A 27-year-old man will serve nearly 22 years in prison for a fatal 2023 stabbing outside a Manassas-area Dunkin' Donuts.
Prince William County Circuit Court Judge William E. Jarvis on Thursday sentenced Bobby Damont Gross to 45 years in prison, with 23 years and one month suspended.
The active sentence of 21 years and 11 months falls at the high end of Virginia’s sentencing guidelines, Prince William County Commonwealth's Attorney Amy Ashworth's office said in a news release.
Upon release, Gross will serve five years of supervised probation and five additional years of post-release supervision.
Gross entered guilty pleas to second-degree murder and stabbing in the commission of murder in the Aug. 25, 2023 death of 25-year-old Todd Ehardt.
Police responded at 10:20 p.m. to the Dunkin' Donuts parking lot at 7421 Sudley Road, where officers found Ehardt "bleeding profusely" from his chest.
According to eyewitness testimony and prosecutors, Ehardt went to the location to confront Gross regarding issues involving another family member, who witnessed the deadly assault.
During a physical argument, Gross pulled out a knife and stabbed Ehardt "square in the chest," severing his trachea, the release said.
"The wound did not immediately overcome him, but the uncontrolled bleeding quickly resulted in the victim collapsing and bleeding out on the ground," the release said.
Despite life-saving efforts by officers and EMTs, Ehardt died shortly after arrival at an area hospital.
Gross, who like Ehardt had no fixed address, fled the scene.
Police initially offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to his arrest. Officers located and arrested Gross in Manassas the following day.
Gross has a long criminal history in Prince William County, including weapon, drug, and obstruction of justice charges earlier in 2023.
The case was prosecuted by Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorneys Kathleen Bilton and Alex Brandler, with coordination from Sara Vutiprichar of the Victim Witness Assistance Program. Detective Israel Perla of the Prince William County Police Department Violent Crimes Unit was the case agent, while Officer Wade Dickinson provided initial details for the police department following the arrest.
"Todd Ehardt lost his life in a senseless act of violence, leaving behind family and loved ones who will never have the opportunity to see him again," Commonwealth’s Attorney Amy Ashworth said in a statement. "While nothing can undo the pain caused by his death, this prosecution has brought accountability for the actions that took his life. The sentence imposed reflects the seriousness of this offense and the lasting impact it has had on Todd’s family and our community."