North Dakota man pleads guilty to murdering Filipina girlfriend

Arnalyn Replay, 29, was shot to death on July 10, 2021 by her boyfriend in North Carolina. LINKEDIN

MINOT, North Dakota — A Minot man pleaded guilty on March 16 to felony murder in the shooting death of his Filipina girlfriend-business partner.

Eric Clayton Venn, 41, reached a plea deal with prosecutors, who agreed to recommend that two other charges be dismissed, according to the Minot Daily News.

Eric Clayton Venn faces 35 years in prison for felony murder. POLICE MUGSHOT

The prosecution and the defense are jointly recommending a sentence that puts Venn behind bars for 35 years, followed by five years of probation.

Venn and the victim, 29-year-old Arnalyn Repalam, jointly operated the Filipino Online Retail and Wholesale Store in Minot, which sold goods from the Philippines.

In court, a prosecutor said Venn and Repalam had argued, then Venn had gone out and bought ammunition for his gun.

Both their personal and business relationships had been deteriorating. Venn had accused Repalam of stealing money from their business, according to the police affidavit.

Venn admitted to shooting Repalam multiple times in her upper body at a warehouse on July 10,  2021 and also throwing a cell phone out of the vehicle while he was near the crime scene. Police had apprehended him in his car.