Family Member to Simpsonville Murder Victims Speaks to Media

A heartbroken relative to Jane Lanser and Allison Cross, , met the media earlier today.

Tom Bannister, whose daughter-in-law Anne-Marie was a daughter to Lanser and sister to Cross, made the family’s first public comments since the tragedy.

Bannister asked that the public respect the family’s request for privacy while they mourn the loss of two family members.

Michael James Crane, a former boyfriend to Cross, has been charged with two counts of murder and is being held without bond.

Bannister noted that his daughter-in-law had lost her mother and her only sibling and neither she nor her husband would be speaking to the media.

Bannister then thanked the Simpsonville Police, the Greenville County Coroner’s office, the victim’s advocate and the Greenville County Forensics team.

“The best we can hope for is that justice is served through the legal system,” the family said.

In his statement, Bannister said that the family urged women who were in an abusive relationship to seek help immediately.

He also asked that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to the Family Violence Intervention Program at Compass of Carolina or to Safe Harbor.