Parole has been denied for a prison inmate convicted of kidnapping, raping, and murdering a 19-year-old Youngstown State University sophomore and dumping her body into the Mahoning River.

Chief Assistant Prosecutor Gina DeGenova tells 21 News her office has been informed that the Ohio Parole Board rejected the release of Bennie Adams who was convicted and sentenced to death for the December 1985 murder of Gina Tenney.

The next parole hearing for Adams won't be held until 2028.

The Ohio Supreme Court later vacated the death penalty and Adams was sentenced to 20-years to life in prison.

Evidence directly tying Adams to the murder of the Ashtabula County woman was not obtained until more than 20 years after her death.

In 2007, the Youngstown Police Department submitted DNA evidence from the case to Ohio’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation which led to Adams’ conviction.

Adams has now been imprisoned for 32 years; 13 years and 10 months for Tenney’s murder, and 18 years and 3 months for a separate, but unrelated rape that occurred in Boardman Township in October 1985.

Prior to a parole hearing for Adams last month, Prosecutor Paul J. Gains objected to the release, arguing that there does not exist “reasonable ground to believe that paroling the prisoner would further the interests of justice and be consistent with the welfare and security of society.”