Week one of the #LeteciaStauchTrial wrapped up Friday with evidence and expert testimony about 11-year-old Gannon Stauch’s body found 1,300 miles away under a bridge.
CO - Gannon Stauch, 11, Colorado Springs, 27 Jan 2020 MEDIA MAPS TIMELINE *NO DISCUSSION*
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Case Archive: Justice for Gannon is updated.
Everything leading up to that "Justice" section is in the first Gannon Stauch Case Archive:
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Everything leading up to that "Justice" section is in the first Gannon Stauch Case Archive:
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Hydrocodone found during Gannon Stauch’s autopsy
Wiretap calls also revealed that Letecia Stauch sought help from a site called fakepolygraph.com.
kdvr.com
Hydrocodone found during Gannon Stauch’s autopsy
Wiretap calls also revealed that Letecia Stauch sought help from a site called fakepolygraph.com.
kdvr.com
Hydrocodone found during Gannon Stauch’s autopsy
EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) — Week two of Letecia Stauch’s trial started with autopsy results for Gannon Stauch, her 11-year-old stepson that she’s accused of murdering, along with wiretap recordings and evidence pictures.
Dr. Susan Ignacio, a Florida medical examiner, took the stand Monday to review the autopsy for Gannon Stauch. Ignacio pointed out 18 stab wounds, or sharp force object injuries, on Gannon’s body; four blunt force injuries on his head; and a gunshot wound.
“He also had hydrocodone in the liver tissue,” Ignacio said. “I found it unusual.”
Week two of the #LeteciaStauchTrial started with autopsy results for Gannon Stauch, her 11-year-old stepson that she’s accused of murdering, along with wiretap recordings and evidence pictures.
Day 6 April 11, 2023
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Letecia Stauch trial : Half brother testifies against sister, claims to have seen suitcase Gannon’s body was recovered in
Dakota Lowery, Letecia Stauch’s half brother, testified Tuesday that he saw the suitcase Gannon Stauch’s body was discovered in while helping her move just days after Letecia Stauch reported her 11-year-old stepson missing. “Why Ticia?” Lowery yelled at Stauch through tears. Click or tap here to...
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Letecia Stauch trial: LIVE coverage from day 7
Letecia Stauch trial: LIVE coverage from day 7
LIVE updates from the trial of Letecia Stauch, a Colorado woman accused of kiling her stepson Gannon Stauch in 2020.
Day 7 of the murder trial for #LeteciaStauch is resuming now. I'll be in the courtroom with updates throughout the day.
The first witness to be called to the stand this morning is Jessica Bethel. In January 2020, she was assigned to Gannon Stauch’s case as the lead detective from the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office.
Bethel testified saying, “Initially this case was receiving a lot of attention on social media. The case quickly grew to a multi-agency case.” She said at least 10 agencies, both local and federal, got involved.
Bethel said, “The suspect providing alternate leads, multiple stories of what happened, ultimately influenced how we proceeded with the case.”
Bethel said she contacted Letecia early on in the investigation to speak to her about Gannon’s disappearance, preferably at the Stauch’s home so detectives could look for clues or anything missing.
She said Letecia did not agree to allow her to go to the home because Letecia said there were young children in the home, and she didn’t want them to overhear what they were talking about.
Letecia offered to meet at a Starbucks in Fountain. Bethel said at first, Letecia was hesitant to talk to detectives, and “was apprehensive at best.”
We’re now listening to the first interview Letecia had with detectives, which was on January 29, two days after Gannon's disappearance. Her then husband, and Gannon’s father, Al, was also part of the interview.
During the interview, Letecia and Al are talking about what school Gannon went to, friends in the neighborhood that Gannon played with, and how he went to a friend’s house but never came home.
Letecia described about what they did on Sunday, January 26, one day before Gannon’s disappearance. She said they went hiking at Garden of the Gods, and Gannon said his stomach was hurting so he stayed home from school on Monday. Letecia took off work to stay with him.
Letecia said on Monday, they went and got food and went to Petco, while Gannon stayed in the car because he wasn’t feeling well.
At one point, Letecia and Al both said Gannon texted Al, “do we have bath salts?” Letecia said Gannon asked for bath salts the day before, so Letecia said she gave him a bath bomb.
During the interview Al said it’s common for Gannon to go play with friends and take his Nintendo Switch, but he was never gone long. At one point Al said, “I’m pretty convinced that something bad…”
Al said everything was consistent with Gannon going to play at a friend’s house. He said Gannon took his Nintendo Switch, had his playing shoes on, etc.
Al said, “I know every parent says this, but he’s a pretty straight kid… He does his chores, makes straight A’s, kind hearted.”
Al said after he got custody of Gannon, he took Gannon to counseling to make sure he was okay. He said, “He was going through normal emotions of missing his mom.” Al said the counselor never bought up anything concerning or alarming.
Al said when he got the text message from Gannon asking about bath salts so he could take them to a friend’s house, he called Letecia. “After the bath salts, I said go check his book bag,” Al then added, “They found a two pack of those little swisher sweets.”
Recess for a 15 minute break:
When asked what Letecia’s demeanor was like during the interview, Bethel said, “She was calm and collected.” She also added that Letecia’s personality was consistent throughout.
Bethel said she spoke to Letecia several times on January 28, through text message, phone call, and FaceTime. She said Letecia declined to show up for an interview because she said her stomach was hurting.
We also heard audio from a FaceTime from around 10 p.m. on January 28 between Bethel and Letecia. Letecia was mad because she said her daughter, Harley, was left at the Stauch home by herself while detectives were there. Letecia asked, “she can’t go get food or go get coffee?”
On the FaceTime, Bethel continued asking about information or updates so she could find Gannon. Letecia said, “Why are you asking me this? You keep asking me this over and over and over… I’m not going to talk to you without an attorney, when I already talked to you earlier.”
Bethel described the interaction saying, “She was angry with me… I’m not sure exactly why she was angry with me, but she was angry with me.” Bethel said many of the text messages from Letecia were focused on her, and not on helping find Gannon.
Bethel testified saying Letecia said something bad happened to her and she couldn’t tell detectives while Al was around. She said Letecia also said the family was getting death threats.
Bethel said she set up an in-person interview with Letecia at 10 a.m. the next day, but Letecia was late and didn’t show up until noon.
We’re now watching a video recording of the interview between Letecia and Bethel conducted at the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office around noon on January 29. This interview is more than four hours long.
Before the interview begins, Letecia is seen in the room by herself sitting on the couch with her arms and legs crosses, humming at times. District Attorney Michael Allen paused the recording to say he wanted jurors to see her demeanor as it regards to any mental health concerns.
Letecia said she knew the conversation was being recorded, and she asked if it’ll stay private and within the Sheriff’s Office, “because I’m going to have to tell you some very personal things,” said Letecia. She also said she hadn’t eaten, so detectives gave her refreshments.
Letecia described Sunday, January 26 including the hike at Garden of the Gods, Gannon’s stomach hurting, getting dinner, then going home. She said it was a normal Sunday night.
She then described the alarm going off saying, “fire, fire, fire.” She said she saw smoke coming from the downstairs. She then ran downstairs and put out a small fire which was on the floor. She said Gannon was sleeping on the couch right next to the fire.
Letecia said they were able to get everyone out of the home, and when they got back, they talked about a plan to fix the carpet the next day. She said Gannon stayed home from school the next day because of his stomach problems, and to help fix the carpet.
Letecia said on Monday she noticed marks and burns on Gannon’s arm that began peeling and bleeding. She said she was scared and freaking out because she didn’t want Al to know. She became emotional saying, “I made a mistake, I swear to y’all, I didn’t know they were that bad.”
The court is taking a break. The trial will resume at 1:20.
Day 7 April 12, 2023 (afternoon)
Court has resumed for the #LeteciaStauch murder trial. We'll continue watching video of Letecia's interview with detectives on January 29.
Letecia is describing how on Monday, January 27, her and Gannon rode to Petco and he stayed in the car because he wasn’t feeling well. Letecia said he was keeping an eye on him, and she kept walking toward the front of the store to look out the window toward the car.
Letecia said her and Gannon returned home around 2 p.m. She said when she walked inside the home, she heard something downstairs. “I didn’t think anything about it… And the guy was in there. I gave him the code, and it was all my fault… I gave him the code to fix our carpet.”
Letecia said she heard something in the storage closet and, “He was standing in there, and he had on gloves and he had one of the guns. I was terrified, and then he just knocked me down.”
Letecia said she was “crying and freaking out, and blacked out for a little bit.”
Letecia said she couldn’t find Gannon, but the guy was still in the home. She said she went back upstairs. “The reason I sent Laina away is because I wanted her to be safe too.. I sent her on a mission to get the mail. So I just started making up things for Laina to do.”
Letecia admitted to detectives, “I did lie, when they came, I did say Gannon left. He never did, he never left to go play.”
Letecia said she lied about what happened because she didn’t want to face the consequences of it being her fault, and giving the code to “the carpet guy” who went into her home.
She said she was pacing the house questioning what to do. She admitted to the fact she should’ve got on the phone immediately and call 911, but she kept thinking it was all her fault. Letecia said, “In my mind, I thought I could fix this.”
Letecia said when she called 911, “I should’ve told them what really happened.”
Letecia is now describing how she got a rental car from the airport, saying she had a leased car and didn’t want to go over on the mileage as they were driving around searching for Gannon.
Letecia said she parked her car in the short-term parking lot at the airport. She admitted that she told Al, that her car was parked at a local elementary school.
Letecia was asked to describe the burns on Gannon’s arms and where they were. She went over what happened when putting the fire out, that Gannon was asleep but then woke up, and was hanging off the side of the sofa. She said he was alert, saying sorry and he didn’t mean to do it.
During her interview, Letecia is now describing how she met “the carpet guy.” She said she went over to where the new builds were in her community. She said she met a guy named “Eduardo or Edgardo.”
She said she asked if he had the carpet for the home, and he said yes. She said she then gave him the code to the garage and told him the area of where the carpet needed to be fixed downstairs in the home.
Letecia said she had left $50 on the counter and told “the carpet guy” to take that for the job he was doing to fix the carpet.
Letecia was then asked to go into further details about what happened when she got home. Letecia said, “I’m one of those people that tries to not think mental health is always an issue… I’m not going to let that be a stigma that I’m going to have mental health problems”
Letecia began crying with her head in her hands, then said a few times, “I don’t want to dream anymore.” She said she’s trying to block it out, and doesn’t want to be specific. The interview then continues.
Letecia was then asked to describe again what happened when she found the carpet guy in their home. She said the doors to the gun cabinet in her room were open, and she didn’t think much of it.
Letecia said when she was in her room or walking back and forth upstairs, she heard a noise downstairs, and she went downstairs. She said she then put two and two together, that the guy had taken a gun.
Letecia is talking about how the man that was in her home, raped her. She said it’s difficult to describe in detail about what happened because of the nature of the situation.
Letecia said the first thing she remembers after the assault was, “I just remember being like, where’s Gannon? And I was freaking out because I didn’t know where he was at.” She said she also found a gun on the floor afterward.
Letecia told the detective in the room that she hasn’t showered or hasn’t eaten, then said, “I would do anything for you to figure out who Eduardo is.” She described the clothes she was wearing during the attack, and said she had washed the clothing.
Letecia: “Am I free to leave?” Detective: “We’re not holding you here.” Letecia: “I just want to get some food, take a minute.”
Letecia is telling the detective she wants to leave the interview, freshen up, and take a break. Letecia: “It’s not like I don’t answer or talk to you or anything like that. I’ve kept open communication with you.”
Letecia said she won’t go to the hospital to do an exam after she was sexually assaulted, without showering and cleaning herself up. Letecia said, “that’s disgusting, I’m not doing that.”
Letecia said she won’t be escorted to the hospital, and will drive herself when she’s ready for the exam. She insisted she get a break, go home, freshen up, get some food, etc.
While Letecia was not in the room and out in the hallway, a member of the Sheriff’s Office took her phone out of her hand. She became frustrated, and asked to see a warrant for taking the phone. The member of law enforcement said they’re applying for a warrant now.
The detectives told Letecia she has evidence on her body after the assault, and they cannot allow her to leave just yet.
Detectives are explaining to Letecia about why she can’t leave yet, and that she’s being held until they obtain the search warrant they need.
Court will resume at 9 a.m. on Friday morning, with finishing watching the interview between Letecia and detectives. I'll be back in the courtroom then to bring you the latest on the trial.
On Friday morning, we’ll watch another 30 minutes of this interview, then another interview that’s about 20 minutes. Cross examination is expected to be about 20 minutes.
Court has resumed for the #LeteciaStauch murder trial. We'll continue watching video of Letecia's interview with detectives on January 29.
Letecia is describing how on Monday, January 27, her and Gannon rode to Petco and he stayed in the car because he wasn’t feeling well. Letecia said he was keeping an eye on him, and she kept walking toward the front of the store to look out the window toward the car.
Letecia said her and Gannon returned home around 2 p.m. She said when she walked inside the home, she heard something downstairs. “I didn’t think anything about it… And the guy was in there. I gave him the code, and it was all my fault… I gave him the code to fix our carpet.”
Letecia said she heard something in the storage closet and, “He was standing in there, and he had on gloves and he had one of the guns. I was terrified, and then he just knocked me down.”
Letecia said she was “crying and freaking out, and blacked out for a little bit.”
Letecia said she couldn’t find Gannon, but the guy was still in the home. She said she went back upstairs. “The reason I sent Laina away is because I wanted her to be safe too.. I sent her on a mission to get the mail. So I just started making up things for Laina to do.”
Letecia admitted to detectives, “I did lie, when they came, I did say Gannon left. He never did, he never left to go play.”
Letecia said she lied about what happened because she didn’t want to face the consequences of it being her fault, and giving the code to “the carpet guy” who went into her home.
She said she was pacing the house questioning what to do. She admitted to the fact she should’ve got on the phone immediately and call 911, but she kept thinking it was all her fault. Letecia said, “In my mind, I thought I could fix this.”
Letecia said when she called 911, “I should’ve told them what really happened.”
Letecia is now describing how she got a rental car from the airport, saying she had a leased car and didn’t want to go over on the mileage as they were driving around searching for Gannon.
Letecia said she parked her car in the short-term parking lot at the airport. She admitted that she told Al, that her car was parked at a local elementary school.
Letecia was asked to describe the burns on Gannon’s arms and where they were. She went over what happened when putting the fire out, that Gannon was asleep but then woke up, and was hanging off the side of the sofa. She said he was alert, saying sorry and he didn’t mean to do it.
During her interview, Letecia is now describing how she met “the carpet guy.” She said she went over to where the new builds were in her community. She said she met a guy named “Eduardo or Edgardo.”
She said she asked if he had the carpet for the home, and he said yes. She said she then gave him the code to the garage and told him the area of where the carpet needed to be fixed downstairs in the home.
Letecia said she had left $50 on the counter and told “the carpet guy” to take that for the job he was doing to fix the carpet.
Letecia was then asked to go into further details about what happened when she got home. Letecia said, “I’m one of those people that tries to not think mental health is always an issue… I’m not going to let that be a stigma that I’m going to have mental health problems”
Letecia began crying with her head in her hands, then said a few times, “I don’t want to dream anymore.” She said she’s trying to block it out, and doesn’t want to be specific. The interview then continues.
Letecia was then asked to describe again what happened when she found the carpet guy in their home. She said the doors to the gun cabinet in her room were open, and she didn’t think much of it.
Letecia said when she was in her room or walking back and forth upstairs, she heard a noise downstairs, and she went downstairs. She said she then put two and two together, that the guy had taken a gun.
Letecia is talking about how the man that was in her home, raped her. She said it’s difficult to describe in detail about what happened because of the nature of the situation.
Letecia said the first thing she remembers after the assault was, “I just remember being like, where’s Gannon? And I was freaking out because I didn’t know where he was at.” She said she also found a gun on the floor afterward.
Letecia told the detective in the room that she hasn’t showered or hasn’t eaten, then said, “I would do anything for you to figure out who Eduardo is.” She described the clothes she was wearing during the attack, and said she had washed the clothing.
Letecia: “Am I free to leave?” Detective: “We’re not holding you here.” Letecia: “I just want to get some food, take a minute.”
Letecia is telling the detective she wants to leave the interview, freshen up, and take a break. Letecia: “It’s not like I don’t answer or talk to you or anything like that. I’ve kept open communication with you.”
Letecia said she won’t go to the hospital to do an exam after she was sexually assaulted, without showering and cleaning herself up. Letecia said, “that’s disgusting, I’m not doing that.”
Letecia said she won’t be escorted to the hospital, and will drive herself when she’s ready for the exam. She insisted she get a break, go home, freshen up, get some food, etc.
While Letecia was not in the room and out in the hallway, a member of the Sheriff’s Office took her phone out of her hand. She became frustrated, and asked to see a warrant for taking the phone. The member of law enforcement said they’re applying for a warrant now.
The detectives told Letecia she has evidence on her body after the assault, and they cannot allow her to leave just yet.
Detectives are explaining to Letecia about why she can’t leave yet, and that she’s being held until they obtain the search warrant they need.
Court will resume at 9 a.m. on Friday morning, with finishing watching the interview between Letecia and detectives. I'll be back in the courtroom then to bring you the latest on the trial.
On Friday morning, we’ll watch another 30 minutes of this interview, then another interview that’s about 20 minutes. Cross examination is expected to be about 20 minutes.
Apology not in chronological order at this time.
Day 5 April 10, 2023
STAUCH TRIAL WEEK TWO: Jurors are about to come in to start week two of the #LeteciaStauchTrial
Prosecution calls up Dr. Susan Ignacio
She is an associate medical examiner in Flordia
We are about to hear about the autopsy of Gannon. Dr. Ignacio took part in conducting the autopsy.
Dr. Ignacio conducted autopsy on March 18, 2020. She’s looking at pictures of Gannon saying she noticed signs of decomposition. Says bones were showing. Pointing to a laceration on his chest. Pointing to a number of other wounds.
She corrected, not a laceration, a “sharp force injury.” Says these are wounds caused by a knife or a blade.
Decomposition made it hard to identify some of the injuries.
She says wounds on hands look like Gannon was trying to put his hands up to guard himself and got cut on hands.
Has sharp force injury on upper back too. This was a deeper one of his injuries she said. Fractured his left sixth rib.
Letecia is present in court today. She has been there every day so far.
Dr. is talking about head injuries Gannon sustained.
Unlike "sharp object" wounds on Gannon's body, Dr. says there's a blunt force trauma on Gannon's right/back side of his head.
Dr. found skull fractures
She says it would take a lot of force to cause these fractures with blunt force strikes. Dr. says Gannon suffered from 18 sharp force injuries. She counted 4 blunt force lacerations as well.
She is now pointing to a gunshot wound. Her cause of death was gun shot wound and blunt trauma to the head. Contributing factors were the 18 sharp injuries. Death by homicide.
They conducted a toxicology. Hydrocodone found in his body. She found it unusual that an 11-year-old would have that in his system.
Dr. said the blunt force head injuries happened before he died.
Cross examination, Dr. agrees this looks like a violent death. No pattern to the injuries.
While there is no pattern of the injuries, Dr. did say they were targeted towards upper body/head/chest areas. She says they appear to be intentional and looks like injuries in places where you would try to kill someone.
Jurors asking Dr. about burn marks on skin. She couldn't detect it because of the decomposition. She says normally, hydrocodone and Tylenol would be metabolized and out of his system in 12 hours, but he died with it still in his system.
Morning recess until 10:25 am.
Back from recess
Prosecution is recalling Al Stauch, Gannon's father and Letecia Stauch's husband at the time of Gannon's death.
Al says during woodworking, he cut off part of his finger in the past. He was given a hydrocodone prescription directly related to the finger injury. Kept it in his nightstand. Didn't finish the prescription.
Al says the prescription was hidden in nightstand. Only he and Letecia knew where they were. Al said he would never give Gannon Hydrocodone.
Prosecution calling next witness FBI Special Agent Andrew Cohen
Cohen is serving as an advisory witness in this case. It is probable he will be called up to the stand multiple times in this trial.
Cohen says isn't easy to get wire taps approved by a judge, because people's right to privacy is so important. They need to prove that they have tried a number of different avenues and they weren't effective and show reason for why wire tap would be important in the case.
Wire tap was used in this case. Cohen said Letecia Stauch had her original phone seized by police shortly after reporting Gannon missing. He says she purchased another phone at a Walmart in Trinidad, Colorado.
"People who are involved in criminal activities often time change numbers or use wifi-numbers”
A number of wiretapped calls were recorded from Feb 18th, 2020 and are admitted into evidence.
First wiretap is Letecia calling webpage company http://fakepolygraph.com
Second wiretap is Letecia calling back webpage company http://fakepolygraph.com. She's asking the man on the phone to check the email they are sending the results to because she hasn't received it.
Third wiretap her calling http://fakepolygraph.com again. She says it has been more than 15 minutes and she still hasn't gotten the report. The man on the phone tells her because of the questions she had asked, the report has been blocked by management. She asks for a refund.
Fourth wiretap, Letecia calling http://fakepolygraph.com. Man on the phone had told her on call three, she wouldn't be refunded because of the questions she put in for. She's saying she submitted questions about infidelity and that should be covered.
Cohen said at the time of these calls to http://fakepolygraph.com, Letecia was telling Al she had passed a polygraph test showing she had nothing to do with Gannon's disappearance.
Prosecution calls up fourth witness, Christina Cervantez with the El Paso County Sheriff's Office
Cervantez currently works in Texas but was previously an evidence technician for EPCSO back in 2020 when Gannon went missing.
Cervantez got calls on several occasions about property belonging to Letecia Stauch that was in evidence.
Cervantez said Stauch also came in and asked for her property back.
Cervantez said in a call, the voice on the phone sounded like Letecia but it was someone saying they were her daughter. The call from Feb 12, 2020 is being admitted into evidence.
Call being played. Person on the phone says they are Harley Hunt. Certvantez previously told the court she believes it was Letecia actually on the phone. Certvantez is telling person on the phone that the stuff is evidence and they need to call the lead investigator in the case.
Cervantez said person on the phone said they were a flight attendant. She found it odd that Harley, being younger, would be a flight attendant.
Prosecution calls up Det. Michael Bauman with EPSCO. His job is to find and preserve data that may be evidence on electronic devices.
Det. says they have a device to take all of the data off phone or computer and put it into a report.
Det. did an extraction on Letecia's rose gold iPhone 8
Also examined another IPhone seized in South Carolina from Letecia
Next witness is Sgt. Kurt Smith with EPCSO.
Sgt. Smith a data pull from Gannon's phone
Court is breaking for lunch until 1 pm.
Day 5 April 10, 2023
STAUCH TRIAL WEEK TWO: Jurors are about to come in to start week two of the #LeteciaStauchTrial
Prosecution calls up Dr. Susan Ignacio
She is an associate medical examiner in Flordia
We are about to hear about the autopsy of Gannon. Dr. Ignacio took part in conducting the autopsy.
Dr. Ignacio conducted autopsy on March 18, 2020. She’s looking at pictures of Gannon saying she noticed signs of decomposition. Says bones were showing. Pointing to a laceration on his chest. Pointing to a number of other wounds.
She corrected, not a laceration, a “sharp force injury.” Says these are wounds caused by a knife or a blade.
Decomposition made it hard to identify some of the injuries.
She says wounds on hands look like Gannon was trying to put his hands up to guard himself and got cut on hands.
Has sharp force injury on upper back too. This was a deeper one of his injuries she said. Fractured his left sixth rib.
Letecia is present in court today. She has been there every day so far.
Dr. is talking about head injuries Gannon sustained.
Unlike "sharp object" wounds on Gannon's body, Dr. says there's a blunt force trauma on Gannon's right/back side of his head.
Dr. found skull fractures
She says it would take a lot of force to cause these fractures with blunt force strikes. Dr. says Gannon suffered from 18 sharp force injuries. She counted 4 blunt force lacerations as well.
She is now pointing to a gunshot wound. Her cause of death was gun shot wound and blunt trauma to the head. Contributing factors were the 18 sharp injuries. Death by homicide.
They conducted a toxicology. Hydrocodone found in his body. She found it unusual that an 11-year-old would have that in his system.
Dr. said the blunt force head injuries happened before he died.
Cross examination, Dr. agrees this looks like a violent death. No pattern to the injuries.
While there is no pattern of the injuries, Dr. did say they were targeted towards upper body/head/chest areas. She says they appear to be intentional and looks like injuries in places where you would try to kill someone.
Jurors asking Dr. about burn marks on skin. She couldn't detect it because of the decomposition. She says normally, hydrocodone and Tylenol would be metabolized and out of his system in 12 hours, but he died with it still in his system.
Morning recess until 10:25 am.
Back from recess
Prosecution is recalling Al Stauch, Gannon's father and Letecia Stauch's husband at the time of Gannon's death.
Al says during woodworking, he cut off part of his finger in the past. He was given a hydrocodone prescription directly related to the finger injury. Kept it in his nightstand. Didn't finish the prescription.
Al says the prescription was hidden in nightstand. Only he and Letecia knew where they were. Al said he would never give Gannon Hydrocodone.
Prosecution calling next witness FBI Special Agent Andrew Cohen
Cohen is serving as an advisory witness in this case. It is probable he will be called up to the stand multiple times in this trial.
Cohen says isn't easy to get wire taps approved by a judge, because people's right to privacy is so important. They need to prove that they have tried a number of different avenues and they weren't effective and show reason for why wire tap would be important in the case.
Wire tap was used in this case. Cohen said Letecia Stauch had her original phone seized by police shortly after reporting Gannon missing. He says she purchased another phone at a Walmart in Trinidad, Colorado.
"People who are involved in criminal activities often time change numbers or use wifi-numbers”
A number of wiretapped calls were recorded from Feb 18th, 2020 and are admitted into evidence.
First wiretap is Letecia calling webpage company http://fakepolygraph.com
Second wiretap is Letecia calling back webpage company http://fakepolygraph.com. She's asking the man on the phone to check the email they are sending the results to because she hasn't received it.
Third wiretap her calling http://fakepolygraph.com again. She says it has been more than 15 minutes and she still hasn't gotten the report. The man on the phone tells her because of the questions she had asked, the report has been blocked by management. She asks for a refund.
Fourth wiretap, Letecia calling http://fakepolygraph.com. Man on the phone had told her on call three, she wouldn't be refunded because of the questions she put in for. She's saying she submitted questions about infidelity and that should be covered.
Cohen said at the time of these calls to http://fakepolygraph.com, Letecia was telling Al she had passed a polygraph test showing she had nothing to do with Gannon's disappearance.
Prosecution calls up fourth witness, Christina Cervantez with the El Paso County Sheriff's Office
Cervantez currently works in Texas but was previously an evidence technician for EPCSO back in 2020 when Gannon went missing.
Cervantez got calls on several occasions about property belonging to Letecia Stauch that was in evidence.
Cervantez said Stauch also came in and asked for her property back.
Cervantez said in a call, the voice on the phone sounded like Letecia but it was someone saying they were her daughter. The call from Feb 12, 2020 is being admitted into evidence.
Call being played. Person on the phone says they are Harley Hunt. Certvantez previously told the court she believes it was Letecia actually on the phone. Certvantez is telling person on the phone that the stuff is evidence and they need to call the lead investigator in the case.
Cervantez said person on the phone said they were a flight attendant. She found it odd that Harley, being younger, would be a flight attendant.
Prosecution calls up Det. Michael Bauman with EPSCO. His job is to find and preserve data that may be evidence on electronic devices.
Det. says they have a device to take all of the data off phone or computer and put it into a report.
Det. did an extraction on Letecia's rose gold iPhone 8
Also examined another IPhone seized in South Carolina from Letecia
Next witness is Sgt. Kurt Smith with EPCSO.
Sgt. Smith a data pull from Gannon's phone
Court is breaking for lunch until 1 pm.
Last edited:
Day 5 April 10, 2023 (continue)
https://twitter.com/FierroNicole
Prosecution now calls up Det. Christina Perry with EPCSO
Det. Perry used undercover profile to see if they could get intel from Facebook groups related to Gannon's disappearance
Det. Perry was present when Al Stauch called investigators to share his concerns about Letecia's car missing.
Det. Perry says that Harley Hunt, Letecia's biological daughter, refused to give information or respond to request for an interview with investigators on January 28th.
Det. Perry said she talked to Harley while at their house. She would talk about things like her career aspirations, but if the detective asked about anything related to her brother she wouldn’t talk to her.
On Jan 29th, Det. Perry said Letecia came to the sheriff's office in her VW Tiguan, the car police searched for and couldn't find the night before. Det. Perry said there was still water droplets on the car and it looked like it had been freshly washed.
Det. Perry says Letecia would tell them she would be coming to do interview them and then not show or come late. The noticed money transfers as well that had them worried she'd flee so they got a warrant to track a vehicle she was driving.
Detectives conducted search for all of the trash and garbage from the Stauch family's' neighborhood for Jan 27th. They were hoping to find the comforter seen in a picture with Gannon but did not find it during this search for trash.
Stauch used an app called Life360. Police could track her whereabouts with that data.
Det. Perry talking about neighbor's surveillance pointing to the Stauch's driveway. Video showing Letecia and Gannon and a truck.
Det. Perry reading her notes after reviewing surveillance showing Gannon and Letecia leaving in a red truck.
Footage shows them leaving and returning to the house. Detective observed that when the truck returns, it is hard to tell, but she sees shadow in footage that looks like Gannon returning with Letecia.
Detective is talking about footage showing black Tiguan (Letecia's car) backing into their garage.
Detective's notes say footage shows Letecia's Tiguan backing into the garage at 2:24 pm. More video shows Gannon's little sister Laina getting off the school bus and coming home around 3:11 pm.
Footage also shows Harley Hunt, Letecia's daughter, pulling up to the house in her white car after work around 4:37pm. Harley is in the house until 4:51 pm when she and her little sister Liana leave together.
This is all from Jan 27th, day of Gannon's disappearance.
In cross, detective says there were utility workers in the area the day of the Gannon's disappearance. To her knowledge, she doesn't remember anyone reporting hearing gun shots.
Court break until 3:05 pm.
Prosecution calling up Det. Tim Ferrell to the stand.
Det. Ferrell responded to Stauch home on Jan 28th, night after Gannon was reported a runaway. When he arrived on scene he just remembers Harley Hunt being there. They went in and took pictures of the scene and looked for things out of the ordinary.
Det. Ferrell looking at pictures of the Stauch's laundry room from Jan 28th, 2020.
Detective talks about this pile of laundry. In the pile, they noticed a sneaker with pink substance/residue on the bottom of shoe. Detective said it stood out. They thought it may be bloody shoes that were soaked to try to clean them so they swabbed them.
Det. Ferrell: “It seemed out of place and very strange to us at that moment.”
Ferrell pointing to melted carpet area in the living room.
We are looking at pictures of the trash outside of the house. Melted part of the carpet and padding from under it are in the garbage bag/bin at their house.
2ft by 2ft part of square carpet with burn area and wax substance found in the garbage.
Candle found in a second trash can. Inside the candle, you can see some sort of fabric that didn't match the carpet or couch detective says.
Detective searched Gannon's room. He noticed on the inside handle of bedroom door, a brown smear. He noticed it was very clean.
They took blankets and sheets off of Gannon's bed and saw a discoloration in back corner of the mattress.
Detective took pictures of guns found in master bedroom closet. "Something seemed off, so anytime we run across firearms and we don't know what's going on we generally try to document them.”
Detective did not locate any handguns at the home on Jan 28th, 2020.
Detective says they had been trying to get her to come to the sheriff's office for an interview "for quite some time" and when she did show up, she came with a freshly washed car.
Had to quickly go track my story for tv. Back and they are talking about search warrant for Harley's phone.
Detective says they had different cars following Letecia and Harley. Saw them going into a Marshall's. Undercover officers followed them into the store to see where Harley's phone was. Warrants for Harley's car and phone were in the works as this was happening.
While in store, officers saw both Harley and Letecia using Harley's cell phone. Letecia left the store first. As she walked towards Harley's car, officers started to go approach her and detective says Letecia saw an officer coming towards her and "bolted" running away.
"At that point, we had believed something had happened to Gannon, we just didn't know what.”
Detective said she stopped "bolting" away in the parking lot when he drew his firearm while giving commands to stop.
He got her in cuffs, explained she wasn't under arrest, just being detained because they had search warrant for Harley's cell phone and car. Letecia acknowledged and detective recalls her yelling at Harley "Don't tell them anything.”
Waiting for my live hit but hearing Detective talking about searching a KIA rio.
Detective says Harley was detained as well.
Back from my live hit for 4 pm show. Jurors are taking a stretch and then they will call another witness
Prosecution calling up Det. Peter Vigil
He recalls the smell of ammonia/bleach when he searched Gannon's room. Started smelling it at the threshold of his doorway, got stronger as he got into the room.
https://twitter.com/FierroNicole
Prosecution now calls up Det. Christina Perry with EPCSO
Det. Perry used undercover profile to see if they could get intel from Facebook groups related to Gannon's disappearance
Det. Perry was present when Al Stauch called investigators to share his concerns about Letecia's car missing.
Det. Perry says that Harley Hunt, Letecia's biological daughter, refused to give information or respond to request for an interview with investigators on January 28th.
Det. Perry said she talked to Harley while at their house. She would talk about things like her career aspirations, but if the detective asked about anything related to her brother she wouldn’t talk to her.
On Jan 29th, Det. Perry said Letecia came to the sheriff's office in her VW Tiguan, the car police searched for and couldn't find the night before. Det. Perry said there was still water droplets on the car and it looked like it had been freshly washed.
Det. Perry says Letecia would tell them she would be coming to do interview them and then not show or come late. The noticed money transfers as well that had them worried she'd flee so they got a warrant to track a vehicle she was driving.
Detectives conducted search for all of the trash and garbage from the Stauch family's' neighborhood for Jan 27th. They were hoping to find the comforter seen in a picture with Gannon but did not find it during this search for trash.
Stauch used an app called Life360. Police could track her whereabouts with that data.
Det. Perry talking about neighbor's surveillance pointing to the Stauch's driveway. Video showing Letecia and Gannon and a truck.
Det. Perry reading her notes after reviewing surveillance showing Gannon and Letecia leaving in a red truck.
Footage shows them leaving and returning to the house. Detective observed that when the truck returns, it is hard to tell, but she sees shadow in footage that looks like Gannon returning with Letecia.
Detective is talking about footage showing black Tiguan (Letecia's car) backing into their garage.
Detective's notes say footage shows Letecia's Tiguan backing into the garage at 2:24 pm. More video shows Gannon's little sister Laina getting off the school bus and coming home around 3:11 pm.
Footage also shows Harley Hunt, Letecia's daughter, pulling up to the house in her white car after work around 4:37pm. Harley is in the house until 4:51 pm when she and her little sister Liana leave together.
This is all from Jan 27th, day of Gannon's disappearance.
In cross, detective says there were utility workers in the area the day of the Gannon's disappearance. To her knowledge, she doesn't remember anyone reporting hearing gun shots.
Court break until 3:05 pm.
Prosecution calling up Det. Tim Ferrell to the stand.
Det. Ferrell responded to Stauch home on Jan 28th, night after Gannon was reported a runaway. When he arrived on scene he just remembers Harley Hunt being there. They went in and took pictures of the scene and looked for things out of the ordinary.
Det. Ferrell looking at pictures of the Stauch's laundry room from Jan 28th, 2020.
Detective talks about this pile of laundry. In the pile, they noticed a sneaker with pink substance/residue on the bottom of shoe. Detective said it stood out. They thought it may be bloody shoes that were soaked to try to clean them so they swabbed them.
Det. Ferrell: “It seemed out of place and very strange to us at that moment.”
Ferrell pointing to melted carpet area in the living room.
We are looking at pictures of the trash outside of the house. Melted part of the carpet and padding from under it are in the garbage bag/bin at their house.
2ft by 2ft part of square carpet with burn area and wax substance found in the garbage.
Candle found in a second trash can. Inside the candle, you can see some sort of fabric that didn't match the carpet or couch detective says.
Detective searched Gannon's room. He noticed on the inside handle of bedroom door, a brown smear. He noticed it was very clean.
They took blankets and sheets off of Gannon's bed and saw a discoloration in back corner of the mattress.
Detective took pictures of guns found in master bedroom closet. "Something seemed off, so anytime we run across firearms and we don't know what's going on we generally try to document them.”
Detective did not locate any handguns at the home on Jan 28th, 2020.
Detective says they had been trying to get her to come to the sheriff's office for an interview "for quite some time" and when she did show up, she came with a freshly washed car.
Had to quickly go track my story for tv. Back and they are talking about search warrant for Harley's phone.
Detective says they had different cars following Letecia and Harley. Saw them going into a Marshall's. Undercover officers followed them into the store to see where Harley's phone was. Warrants for Harley's car and phone were in the works as this was happening.
While in store, officers saw both Harley and Letecia using Harley's cell phone. Letecia left the store first. As she walked towards Harley's car, officers started to go approach her and detective says Letecia saw an officer coming towards her and "bolted" running away.
"At that point, we had believed something had happened to Gannon, we just didn't know what.”
Detective said she stopped "bolting" away in the parking lot when he drew his firearm while giving commands to stop.
He got her in cuffs, explained she wasn't under arrest, just being detained because they had search warrant for Harley's cell phone and car. Letecia acknowledged and detective recalls her yelling at Harley "Don't tell them anything.”
Waiting for my live hit but hearing Detective talking about searching a KIA rio.
Detective says Harley was detained as well.
Back from my live hit for 4 pm show. Jurors are taking a stretch and then they will call another witness
Prosecution calling up Det. Peter Vigil
He recalls the smell of ammonia/bleach when he searched Gannon's room. Started smelling it at the threshold of his doorway, got stronger as he got into the room.
Day 5 April 10, 2023 (continue)
https://twitter.com/FierroNicole
Spenser Wilson is now testifying. He is a news reporter that used to work in the Colorado Springs market in 2020 and interviewed Letecia.
He said he was in a neighborhood of a search and someone pulled up and tried to chastise him for his coverage of the search. He said that person chastising him was Letecia Stauch.
He describes her demeanor as angry and not happy that him or other media being there. Spencer asked her to do an interview if she didn't like what he was covering. They drove to a construction lot that was maybe a half mile away.
This was four days after Gannon was reported missing to the police.
Letecia said she wouldn't show her face for the interview.
Spencer said, towards the end of their interview, she asked him to redo part of the interview when he asks her if there's anything she wanted to say to Gannon. The first time she didn't cry and the second time he noticed she was crying and upset.
Letecia talks about "bolting" from the police as detective previously described while doing a news interview. She talks about how it wasn't okay of police to point a gun to her and how once she learned it was police, she was fine with complying with them.
In interview, Letecia refers to Gannon in past tense as well as the present tense.
Court is taking evening recess for the day. They return tomorrow at 9 am.
https://twitter.com/FierroNicole
Spenser Wilson is now testifying. He is a news reporter that used to work in the Colorado Springs market in 2020 and interviewed Letecia.
He said he was in a neighborhood of a search and someone pulled up and tried to chastise him for his coverage of the search. He said that person chastising him was Letecia Stauch.
He describes her demeanor as angry and not happy that him or other media being there. Spencer asked her to do an interview if she didn't like what he was covering. They drove to a construction lot that was maybe a half mile away.
This was four days after Gannon was reported missing to the police.
Letecia said she wouldn't show her face for the interview.
Spencer said, towards the end of their interview, she asked him to redo part of the interview when he asks her if there's anything she wanted to say to Gannon. The first time she didn't cry and the second time he noticed she was crying and upset.
Letecia talks about "bolting" from the police as detective previously described while doing a news interview. She talks about how it wasn't okay of police to point a gun to her and how once she learned it was police, she was fine with complying with them.
In interview, Letecia refers to Gannon in past tense as well as the present tense.
Court is taking evening recess for the day. They return tomorrow at 9 am.
Day 8 April 14, 2023
Day 8 of the murder trial for #LeteciaStauch is resuming now. She's accused of murdering and killing her stepson #GannonStauch in January 2020. She is pleading not guilty by reason of insanity. I'll be in the courtroom all day bringing you the latest.
We’re resuming watch video of an interview between Letecia and El Paso County Sheriff’s Office detectives on January 29, 2020. This was two days after Gannon’s disappearance.
Letecia is seen checking her pockets, stretching, pulling her hair up, going through her bag, etc. as she is in the room by herself. She then asked to use the restroom, and when she returned, she asked if she could go to sleep. She then lays on the couch to rest.
Letecia is in the room by herself, seen getting up, walking around, stretching, etc. She then asks if the door can be left open, because she said she is having chest pains, is claustrophobic, has bad anxiety and said she feels like she’s having a panic attack.
At this point, Letecia has been in the room for four hours. She was told she needs to sit on the couch. She said she just wants the door open and her medication. She also said she wants to receive medical attention because her chest is hurting.
EMT’s with the fire department have arrived. They’re now attending to Letecia in the room, checking her vitals, asking her questions, etc. She said she’s still having chest paints and can’t breathe, saying it might be anxiety-related.
EMT’s said her vitals look good, and everything is coming back normal. Letecia is then asked if she wants to go to the hospital, and she said ‘yes.’
Jessica Bethel is back on the witness stand testifying about the 4+ hour interview we’re now finished watching. Bethel was assigned to Gannon Stauch’s case as the lead detective from the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office.
Bethel is answering questions about how Letecia was driven by ambulance to Memorial Hospital to seek medical attention, and also walked away from the hospital before completing a sane exam.
District Attorney Michael Allen: “Did the reported anxiety attack achieve her goal of wanting to leave the Sheriff’s Office?”
Bethel: “Ultimately, yes.”
Bethel also testified saying in February, she received text messages from an unknown number, but based on the context, Bethel knew it was Letecia. Bethel said the text messages, “said they didn’t do anything to Gannon, and there was no negligence on their part.”
Bethel testified saying in early March, she had probable cause and obtained an arrest warrant, so she went to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to arrest Letecia Stauch.
Bethel said Letecia was interviewed by the FBI. She said they also decided that Letecia would be driven back to Colorado. “She was calm, she ate, she sang songs, she played trivia,” said Bethel.
Bethel said Letecia had conversations not related to the investigation, she ate and drank, and was able to use the restroom. Bethel said she had the transport recorded thought because she was concerned with Letecia’s previous behavior.
We’re now watching video of the transport back to Colorado. Letecia is seen manipulating her hands out of the restraints, glancing over several times, then taking a Monster can and hitting a member of law enforcement in the head with it.
The driver of the vehicle then slams on the breaks, and the vehicle pulls over on the side of the highway.
As deputies are working to restrain her - Letecia: “She keeps threatening me the whole time.” Bethel: “Cooperate with me.” Letecia: “I will with you, but not with her.” Law enforcement: “You just got another charge.”
Bethel is now on the phone with other law enforcement calling for back-up, saying Letecia slipped out of her handcuffs, assaulted a deputy, and tried to escape. Letecia said she wasn’t trying to escape, she just wanted to open the door to get some air.
Earlier, Bethel testified saying that Letecia was moving around before slipping out of her handcuffs, and glancing at the deputies’ waist areas where their guns were.
Bethel testified saying it was a very dangerous situation, and that Letecia was already suspected of murder, then assaulted a deputy who was armed, and attempted to obtain her firearm.
Back until 10:45 am MT
Bethel is back on the witness stand testifying saying she believed Letecia was trying to escape, “The fact that she had slipped her handcuffs, assaulted a deputy, then later opened the back door of the van.”
Bethel said Letecia attempted to open the van door with her foot. She said Letecia was resisting arrest, and she was tensing her body and also using her hands to try to manipulate out of the handcuffs.
Bethel said after the incident, when they escorted Letecia to a patrol car, she dropped all her weight which caused Bethel do have a shoulder injury that needed surgical repair later on.
Bethel said Letecia mislead the investigation from the start and continued misleading the investigation until her arrest.
When asked about Letecia appearing to have different personalities or talk in a Spanish accent, Bethel said "no." She then added, “I believe she is sane, and she is manipulative, and very calculated.”
Cross examination for Bethel has begun. Defense attorney Will Cook asked Bethel about Letecia’s behavior during the transport back to Colorado. He’s asking questions like, "She seemed like she was calm and collected? Didn’t switch her personalities?"
Cook then approached the witness stand with a book about mental disorders saying, “This is more or less the Bible for diagnosing psychiatric disorders.” Bethel testified saying she hasn't read the book.
Cook then asked Bethel if she gave her opinion on Letecia’s insanity based on definitions or anything found in the book. She said “no.” That was the end of cross examination for Bethel.
Day 8 of the murder trial for #LeteciaStauch is resuming now. She's accused of murdering and killing her stepson #GannonStauch in January 2020. She is pleading not guilty by reason of insanity. I'll be in the courtroom all day bringing you the latest.
We’re resuming watch video of an interview between Letecia and El Paso County Sheriff’s Office detectives on January 29, 2020. This was two days after Gannon’s disappearance.
Letecia is seen checking her pockets, stretching, pulling her hair up, going through her bag, etc. as she is in the room by herself. She then asked to use the restroom, and when she returned, she asked if she could go to sleep. She then lays on the couch to rest.
Letecia is in the room by herself, seen getting up, walking around, stretching, etc. She then asks if the door can be left open, because she said she is having chest pains, is claustrophobic, has bad anxiety and said she feels like she’s having a panic attack.
At this point, Letecia has been in the room for four hours. She was told she needs to sit on the couch. She said she just wants the door open and her medication. She also said she wants to receive medical attention because her chest is hurting.
EMT’s with the fire department have arrived. They’re now attending to Letecia in the room, checking her vitals, asking her questions, etc. She said she’s still having chest paints and can’t breathe, saying it might be anxiety-related.
EMT’s said her vitals look good, and everything is coming back normal. Letecia is then asked if she wants to go to the hospital, and she said ‘yes.’
Jessica Bethel is back on the witness stand testifying about the 4+ hour interview we’re now finished watching. Bethel was assigned to Gannon Stauch’s case as the lead detective from the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office.
Bethel is answering questions about how Letecia was driven by ambulance to Memorial Hospital to seek medical attention, and also walked away from the hospital before completing a sane exam.
District Attorney Michael Allen: “Did the reported anxiety attack achieve her goal of wanting to leave the Sheriff’s Office?”
Bethel: “Ultimately, yes.”
Bethel also testified saying in February, she received text messages from an unknown number, but based on the context, Bethel knew it was Letecia. Bethel said the text messages, “said they didn’t do anything to Gannon, and there was no negligence on their part.”
Bethel testified saying in early March, she had probable cause and obtained an arrest warrant, so she went to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to arrest Letecia Stauch.
Bethel said Letecia was interviewed by the FBI. She said they also decided that Letecia would be driven back to Colorado. “She was calm, she ate, she sang songs, she played trivia,” said Bethel.
Bethel said Letecia had conversations not related to the investigation, she ate and drank, and was able to use the restroom. Bethel said she had the transport recorded thought because she was concerned with Letecia’s previous behavior.
We’re now watching video of the transport back to Colorado. Letecia is seen manipulating her hands out of the restraints, glancing over several times, then taking a Monster can and hitting a member of law enforcement in the head with it.
The driver of the vehicle then slams on the breaks, and the vehicle pulls over on the side of the highway.
As deputies are working to restrain her - Letecia: “She keeps threatening me the whole time.” Bethel: “Cooperate with me.” Letecia: “I will with you, but not with her.” Law enforcement: “You just got another charge.”
Bethel is now on the phone with other law enforcement calling for back-up, saying Letecia slipped out of her handcuffs, assaulted a deputy, and tried to escape. Letecia said she wasn’t trying to escape, she just wanted to open the door to get some air.
Earlier, Bethel testified saying that Letecia was moving around before slipping out of her handcuffs, and glancing at the deputies’ waist areas where their guns were.
Bethel testified saying it was a very dangerous situation, and that Letecia was already suspected of murder, then assaulted a deputy who was armed, and attempted to obtain her firearm.
Back until 10:45 am MT
Bethel is back on the witness stand testifying saying she believed Letecia was trying to escape, “The fact that she had slipped her handcuffs, assaulted a deputy, then later opened the back door of the van.”
Bethel said Letecia attempted to open the van door with her foot. She said Letecia was resisting arrest, and she was tensing her body and also using her hands to try to manipulate out of the handcuffs.
Bethel said after the incident, when they escorted Letecia to a patrol car, she dropped all her weight which caused Bethel do have a shoulder injury that needed surgical repair later on.
Bethel said Letecia mislead the investigation from the start and continued misleading the investigation until her arrest.
When asked about Letecia appearing to have different personalities or talk in a Spanish accent, Bethel said "no." She then added, “I believe she is sane, and she is manipulative, and very calculated.”
Cross examination for Bethel has begun. Defense attorney Will Cook asked Bethel about Letecia’s behavior during the transport back to Colorado. He’s asking questions like, "She seemed like she was calm and collected? Didn’t switch her personalities?"
Cook then approached the witness stand with a book about mental disorders saying, “This is more or less the Bible for diagnosing psychiatric disorders.” Bethel testified saying she hasn't read the book.
Cook then asked Bethel if she gave her opinion on Letecia’s insanity based on definitions or anything found in the book. She said “no.” That was the end of cross examination for Bethel.
Day 8 April 14, 2023
https://twitter.com/AshleyPorteeyo
The next witness to be called to the stand is Christian Liewer, a crime scene investigator with Colorado Springs Metro Crime Lab.
Liewer testified saying he went to the Stauch home three times in early February, and was looking for blood stains. He said most of his focus was in the garage and Gannon’s room.
Liewer is describing the chemical called blue star that is used to find blood stains. He said there were positive reactions found on a piece of carpet in the garage, the garage floor, on boards, a box, the door leading from the garage to the laundry room, and in the laundry room.
The court is on a break until 1:20 p.m. MT
The murder trial for Letecia Stauch has resumed. Liewer, a crime scene investigator with Colorado Springs Metro Crime Lab is back on the stand.
Liewer is testifying about photos he took of positive reactions of the blue star chemical which can detect blood. There were many positive reactions on the wall where Gannon’s bed was.
Liewer is also describing a reddish/brown stain on the carpet where Gannon’s bed was. The stain went through the carpet, the padding, and down to the concrete.
Liewer also photographed a defect on the window sill next to Gannon’s bed. Liewer said based on the evidence, they began looking for what caused the bloodshed event, like a blunt force instrument or a firearm.
They found a firearm in the master bedroom of the Stauch home on a piece of furniture. It’s a black Smith & Wesson handgun, which was taken and seized from the home. Jurors are now seeing the handgun.
Liewer is now testifying about how they searched the home for cleaning materials and supplies, based on the evidence of blood they found. A bottle of vinegar was found on the washer/dryer, while other supplies were found under the kitchen sink.
https://twitter.com/AshleyPorteeyo
The next witness to be called to the stand is Christian Liewer, a crime scene investigator with Colorado Springs Metro Crime Lab.
Liewer testified saying he went to the Stauch home three times in early February, and was looking for blood stains. He said most of his focus was in the garage and Gannon’s room.
Liewer is describing the chemical called blue star that is used to find blood stains. He said there were positive reactions found on a piece of carpet in the garage, the garage floor, on boards, a box, the door leading from the garage to the laundry room, and in the laundry room.
The court is on a break until 1:20 p.m. MT
The murder trial for Letecia Stauch has resumed. Liewer, a crime scene investigator with Colorado Springs Metro Crime Lab is back on the stand.
Liewer is testifying about photos he took of positive reactions of the blue star chemical which can detect blood. There were many positive reactions on the wall where Gannon’s bed was.
Liewer is also describing a reddish/brown stain on the carpet where Gannon’s bed was. The stain went through the carpet, the padding, and down to the concrete.
Liewer also photographed a defect on the window sill next to Gannon’s bed. Liewer said based on the evidence, they began looking for what caused the bloodshed event, like a blunt force instrument or a firearm.
They found a firearm in the master bedroom of the Stauch home on a piece of furniture. It’s a black Smith & Wesson handgun, which was taken and seized from the home. Jurors are now seeing the handgun.
Liewer is now testifying about how they searched the home for cleaning materials and supplies, based on the evidence of blood they found. A bottle of vinegar was found on the washer/dryer, while other supplies were found under the kitchen sink.
Day 8 April 14, 2023
https://twitter.com/AshleyPorteeyo
The next witness is Stephanie Happ, the senior firearms examiner with the Colorado Springs Metro Crime Lab.
Happ examined and tested three firearms taken from the Stauch home and compared them to the three recovered bullets, two from the pillow and one from Gannon’s head when his body was found in a suitcase in Florida.
Happ said she was able to identify two of the bullets being fired from a Smith & Wesson pistol, which was one of the firearms she was asked to examine.
Cross examination has begun for Stephanie Happ. She’s being questioned about the pistol in question, and if it favorited a right-handed person or a left-handed person. She said if she was the shooter, the pistol would favor a right-handed person.
Happ also testified saying the shell casings of the pistol in question would fall to the right.
Happ said she did not evaluate how far away the shooter was. That's the end of her testimony. The next witness called is Brooke Bell, the senior crime scene investigator with the Colorado Springs Metro Crime Lab.
https://twitter.com/AshleyPorteeyo
The next witness is Stephanie Happ, the senior firearms examiner with the Colorado Springs Metro Crime Lab.
Happ examined and tested three firearms taken from the Stauch home and compared them to the three recovered bullets, two from the pillow and one from Gannon’s head when his body was found in a suitcase in Florida.
Happ said she was able to identify two of the bullets being fired from a Smith & Wesson pistol, which was one of the firearms she was asked to examine.
Cross examination has begun for Stephanie Happ. She’s being questioned about the pistol in question, and if it favorited a right-handed person or a left-handed person. She said if she was the shooter, the pistol would favor a right-handed person.
Happ also testified saying the shell casings of the pistol in question would fall to the right.
Happ said she did not evaluate how far away the shooter was. That's the end of her testimony. The next witness called is Brooke Bell, the senior crime scene investigator with the Colorado Springs Metro Crime Lab.
Day 8 April 14, 2023
Today's final witness was another crime scene investigator with CSPD, Brooke Bell, who testified about several more spots and items in the Stauch's home where possible blood was discovered.
Notably, Bell testified that the burn marks on the Stauch’s carpet/ground were not consistent with Stauch’s story that Gannon knocked a candle over on accident, causing those burns.
Also, that there was potential blood discovered in the area where Stauch had cut the carpet off the floor.
Final thing for the day is a juror indicated to the judge that she knew one of the witnesses "distantly" through her church, and sang at her sister's funeral. Allen stated he had no issue with the juror remaining, Tolini asked to have the juror dismissed.
Juror stated she had only met the witness in question twice prior to today.
No ruling coming today, Judge Gregory Werner stated he will review this over the weekend and decide on Monday.
Allen is stating now that it has come to the prosecution's attention that Stauch has been "flipping off" some people in the courtroom at points today. I personally have not seen this, however, I am sitting right behind her so can't say for sure that it is or isn't happening.
When Werner stated she would be kicked out of the courtroom and the trial would go on without her I heard Stauch whisper to her attorney "that sounds good.”
Trial is over for the day, we will kick back up on Monday morning.
Today's final witness was another crime scene investigator with CSPD, Brooke Bell, who testified about several more spots and items in the Stauch's home where possible blood was discovered.
Notably, Bell testified that the burn marks on the Stauch’s carpet/ground were not consistent with Stauch’s story that Gannon knocked a candle over on accident, causing those burns.
Also, that there was potential blood discovered in the area where Stauch had cut the carpet off the floor.
Final thing for the day is a juror indicated to the judge that she knew one of the witnesses "distantly" through her church, and sang at her sister's funeral. Allen stated he had no issue with the juror remaining, Tolini asked to have the juror dismissed.
Juror stated she had only met the witness in question twice prior to today.
No ruling coming today, Judge Gregory Werner stated he will review this over the weekend and decide on Monday.
Allen is stating now that it has come to the prosecution's attention that Stauch has been "flipping off" some people in the courtroom at points today. I personally have not seen this, however, I am sitting right behind her so can't say for sure that it is or isn't happening.
When Werner stated she would be kicked out of the courtroom and the trial would go on without her I heard Stauch whisper to her attorney "that sounds good.”
Trial is over for the day, we will kick back up on Monday morning.
Letecia Stauch trial: Video shown to jury of Stauch assaulting detective and possibly lunging for firearm
Friday marked the end of the second week of Letecia Stauch’s jury trial, where the prosecution entered into evidence a video of Stauch assaulting an El Paso County detective while…
gazette.com
Friday marked the end of the second week of Letecia Stauch’s jury trial, where the prosecution entered into evidence a video of Stauch assaulting an El Paso County detective while being taken to jail from South Carolina.
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Letecia Stauch trial: Father of Gannon Stauch says the stepmom was 'absolutely sane'
Questions regarding sanity continue to swirl in the case of Letecia Stauch, who is accused of killing her 11-year-old stepson Gannon Stauch in January 2020, and on Wednesday her ex-husband
denvergazette.com
4/13/23
Questions regarding sanity continue to swirl in the case of Letecia Stauch, who is accused of killing her 11-year-old stepson Gannon Stauch in January 2020, and on Wednesday her ex-husband gave a firm position on his beliefs regarding Letecia Stauch’s sanity.
"I believe she is, and was, absolutely sane," Al Stauch, Gannon’s father, said when asked by the prosecution if he believed Letecia Stauch was sane. "From the time I met her to even today."
The claim by Al Stauch regarding her sanity was contested by defense attorney Josh Tolini, who during a very tense cross-examination attempted to use statements made by Al Stauch in the past to undermine his claims regarding Letecia Stauch’s sanity.
Tolini referred to statements Al Stauch had made to detectives in the past: allegedly describing his relationship with Letecia Stauch as a “roller coaster,” how he had previously called her “crazy” and how she allegedly referred to herself as “Taylor” despite that not being her first or middle name.
[..]
Tolini also alleged that Letecia Stauch was seeing a psychiatrist, Dr. Ronda Niderhauser, to treat a mental illness, specifically anxiety. Al Stauch said he was unaware of why Letecia Stauch was seeing Dr. Niderhauser, who is expected to testify later in the trial.
Defense attorney Will Cook explained during opening statements that the defense’s expert, psychiatrist Dr. Dorothy Lewis, found Letecia Stauch insane, and diagnosed her with dissociative identity disorder.
During redirect, Al Stauch attempted to explain some of the statements Tolini referred to, saying the “roller coaster” description was just “the normal ebb and flow of many relationships” and not a comment on the mental health of Letecia Stauch.
[..]
During the prosecution’s opening statement Allen referenced that a psychiatrist with the state hospital in Pueblo found Letecia Stauch sane, contradicting the findings of the defense’s expert.
[..]
Al Stauch testified after the final phone conversation was played that he didn't believe Letecia Stauch's version of events, despite saying he did believe her during the final phone call.
Macon Ponder, a bridge inspector from Florida, testified that while performing a bridge inspection on March 14, 2020, for a bridge running over the Escambia River near Pensacola, Fla., he and his partner noticed a suitcase under the bridge near the marsh below. Ponder testified that if the suitcase had been just slightly deeper in the marsh he may not have noticed it at all.
When Ponder and his partner went to inspect the suitcase, which he said they only did out of “pure curiosity,” he opened it and immediately realized there was something dead inside due to the “overwhelming” smell.
“First thing I remember seeing was two little feet with football socks on them,” Ponder said.
[..]
The 18-person jury also heard from two prosecution witnesses from the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office prior to the end of the day, one who discussed evidence collection at the Stauch home, and another who was one of the first responders to the Stauch home after Gannon was reported missing.
Letecia Stauch’s trial will resume on Friday morning. She faces 12 charges, and if convicted of first-degree murder she would be sentenced to life in prison, per Colorado law.
Week 3 Day 9
4/17/2023
Good morning! Have a work training from 8-10 then I will be back on the trial and live tweeting. Will also watch back the first hour during court lunch break. Will tweet asap.
Just had my coworker check. Harley Hunt, Letecia Stauch’s daughter, is on the stand.
Back at my desk. Harley is testifying about her mom wanting to move often.
Letecia is sitting in between her lawyers today as her daughter testifies.
Harley says it was her mom's idea to want to move to Colorado. She said there was an incident that had happened but she didn't know too much about it.
Harley talking about living in Colorado "It started to feel like we were family again because everyone was there and we were together."
Harley getting emotional talking about how Letecia and Al would argue while living in Colorado. She says her mom would ask her opinion on it when they would fight. "I just said I don't want to be a part of this.”
Harley is now talking about Jan 26th, 2020. Harley was not supposed to work, but got called in to work at Massage Envy.
Harley said she was supposed to go on a hike that Sunday with her mom, Gannon and Laina but got called into work. Her mom told them they still went and sent her pictures.
Harley was just given a book of text messages between she and her mom #leteciastauch from Jan 25th-Jan 29th, 2020
Jan. 26th, Harley says she is still at work. She's getting text from Letecia telling her that Gannon dropped a candle and it started a fire. Prosecutor is reading a text from Letecia to Harley saying "he is fine, he is scared”
Harley says she was at work, she was confused what was going on and got worried the dogs were set on fire. "None of the texts were really clear, they were confusing at first."
Letecia in text, clarifies that they dogs were okay and that she and Laina grabbed them.
Harley asks Letecia on text what happened with Gannon and the candle.
Letecia had texted Harley that he (Gannon) must have knocked it over while he was asleep unless he was awake and lied. "But he acted sorry for sure.”
Harley says she clocked out between 10 and 10:30 that Sunday night and went home. "I get home and mom and Laina are in the living room and they're telling me about the fire. Gannon wasn't upstairs at this point."
"She had told me the Gannon had been knocked over, she thinks he was playing on his Nintendo and wasn't supposed to be and maybe that's how it got knocked over.”
Letecia told her they had gone outside and she called a firefighter friend to make sure it was safe that they could go back in. "She said that when they were in the street that Gannon was screaming that he hates his life and screaming different things"
Harley said that Gannon doesn't normally say things like that. She didn't think it was a big deal and that Al usually doesn't make big deals out of things.
Harley said she and her mom went downstairs that Sunday night to tell Gannon goodnight. "Not something she'd (Letecia) normally do." They both went down there but Harley didn't go in his room.
Harley said she slept upstairs that night because it was cold downstairs and you could still smell the fumes. Gannon was the only one sleeping in the basement that night. "My mom made the comment Gannon is acting weird, I don't know what's wrong with him.”
Court is taking break until 10:45 am.
Court is now back in session.
Harley is back on stand. Jan 26th she and her mom are texting about the candle fire while Harley is still at work. In text, Letecia told her the cover that Gannon was wrapped in was on fire. She told Harley she burned her arm jumping on him.
Harley doesn't remember Letecia showing her burns on her arm when she got home that night.
Harley had to work the morning of Jan 27th, 2020. She says she left the house around 8 am. She had slept in the same bed with her mother the night before but texted her mother "are you here" that morning before leaving for work. Believes her mom wasn't in bed when she woke up.
Letecia sent Harley a picture of her dog Sadie while she was at work Jan 27th.
On Jan 27th, at 9:27 am Letecia texted her daughter "Omg something isn't right.”
Letecia then sent screen shots at 9:29 am on Jan 27th. They talked about how Gannon could somehow be related to bath salts.
At 4:20 pm, Jan 27th, Harley texted her mom that she just got off work. Letecia responded "Yay."
Harley got a text message from Gannon's phone on Jan 27th, day of Gannon's disappearance. Her understanding of the text was that Letecia, her mom, left her phone at home and if she needed anything to text Gannon's phone.
The text from Gannon's phone was at 10:37 am "Tecia left phone at home if you need her text me." and at 1:20 pm a text "You okay? Miss you.”
Harley said her mom always brought her phone everywhere and she says she felt it was unusual she left it at home. "It's just weird how this particular day she left her phone at home."
"When I get home, mom's upstairs just having normal conversation and she tells me she looked up on the internet how to remove fire stains from the carpet so she wanted me to go to the store and get that stuff.”
Said she saw her mom and Laina when she got home on the 27th, not Gannon. Harley tells court she asked where Gannon was and Letecia told her he was at a friend's house and she instructed him to come home at a particular time.
"She asked me to go to the dollar store to get the items she sent me because it was to clean the fire that happened downstairs the night before." Laina went with her to the Dollar store and it was her mom's idea to have Laina go with her.
Harley is reading receipt from the Dollar Tree showing she bought elastics, extra strength deodorizer, bubble gum, trash bags and cotton rounds
She remembers Gannon not returning home. Harley remembers they were going to all have sushi for dinner and her mom saying when he didn't come back "I guess he didn't want to eat sushi.”
Harley says her mom is strict about Harley and the kids coming home on time. She said her mom's demeanor was "worried" when he didn't come home when he was supposed to. She says they got in the car and drove to the friends' house and he wasn't there.
Letecia sent Harley a text at 7:08pm on Jan 27th asking "any luck" finding him. She said they all went out together at first to look then Harley took her car to go to look if he was at the school.
"I just thought he had ran away or was at his friends, that he didn't want to come home." She said she thought that because that was what she was told by her mom.
Letecia told her daughter she was going to stay home incase Gannon came home, so somebody would be there. Harley is out looking at the time and Letecia tells her Connor's mom is going to meet with her and go look with her while Letecia is waiting at home.
Harley asked if she needed to get anything for her mom and Letecia responded no and that she may need to go to the store.
Letecia told Harley not to answer the door for anyone. Harley said they had made a social media post about Gannon missing and she didn't want her answering the door for people.
"I remember we were in the car when it first happened, she was like 'what do I do? Do I call Albert.' She called Albert.”
Before police got there, Letecia asked Harley to look at Gannon's backpack. She said in his backpack he had a folder, and in the folder there was a Swisher Sweets cigar roll. "I didn't understand why it was in his backpack." Said it wasn't hidden.
Letecia texts Harley at 6:21 am on Jan 28th, 2020 that she is going to go see if people are out looking for Gannon.
Harley says she is a heavy sleeper. If her mom was in the basement and she was sleeping, she doesn't think she would have heard her.
At 7:31 am Harley sent a screen shot to Letecia. She said she was sending her screen shots about what people were posting about Gannon's disappearance.
On Jan 28th, Letecia asked Harley what shoes were at the door. Harley sent a picture of shoes at the front door.
Jan 28th morning, Letecia texted Harley to pull her car in the garage. Harley had figured that would be because people would be coming over with Gannon's disappearance.
When asked if Harley thought it was weird that her mom came back on Jan 28th in a rental car, she said "I was told they were going to be driving, searching for him (Gannon) and she didn't want to put miles on her car and Al's truck takes a lot of gas.”
On 4:26pm on Jan 28th, Harley texts her mom "Where did you?" Mom texts her "I'll text you in 10 minutes.”
Letecia then says "don't open for anyone." Harley said there was a bunch of stories and reasons why she was told she couldn't answer the door.
As of the afternoon of Jan 28th, Harley had been told different versions of what happened to Gannon. First, he was at a friends, then he was missing, then he must have been with his friend's older brother. Then, she remembers her mom saying "they are trying to frame me"
Harley texted her mom in the afternoon "where are you going." She said her mom's Life 360 app that always shows her mom's location was shut down and not showing her location.
Letecia texts Harley "Something isn't right. I think they are hiding something." Harley says that she said that after police were asking for hair brushes and tooth brushes.
Harley replies to Letecia "What do you think they are hiding" and Letecia didn't answer to that.
Harley explained that Al had Facetimed her on Jan 28th. They wanted Letecia to go to the police station where he was. Harley texted Letecia that Al wanted her to meet him there.
Jan 28th, 5:28pm Letecia texts Harley "What did Albert say to you" and Harley texts back "To tell you to come there" and Letecia says "I told him it was nonsense to go there again”.
Letecia is texting Harley asking for updates about what was going on at the house.
6:24 pm Jan 28th Letcia texts Harley "They are asking me dumb questions”
Harley texted her mom that she was talking to the news because Al let them in the house. Al was being interviewed by the news.
They are breaking for lunch recess
4/17/2023
Good morning! Have a work training from 8-10 then I will be back on the trial and live tweeting. Will also watch back the first hour during court lunch break. Will tweet asap.
Just had my coworker check. Harley Hunt, Letecia Stauch’s daughter, is on the stand.
Back at my desk. Harley is testifying about her mom wanting to move often.
Letecia is sitting in between her lawyers today as her daughter testifies.
Harley says it was her mom's idea to want to move to Colorado. She said there was an incident that had happened but she didn't know too much about it.
Harley talking about living in Colorado "It started to feel like we were family again because everyone was there and we were together."
Harley getting emotional talking about how Letecia and Al would argue while living in Colorado. She says her mom would ask her opinion on it when they would fight. "I just said I don't want to be a part of this.”
Harley is now talking about Jan 26th, 2020. Harley was not supposed to work, but got called in to work at Massage Envy.
Harley said she was supposed to go on a hike that Sunday with her mom, Gannon and Laina but got called into work. Her mom told them they still went and sent her pictures.
Harley was just given a book of text messages between she and her mom #leteciastauch from Jan 25th-Jan 29th, 2020
Jan. 26th, Harley says she is still at work. She's getting text from Letecia telling her that Gannon dropped a candle and it started a fire. Prosecutor is reading a text from Letecia to Harley saying "he is fine, he is scared”
Harley says she was at work, she was confused what was going on and got worried the dogs were set on fire. "None of the texts were really clear, they were confusing at first."
Letecia in text, clarifies that they dogs were okay and that she and Laina grabbed them.
Harley asks Letecia on text what happened with Gannon and the candle.
Letecia had texted Harley that he (Gannon) must have knocked it over while he was asleep unless he was awake and lied. "But he acted sorry for sure.”
Harley says she clocked out between 10 and 10:30 that Sunday night and went home. "I get home and mom and Laina are in the living room and they're telling me about the fire. Gannon wasn't upstairs at this point."
"She had told me the Gannon had been knocked over, she thinks he was playing on his Nintendo and wasn't supposed to be and maybe that's how it got knocked over.”
Letecia told her they had gone outside and she called a firefighter friend to make sure it was safe that they could go back in. "She said that when they were in the street that Gannon was screaming that he hates his life and screaming different things"
Harley said that Gannon doesn't normally say things like that. She didn't think it was a big deal and that Al usually doesn't make big deals out of things.
Harley said she and her mom went downstairs that Sunday night to tell Gannon goodnight. "Not something she'd (Letecia) normally do." They both went down there but Harley didn't go in his room.
Harley said she slept upstairs that night because it was cold downstairs and you could still smell the fumes. Gannon was the only one sleeping in the basement that night. "My mom made the comment Gannon is acting weird, I don't know what's wrong with him.”
Court is taking break until 10:45 am.
Court is now back in session.
Harley is back on stand. Jan 26th she and her mom are texting about the candle fire while Harley is still at work. In text, Letecia told her the cover that Gannon was wrapped in was on fire. She told Harley she burned her arm jumping on him.
Harley doesn't remember Letecia showing her burns on her arm when she got home that night.
Harley had to work the morning of Jan 27th, 2020. She says she left the house around 8 am. She had slept in the same bed with her mother the night before but texted her mother "are you here" that morning before leaving for work. Believes her mom wasn't in bed when she woke up.
Letecia sent Harley a picture of her dog Sadie while she was at work Jan 27th.
On Jan 27th, at 9:27 am Letecia texted her daughter "Omg something isn't right.”
Letecia then sent screen shots at 9:29 am on Jan 27th. They talked about how Gannon could somehow be related to bath salts.
At 4:20 pm, Jan 27th, Harley texted her mom that she just got off work. Letecia responded "Yay."
Harley got a text message from Gannon's phone on Jan 27th, day of Gannon's disappearance. Her understanding of the text was that Letecia, her mom, left her phone at home and if she needed anything to text Gannon's phone.
The text from Gannon's phone was at 10:37 am "Tecia left phone at home if you need her text me." and at 1:20 pm a text "You okay? Miss you.”
Harley said her mom always brought her phone everywhere and she says she felt it was unusual she left it at home. "It's just weird how this particular day she left her phone at home."
"When I get home, mom's upstairs just having normal conversation and she tells me she looked up on the internet how to remove fire stains from the carpet so she wanted me to go to the store and get that stuff.”
Said she saw her mom and Laina when she got home on the 27th, not Gannon. Harley tells court she asked where Gannon was and Letecia told her he was at a friend's house and she instructed him to come home at a particular time.
"She asked me to go to the dollar store to get the items she sent me because it was to clean the fire that happened downstairs the night before." Laina went with her to the Dollar store and it was her mom's idea to have Laina go with her.
Harley is reading receipt from the Dollar Tree showing she bought elastics, extra strength deodorizer, bubble gum, trash bags and cotton rounds
She remembers Gannon not returning home. Harley remembers they were going to all have sushi for dinner and her mom saying when he didn't come back "I guess he didn't want to eat sushi.”
Harley says her mom is strict about Harley and the kids coming home on time. She said her mom's demeanor was "worried" when he didn't come home when he was supposed to. She says they got in the car and drove to the friends' house and he wasn't there.
Letecia sent Harley a text at 7:08pm on Jan 27th asking "any luck" finding him. She said they all went out together at first to look then Harley took her car to go to look if he was at the school.
"I just thought he had ran away or was at his friends, that he didn't want to come home." She said she thought that because that was what she was told by her mom.
Letecia told her daughter she was going to stay home incase Gannon came home, so somebody would be there. Harley is out looking at the time and Letecia tells her Connor's mom is going to meet with her and go look with her while Letecia is waiting at home.
Harley asked if she needed to get anything for her mom and Letecia responded no and that she may need to go to the store.
Letecia told Harley not to answer the door for anyone. Harley said they had made a social media post about Gannon missing and she didn't want her answering the door for people.
"I remember we were in the car when it first happened, she was like 'what do I do? Do I call Albert.' She called Albert.”
Before police got there, Letecia asked Harley to look at Gannon's backpack. She said in his backpack he had a folder, and in the folder there was a Swisher Sweets cigar roll. "I didn't understand why it was in his backpack." Said it wasn't hidden.
Letecia texts Harley at 6:21 am on Jan 28th, 2020 that she is going to go see if people are out looking for Gannon.
Harley says she is a heavy sleeper. If her mom was in the basement and she was sleeping, she doesn't think she would have heard her.
At 7:31 am Harley sent a screen shot to Letecia. She said she was sending her screen shots about what people were posting about Gannon's disappearance.
On Jan 28th, Letecia asked Harley what shoes were at the door. Harley sent a picture of shoes at the front door.
Jan 28th morning, Letecia texted Harley to pull her car in the garage. Harley had figured that would be because people would be coming over with Gannon's disappearance.
When asked if Harley thought it was weird that her mom came back on Jan 28th in a rental car, she said "I was told they were going to be driving, searching for him (Gannon) and she didn't want to put miles on her car and Al's truck takes a lot of gas.”
On 4:26pm on Jan 28th, Harley texts her mom "Where did you?" Mom texts her "I'll text you in 10 minutes.”
Letecia then says "don't open for anyone." Harley said there was a bunch of stories and reasons why she was told she couldn't answer the door.
As of the afternoon of Jan 28th, Harley had been told different versions of what happened to Gannon. First, he was at a friends, then he was missing, then he must have been with his friend's older brother. Then, she remembers her mom saying "they are trying to frame me"
Harley texted her mom in the afternoon "where are you going." She said her mom's Life 360 app that always shows her mom's location was shut down and not showing her location.
Letecia texts Harley "Something isn't right. I think they are hiding something." Harley says that she said that after police were asking for hair brushes and tooth brushes.
Harley replies to Letecia "What do you think they are hiding" and Letecia didn't answer to that.
Harley explained that Al had Facetimed her on Jan 28th. They wanted Letecia to go to the police station where he was. Harley texted Letecia that Al wanted her to meet him there.
Jan 28th, 5:28pm Letecia texts Harley "What did Albert say to you" and Harley texts back "To tell you to come there" and Letecia says "I told him it was nonsense to go there again”.
Letecia is texting Harley asking for updates about what was going on at the house.
6:24 pm Jan 28th Letcia texts Harley "They are asking me dumb questions”
Harley texted her mom that she was talking to the news because Al let them in the house. Al was being interviewed by the news.
They are breaking for lunch recess
Week 3 Day 9
4/17/2023
Court is back from lunch recess
Jan 28th, Harley texted her mom that someone was there. She says there were detectives at the door
Letecia tells her don't open. Harley didn't open the door for the police. They knocked on the door she said.
Harley says she got a voicemail from a detective saying they want to talk to her. She forwarded it to her mom.
This is the night after #GannonStauch disappearance. She talked to her mom on the phone after 7 pm that night, Harley says Letecia told her not to talk to police.
"She had called me and told me to leave the house. She tried to get me to leave Laina there”
At around 10 pm, Harley opened the garage and detectives were out there and asked where she was going "My mom told me to tell them I was going to Starbucks and I told them that.”
Jan 28th 10:04 pm, Harley texted her mom "I told them I'm not going anywhere or saying anything." Letecia responded "Just keep saying that”
Jan 28th 1:07 pm Letecia texts Harley saying "I have to get an attorney fast”
In text messages, Letecia tells Harley to call 911 if detectives keep trying to speak with her. Harley says she did not call 911, and she just told detectives she didn't want to answer questions.
Harley says, on a FaceTime with her mom, Letecia told her to meet her at a hotel that was near Harley's work. Harley drove her Jetta to the hotel. "She said she didn't want to be in the house with Albert and Landen and his family." "She didn't want me there with them.”
Harley remembers sitting in her car for a long time and waiting for a while before seeing her mom at the hotel. Letecia showed up in her VW Tiguan.
When she shows up at the hotel, Harley says Letecia told her they needed to go home. Letecia left her car and got in Harley's. "She just kept being paranoid I guess you could say.”
Jan 29th, 2020, Harley had to go to work. She took her mom with her because Letecia's car was at the hotel near Harley's work. Before going to work, Harley took her mom to return the rental car keys at the airport. "She told me not to speed because someone was following us."
While at work, Harley was notified that Letecia was in the hospital. She left work to go to the hospital. Harley picked up a friend to go to the hospital because she was a minor. When she got to the hospital with friend, Letecia is at a Taco Bell and a stranger took her there.
Letecia gets picked up by Harley at Taco Bell. Harley let Letecia use her phone while she is in the car. According to Harley, Letecia said police took her phone. Harley is looking at texts from when Letecia texts Al on her phone.
Harley says they went to a parking garage and drove around to see if Letecia's car was still there.
Harley says she stayed the night at her friend Janine Sanchez's house on Jan 29th and Letecia did too.
The next day, Jan 30th, Harley and Letecia go to Marshalls. Harley said she was at the cash register and police came in. She said they took her phone and put her in hand cuff and it made her feel "bad.”
She said her mom was already outside when police came inside Marshalls. When Harley came out, her mom was with police in handcuffs and screamed at her Harley not to say anything.
Harley says police eventually let she and her mom go. They took Harley's car and cell phone.
Harley said she and Letecia were supposed to meet her grandma, uncle and aunt. Family picked them up at the shopping plaza and took them to the Extended Stay Hotel. They had two rooms for Letecia, Harley and three relatives.
The next day, Harley says her Aunt Brenda rented a van and they went to the house to get their stuff. Police and Albert's family were there. As they got their stuff, Harley says police had to look through everything they got.
When moving things out of the house that day, Harley did not remember seeing the big green suitcase.
As they leave from getting their belongings from the house, Letecia sees a reporter and wants to talk to him. Harley says she was waiting for her mom in the car during interview until Letecia asked her get out and answer some questions, too.
After interview, they went back to the hotel. Harley said her mom said she needed to get dog food and took their relatives rental car. Harley said her mom was gone for 2+ hours.
Feb 1st, 2020. Letecia came back to hotel with a new van. "I just knew we were leaving, I didn't know where we were going." Harley said destination changed multiple times. "She kept saying where do you want to live?”
We are seeing pictures of the white van Letecia and Harley left town in. Harley said she never went in the back because all of the stuff she needed was in the front. They had their dogs with them Harley says the dogs never went in the back of the van either.
Harley said Letecia would talk about starting a new life when they left town. Harley said she asked where they would going and the destination would change. Harley said Letecia told her "Albert went against her and doesn't believe her" so that's why she wanted to leave.
Harley said Letecia was driving. They left a Walmart in Trinidad, Colorado where Letecia got a phone and Harley said she thought they were going to Texas.
Prosecutor is asking if Harley smelled anything in the back of car when they are embarking on the road trip and she said no.
Harley said she didn't question her mom a lot because she would be told she would be disrespectful. She said if she was disrespectful in the past, her mom has back-handed her.
They stayed in Amarillo, TX. Remembers her mom making reservations close in time to when they got there.
We are about to watch video of them walking into the hotel.
Harley said it was always an "in and out thing" when they would stop at hotels. They didn't bring in their bags.
Harley said she didn't go in van by herself.
From Amarillo, they drove to Decatur, TX.
From Decatur, they drove to Pensacola.
Harley says Letecia was acting "normal" when they got to the hotel in Pensacola. At no point of the trip does she remember smelled anything.
"Ms. Hunt I want to ask you a direct question...did you help your mom throw that suitcase off of that bridge on Feb. 4th 2020." Harley: "No I did not”
After Pensacola, they went to Orlando. Harley thought they were supposed to stay for multiple days but they had to leave because she said Letecia thought "they were following us." They left Orlando and went to Myrtle Beach.
Harley said she believed her mom and it wasn't until this past November that she started having questions.
When hearing her mom's plea, not guilty by reason of insanity, Harley said she initially didn't understand what it meant.
Harley said her mom appeared to know right from wrong during the entire trip where Gannon's body was taken from Colorado to Fl.
Harley said she hasn't seen her mom change personalities. She didn't see her mom not remember who she was or who Gannon was.
Harley said her mom appeared to know right from wrong during the entire trip where Gannon's body was taken from Colorado to Fl.
Harley said her mom has referred to herself as Taylor because she didn't like her name. She said she didn't take on a different personality when she used the name Taylor.
Harley was concerned that she may be an accessory to first degree murder because of the trip. She flew out to Colorado to give them a statement. She says she did it "Because it's the right thing to do" and there was no guarantee she wouldn't be charged if she talked.
Do you now know you can't be charged with that crime? Yes. Why? Because you guys believe me.
Attorney brings up statute of limitations.
Harley signed an agreement in August of 2020 prior to coming to do an interview with DA's office in CO.
Court in afternoon break until 3:30
Cross on Harley Hunt is starting
Harley tells Tolini she doesn't remember walking in on her mom rolling in a ball crying in the past.
Harley says she's come across her mom crying before in closet and she's walked in on her mom in closet texting.
"She was always just worried about me" - Harley about her mom growing up. She said they would have code words like Harley's middle name. "She would say it so that I would know it was her talking to me. I just thought it was normal mom things.”
Harley says mom would be sudden in moving them. "She would be like 'i'm not happy, what do you think about moving here?’"
Harley tells Tolini her mom looked legitimately worried when they we're looking for Gannon the night of his disappearance
Have to step away from feed to go do my 4 pm news story. Will be back shortly.
Harley tells Tolini during the whole trip, she didn't believe she would do anything to hurt Gannon.
“The thought just never came across my mind, I just never thought my mom would do that…I never even questioned it, it just never came up.”
Prosecution: “Do you still love your mother?” Harley didn’t answer, and put her head down as she became emotional.
They are ending court early
4/17/2023
Court is back from lunch recess
Jan 28th, Harley texted her mom that someone was there. She says there were detectives at the door
Letecia tells her don't open. Harley didn't open the door for the police. They knocked on the door she said.
Harley says she got a voicemail from a detective saying they want to talk to her. She forwarded it to her mom.
This is the night after #GannonStauch disappearance. She talked to her mom on the phone after 7 pm that night, Harley says Letecia told her not to talk to police.
"She had called me and told me to leave the house. She tried to get me to leave Laina there”
At around 10 pm, Harley opened the garage and detectives were out there and asked where she was going "My mom told me to tell them I was going to Starbucks and I told them that.”
Jan 28th 10:04 pm, Harley texted her mom "I told them I'm not going anywhere or saying anything." Letecia responded "Just keep saying that”
Jan 28th 1:07 pm Letecia texts Harley saying "I have to get an attorney fast”
In text messages, Letecia tells Harley to call 911 if detectives keep trying to speak with her. Harley says she did not call 911, and she just told detectives she didn't want to answer questions.
Harley says, on a FaceTime with her mom, Letecia told her to meet her at a hotel that was near Harley's work. Harley drove her Jetta to the hotel. "She said she didn't want to be in the house with Albert and Landen and his family." "She didn't want me there with them.”
Harley remembers sitting in her car for a long time and waiting for a while before seeing her mom at the hotel. Letecia showed up in her VW Tiguan.
When she shows up at the hotel, Harley says Letecia told her they needed to go home. Letecia left her car and got in Harley's. "She just kept being paranoid I guess you could say.”
Jan 29th, 2020, Harley had to go to work. She took her mom with her because Letecia's car was at the hotel near Harley's work. Before going to work, Harley took her mom to return the rental car keys at the airport. "She told me not to speed because someone was following us."
While at work, Harley was notified that Letecia was in the hospital. She left work to go to the hospital. Harley picked up a friend to go to the hospital because she was a minor. When she got to the hospital with friend, Letecia is at a Taco Bell and a stranger took her there.
Letecia gets picked up by Harley at Taco Bell. Harley let Letecia use her phone while she is in the car. According to Harley, Letecia said police took her phone. Harley is looking at texts from when Letecia texts Al on her phone.
Harley says they went to a parking garage and drove around to see if Letecia's car was still there.
Harley says she stayed the night at her friend Janine Sanchez's house on Jan 29th and Letecia did too.
The next day, Jan 30th, Harley and Letecia go to Marshalls. Harley said she was at the cash register and police came in. She said they took her phone and put her in hand cuff and it made her feel "bad.”
She said her mom was already outside when police came inside Marshalls. When Harley came out, her mom was with police in handcuffs and screamed at her Harley not to say anything.
Harley says police eventually let she and her mom go. They took Harley's car and cell phone.
Harley said she and Letecia were supposed to meet her grandma, uncle and aunt. Family picked them up at the shopping plaza and took them to the Extended Stay Hotel. They had two rooms for Letecia, Harley and three relatives.
The next day, Harley says her Aunt Brenda rented a van and they went to the house to get their stuff. Police and Albert's family were there. As they got their stuff, Harley says police had to look through everything they got.
When moving things out of the house that day, Harley did not remember seeing the big green suitcase.
As they leave from getting their belongings from the house, Letecia sees a reporter and wants to talk to him. Harley says she was waiting for her mom in the car during interview until Letecia asked her get out and answer some questions, too.
After interview, they went back to the hotel. Harley said her mom said she needed to get dog food and took their relatives rental car. Harley said her mom was gone for 2+ hours.
Feb 1st, 2020. Letecia came back to hotel with a new van. "I just knew we were leaving, I didn't know where we were going." Harley said destination changed multiple times. "She kept saying where do you want to live?”
We are seeing pictures of the white van Letecia and Harley left town in. Harley said she never went in the back because all of the stuff she needed was in the front. They had their dogs with them Harley says the dogs never went in the back of the van either.
Harley said Letecia would talk about starting a new life when they left town. Harley said she asked where they would going and the destination would change. Harley said Letecia told her "Albert went against her and doesn't believe her" so that's why she wanted to leave.
Harley said Letecia was driving. They left a Walmart in Trinidad, Colorado where Letecia got a phone and Harley said she thought they were going to Texas.
Prosecutor is asking if Harley smelled anything in the back of car when they are embarking on the road trip and she said no.
Harley said she didn't question her mom a lot because she would be told she would be disrespectful. She said if she was disrespectful in the past, her mom has back-handed her.
They stayed in Amarillo, TX. Remembers her mom making reservations close in time to when they got there.
We are about to watch video of them walking into the hotel.
Harley said it was always an "in and out thing" when they would stop at hotels. They didn't bring in their bags.
Harley said she didn't go in van by herself.
From Amarillo, they drove to Decatur, TX.
From Decatur, they drove to Pensacola.
Harley says Letecia was acting "normal" when they got to the hotel in Pensacola. At no point of the trip does she remember smelled anything.
"Ms. Hunt I want to ask you a direct question...did you help your mom throw that suitcase off of that bridge on Feb. 4th 2020." Harley: "No I did not”
After Pensacola, they went to Orlando. Harley thought they were supposed to stay for multiple days but they had to leave because she said Letecia thought "they were following us." They left Orlando and went to Myrtle Beach.
Harley said she believed her mom and it wasn't until this past November that she started having questions.
When hearing her mom's plea, not guilty by reason of insanity, Harley said she initially didn't understand what it meant.
Harley said her mom appeared to know right from wrong during the entire trip where Gannon's body was taken from Colorado to Fl.
Harley said she hasn't seen her mom change personalities. She didn't see her mom not remember who she was or who Gannon was.
Harley said her mom appeared to know right from wrong during the entire trip where Gannon's body was taken from Colorado to Fl.
Harley said her mom has referred to herself as Taylor because she didn't like her name. She said she didn't take on a different personality when she used the name Taylor.
Harley was concerned that she may be an accessory to first degree murder because of the trip. She flew out to Colorado to give them a statement. She says she did it "Because it's the right thing to do" and there was no guarantee she wouldn't be charged if she talked.
Do you now know you can't be charged with that crime? Yes. Why? Because you guys believe me.
Attorney brings up statute of limitations.
Harley signed an agreement in August of 2020 prior to coming to do an interview with DA's office in CO.
Court in afternoon break until 3:30
Cross on Harley Hunt is starting
Harley tells Tolini she doesn't remember walking in on her mom rolling in a ball crying in the past.
Harley says she's come across her mom crying before in closet and she's walked in on her mom in closet texting.
"She was always just worried about me" - Harley about her mom growing up. She said they would have code words like Harley's middle name. "She would say it so that I would know it was her talking to me. I just thought it was normal mom things.”
Harley says mom would be sudden in moving them. "She would be like 'i'm not happy, what do you think about moving here?’"
Harley tells Tolini her mom looked legitimately worried when they we're looking for Gannon the night of his disappearance
Have to step away from feed to go do my 4 pm news story. Will be back shortly.
Harley tells Tolini during the whole trip, she didn't believe she would do anything to hurt Gannon.
“The thought just never came across my mind, I just never thought my mom would do that…I never even questioned it, it just never came up.”
Prosecution: “Do you still love your mother?” Harley didn’t answer, and put her head down as she became emotional.
They are ending court early
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