly struck, bit, choked, and threatened to kill her, the report said, citing a criminal complaint against Brenneman.
He had reportedly pleaded guilty in both cases and, as part of his plea deal, was released from jail pending sentencing, which had been scheduled for August.
Bergeson’s family members told the station they had long feared for their loved one’s life.
“We often said we would dread this call because we almost felt we knew it was coming at some point because it repeated itself over and over,” Bergeson’s father, David Bergeson, said, according to KARE.
Law&Crime’s Marisa Sarnoff contributed to this report.
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