Convicted Murderer of Stephanie Roper Denied Freedom by Judge

One of the men convicted of the murder of Frostburg State student Stephanie Roper in 1982 has been denied a sentence reduction.  Judge Elizabeth Morris of Anne Arundel County said that Jerry Beatty must continue to serve a life sentence, noting that she “was not persuaded that Mr. Beatty has demonstrated current fitness to reenter society.”  Stephanie Roper’s brutal murder by Beatty and Jack Jones helped to spur victim impact statements in court.  The Stephanie Ann Roper Gallery is located at the Visual Arts Building at Frostburg State University.