In the summer of 2021, the life of Arnalyn Repalam, a 29-year-old female of Filipino descent, was tragically cut short in Minot, North Dakota. The events that led to her death unfolded on Sunday, July 11, when police received a call just before 5 p.m. about a woman who had been shot multiple times in the northwest part of the city. Repalam was rushed to a local hospital, but she succumbed to her injuries a short time later.
The investigation into her death quickly pointed to her
41-year-old boyfriend and business partner, Eric Clayton Venn. The couple's personal and business relationships had reportedly been deteriorating. They jointly operated the Filipino Online Retail and Wholesale Store, and Venn had accused Repalam of stealing money from their business. According to prosecutors, the day before the shooting, Venn had allegedly committed an act of domestic violence against her. On the day of the murder, after an argument, Venn went to buy ammunition for his gun and later shot Repalam five times in her upper body; a sixth bullet was found lodged in her cell phone.
After the shooting, Venn attempted to evade capture. A witness who had been with Venn told police that Venn had called him, sounding frantic, and admitted to the shooting. Police located Venn in a vehicle, and a chase ensued. During the pursuit, Venn threw the firearm out of the vehicle. He was eventually apprehended by police in northeast Minot. Venn was subsequently charged with murder, tampering with physical evidence, and fleeing in a motor vehicle. His bond was set at $2.5 million.
In March 2022, Eric Venn pleaded guilty to felony murder as part of a plea agreement. In exchange for his plea, prosecutors agreed to recommend the dismissal of the other charges. The joint recommendation for his sentence was 35 years in prison, to be followed by five years of probation for the shooting death of Arnalyn Repalam.
