Nicholas Keith Morris, 28, pleaded no contest Friday to second-degree murder in connection with the death of his live-in fianc�e, 27-year-old Courtney Leona Nichole Adkinson.

PANAMA CITY — A man whose “voices” in his head beckoned him to slit his girlfriend’s throat will not be pursuing an insanity defense.

Instead, 28-year-old Nicholas Keith Morris pleaded no contest Friday to second-degree murder in connection with the death of his live-in fiancée, 27-year-old Courtney Leona Nichole Adkinson. Despite being diagnosed as schizophrenic, Morris was sentenced by Circuit Judge Hentz McClellan to 40 years in prison and 10 years of probation to follow, which included consistently taking psychotropic medication during his incarceration.

After investigators found Morris covered in blood in November and writhing in the street outside his Callaway apartment, he told them he heard voices urging him to “cut her” before slashing Adkinson’s throat with a folding knife.

Morris was visibly distressed during the hearing. He wept aloud and mumbled to himself as the attorneys and judge spoke in a sidebar. He even was led from the courtroom for about an hour to be calmed before the sentencing.

McClellan asked whether the voices were interfering with his understanding of what was transpiring.

“A little bit, not much,” he responded.

Adkinson’s mother, Teresa Schaffer, then told the court Morris had deprived them of a daughter and a mother to a 5-year-old son. Schaffer said she wasn’t completely satisfied with the sentence, but Morris would “get justice when he met his maker.”

Morris’ family, who were huddled together and weeping in the audience, shook their heads at the statement. They vehemently disagreed with the sentence and said Morris should be sent to a mental facility for treatment.

“He’s a good man, a good brother and a good father,” said Misty Lee, Morris’ sister. “He doesn’t deserve 40 years.”

Morris’ defense attorney, Kim Jewell, had to comfort him during the sentencing. She explained to the court that, despite being diagnosed as schizophrenic, Morris had been deemed competent to proceed during the course of the case. He would have faced life in prison if convicted at trial.

“We went over his possible defenses, and he’s waived those in order to enter the plea,” Jewell said. “I believe the stressors of court are making him this nervous.”

Prosecutor Larry Basford said the family and the Bay County Sheriff’s Office approved of the sentence.

BCSO arrived to 128 Sims Ave. about 10 a.m. Nov. 17 to find Morris lying on the shoulder of the road screaming, with blood on his pants, shirt, socks and underwear. He told them he had cut his fiancée’s throat and left her in the bedroom, according to police reports. Inside the apartment, officers reported finding Adkinson lying face up on the floor with a blanket draped over her.

Blood was smeared throughout the apartment. Adkinson had a large cut across her throat and a small black dog, which was still alive, lying on her chest, officers reported.

During the interview at BCSO, Morris told investigators on the morning of Adkinson’s death, he and Adkinson had been smoking cigarettes in their bed when he heard a voice coming from the wall telling him to “cut her,” investigators quoted Morris as saying. He said he reached over to the dresser and grabbed a black folding knife, which he used to slit her throat.

Morris then said he placed his hand over her mouth to subdue her screams, BCSO reported. He then lay on the ground with her for about an hour before calling 911. Adkinson’s official cause of death was a combination of the knife wound and asphyxiation.

Morris’ family had asked to hug him after the sentencing. However, McClellan denied that request.

“The bailiffs aren’t comfortable with that,” he said. “I’m sorry.”