Thirteen years after then-18 year-old Hannah Hill was murdered in Akron, Denny Ross has been sentenced for the crime.
Summit County Common Pleas Judge Judy Hunter sentenced Ross to 19 years-to-life in prison in his retrial Tuesday, to be served after the end of his 25 year sentence for raping a woman in another unrelated case.
"The actions of the defendant that I heard described," Judge Hunter said immediately before handing down the sentence, "are among the most heinous that I've ever heard of during my time on the bench."
Hannah Hill's family spoke before sentencing, saying that Denny Ross should be put in prison as long as they'll be without Hannah, meaning forever.
"I'd ask to not ever let the perpetrator back out on the street to do to some other girl what he did to my daughter," Hannah's father, Elza Hill, told the court.
And prosecutors repeately told the court that the possibility of Ross repeating his crimes was a near certainty, if Ross got out of prison as a relatively young man.
"We believe that as long as Denny Ross has the means and opportunity," assistant prosecutor Matthew Myer said in court, "that he will reoffend."
Ross' attorney, Roger Synenberg, says the sentence wasn't a shock to Ross or his lawyers, but an appeal is being prepared.
"We're not really surprised. We expected a long sentence, Denny expected a long sentence," Synenberg told reporters after the sentencing. "But, I think we're gonna...we live to fight another day."
Ross declined to speak on his own behalf at Tuesday's sentencing.
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(Previous ANN coverage) Denny Ross has been given the maximum sentence for the 1999 murder of Hannah Hill.
At his sentencing on Tuesday, prosecutors said Denny Ross would surely recommit his crimes if he got out of prison, and the public needed protected.
Summit County Common Pleas Judge Judy Hunter agreed. She sentenced Ross to consecutive terms of 19 years to life in prison - after he serves his 25 year sentence for the rape of Jennifer Tittle...who testified in this case.
Family members talked of closure, and had stinging words against Ross.
Hannah Hill's father and brother urged Judge Hunter to sentence Denny Ross to maximum consecutive sentences, saying Ross should be behind bars as long as they aren't going to have Hannah...forever.
Ross did not speak on his own behalf in court.
Ross was mainly motionless, his head down and staring ahead. Ross's legal team says they respected the jury's decision, but they are already preparing an appeal.
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(Previous ANN coverage) Denny Ross will be spending a lot more time behind bars for the 1999 murder of Hannah Hill, following his sentencing on Tuesday.
Summit County Common Pleas Judge Judy Hunter sentenced Ross to 19-years to life behind bars for the murder. The sentence will be served consecutively to the 25 years Ross is currently serving for an unrelated rape conviction.
Ross was found guilty by a jury last week in a re-trial, after his first one ended in a mistrial.
Ross plans to appeal the ruling, and did not make a statement in court before the sentence was handed down.
