BRIDGETON -- A Vineland man pleaded guilty to manslaughter and desecrating human remains after killing his brother and burying his remains throughout Cumberland County, according to the Cumberland County Prosecutor's Office.

David Rauner (file photo)

David Rauner, 55, admitted Monday to stabbing his brother Steven Rauner in the chest during a fight in 2011. In an effort to conceal the crime, David Rauner cut up his brother's remains and buried them around the county. The remains were not discovered until August 2015.

David Rauner also pleaded guilty Monday to aggravated assault for striking his significant other with a hammer during an unrelated fight.

Steven Rauner, 46, disappeared in 2011 and his family declared him missing in December 2012. At the time, authorities described him as a loner who was known to live in tents in wooded areas.

Authorities received information in August 2015 about Steven Rauner's whereabouts and discovered some of his remains off Shirley Court in Vineland. Remains were found at other locations. The investigation involved Millville Police Department, Vineland Police Department and the prosecutor's office.

David Rauner was charged with his brother's death on Aug. 26, 2015.

Using the recovered remains, the medical examiner found that Steven Rauner died from a knife wound to the heart.

David Rauner is scheduled for sentencing in Cumberland County Courthouse on Dec. 16 before Judge Robert Malestein. His manslaughter charge could lead to a sentence of seven years in prison and a consecutive sentence of five years is to be imposed for desecrating his brother's remains.

Don E. Woods may be reached at dwoods@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @donewoods1. Find NJ.com on Facebook.