Inset: Vincent Scoggins. Background: The Oregon apartment complex where Vincent Scoggins killed his girlfriend (KOIN/YouTube).
An Oregon man is headed to prison after telling his girlfriend he would “bash her head in” if she ever left him — and then following through with the threat when she finally attempted to.
Vincent Scoggins, 62, was sentenced to life in prison on Monday, with a minimum of 25 years before he’s eligible for parole, after being found guilty by a Multnomah County jury of second-degree murder last week in the death of Penelope Fegan. He also received a concurrent 30-month prison sentence for an unlawful use of a weapon charge.
Prosecutors announced the sentences and conviction in a press release, which recounted how Scoggins was known to terrorize and fight with the victim before killing her in August 2022.
“According to evidence adduced at trial, at approximately 1:30am on Monday, August 8, 2022, Vincent Scoggins called 911 saying he arrived home and found his girlfriend, Penelope ‘Penny’ Fegan, deceased inside their residence,” the press release explains. “There were catastrophic observable injuries to her head and evidence ultimately established that she’d been struck approximately 10-12 times with a hammer.”
Prosecutors say Scoggins and Fegan’s relationship “was marred” by domestic violence. “A common point of tension between them was Scoggins’ abuse of methamphetamine,” the Multnomah County DA’s press release says.
“During prior arguments, Scoggins threatened to ‘bash [Fegan’s] head in’ and to kill her if she ever left him,” the release says. “Detectives learned that Scoggins relapsed and used meth the weekend before the murder and, as a result, Fegan told him she was leaving the relationship.”
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Evidence presented at Scoggins’ trial established that Fegan was “actively making plans to move” from their shared apartment when she was killed, according to prosecutors. Scoggins denied being involved in Fegan’s murder.
“Detectives pieced together Fegan’s last days and Scoggins’ movements through video surveillance, traffic cameras, phone records, and interviews with family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers,” the DA’s office says. “They collected information that proved Scoggins had lied to detectives about multiple significant topics and that he had attempted to cover up his involvement in the crime.”
DNA testing and bloodstain pattern analysis were conducted at the home and “ultimately produced evidence that was crucial to establishing Scoggins’ guilt,” according to prosecutors. He was then arrested and charged with the murder.
Court documents obtained by local ABC affiliate KATU say Scoggins was previously arrested and accused of attacking Fegan at their apartment in 2021. The case, however, was dismissed in 2022 for unknown reasons.
During the alleged 2021 attack, Fegan told police Scoggins threw a Bible and clock at her head, and the clock hit her in the head, KATU reports. He also hurled an iron at her and threatened to “bash her in the head with the iron,” according to the court documents. Fegan had large, purple bruises on her arms when she spoke with officers, the documents say.
Scoggins was also arrested in early August 2022 for allegedly violating a no-contact order before he killed Fegan. His charges were dismissed in that case as well, KATU reports.
“Penny Fegan was a truly good person with a bright and colorful personality,” Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney Devin Franklin said in a statement Monday.
“She was adored by her family, friends, and co-workers and her absence continues to be felt by those who knew and loved her,” Franklin said. “This case underscores the devastating reality of domestic violence — and the need to take any and all warning signs seriously. We were honored to advocate for justice for Penny and we hope this verdict brings some sense of peace and healing to her family.”
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