GREENSBURG, PA – After nearly six years of uncertainty, a Westmoreland County jury on Wednesday convicted Thomas Stanko of first-degree murder in the disappearance and presumed death of his former girlfriend, Cassandra Gross, even though her body has never been located.

It took jurors four hours of deliberation to reach their decision, following a weeklong trial filled with emotional testimony and hundreds of pieces of evidence. The panel also found Stanko guilty of reckless burning but acquitted him of third-degree murder. He now faces a mandatory life sentence without parole, with formal sentencing scheduled for 90 days from the verdict.

Cassandra Gross was last seen in April 2018, after which her burned-out car was recovered days later in a remote area. Months of futile searching led to her being declared legally dead in January 2019, though authorities were unable to find her remains. Investigators focused on Stanko as a suspect and charged him with homicide in 2022 after compiling what prosecutors described as a strong circumstantial case.

In the tense atmosphere of the courtroom, Gross’ family held each other for support as the verdict was announced. Her mother, Kathe Gross, expressed relief that years of waiting for justice had ended, but acknowledged that many questions remain about what happened to her daughter.

During the trial, prosecutors presented more than 300 exhibits, including cell phone records, photographs, and items discovered in a burn barrel on Stanko’s property. Among the charred debris were fragments of Gross’s eyeglasses, clothing, and a vial containing her dog’s insulin. Cell phone messages and letters from Stanko to Gross were part of a timeline crafted by the prosecution to argue he killed and disposed of her body.

The defense, led by attorney Marc Daffner, argued that the lack of direct physical evidence, such as blood, DNA, or a murder weapon, underscored reasonable doubt. Daffner told jurors that without a body and with no direct evidence linking Stanko to Gross’s alleged death, the case against his client amounted to speculation. He reminded jurors that the burden of proof rested with the prosecution, not the defense.

However, prosecutors countered that the absence of a body resulted from deliberate efforts to destroy evidence. Assistant District Attorney Jim Lazar characterized Stanko as having methodically eliminated anything that could tie him to the crime, pointing to the burned car and debris as proof of attempts to conceal Gross’ fate. Prosecutors alleged that Stanko left voicemails for Gross in a calculated effort to appear concerned, even after she had disappeared.

More than 30 witnesses testified during six days of proceedings, including law enforcement officers, forensic experts, and close associates of both Gross and Stanko. The evidence established a timeline and described strained relations between the pair before Gross vanished.

Stanko, who took the stand in his own defense, maintained his innocence but declined to answer questions regarding Gross’s whereabouts as he was returned to the county lockup after the verdict.

Law enforcement officials said searches for Gross’s remains would continue and urged the public to come forward with any new information. State police are expected to follow up on leads in hopes of bringing further closure to the family.

With the conviction, Gross’s family achieved a legal resolution, but the mystery of her disappearance and the location of her remains linger. Stanko is set to be formally sentenced within the next three months.