A man from North Dakota has been sentenced to life in prison for the brutal beating and death of his wife, a tragedy he initially claimed was an accident. Spencer Moen, 32, received his sentence on Monday for the murder of his 30-year-old wife, Sonja Moen. The jury had convicted him back in October.
In court, Sonja’s mother, Kristin Scofield, expressed the deep pain her family has endured. “You beat the life out of my daughter,” she said, her voice filled with heartbreak. “And to make it worse, you did it in front of the kids. I will continue to pray for forgiveness, but right now, it’s just not in my heart.”
Spencer Moen, visibly emotional, apologized to the family. “I’m deeply sorry for what happened,” he said. “She was everything to me. If I could go back and change it, I would.”
The tragic events unfolded on August 10, 2023, when Spencer called 911 from their home in Fargo, North Dakota. Police arrived to find Sonja lying unresponsive in the bathtub. Despite efforts, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Initially, Spencer claimed that Sonja had fallen asleep in the bathtub the night before and didn’t wake up. However, officers noticed several injuries on her body that didn’t match his story. Sonja had severe bruising on her face, swollen eyes, and cuts on her mouth. There were also bruises on her hands, which appeared to be defensive wounds.
When Sonja’s mother arrived at the scene, she immediately confronted Spencer, demanding he leave her house. Officers noticed bruises on Spencer’s knuckles and bloodstains on the bedroom floor leading toward the bathroom. These details further raised suspicions.
According to Spencer’s account, he and Sonja had returned home the night before after picking up sandwiches and cigarettes. He claimed they were both intoxicated and that Sonja had tripped and “face-planted” on the stairs. However, Spencer later admitted during questioning that they had argued, and he hit her multiple times in the face.
Spencer also told officers that Sonja had attacked him and jumped on him while he was in bed. He admitted to punching her three to four times, claiming it was in self-defense. After the altercation, Spencer said Sonja went to the bathroom, and he later found her lying in the tub but didn’t think to check on her. Instead, he went downstairs to smoke and then went to bed.
Disturbingly, police discovered a video on Spencer’s phone showing Sonja lying in the bathtub. The video, recorded just hours before her death, revealed her struggling to breathe, a sound often described as “agonal breathing.” Instead of helping her, Spencer filmed the scene.
Police also interviewed the couple’s children, who revealed that they witnessed parts of the fight and saw blood on their father’s face.
An autopsy later confirmed that Sonja died from blunt force trauma to the head, which caused a subdural hematoma. She also suffered a fractured rib.
The case shocked the community of Fargo, highlighting the devastating impact of domestic violence. Sonja’s tragic death left her family heartbroken and her children without their mother. While Spencer’s life sentence brings some measure of justice, it cannot undo the loss suffered by those who loved Sonja.
This story serves as a somber reminder of the importance of addressing and preventing domestic violence. For those facing abuse, resources and support are available to help them find safety and healing.
