Family seeks answers in unsolved killing of 22-year-old woman in Frankford

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- It has been an agonizing year and a half for the family of Anastasiya Stangret, who was found dead last year in Philadelphia's Frankford section in a case that remains unsolved.

Stangret, 22, was found on June 23, 2024, in a vacant lot along the 4700 block of Griscom Street. Her body was decomposing, and she had suffered a gunshot wound to the head.

"When they found her body, they didn't know who she was," her sister, Dariya Stangret, said.

Stangret's sister spoke to Action News alongside their mother, who became emotional as the family reflected on the case and the lack of answers.

"I just feel so bad for her that I can't hug her and tell her that I love her and that I'm so sorry," Dariya Stangret said.

She said the last time she communicated with her sister was in June, about a week before their mother's birthday.

"Me and her were making plans to do something the week before. Then she never got back to me," she said.

Their mother's birthday passed on June 18. By July, the family contacted police to report Stangret missing. It was not until September of that year that her body was positively identified.

The family said Stangret had been staying with her boyfriend in the neighborhood. Police have ruled him out as a suspect, according to the family.

"I don't think he's involved in any way. I think he knows the person who did it. He didn't do anything then because he felt like maybe afraid of that person," Dariya Stangret said.

Philadelphia police released surveillance video last week in hopes of generating new tips. The footage shows Stangret walking with a man in the area of Penn and Arrott streets. Police say it is the last known video of her before she was found dead.

"They need more witnesses to come forward and say they saw something, or they heard something," her sister said.

The family said detectives have told them there is a person of interest in the case, but no one has been charged or taken into custody.

"My sister was a really good person - so much better than me, anybody. Just a really good person," Dariya Stangret said. "So, to think about her in that room and what happened to her and being scared and not able to just be with us - I just don't... It's not what she deserved."

Anyone with information is urged to contact Philadelphia police. To submit a tip via telephone, dial 215.686.TIPS. All tips will be confidential.