Nebraska ? A Lincoln, Neb., man on Friday pleaded no contest to manslaughter for beating his girlfriend to death, accepting a plea deal that lessened the charges from second-degree murder.

Gerald Soundsleeper, 37, was charged for the August 2006 death of Sharon DeSantiago, 43, who was found dead in her apartment bathroom.

An autopsy showed that DeSantiago died of blunt force trauma, with significant blows to her face and head.

Soundsleeper faces up to 20 years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 18.

Prosecutors also agreed to drop a charge of using a weapon to commit a felony, which would have carried a maximum penalty of 20 years to be served after a murder sentence.