STROUDSBURG, Pa. — Almost nine years after a woman went missing, the man on trial for kidnapping and murder has learned his fate.
A judge has found Michael Horvath guilty of the most serious crimes, including criminal homicide and kidnapping in the first degree.
Horvath was acquitted on charges of obstruction.
Horvath was accused of stalking, kidnapping, and killing Holly Grim, his Allen Organ Company coworker, in 2013.
In 2016, investigators found Grim's partial remains on Horvath's property near Saylorsburg.
During the three-week bench trial, the prosecution argued that Horvath had the means and opportunity to kill Grim, presenting journals showing Horvath's methodically tracking Grim.
However, Horvath's defense pointed to other suspects who could have killed Grim, including Horvath's wife Cathy.
Before President Judge Margherita Patti-Worthington read the verdict, she said she wanted to be the one to address the court as she was the one who found Horvath guilty of homicide.
Zachary Grim, the victim's son, didn't want to show his face on camera but said the outcome of the verdict is something they were hoping for.
"This shouldn't have happened to someone like her. And I'm not sure if I can move on, but of course, we're all going to try," he said.
Family members of Grim say while this is a win, they can't get Holly back.
"He took away everything. He took Zachary's mom. He took his sister. He took Zachary's home," said Helen Hilbert, Holly Grim's aunt. "He took everything. He took part of our lives away too. In the meantime, he doesn't realize what he took, and it's wrong. It's totally wrong."
Horvath faces the possibility of life in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced in September.
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