Judge Dismisses One Charge Against Person Of Interest In Missing Woman Case
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LATROBE (KDKA) -- A man who police say is a person of interest in the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend was back in court Monday, one month after the woman vanished.
Considered a person of interest in the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend, Thomas Stanko kept quiet heading into his preliminary hearing on other charges in Latrobe Monday morning.
Stanko was held for court on one violation of breaking an interlock DUI device, but the judge dismissed a charge of driving without a license.
In jail on assault and theft charges, investigators have focused searches on Stanko's Latrobe home and his mother's home in Unity Township ever since 51-year-old Cassandra Gross vanished April 7.
"My client still maintains he has nothing to do with this," said David Shrager, Stanko's attorney. "In fact, I was just in the waiting room with him, and he was crying tears, saying he wants to know what happened to her."
Gross's family believe that something terrible has happened to the woman.
They say Stanko stalked and terrorized Gross after she broke up with him. Kathy Gross, the missing woman's mother, went so far as to say Stanko killed her daughter and it's just a matter of time before that's proven.
"I have seen no evidence to go with that," said Shrager. "I have to go with facts, I can't go with suspicions, or maybe, or I have a feeling."
Stanko remains in the Westmoreland County Jail, held on assault and theft charges.
The search for Gross continues.
