Search for Cassandra Gross planned for Saturday has been canceled

Update: On Friday night, Channel 11 confirmed that the search has been canceled due to liability concerns.

It’s been a tough six-and-a-half years for Kathe Gross.

“It’s been like walking through hell until I’ve worn a path,” Gross told Channel 11′s Andrew Havranek.

Her daughter, Cassandra Gross, disappeared in 2018. Her body has never been found.

Gross has searched 128 different times in and around Unity Township — and is going to try again on Saturday.

“This is it. This is the last,” Gross said. “I can’t do this anymore.”

Though her body has never been found, officials declared Cassandra Gross dead in 2019. She was allegedly killed by her ex-boyfriend, Thomas Stanko. He’s been charged in her death. Police found some of her belongings burned in a burn barrel at Stanko’s home.

RELATED COVERAGE >>> Man charged in disappearance of Cassandra Gross appears in court, ex-wife testifies

So now, Kathe Gross is looking for those burned remains that may be in a metal box.

“I was told by different people that people like him take a trophy, and sometimes they bury it,” Gross said.

On Saturday volunteers will be searching in an area off McCullough Road.

“It’s right beside Unity Cemetery, and his mother lives right beside Unity Cemetery. It’s the only place I haven’t searched, and then I can say I did it everywhere,” Gross said. “All of Lloydsville has been searched.”

Gross said she’s not optimistic anything will be found, but she doesn’t want to leave that area unchecked.

The lack of a body as evidence could put the trial of Stanko in jeopardy. The judge on the case is going to make a decision sometime early next year.

“He’s going on ‘no body, no crime.’ There’s enough evidence that this should be able to go to trial,” Gross said.

Gross said those willing to search with her can message her on Facebook. The plan is to meet on McCullough Road at 11 a.m. Saturday.

She said several people have already committed to helping out.

“It tells me a lot of people knew and loved my daughter and that no matter how much time passes, they’re not going to forget her,” Gross said.

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