Found Deceased CO - Gannon Stauch, 11, Colorado Springs, El Paso County, 27 Jan 2020 #26 **ARREST**

[Ontario Mom]

Stupid question but why are they calling him deceased if they haven't found his body?

It's not a stupid question at all.

LE will designate a missing victim "likely deceased" (or other verbiage) if they have uncovered sufficient evidence to reasonably conclude the missing person is in fact, a deceased person.

Such (physical) evidence may include, blood (type and amount), human tissue (type), bone, clothing, bedding, carpeting, and other biological evidence.

This might also include physical evidence left on potential weapons/tools/objects.

Since the probable cause affidavit for the arrest warrant has been sealed, we don't know what they have in this case, but we can reasonably deduct that it's enough physical evidence, pieced together, to conclude Gannon is deceased.

 

[Lewie]

Now that she is sleuthable... I’m wondering if TS and AS had broken up prior to G’s disappearance. Early on we noted that wedding rings were not worn during PCs/interviews, but given the change in LS’s profile pic in mid-Jan to just her when it had been a couples shot since they got married, I’m thinking they may have officially called it quits then. Perhaps she was already living elsewhere and AS just asked her to watch the kids while he was at training? Seems like a weird thing to ask of an official ex so maybe they were “taking a break”. Or maybe the SM pics were just her childish attempts to bother AS in retaliation for some perceived wrong.

 

[Warwick7]

I am haunted by the fear that can be heard in Gannon's voice on the recording that I heard a few weeks ago. No child should ever be that scared. He truly feared her. I think we all wish we had been there to protect him. Instead, all we can do is heed the words his real mother spoke to us today. May Gannon's cries speak out to the world and help us to put a stop to child abuse. And we'll start that effort by making sure the person who hurt him pays for her evil by spending the rest of her life in a cell. In my opinion, it's a fate too good for her.

Yes!!!! I thought it was bad when we heard Kelsey Berreth's last words "please stop!"...
Hearing Gannon, stopped me breathing....
I gasped and choked, then cried...

 

[BRRI]

In that case there was a collaborating witness. The prosecutor admitted that without the witness, they would NOT have a case.

So in this case, there is either a collaborating witness, or something equally compelling. They didn't arrest her to lose, they did it because they have what they need to convict.

totally agree. They know with 100% certainty that he’s deceased and that he was murdered. How, is the question? Physical evidence, witness(es), video? Not many real options that would lead to that confirmation

 

[Seajay]

Are we allowed to talk about the carpet and candle yet? I’ve seen references to it in other postings today but since it came from a video on FB, I thought we were gonna get a time out in WS jail for a week if we talked about it.

 

[SleuthBee]

Because they were so certain of his death, I think they found him, or very obvious evidence he was murdered. Especially given the other charges. They said it with certainty. And if you think about it from the parents perspective, if they didn't know with certainty he had passed away, I don't think they would have been so certain he did- and they were in the way they spoke. I think they have found him, but we will have to wait for confirmation.

I agree. Today is the day that Gannon's parents were told that LE is certain that their son is dead.

 

[Charlotte65]

I'm waaaaay behind on the thread … but whenever young ones are taken too early, this John Tavener setting of one of the stanzas of Laurence Binyon's poem "For the Fallen" always comforts me. Just in case there are any music fans on this thread … #snif :'(

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them

 

[Feistyomi]

<modsnip>.. I literally had the shakes earlier and now I am just drained, what is the best way to deal w/ this?...

 

[Meloni88]

I know a prison guard who turned down a promotion because he didn't want to transfer to a women's prison. He told me they are nasty and he stayed in the men's prison. He told me that when an inmate is violated in a women's prison, an object is used. And the fights and emotional abuse is worse than anything he ever saw.

My husband is a CO, previously state now federal, and feels the opposite. Far more sexual abuse and violence amongst male prisoners and the inmates are a lot more defensive out of necessity. There could be multiple incidences of violence in a single day at the men's facility but none for weeks at the female equivalent. He says COs treat female prisoners worse than males though in a lot of ways. Like they expect a ton of aggro from the males so its more tolerated but they come down hard on females with any attitude. Privleges revoked all the time for minor infractions and the threshold for a solitary confinement offense is much lower for the women.

 

[BRRI]

In that case there was a collaborating witness. The prosecutor admitted that without the witness, they would NOT have a case.

So in this case, there is either a collaborating witness, or something equally compelling. They didn't arrest her to lose, they did it because they have what they need to convict.

totally agree. They know with 100% certainty that he’s deceased and that he was murdered. How, is the question? Physical evidence, witness(es), video? Not many real options that would lead to that confirmation

 

[MassGuy]

In that case there was a collaborating witness. The prosecutor admitted that without the witness, they would NOT have a case.

So in this case, there is either a collaborating witness, or something equally compelling. They didn't arrest her to lose, they did it because they have what they need to convict.

Absolutely. I figured this case was strong, but I didn’t think it was strong enough to warrant an arrest without a body.

Clearly it was way stronger than I imagined, and I think this arrest warrant is going to blow us away.

I think her biggest mistake was moving Gannon’s body, as I think that gave them physical evidence that he was in fact dead.

Common sense says he is, but they need more than that.

They must have it.

 

[10ofRods]

I think it is the shared love for their child that enables them to support each other. As a mother, she understands his grief.

She herself said she trusted TS to care for her child. Imo

And if they've had any counseling or good advice around them, they know what TS is trying to do (split people; make people turn on each other; disrupt ordinary dialogue, etc). They really really need to stick together. That's a reason to pray for them, for sure.

 

[Janice Ward]

Searching for something to say to convey what I think/feel. I was so relieved to hear of an arrest, but so sad to think of Gannon out there somewhere all alone, longing to be found...that's so haunting. Then there is the amount of pain and suffering his mom and dad are enduring. No one should have to go through this. At this point one can only pray for justice, but really that's not enough. it's like there is nothing that can be said, it's just too horrible.

 

[prima.facie]

Yet she took him hiking, if I am correct, the day he was sick and couldn't go to school. Evil bish...

Pretty sure he was not sick...at all. TS the ONLY person who claimed that. IMO, circumstances we now know - would say....'just another lie'.

****At this point, I wish we would stop focusing on claims TS made, as if they are facts.

 

[SleuthBee]

It's not a stupid question at all.

LE will designate a missing victim "likely deceased" (or other verbiage) if they have uncovered sufficient evidence to reasonably conclude the missing person is in fact, a deceased person.

Such (physical) evidence may include, blood (type and amount), human tissue (type), bone, clothing, bedding, carpeting, and other biological evidence.

This might also include physical evidence left on potential weapons/tools/objects.

Since the probable cause affidavit for the arrest warrant has been sealed, we don't know what they have in this case, but we can reasonably deduct that it's enough physical evidence, pieced together, to conclude Gannon is deceased.

Will the affidavit reveal the evidence obtained for the arrest?

 

[ReadySet]

Terri Horman went on and on until about 3 and a half weeks in. Then, her parents bought her a brilliant, high profile defense attorney. She did as she was told after that, because they probably cashed out their retirement to pay for the attorney. Apprently nobody risked their money for LS.
Or she wasn't as savy as TH and kept talking and talking against all advice.

Except Terri knew when to STFU.

 

[Squirrel85]

My husband is a CO, previously state now federal, and feels the opposite. Far more sexual abuse and violence amongst male prisoners and the inmates are a lot more defensive out of necessity. There could be multiple incidences of violence in a single day at the men's facility but none for weeks at the female equivalent. He says COs treat female prisoners worse than males though in a lot of ways. Like they expect a ton of aggro from the males so its more tolerated but they come down hard on females with any attitude. Privleges revoked all the time for minor infractions and the threshold for a solitary confinement offense is much lower for the women.

I bet they will move LS to an out of state prison after conviction. They usually move prisoners in a way to protect them. Chris Watts is currently in a prison in Wisconsin. So, I don't see why they wouldn't relocate LS.

 

[MassGuy]

Will the affidavit reveal the evidence obtained for the arrest?

Yes. Not all of it, but enough to justify the charges.

We will learn a lot.

 

[Murphy1950]

People defecate post mortem... if his soiled clothes were found, would it be possible to know if it was after death? I thought that cadaver dogs could hit on death moments after it occurred, but I’m not sure...

I saw a post somewhere that someone found soiled clothes. Not sure if it was Gannon’s, so this is just speculation.

Keep reading that the dogs can hit seconds after death....Not true at all IMO! Decomp does start at death...but it takes a buildup of the fluids which causes scents that the dogs are literally trained to smell. . Could be hours....depends on decomp and temperature. The cooler it is the slower the process. Could be a few days for the fluids to build up.

 

[kpalma71580]

People defecate post mortem... if his soiled clothes were found, would it be possible to know if it was after death? I thought that cadaver dogs could hit on death moments after it occurred, but I’m not sure...

I saw a post somewhere that someone found soiled clothes. Not sure if it was Gannon’s, so this is just speculation.

That's a good question, I am not really sure about that. I did see that someone found soiled clothes in the area they were searching. I wonder if that was related. The DNA would match if it was his for sure. I am worried she did leave his body in that area and it's gone from animals.