Middle River Man Gets Maximum in 'No-Body' Murder

A Middle River man was sentenced Friday to 30 years in prison for killing a 16-year-old Baltimore girl despite her body never being found.

Jason Gross, 36, will be required to serve at least 20 years before being eligible for parole after he received the maximum sentence —30 years for murder and 10 years for an unrelated sex offense against another victim— from Baltimore County Circuit Court Judge Kathleen G. Cox. Gross

Prior to handing down her sentence, Cox said there is no doubt in her mind that Gross killed Battle Battle was last seen getting off an MTA bus in Essex on March 6, 2009.

“This was a very difficult case for everyone involved and there is no true sense of closure for Rochelle’s family,” prosecutor Robin Coffin said following sentencing. “Judge Cox recognized Jason Gross is a sexual predator and needs to be locked away for a long time.”

Members of Battle's and Gross’ families were in the courtroom and offered statements prior to sentencing. Battle’s mother LaTarsha Cockey wrote a victim impact statement, but Battle’s father, Marvin Battle, read the statement to Cox.

The statement outlines how Rochelle Battle made mistakes in her life, but Gross took away any opportunity for her to rectify those missteps. Marvin Battle said his daughter wanted to one day own her own business and enjoyed cooking, writing poetry and composing raps.

“I want closure for this case, because I will never have peace since I never know where she may be,” Marvin Battle read from Cockey’s statement. “Everyone deserves to be laid to rest and their family to say their goodbyes. I can’t do that because Rochelle was completely taken from me.”

In his defense, Gross’ sister Angela and family friend Elizabeth Bennett spoke on his behalf. Both believe Gross was wrongly convicted and asked Cox for mercy so that he could still be involved in the lives of his four children, who range between 10 and 19 years old.

“I’ve known Jason for 20 years and don’t believe he did this,” Bennett said. “I trust him implicitly. I’ve even let him watch my young niece.”

Prior to Cox’s sentence, Gross once again maintained his innocence, yet offered little explanation as to what might have happened to Battle, who prosecutors say he met online.

“I’ve been a good father and I just want to be a part of [my children’s] lives,” Gross said.

Gross plans to appeal his murder conviction, the second in as many years in Baltimore County where no body was recovered. In 2010, Dennis Tetso, of Rosedale, was sentenced to 18 years for killing his wife, Tracey Gardner-Tetso.