MADISON, WI (WTAQ) - A Wisconsin appeals court has upheld the conviction for a man convicted of killing his girlfriend, burning the remains and stuffing them under the ice of Lake Winnebago.

Brandon Mueller argued his attorney was ineffective for not presenting the option of pleading guilty or no contest to the mutilation charge so as to improve his odds of convincing the jurty that Renee Redmer's killing wasn't intentional.

Mueller didn't deny killing Redmer, but disputed it was intentional.

The appeals court rejected the argument, saying in part, "Matters of reasonably sound strategy, without the benefit of hindsight, are "virtually unchallengeable" and do not constitute ineffective assistance...(A motions) hearing transcript establishes that the trial court carefully considered Mueller's claim. We cannot improve on the court's thorough analysis. On this record, we refuse to second-guess defense counsel's chosen strategy."