(WWJ) A Warren man has been sentenced to 31 to 36 years in prison after pleading to charges that he killed his roommate, then dumped the body in Northern Michigan with help from a friend.
The Macomb County Prosecutor's Office said 26-year-old Donald Renfroe on Monday pled no contest to charges of second degree murder, tampering with evidence, concealing the death of an individual, and a gun charge in connection with the death of James Wilkins.
Wilkins — a 27-year-old father and football coach — went missing on June 9, 2023, after family and friends called police to report he didn't show up for work, and they couldn't get in touch with him.
More than four months later, Wilkins' body was dug up by authorities in Northern Michigan's Oscoda Township, north of Tawas, about a three-hour drive from Warren.
Detectives were able to find evidence of a shooting inside the Warren apartment that Renfroe and Wilkins shared, according to prosecutors. Police concluded that the two men got into a fight, and shots were fired.
On the day Wilkins was reported missing, police discovered that Renfroe rented cleaning equipment and bought cleaning supplies from a local hardware store. Investigators claimed Renfroe contacted a friend, Darius Glenn, and the two cleaned the apartment before going together to hide the body Up North.
In April of last year, Glenn testified against Renfroe as part of his plea bargain. Glenn is scheduled to be sentenced later this month.