Found Deceased CO - Gannon Stauch, 11, Colorado Springs, El Paso County, 27 Jan 2020 **ARREST** #43

[GordianKnot]

I mean, she killed him at what we believe was the dumpsite, or she killed him in his bedroom and dumped his body there. Either way, she’s a killer.

I can’t imagine a juror getting hung up on something that doesn’t mean a hell of a lot in regards to her guilt.

But we’ll see if the narrative changes.

BBM:

Unfortunately, I can. "If it doesn't fit, you must acquit." Ring any bells?

A none-too-bright juror could definitely get hung up on that point if the prosecution argued that he was killed in his bedroom but wasn't able to prove that he returned with her in the truck that afternoon.

I've talked to some not terribly bright people who have an amazing capacity to miss the most important aspects of a situation and instead get hung up on meaningless, inconsequential minutiae.

The most common term used to describe these people is, "Management."

JMO.

 

[MassGuy]

The problem I have is that LE's theory is apparently that she put his body in the trunk of her vehicle over night.
His body would have been in that garage for hours.
There should have been scent in that garage.
She obviously didn't clean it if LE found blood underneath where her vehicle was parked.

I'd really like to know if LE even went into the garage that night he went missing.

JMO.

They atleast looked in there, as their body cameras (BWC’s) indicated her vehicle was backed into the garage.

 

[jvikes]

The problem I have is that LE's theory is apparently that she put his body in the trunk of her vehicle over night.
His body would have been in that garage for hours.
There should have been scent in that garage.
She obviously didn't clean it if LE found blood underneath where her vehicle was parked.

I'd really like to know if LE even went into the garage that night he went missing.

JMO.

I dunno about smell if packed away in bags and a suitcase in an unopened car. Dogs maybe could pick up a scent but not humans after 7 hours and the body packed away. I bet she needed the windows down on the drive out of short term parking though. And she probably started thinking about a full detail inside the car given that smell, but everything was closed at 10:30pm after the dumping. Instead of getting a gas station wash on the outside I bet she wanted a full service, because of the smell. And those were only open the next day, maybe not even till 10am...Makes me want to see where the car wash on the list was located in relation to the 10:30pm pickup spot, and what their hours were. Wonder if LE asked the employees about peculiar smells. He was dead for over 30 hours in that car if LE timeline is correct.

 

[SleuthBee]

In regards to the aunt believing TS's innocence. I am sure TS's family has been hearing for years how much of a victim she is and how bad LH is and how awful her situation is etc, etc. And I'm sure she was very convincing. Early on I believe TS's sister was saying TS was innocent (TS was the victim) even though evidence indicated otherwise. IMO TS has spun this victim mentality for years and over time those family members would believe anything she said even if the evidence was staring them right in the face. So sad.

bbm
That is voluntary stupidity.

 

[kaen]

@MassGuy, do you have a theory for how she got the suitcase from the SUV to the rental car? Where and when? In broad daylight, at the airport?

The car was left at the airport so it would not be unusual for a person to be moving a suitcase around if she did. I would guess that she could have brought the rental to the long term/short term parking lot (you can get out for free within a short period of time at most lots) and transferred the suit case. She dumped him in her car so maybe she never transferred him at all. Transferring the suitcase at a shopping center might draw attention but probably not at the fairly quiet airport lot. Tuesdays are notorious as quiet days for airlines.

 

[GordianKnot]

They atleast looked in there, as their body cameras (BWC’s) indicated her vehicle was backed into the garage.

BBM:

This really, really bothers me.

There's a missing 11-year-old boy, and LE didn't think to look inside the vehicles that were parked in the garage to see if maybe GS had hidden inside one of them to "run away?"

Okay.

 

[Knox]

So this is how I think it went down:

She murders Gannon, and places him on top of that board in the back of her Volkswagen. I think it’s probable he was also in a suitcase at this time (but who knows).

She parks the car at the airport, and rents the Kia (on the morning of the 28th). Gannon’s body remained at the airport in her Volkswagen until she returned at 1900 on the 28th.

She then drove her Volkswagen to dump the body. So Gannon was never in that rented Kia.

When her Volkswagen was seized on the 29th, TS then rented a Nissan Altima. A tracking device put her back in the area of the dumpsite in the early evening hours of the 31st.

It was at this point I believe she either transferred Gannon to a suitcase, or picked up Gannon’s body which was already in a suitcase. I think it’s probable that Gannon’s body was put in this particular (second) rental.

Don't leave us hanging, then what?

 

[NCWatcher]

The problem I have is that LE's theory is apparently that she put his body in the trunk of her vehicle over night.
His body would have been in that garage for hours.
There should have been scent in that garage.
She obviously didn't clean it if LE found blood underneath where her vehicle was parked.

I'd really like to know if LE even went into the garage that night he went missing.

JMO.

Good points.

But would there have been an odor that night or even the next day detectable by humans? It's cold in a garage in CO I'm assuming. (Think the temperature that Monday night was in the 20s) And if dogs were used days/weeks later in the garage, I'm not sure an odor would have remained. The amazing tests of cadaver dogs mentioned earlier on this thread involved a dead body in contact with a soft surface (carpet squares.) But if GS was in a closed car, perhaps in a suitcase, then what in the garage could have retained a death scent for many days/weeks once the car was gone?
JMO

 

[jvikes]

I dunno about smell if packed away in bags and a suitcase in an unopened car. Dogs maybe could pick up a scent but not humans after 7 hours and the body packed away. I bet she needed the windows down on the drive out of short term parking though. And she probably started thinking about a full detail inside the car given that smell, but everything was closed at 10:30pm after the dumping. Instead of getting a gas station wash on the outside I bet she wanted a full service, because of the smell. And those were only open the next day, maybe not even till 10am...Makes me want to see where the car wash on the list was located in relation to the 10:30pm pickup spot, and what their hours were. Wonder if LE asked the employees about peculiar smells. He was dead for over 30 hours in that car if LE timeline is correct.

Tacky reply to me, but the car wash is right off powers and carefree..hmmm.

Yet is open 24hrs...hmmm

Maybe only staffed for inside cleaning during business hours, hence the drop off.

 

[Iggy2020]

Hi there Iggy!

If you notice many premeditated murders are inside homes or the suspect removes them from the safety of their home, and finishes murdering them elsewhere.

Murderers are never as smart as they believe they are when they plan out the murders beforehand.

She, like all other first degree murderers always believe they wont be caught no matter how sloppy their plan turned out to be.

That is one of the reasons most premeditated murderers get caught. They make mistakes and weren't nearly as smart as they thought they were.

I believe she enjoyed torturing little Gannon. It's why she used three deadly weapons against one small child. She wanted to prolong his agony before she finally killed him.

Just look at all the forums on WS involving first degree murders of children, and it's obvious they had much planning, and aforethought yet were still caught, arrested and charged with first degree murder.

This one really believed she could convince LE into believing her BS stories. She is not alone by any means. All offenders think they can pull the wool over the eyes of LE.

Jmho

Thank you well said, I guess I should be glad I can never understand the mind of these killers.

 

[kaen]

Tacky reply to me, but the car wash is right off powers and carefree..hmmm.

Yet is open 24hrs...hmmm

Maybe only staffed for inside cleaning during business hours, hence the drop off.

She was late for her interview at the station. The car was wet from a wash, IIRC.

 

[Boxer]

I was just thinking, they arrested LS at a car rental place - maybe she was going back to check in on the suitcase. By 2/15 she would be aware the EP sheriffs had tracked her to the first disposal site. Maybe she started her to worry about being tracked on the Florida detour.

 

[SleuthBee]

I can't even go there without saying what I'm thinking.

Not just sad, but infuriating.
LE had the proof against the perp even before he was found; and now with poor Gannon's remains to give silent testimony...
Shame on them.
But it shows why the monster might've turned out this way.

50% Genetic and 50% product of her environment?

TS may not be a lone bad apple here. And I don't buy into the "You don't know what TS told them". No I don't, but they have minds of their own and responsibility for their behavior. They knew Gannon was only 11 and suddenly missing. They were present when TS was boo hooing for the camera. Did they offer assistance or any compassion to Gannon's family? It seems they showed up to load up then high tailed it out of dodge.

Decent, respectable people DO NOT behave that way.

 

[MassGuy]

Don't leave us hanging, then what?

Ha! Then she puts him in the back of her rental. It’s killing me not knowing the logistics of how she traveled to Florida/South Carolina.

She would have had to put his body in yet another vehicle to make this trip.

 

[Knox]

The car was left at the airport so it would not be unusual for a person to be moving a suitcase around if she did. I would guess that she could have brought the rental to the long term/short term parking lot (you can get out for free within a short period of time at most lots) and transferred the suit case. She dumped him in her car so maybe she never transferred him at all. Transferring the suitcase at a shopping center might draw attention but probably not at the fairly quiet airport lot. Tuesdays are notorious as quiet days for airlines.

I'm not sure there would have been an odor which would be detectable by humans. Take a look at the temps that week.
Colorado Springs, CO Weather Calendar | Weather Underground

If he was wrapped in trash bags & inside a suitcase, which was left outside and then in a cold car ...

 

[lonetraveler]

Wow, been away for awhile and it seems I've missed out on a lot. Did the arrest affidavit get released? And if it did, where can I find it?

 

[jvikes]

She was late for her interview at the station. The car was wet from a wash, IIRC.

Yeah I was thinking that's because she was getting it detailed in the morning and had to wait for a full service staff, but looking at google pics of the car wash, it's not staffed. She must be the most inefficient person alive. Why not wash your car at the 24 hr car wash at 10:30pm instead of right before driving to the station for an interview. Every detail you think and ponder upon makes you cry out a little louder what the heck is wrong with this person.

 

[Boxer]

Just a theory:

Something horrible happened Sunday night. She lost it and in a rage hurt Gannon badly. He couldn't go to school because of noticeable injuries. I don't know Monday if she had decided what to do about it. Take him to the doctor and lose her husband, home, career, maybe even freedom. Or get rid of him - not because she hated him, but to protect herself.

She may have driven around making random stops trying to figure it out. Once she got home her decision was made. Look at the purposeful way she exits the truck. Woman on a mission.

Once in the house she quickly kills Gannon. 20 minutes is plenty of time and 4 hours is plenty of time to clean up.

Maybe she even put the switch in with his body since it was so important to him. Like some parents have buried their children with a favorite blanket or stuffed animal.

Agree. MOO she went over her options: run away, face music or cover up. Chose cover up which meant getting rid of Gannon.

 

[MassGuy]

Wow, been away for awhile and it seems I've missed out on a lot. Did the arrest affidavit get released? And if it did, where can I find it?

Sure did!
https://www.courts.state.co.us/user..._Paso/Stauch/Stauch FINAL redacted 040120.pdf

 

[jvikes]

Ha! Then she puts him in the back of her rental. It’s killing me not knowing the logistics of how she traveled to Florida/South Carolina.

She would have had to put his body in yet another vehicle to make this trip.

I think she did it in the Altima, tight trip to SC but possible. Knowing the drop off location of the Altima would solve that riddle easily enough. It either left CO or did not, and if it did, likely with GS's body (I don't see her sneaking away in the van to pick it up alone)