Michigan man gets life without parole for girlfriend's murder

(CBS DETROIT) - A Metro Detroit man has been sentenced to life in prison without parole in the 2021 brutal stabbing of his girlfriend, officials said.

On Sept. 4, Jason Ross, 50, was found guilty of murdering his girlfriend, 47-year-old Kathleen Hales, following a 10-day jury trial, according to a release from the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office.

Ross was found guilty on the charges of first-degree murder, larceny from a building, unlawful driving away a motor vehicle and stealing a financial transaction device without consent.

He was sentenced on Thursday.

The murder happened on Saturday, July 24, 2021. Officials say Ross stabbed his girlfriend multiple times and hit her with a hammer at their Sterling Heights home.

Ross hid Hales' body, fled using her car and took the victim's credit cards and prescription drugs with him.

He was arrested in Prescott, Michigan. Authorities found him with one of the murder weapons and the victim's items.

"As a community, we cannot tolerate such acts of brutality," said Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido. "This sentence ensures that justice is served for the victim, her family, and all those affected by this senseless violence. Our thoughts are with the loved ones who continue to grieve, and we hope this conviction brings them some measure of peace."

More information and resources on domestic violence can be found on the county's website .