A Baltimore man has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for killing his roommate in a dispute over money and ditching his body in a car.

City Circuit Judge John Addison Howard handed down the punishment to Markis Russell on Wednesday, imposing a total of 60 years in prison but suspending all but 40 years behind bars.

Howard added five years of supervised probation for Russell upon release. People convicted of crimes of violence in Maryland become eligible for parole after serving 50% of their sentences.

In May, Russell, 25, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony in the killing of his roommate, 22-year-old Jeffrey Brooks Jr. Both men were reportedly U.S. military reservists.

As part of their plea agreement, prosecutors agreed to seek between 35 and 40 years in prison at sentencing.

Baltimore State’s Attorney Ivan Bates said in a statement that “justice was served” in what he described as a “brutal crime.”

“This sentence underscores our commitment to ensuring that those who commit such violent acts face the full weight of the law,” said Bates, a Democrat. “While nothing can undo the pain caused to the victim’s family, we hope that this outcome brings them a measure of closure and peace. Our office remains steadfast in its dedication to pursuing justice and protecting our community from those who threaten its safety.”

Defense attorney Thomas J. Maronick Jr. told The Baltimore Sun that Russell was “very sorry about what happened and offered his condolences and apology to the family” of Brooks.

Maronick added that Russell was in the U.S. Army reserves, had an associates degree and held a number of jobs in the restaurant and retail industries. He said he overcame mental and physical health challenges and “took responsibility” for his actions by pleading guilty.

“Mr. Russell is a very talented, bright young man who was doing so many good things before this incident,” Maronick said. “He is one of those people who can truly be rehabilitated and have a lot of life left to do a lot of good for the community.”

Baltimore Police’s investigation into Russell began when Brooks’ family reported him missing March 23, 2023. The family also said he might have had an altercation with his roommate.

According to charging documents, Brooks’ father told officers that he saw Russell leave the apartment he shared with Brooks in the 3100 block of Mary Avenue with a wet vacuum after Brooks went missing. Brooks’ girlfriend, who had access to the apartment, also reported to investigators noticing that the carpet was wet. Brooks’ father also said they found blood on the carpet.

Russell told officers that he’d needed the vacuum to clean up after a dog before moving out, detectives wrote in charging documents. He also acknowledged getting into a fight with Brooks over money, with Russell saying that he owed his roommate about $300.

Detectives wrote that they learned Russell rented and returned a U-Haul within a few hours the day after Brooks went missing.

When detectives interviewed Russell, he allegedly confessed to shooting Brooks during an altercation over money Russell owed Brooks, charging documents say. The argument apparently became physical, and Russell told detectives that he fired his gun after Brooks approached him with a knife “in a manner that he felt Mr. Brooks was going to stab him.”

After fatally shooting Brooks, Russell put his body in the back of Brooks’ car and left the vehicle behind a gas station on Harford Road, according to charging documents. Detectives wrote that Brooks told them he threw the keys “somewhere in the area and then ran home.”

Police found Brooks’ body in his car where Russell said he left it. “There were obvious signs of physical trauma and a gunshot wound to the head,” detectives wrote. A medic with the Baltimore City Fire Department declared him dead.

Have a news tip? Contact Alex Mann at amann @baltsun.com and @alex _mann10 on X.