ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The Maryland Parole Commission has denied parole for Jerry Beatty, who was convicted in the 1982 kidnapping, rape and murder of 22-year-old college student Stephanie Roper. His next parole hearing is scheduled for October 2029.
The decision came at a hearing held Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026. It follows the February 2026 ruling in which the court denied Beatty’s request for a sentence reduction under Maryland’s Juvenile Restoration Act (JUVRA). That request was first heard in 2024.
Roberta Roper and the Maryland Crime Victims’ Resource Center (MCVRC) are grateful for the Commission’s decision. But the day also marked a change that will shape what comes next. A new Maryland law that took effect the same day as the hearing prevents the Parole Commission from permanently denying parole and requires recurring hearings. For Stephanie’s family, this means the hearings will not end with this denial: Beatty will continue to receive parole hearings for the rest of his life unless he is released…