Men accused of dumping woman’s body in Cecil Township to stand trial
Two men accused of dumping a woman’s body alongside a Cecil Township road were ordered to stand trial in the case.
Christian Russell Panyko, 44, of Washington, and Matthew Allen Shashura, 24, of East Bethlehem Township, appeared separately through video conferencing during back-to-back preliminary hearings Tuesday before District Judge Michael Manfredi, although no evidence or testimony was presented in either case.
Panyko and Shashura are accused of discarding the body of 33-year-old Rebecca Jordan Kloster on Hahn Drive after she had died. Kloster’s mother last saw her Dec. 18 and reported her missing Jan. 19. Panyko and Shashura were arrested in late January in connection with Kloster’s disappearance before authorities discovered her body Feb. 1 near the road in a remote area of Cecil Township.
The cause and manner of Kloster’s death remains under investigation by the Washington County coroner’s office, which said Tuesday that they are still awaiting the results of toxicology tests to determine a final ruling on how she died.
The men face charges of abuse of a corpse, evidence tampering and additional conspiracy counts. Both are jailed without bond, with Panyko being lodged at the Washington County jail while Shashura is being held at the Greene County jail. The attorneys for both men and First Assistant District Attorney Leslie Ridge agreed to all charges being held for court with them foregoing any testimony during the preliminary hearings.
State police previously said Shashura and Kloster were staying at the Rodeway Inn in South Strabane Township, while Panyko was also visiting the room. Panyko allegedly told investigators that they had been using drugs at the motel, and that he and Shasura left to purchase more. When they returned, they found Kloster dead, according to court documents.
The men then took Kloster’s body from the motel room and put it in the backseat of the car, police said, before driving to the location in Cecil Township where she was found about six weeks later.
Investigators have not said when they suspect Kloster died, although Dec. 20 is listed as the date of the incident in online court records.
The men do not face charges related to Kloster’s death, although it was unknown whether that could change once the cause and manner are determined.
Their formal arraignment is scheduled for April 28 at 1 p.m. in the Washington County Courthouse.