Police have found the body of an unidentified woman inside a house at 996 S. 14th St., in Niles.

Niles Police Chief Jim Millin reports that a man, who is unidentified pending arraignment, entered the Niles Police Station Monday morning and confessed to murdering the woman.

“Our detectives interviewed that subject and got the details from him,” Millin said. “We sent officers down here right away. When they entered the house, they did find a deceased female.”

Police believe that the victim was strangled and has been in the residence since Friday. The body was described to be in an advanced state of decomposition. An autopsy will need to be conducted to identify the victim and her age.

Police said they cannot yet confirm the relationship between the murder suspect and the victim.

“While we believe we know the identity of the female, we do not want to release that until we positively confirm and that may be [through] an autopsy,” Millin said.

The suspect will be arraigned in Berrien County Trial Court at 1 p.m. Tuesday.

Throughout the day, police activity continued. Units from the Niles Fire Department, the Michigan State Police and Niles Police Department remained parked near the crime scene. An industrial size fan hummed near the front door of the house, as authorities in head to toe white body suits passed in and out of the residence.

Across the street, several neighbors gathered to watch.

Ron and Linda Torgeson have lived together at 993 S. 14th St. in the house across the street from 996 for the past 30 years.

Both said the police commotion was out of place. 

“It is weird,” Ron said. “It is not usually this way.”

Linda echoed with a similar sentiment.

“It is bizarre,” she said. “This neighborhood is usually so quiet. This is a tight neighborhood, we look out for each other.”