'I had to get rid of her': Man who whined how 'the weeds made it hard' to dump his girlfriend's body in pond suddenly changes plea

A Wisconsin antheral who told his friends however hard it was to fell his girlfriend's assemblage successful a pond has pleaded blameworthy to sidesplitting her.

James Barnes-Morris, 26, pleaded blameworthy to first-degree reckless homicide connected Monday, admitting that helium was liable for taking the beingness of his girlfriend, 24-year-old Brooke Strattan, successful the autumn of 2024. Law&Crime antecedently reported that Barnes-Morris was the past idiosyncratic seen with Strattan connected the greeting of Sept. 30, 2024. Days later, Strattan's assemblage was found successful a retention pond.

According to tribunal documents, the mates fought successful beforehand of respective friends a fewer days earlier Strattan went missing. Strattan went location with different antheral person and expressed her fearfulness that Barnes-Morris "was genuinely going to termination her."

Police alleged successful a hunt warrant astatine the clip of Barnes-Morris' apprehension that hours aft helium was seen walking with Strattan, helium showed up astatine a friend's house. Detectives said that helium told the friend, "I had to get escaped of her," helium "needed much bricks and rope," and that "the weeds made it hard." When constabulary spoke to the friend, helium said that Barnes-Morris was bedewed and had bloody scratches connected his legs.

Barnes-Morris was recovered hiding successful a friend's basement connected Oct. 3, 2024, the time Strattan's assemblage was found. He had her telephone and recognition cards.

More from Law&Crime: Man told his person 'the weeds made it hard' erstwhile helium 'had to get escaped of' his woman who was recovered dormant successful a pond: Police

The Dane County District Attorney's Office charged Barnes-Morris with first-degree intentional homicide with a home maltreatment modifier and first-degree reckless homicide with a home maltreatment modifier. The intentional homicide complaint was dropped arsenic portion of the plea agreement. Local NBC affiliate WMTV reported that Barnes-Morris faces up to 60 years successful prison astatine sentencing.