Court continues hearing to determine if Grace Ross murder suspect will be tried as adult

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. – A 15-year-old boy accused of killing a young girl in New Carlisle in March 2021 could learn his judicial fate as soon as Thursday.

The closed hearing starts at 9 a.m. The judge on the case will decide whether to try him as an adult or keep the case in juvenile court.

In March 2021,  Ross was reported missing in the area of Chapman Street in New Carlisle. She was later found dead and naked in a wooded area.

After Ross’s body was found, a woman took the defendant, who was 14 years old at the time to speak to investigators.

According to court documents, during the interview, the boy told detectives Ross followed him into the woods, but said he wandered around and lost track of her. He then allegedly changed his story saying a shadowy man controlled his hands and made him strangle the girl.

Records show he told investigators he felt her soul/spirit leave her body, then checked to make sure she was dead. The defendant then ran to his apartment and washed the blood off his hands and took a shower, reports said. He did not explain why Ross wasn’t wearing clothes.

Last year, the St. Joseph County Prosecutor filed a petition to try the teen in adult court. A judge ruled the move would be based on psychological evaluation test results.  The defendant’s family says he has autism.

This hearing has been delayed multiple times. most recently last Wednesday. It ended without a decision because the judge needs to hear from more witnesses.