Minnesota Man Sentenced to 23.75 Years for Brutal Murder of Girlfriend

True Crime Today | A True Crime Podcast

A 40-year-old Minnesota man, Matthew Scott Brenneman, has been sentenced to nearly 24 years in prison for the brutal murder of his girlfriend, Danicka M. Bergeson, just days after being released from jail for previous assaults against her. Brenneman pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on Monday, with the Hennepin County Prosecutor’s Office agreeing to drop first-degree murder charges in exchange.
Brenneman admitted to two aggravating factors: killing Bergeson in a "zone of privacy" and treating her with "particular cruelty" by leaving her body to decompose. The sentence means Brenneman will likely serve just over 15 years in a state correctional facility.
Under the plea agreement's terms, Brenneman would serve 23.75 years in a state correctional facility. Individuals convicted of felonies in Minnesota typically serve two-thirds of their sentence, which in this case would be just over 15 years.
The Hennepin County Attorney, Mary Moriarty, emphasized the need for aggressive prosecution of domestic violence cases to ensure the safety of victims and survivors.
“We were hoping for a plea with a much stronger sentence, you know, upwards, closer to the 30. But maybe some play in there. But, you know, we certainly thought that we could get stronger sentencing,” she said. “There’s frustration with the way the system works. I mean, even if you’re charged with first-degree murder, you only serve two-thirds of that, which is 20 years. And that in and of itself is a painful revelation.”
Brenneman had only been released from jail on June 27, 2023, after pleading guilty to attacking Bergeson in April and May, when he punched, bit, and choked her in their home — and threatened to kill her.
Under his guilty plea in that case, prosecutors agreed “to no additional time” in jail if Brenneman did not violate a no-contact order — but two days later, according to cell phone records, he was near their apartment.
On July 8, 2023, officers from the Hopkins Police Department were called to an apartment complex after a downstairs neighbor reported yelling and banging from the unit above. Upon entering the apartment, police found Brenneman in the bathroom, where they detected a strong smell of bleach; he had ingested it in a suicide attempt. He was subsequently arrested at the scene.
Bergeson was discovered lying in her bed, wrapped in blankets and a plastic garbage bag, with numerous abrasions and bruises. Authorities believe she had been dead for at least a day. Investigators also recovered a series of notes that were written by Brenneman, including an apology and what appeared to be a confession.
Bergeson's family expressed frustration with the sentencing, hoping for a longer term.
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