Sentenced: Decades in prison for Matthew McDowell in death of girlfriend, Erin Ziemendorf

KENOSHA (WITI) -- A Kenosha County judge sentenced 41-year-old Matthew McDowell on Monday afternoon, June 16th to 32 years in prison -- in connection with the death of his girlfriend — 30-year-old Erin Ziemendorf. McDowell pleaded guilty in March to one count of first-degree reckless homicide and one count of hiding a corpse.

Ziemendorf’s body was found in the trunk of a car near a Greyhound bus station in Chicago in October 2013.

A criminal complaint in the case says McDowell and his brother went to the Kenosha Police Department on Sunday evening, October 27th and McDowell told officials there he wanted to report an accidental death.

The complaint says McDowell told officials he was at his residence in Kenosha on Saturday, October 26th — when he got into an argument and physical confrontation with Ziemendorf, his girlfriend.

The argument was over their relationship and money, according to the complaint. The complaint says the two had been taking a break from their relationship, but were now planning a vacation to Hawaii. The complaint indicates McDowell later told his brother the argument was over Ziemendorf telling McDowell she was cheating on him.

Erin Ziemendorf

The complaint says McDowell told officials while in the upper bedroom of the residence, Ziemendorf “bumped him,” and then grabbed his rib cage. McDowell told officials that at some point, he was pushed into a corner, stumbled, and pushed Ziemendorf back, according to the complaint.

The complaint says McDowell told officials Ziemendorf then picked up a corkscrew, swung it at him once, and then came at him.

The complaint says at some point, Ziemendorf pushed McDowell onto the bed, and placed her thumbs in his eyes.

According to the complaint, McDowell told officials that after Ziemendorf’s hands left his face, he heard a crack — and noticed that Ziemendorf was choking. McDowell told officials he became nervous and wondered if he had broken Ziemendorf’s neck due to his body weight, according to the complaint.

When McDowell got up from the bed, Ziemendorf was not breathing and was not responsive, according to the complaint.

The complaint says McDowell told officials after he realized Ziemendorf was dead, he panicked, put Ziemendorf’s body in her car, and then drove to a parking lot by the Greyhound bus station in Chicago, where he left her body inside the vehicle.

The complaint says McDowell told his brother he took the train back to Kenosha and a cab to his parents’ home. McDowell later contacted his brother to accompany him to Kenosha PD.

The Cook County Medical Examiner has said Ziemendorf died from blunt neck trauma.

McDowell shed tears in court during his sentencing hearing on Monday, June 16th -- and the victim's family and the judge had harsh words for him.

"If I could trade places with her, I would," McDowell said in court on Monday.

McDowell showed the most emotion when others mentioned Ziemendorf's five-year-old son.

McDowell says after Ziemendorf's death, he panicked and blacked out.

He put Ziemendorf's body in the trunk of a car, drove to Chicago and left it at a Greyhound station -- an act the judge described as appalling.

"That`s a great way to show love...stuff someone in a trunk and drive them to another state," the judge said in court Monday.

The judge then sentenced McDowell to a total of 32 years in prison.

Afterwards, Ziemendorf's family members said they had sensed problems in Ziemendorf and McDowell's relationship.

"He seemed charming, but there were things she told us," Ziemendorf's mother, Darlene Ziemendorf said.

Ziemendorf's family is now working with the Sojourner Family Peace Center. They say despite Ziemendorf's death, they hope her story will prevent at least one future act of domestic violence.