Found Deceased CO - Gannon Stauch, 11, Colorado Springs, El Paso County, 27 Jan 2020 **ARREST** #35

[imstilla.grandma]

The “position of trust” element of the murder charge lowers the bar prosecutors must prove to obtain a mandatory life term in prison.

Prosecutors generally must prove that someone intended to kill and deliberated for causing someone’s death. In the case of the charge against Letecia Stauch, the prosecution need only prove that she “knowingly” caused the boy’s death.

The child abuse count his the second-highest charge against her, carrying a potential penalty of up to 48 years in prison.
Gannon's parents watch as stepmom appears in court on murder charge

 

[Tealgrove]

Thank you @inmyhumbleopinion. Bless you for posting this! I just got home from work a bit ago and can barely keep my eyes opened but wanted to know what happened. I’ll attempt to catch up tomorrow.

No one was there for her? Not even her mama?! Wow!

All that video footage But still no sign of Gannon

I guess this answers the question as to whether HH was there.

MOO

 

[kittythehare]

We know they aren’t searching, otherwise media would be all over it. What if she went to Lowe’s and bought items that can render a body unable to be found?

We know no such thing, actually.

 

[Angels27]

I'm understanding that as not premeditated, but I could be wrong.

It means they don’t think she planned it in advance, but rather knowingly facilitated his death.

 

[mainemom376]

My thoughts on today’s events.. in regards to L.S. Two words- Suicide. Watch. As for the deputy assigned to her-Laser. Focus. JMO

 

[LeBlack]

Why did the Attorney purposely sit in a position to block her when there was a seat next to Atty Strobel?

Either is a bad choice. Guess it depends on her immune system vs her confidence in her self defense trainer (and LS guard) MOO

 

[Thugwaffle1]

I think the fact that the row reserved for LS supporters was empty is quite intriguing.....even Chris Watts’ had family there. His parents were there, not supporting what he did, just supporting their child; after all they lost a child in that situation too. But for no one to come for LS, really makes me think they’re cooperating with the investigation. MOO.

 

[Colorado303]

As I understand, LS required being locked/chained to her chair maybe due to escape attempt in KS. The chairs in the section where she sat are bolted and safe to secure someone to. The person beside her was one of her legal team as was the coughing person. Ordinarily defendant would be at defense table with access to talk to their attorneys. Since she was in a different spot, one of her team sat with her.

Thank you! I wonder if co-council was counting her blessings to be seated away from the cough-a-thon.

 

[M-pathetic]

Laura didn’t have a ride.

Touche, Teche!

 

[Angels27]

We know no such thing, actually.

Reporters monitor the police scanners 24/7/365 and they get inside info on top of that. If any searches were going on it seems they would be all over them.

 

[TheVic]

Well, no more "Cousin Itt"- style interviews.
Good to see those snug cuffs on her.

The greasy hair look is back in style though...

 

[Colorado303]

I think the fact that the row reserved for LS supporters was empty is quite intriguing.....even Chris Watts’ had family there. His parents were there, not supporting what he did, just supporting their child; after all they lost a child in that situation too. But for no one to come for LS, really makes me think they’re cooperating with the investigation. MOO.

As many people that wanted to come into the courtroom and couldn’t get in, none of them were willing to sit in that row.

 

[SuperSloth(Sp?)]

Laura didn’t have a ride.

Oh wasn't Jose Baez picking Laura up and bringing the lie detector results? Then they were going to pick up a bike for Al cause surely .....ok I cant continue.

 

[TheVic]

Where's the lawyer her "friend Laura" was supposed to get for her?

They were ‘good to go’ so they got up and went.

 

[kittythehare]

Reporters monitor the police scanners 24/7/365 and they get inside info on top of that. If any searches were going on it seems they would be all over them.

The search efforts to date were all on dedicated lines, not the regular search scanners.

 

[Feistyomi]

Gannon is my hero! I have followed this case hoping first to find Gannon, alive and safe, then for justice, then to view the person who was responsible-yes, the wheels are turning, and the prosecution will carry thru, but I hope the public defense team, also does their job. leaving no opening for appeals, etc. I do find a bit of poetic justice in her career choice, will be very difficult to deny knowing the consequences of her actions w/ regard to her Gannon... tonite I am going to take a long hot shower w/lots of shampoo, scented soap, soft towel and celebrate... the gamover, Letecia...no rematch!!...GANNON is my hero!

Sorry @Feistyomi. I meant no disrespect to your state.

Being from NC, I have some vague awareness of income levels in neighboring states. SC's median household income of $50, 572 is ~ $9,800 lower than the median for the US. South Carolina State Household Income | Department of Numbers

NC's median of $52, 752 is ~ $7,500 below the US median so not that different. North Carolina State Household Income | Department of Numbers

I am more familiar though with county to county differences in NC. And Robeson Co, where TS is originally from, is one of the poorest counties in the state. According to this link, Census profile: Robeson County, NC the median household income is ~ $35, 000 and the percentage of people living below the poverty line (~24%) is double the percentage for the US and 1.5 times the percentage for the state.

That doesn't mean TS grew up poor or that if she did, that her mother and other family members are still without economic resources. But it wouldn't surprise me if her family members can't afford to travel to CO to stay for extended periods or afford to fly back and forth.

I agree that what GS's parents are going through emotionally to attend court must be excruciating. But from an economic perspective, there have been attempts to raise money for them to support their various needs while they get through this. I don't think anyone will be supporting LS's family...I'm not saying anyone should (at all!) but I'm not sure we can know where LS's family stands because economics may play a role in their absence (assuming they remain absent.) Of course, once a jury is seated I expect the defense attorneys would like to have some family in court supporting their client.

JMO

 

[Angels27]

I agree that it’s pointless, but the guilt phase is separate from the penalty phase.

So if all jurors find the defendant guilty, then they move on to the penalty part. If they can’t reach a unanimous decision, then the punishment is life in prison.

So no one can hang the jury just because they oppose death.

It’s very risky especially if they need a unanimous verdict in first phase just to get a conviction. Which I doubt they’ll get if DP is on table. Also I doubt they would vote unanimously for DP in the penalty phase. And even if they did, none of those cases will end in death, as they’ll all be rescinded anyway.

 

[MassGuy]

It’s very risky especially if they need a unanimous verdict in first phase just to get a conviction. Which I doubt they’ll get if DP is on table. Also I doubt they would vote unanimously for DP in the penalty phase. And even if they did, none of those cases will end in death, as they’ll all be rescinded anyway.

It isn’t though, that’s my point. If a juror opposes the death penalty, there is still absolutely no reason to hang the jury in the guilt phase.

That’s because all they have to do is reject the death penalty in the penalty phase. Both have to be unanimous in Colorado.

Regardless, I can’t imagine the death penalty being put on the table here. It has no teeth anyways.

This ain’t Texas.

 

[Angels27]

I doubt the burning theory myself. As others from CO have posted on earlier threads, people in that area react quickly to threats of fire so it wouldn't have gone unnoticed. And if it was noticed, and there were people who called it in, it have would have been investigated to put it out. So they'd have some remains I'd think.

It's not so easy to fully cremate a human body. In a crematory it can take a few hours and that's at a steady temperature higher than an ordinary fire in the woods would have (usually at least 1400°) And even then larger pieces of bones can remain.

JMO

yeah, I don’t think she burned him either. But she did something where he cannot be found and The State and family seem to know a lot more at this point than public, as was evidenced in their faces at last presser. It’s that thing that will get a jury to convict her. She may have pushed him off cliff, left him tied up to die, etc. yeah, so I guess it’s not what she did after death (I misspoke) but rather what she did after she inflicted the initial blow and he was already very ill/injured.

 

[ChuckMaureen]

LS behaved herself in court today because she didn't want the judge be mad at her.