KOKOMO, Ind. - A Kokomo man who admitted to beating his girlfriend to death with a hammer and dumping her body has been sentenced to 33 years in prison.

Travis Funke, 34, on Tuesday pleaded guilty to one count of voluntary manslaughter in the July 2011 death of Kelly Armstrong.

Although her body has not been found, Funke later admitted to killing Armstrong in the mobile home the couple shared.

He told police that Armstrong threatened him with a hammer during a fight, and that he took it from her and beat her repeatedly, according to the probable cause affidavit.

Funke said he put Armstrong's body in a trash bin, which was picked up a short time later, and tried to clean up the blood with bleach. Police found a hammer covered with blood and several large blood stains in the home.

Police tracked the trash to the Wabash Valley Landfill, where they spent six days last year searching through 6,000 tons of trash. No remains were found.

As part of the plea agreement, Funke must cooperate if Armstrong's remains are ever found.

Armstrong's family objected to the sentence. They wanted her body found before a plea deal was made.