MILWAUKEE (AP) -- A judge has ruled that a Milwaukee man accused of killing seven women will have his cases tried together.

Forty-nine-year-old Walter E. Ellis has pleaded not guilty to homicide charges in the deaths between 1986 and 2007 in Milwaukee.

Ellis' attorney had asked Judge Rebecca Dallet to separate the cases. Doing so would make it harder for prosecutors to link details between one case and another.

Dallet said Wednesday there are enough similarities between the cases that they can be tried together.

Defense attorney Russell Jones says the ruling is disappointing but he will still be prepared to defense Ellis vigorously.

Trying cases together generally favors the prosecution because jurors can see the entirety of evidence.