Letecia Stauch’s Trial for Murdering Stepson Gannon Stauch Begins in Colorado Courthouse
The trial for Letecia Stauch, who is accused of murdering her 11-year-old stepson Gannon Stauch, began on April 3, 2023, at the El Paso County Courthouse in Colorado.[0] Stauch was arrested in early March 2020 for Gannon's death, and his remains were found stuffed in a suitcase under a bridge in Florida later that month.[1] Based on the results of the autopsy, it was discovered that he had suffered gunshot wounds, stab wounds, and a fracture to his skull.[2] Stauch faces a total of 13 charges, including first-degree murder, child abuse causing death, and tampering with evidence.[0]
The trial is expected to last at least six weeks, and witnesses began taking the stand on Tuesday.[3] Gannon's father, Al Stauch, testified for the second time on the third day of the trial.[4] During her testimony in the morning, Letecia Stauch kept her head down and her face hidden behind her hair.[5] Stauch has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, claiming she suffered a “major psychotic crack” as a result of childhood trauma when she killed Gannon.[4] Her legal team points to a traumatic childhood with years of sexual and mental abuse.[6]
However, prosecutors in Colorado say Stauch stabbed Gannon 18 times and then shot him in the head before driving across the country to dump a suitcase with his remains inside over the side of a bridge in Pensacola.[7] They say she then tossed the suitcase over a bridge, and a bridge worker found the suitcase with Gannon’s body still inside about six weeks later.[0] In an FBI-recorded phone call played in court, Al Stauch asked Letecia if she had killed Gannon, to which she did not respond.[8]
Throughout the investigation, Letecia gave multiple conflicting accounts of Gannon's disappearance, including blaming it on a man who was hiding in the Stauch's home and kidnapped Gannon.[1] She also claimed two different men had raped her and then abducted Gannon, and later that one of those men had taken Gannon after he hurt himself in a bike crash.[7] However, investigators obtained video surveillance from neighbors, which they said showed a person believed to be Letecia and a second person, who appeared to match Gannon's physical description, leaving the family's home in her husband's car on the day Gannon disappeared.[9]
0. “Trial begins for Leticia Stauch” KKCO, 4 Apr. 2023, https://www.nbc11news.com/2023/04/04/trial-begins-leticia-stauch/
1. “Gannon's father resumed testimony in the murder trial of his ex-wife, saying she was 100% sane” KOAA News 5, 6 Apr. 2023, https://www.koaa.com/news/covering-colorado/gannons-father-resumes-testimony-in-the-murder-trial-of-his-ex-wife
2. “Leticia Stauch trial enters day 3” KRDO, 5 Apr. 2023, https://krdo.com/top-stories/2023/04/05/leticia-stauch-trial-enters-day-3/
3. “Letecia Stauch trial: Opening statements for woman accused of killing her stepson Gannon” 9News.com KUSA, 3 Apr. 2023, https://www.9news.com/article/news/investigations/gannon-stauch/gannon-stauch-letecia-stauch-trial-start-opening-statements/73-2b9993fe-5274-4c9f-aeef-2a4a25458d50
4. “Testimony continues for Gannon's father in third day of Letecia Stauch murder trial” CBS Colardo, 5 Apr. 2023, https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/testimony-continues-gannons-father-third-day-letecia-stauch-murder-trial/
5. “Gannon's father testifies for prosecution against his ex, Letecia Stauch” Denver 7 Colorado News, 5 Apr. 2023, https://www.denver7.com/news/local-news/gannons-father-testifies-for-prosecution-against-his-ex-letecia-stauch
6. “Stepmother of murdered Gannon Staunch suffered ‘psychotic crack'” Daily Mail, 4 Apr. 2023, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11939219/Stepmother-murdered-Gannon-Staunch-suffered-psychotic-crack.html
7. “A boy was found murdered in a suitcase. His stepmom blamed psychosis” The Independent, 5 Apr. 2023, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/crime/letecia-stauch-trial-gannon-murder-b2314886.html
8. “Recorded phone calls between Letecia Stauch and Gannon's father played in court” Court TV, 5 Apr. 2023, https://www.courttv.com/news/recorded-phone-calls-between-letecia-stauch-and-gannons-father-played-in-court/
9. “CO v. Letecia Stauch: Daily Trial Updates” Court TV, 29 Mar. 2023, https://www.courttv.com/news/co-v-letecia-staunch-stepmother-charged-with-murder/
