(CENTREVILLE) – A Sturgis man has entered a plea to charges that he killed his girlfriend three years ago and to an incident while in custody.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel says 39 year old Wade Allen plead no contest in St. Joseph County Circuit Court to one count of second degree homicide, one count of attempted dismemberment and mutilation, and one count of attempted criminal sexual conduct third degree by force or coercion.

The Sturgis Department of Public Safety was called to the 200 block of North Maple Street on May 22, 2019 on an anonymous tip that a man was storing the body of a woman in his apartment. Officers made contact with Allen and received consent to search the residence.

The St. Joseph County Major Crimes Task Force was activated and assisted in the search, where they found the mutilated remains of Allen’s girlfriend being stored in two coolers.

While in jail, Allen spoke to his cellmates about having strangled his girlfriend to the point of death. After finding out the cellmates shared that information with authorities, Allen sexually assaulted one of the inmates when they were re-housed together.

Nessell says the St. Joseph County Prosecutor referred this case to her office through a request for a special prosecutor.

Allen is scheduled to be sentenced on March 3 by St. Joseph County Circuit Court Judge Paul Stutesman.