Man Gets 40 Years In Death Of Teen
TOWSON, Md. (WJZ) --After a 16-year-old Baltimore City girl went missing in 2009, her body was never found. But an Essex man was arrested and charged with her murder.
Jason Gross was convicted late last year. Mike Schuh was in the courtroom when he was sentenced Friday.
With the core of the county homicide squad occupying the entire back row of the courtroom, the victim's mom on the edge of her seat quietly crying while hugging a large stuffed animal, the Jason Gross sentencing had begun.
The cell phone records of 16-year-old Rochelle Battle led her family and investigators to Gross' house.
The jury believed what police told them had happened there: that Gross invited Battle to his rental home for sex, and then killed her and got rid of her body in an industrial incinerator out back.
Friday in court, her mom was too tearful to take the stand. Her father read a statement, saying their lives were now empty.
In the end, the judge said she completely believed the prosecution's case and she sentenced Gross to 30 years for the homicide and 10 for the sex offense to be served consecutively. The judge also said Gross should not get out of jail until at least half of his sentence is served.
"Judge Cox today gave him the max sentence of 40 years, so at least we can assure safety from that man, that sexual predator, for that amount of time. And so, for those reasons, I'm happy. But it's a tragic case," said Robin Coffin, Baltimore County assistant state's attorney.
But a friend of Gross' family, who testified on his behalf, is disappointed.
"I believe in him. I think he's innocent. I've known him for 20 years. That's not to say he doesn't have demons," said Betty Bennett.
The public defenders for Gross indicated they would appeal his conviction. This is the second "no-body" homicide conviction in Baltimore County.
