Family Of Missing Westmoreland County Woman Lead One Last Search

UNITY TOWNSHIP (KDKA) -- Family and friends of Cassandra Gross gathered at the Unity Cemetary to make one last search in a wooded area for her missing body.

The search would take them near the home of her estranged boyfriend, Thomas Stanko.

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"She wants found and she wants buried with her brother and I'm going to find her," said Kathe Gross, Cassandra's mother.

Gross disappeared in April 2018 and a day later, police found her burned-out car in Hempfield Township.

Authorities could never connect the murder to Stanko.

He is in jail on unrelated charges.

Kathe Gross remembers Cassandra's tumultuous relationship with Stanko.

"He stalked her for nine months," she said. "I even went after him twice when I caught him and it didn't help."

State Police have searched the same area including Stanko's property but never found any sign of Cassandra.

Since then, a judge has declared her legally dead.

Kathe Gross says police are still working hard and it's just a matter of time before an arrest.

"They're gathering all the evidence they have and getting it all together, dotting their Is an crossing their Ts and when that's done, it'll happen," she said.

In the meantime, Kathe Gross says they'll search other areas. She'll never give up until her daughter is given a proper burial.

"I've been many places but I've been here so many times, so this will be the last one here, but then I'll move on," she said.