Tetso Sentenced To Maximum In Wife's Disappearance

BALTIMORE COUNTY, Md. (WJZ) --

A Baltimore County woman vanished, gone without a trace.  Her husband has been sentenced for her murder.

Mike Hellgren has more on the sentence handed down for Dennis Tetso.

For those who love Tracey Tetso, part of their journey for justice is over.  A judge sentenced her husband and killer, Dennis Tetso, to the maximum: 30 years behind bars.  Under sentencing guidelines, he'll serve no more than 18 of those years.

While that gives them some peace, Tracey's family won't have closure until they find her body.

"We want our closure.  We want to be able to give  her a proper burial," said Tracey's stepmother, Cathy Gardner.

That's what makes this case so rare.  It's the first murder conviction ever in Baltimore County without a body.  Prosecutors believe it was a crime of passion, that Tracey's husband killed her because he was angry she was having an affair and was about to end their marriage.  They played recordings of the couple's arguments during the trial.

Tracey vanished more than five years ago.  She was on her way to meet her boyfriend at a Motley Crue concert.  The smoking gun was a video of someone driving Tracey's car after she disappeared.  Her husband was the only one with a working key.

During the sentencing, the judge said, "The guidelines don't fit the crime.  I can't punish him as much as he deserves to be punished."

"Dennis Tetso, regardless of this verdict, is a very decent human being," said his attorney, David Irwin.

His lawyer says his client maintains his innocence and will appeal.  His fiancee pleaded with the judge, saying Dennis had already endured enough pain.

Tetso will be eligible for parole after serving just half of his sentence, meaning he could be out of prison in nine years.

Dennis Tetso made a plea to be released from jail while he appeals.  The judge told him absolutely not.

There was no apology in court Tuesday and Tetso said nothing to the victim's family.