'Person of interest' in Cassandra Gross' disappearance charged with homicide in Westmoreland County
GREENSBURG, Pa. (KDKA) — Investigators have charged a Westmoreland County man, who is the "person of interest" in the 2018 disappearance of Cassandra Gross, with homicide.
Thomas Stanko, 52, of Unity Township, has long been a person of interest in Gross' disappearance in April 2018. She was declared dead by a judge in 2019.
Following her disappearance, police found Gross' dog wandering on the side of the road, along with her car which was burned at the railroad tracks near Twin Lakes Park.
Court records filed Thursday show troopers found what they believe were parts of Gross' eyeglasses in a burn pit on Stanko's property. Court records also indicate when troopers searched Stanko's Unity Township home, they found makeup, makeup brushes, and burn cream in the man's residence, and a receipt that indicated the items were purchased in the days after Gross went missing. According to investigators when troopers interviewed Stanko days after the woman's disappearance, Stanko had facial injuries. Stanko's DNA was discovered on one of the makeup brushes, court records show.
According to court records, investigators used cell phone data that showed Stanko and Gross had been in contact on the day she disappeared.
State police put thousands of hours into the vast investigation, Commander Christopher Terrana, with the state police criminal investigation section, said. A $10,000 reward was offered for information in the case last year.
"I cannot overstate the enormity of this investigation," he said.
Earlier this year, Stanko was sentenced to spend time in a federal prison in a separate gun case. He was Gross' former boyfriend.
Stanko was also previously convicted of assault and criminal conspiracy, among other charges. He is now facing homicide, tampering with evidence and abuse of a corpse charges in the Gross case.
He is currently serving time in the Westmoreland County Jail. Stanko has been made aware of the new charges against him, state police said.
State police and the Westmoreland County district attorney sent condolences to Gross' mother.
"To lose a daughter in this way, justice needs to be served," District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli said.
Anyone who has information on the case is asked to contact state police in Westmoreland County.
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