Oregon man convicted of killing mom, trying to hire inmate to kill rest of his family

HILLSBORO, Ore. (TCD) -- A Tualatin man was found guilty last week of several charges related to the murder of his mother and attempted murder of his siblings.

The Washington County District Attorney's Office said in a statement that on March 15, a jury convicted Michael Stuart Ross of second-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree assault, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon, and two counts of solicitation to commit first-degree murder.

Ross reportedly beat and stabbed his 73-year-old mother with a steel pipe in their home on May 10, 2018. The Oregonian/Oregon Live identified the mother as Diane Ross. According to the District Attorney's Office, Michael Ross went after his older brother with the pipe, but the brother fled to a neighbor's house and called 911. Michael Ross was arrested that day and booked into the Washington County Jail.

While in jail, the District Attorney's Office says Ross "befriended another inmate and confessed to killing his mother."

Ross reportedly offered the other inmate "tens of thousands of dollars" to kill his brothers. The District Attorney's Office says Ross "anticipated a large inheritance from his mother’s estate and wished to prevent their testimony against him."

The other inmate reportedly spoke with law enforcement officials and cooperated throughout the investigation.

According to The Oregonian/Oregon Live, Ross and his mother got into an argument the day she died over turning his marijuana grow room into a bedroom for other family members. Ross reportedly also planned on proposing to a comedian he stalked, and Diane Ross did not like that.

Ross will be sentenced April 1.

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