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Allen Case Can Move Forward
By: Mike Stiles - Wednesday, September 9, 2020

CENTREVILLE – The case of a Sturgis man can move forward.

St. Joseph County Circuit Court personnel say that Judge Paul Stutesman has denied a request to suppress evidence in the case against Wade Allen. The 35 year old Allen was arrested May 22, 2019 and is charged with open murder, dismemberment of a corpse and failure to report a death in the death of his girlfriend, 42 year old Kelly-Jien Warner-Miller.

Attorney David Marvin, who represents Allen, had made a request that evidence found at Allen's apartment by the Sturgis Police Department and the Major Crimes Task Force be dismissed. Marvin claims it was taken illegally and that Allen's Fourth Amendment rights may have been violated.

During an earlier hearing Stutesman ruled the police did not follow proper procedures at a crime scene when they arrived at Allen's home in the 200 block of North Maple Street. However, Stutesman did rule that evidence found at the location can be used in a trial.

Sturgis Police received an anonymous tip that Allen was keeping the body of a woman in his apartment. Testimony from earlier court proceedings revealed that Allen told officers to come back later when they first asked to search his residence. According to Allen's testimony, police obtained a search warrant after they found a body in his cooler.

No date has been set for when Allen's trial will proceed.



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