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

[MassGuy]

Looking at the affidavit (which I've been doing a lot!), paragraph 49 states:

"Investigators do not believe that [HH] was present when Gannon was killed. [HH] was at work on January 27, 2020 from 0830-1615 hrs, and investigators were able to verify this with her employer."
Letecia Stauch Arrest Affidavit

Yeah, there appears to be absolutely no evidence that she knew the murder was about to happen, or participated in the murder.

Any potential criminal activity would have come after the fact, provided that she knew what she was helping with.

But there also doesn’t appear to be any evidence that she knew what her mom did (she might have been told the rape story).

 

[Inthedetails]

Looking at the affidavit (which I've been doing a lot!), paragraph 49 states:

"Investigators do not believe that [HH] was present when Gannon was killed. [HH] was at work on January 27, 2020 from 0830-1615 hrs, and investigators were able to verify this with her employer."
Letecia Stauch Arrest Affidavit

Replying to myself to add: the arrest affidavit does mention HH picked up TS at various locations and ran an errand. I have opinions about that, but not sure it's appropriate to voice them considering HH is a minor and not a named suspect in any crime.

But it has been established that HH provided taxi and errand service in the days following the murder, and that is detailed in the affidavit.

jmo

jmo

 

[GordianKnot]

The other thing to note from that video is that it seems like Gannon is in the living room, not all the way downstairs in his bedroom (if I'm understanding the layout of the house right). That doesn't rule out a bloody attack happening in his room on Sunday night of course, but it does make it a little less likely IMO.

I don't think it makes it less likely. Here's why I say that:

That video does not appear to have been taken immediately in the aftermath of whatever happened. TS's voice is too calm and measured for her to have filmed it immediately after she "lost it" with him, or whatever language she used.

I think she may have intentionally filmed him that night in an attempt to show that he was fine and dandy after the attack.

She obviously couldn't shoot the video in that blood-soaked basement. She needed to do it upstairs.

That patently contrived conversation with him in the living room just makes me even more suspicious that she had injured him badly prior to that, and was desperately trying to cover her tracks.

JMO.

 

[NCWatcher]

I've seen lots of photos of GS and Laina, and I've seen photos of HH and Tee together as well, but I don't think I've ever seen a photo where GS was with HH.

I'm concerned that there was a negative family dynamic in that household between step-siblings.

I don't know whether HH is culpable in any way. I do know she's a minor now and was a minor when the crime occurred. And with what we know now, whatever HH's actions were, she didn't kill GS or directly aid in killing him. Maybe she made it harder to catch LS, I don't know. But GS would be just as dead.

While it is interesting to examine photographs for hints of group dynamics, I'm not sure it's fair to draw conclusions about a perceived lack of photos of HH with GS.

First, we don't have knowledge of all photos that exist. Second, many of the photos of the younger children together I've seen came from the bio-mom's side of the family. If it turns out the Stauchs sent LH a photo of the 3 children together and she didn't post it on SM, would we decide there was a problem between LH and HH? That maybe LH had negative feelings about HH and wanted bad things to happen to her? Hardly. Third, IF TS did take photos of his children to send to him when he was away does it mean maybe AS had negative feelings about HH if she didn't also send pictures of HH? I hope not. Fourth, there was a 6-year age gap between HH and GS. I'm 4 years and 6 years older than my bio-brother and sister. By my mid-late teens there probably were many more informal photos taken of my 4 years younger brother with my 6 years younger sister than with me. It had nothing to do with negative feelings but with age and interests. A 17 girl and an 11 year old boy may not have common interests and may not enjoy the same activities. Same for a 16 girl and a 10 year old boy, and 15 and a 9 year old....

It's almost as though people want it two ways: HH is viewed as nearly an adult, GS as a vulnerable young boy (which he was) on the one hand, but on the other hand if they weren't seen "playing together" there must have been a problem...
JMO

 

[LietKynes]

A couple things:
1. HH is a minor. Not talking to LE is different than "not being cooperative" IMO. In fact, her current caregiver (whoever that is) may have refused to allow her to answer questions for HER protection. She is likely experiencing some trauma over the whole situation. IMO
2. Are we allowed to sleuth HH because some of this stuff seems to be crossing a line.

bbm
Good questions !

As long as we're discussing the AA we're not sleuthing but instead talking about why HH is not cooperating.

If (& I don't know this for sure) her caregiver (I'm thinking maybe an aunt ?) said not to talk to LE and not to tell them anything that would shed light on the family situation or if Gannon was abused--LE would not say she wasn't cooperating ; but rather that HH will not be giving a statement at this time.
Or words to that effect.

"Not cooperating" means just that.
Also of interest is why HH had to be placed in cuffs when LE went to impound the Jetta.
They wouldn't have impounded it without a warrant and if both TS and HH refused to hand the keys over that's problematic.

 

[windrower]

Whether wittingly or unwittingly, HH materially assisted in TS's coverup after the murder by taking LS away from the home for hours and by purchasing supplies for TS that were used to clean/conceal evidence.

In the affidavit, LE has overtly characterized HH as being uncooperative with the investigation.
From Page 6, Item #48 of the Arrest Affidavit: HH "has refused to speak with investigators."

This isn't what cooperating with authorities looks like.

HH doesn't appear to have been terribly interested in helping LE to find her missing stepbrother.

Turning a blind eye and a deaf ear to suspicious behavior is not healthy, or constructive, or admirable.
It appears numerous people around TS have been doing just that.
Not just for days, or weeks, or even months…they've likely been doing it for years.

I suspect DDA Allen has had an illuminating conversation with HH, probably through an attorney representing her, and that she is now singing like a canary.

If HH isn't a cooperating witness at this point, then it may just be a case of apple-and-tree, chip-and-block.

JMO.

Okay. Wild thought process going on here, partly because I don’t know what the Staunch family dynamics were/are.

Speculation following:
Since we don’t yet have a definitive answer to whether or not Gannon returned from the Monday outing, if he did not, could LS’s actions and everything else be explained as a result of trying to protect someone else from something terrible done to Gannon on Sunday night?

Yes, fine line walking here, trying to stay within the bounds as put forth by @sillybilly on page one of the thread.

 

[sunflowerchick]

Yes, at the time of the AA's writing, and I think that matters a lot.

Her mother hadn't been arrested for murdering her step-brother, yet.

Unless there's been some news, not a one of us here have a clue what kind of conversations have taken place since that time, nearly 6 weeks ago.

No two ways about it, I'm giving HH the benefit of the doubt.
Her mother is an evil murderer, her dad is dead, she just lost her entire family because of her mother, and total strangers on the internet are trashing her because of what her mother did, insinuating she must have known, or helped, or whatever.

AND, she has not been charged with so much as a parking ticket, and has never been identified by LE as even a person of interest.

I find all that, cruel and unfair.

I realize many disagree. That's fine.

jmo

Yes. This. I'm clapping from here.

 

[MassGuy]

Okay. Wild thought process going on here, partly because I don’t know what the Staunch family dynamics were/are.

Speculation following:
Since we don’t yet have a definitive answer to whether or not Gannon returned from the Monday outing, if he did not, could LS’s actions and everything else be explained as a result of trying to protect someone else from something terrible done to Gannon on Sunday night?

Yes, fine line walking here, trying to stay within the bounds as put forth by @sillybilly on page one of the thread.

No, because it makes TS no less a murderer. If they believed that, they’d charge her with murder under the “position of trust” rule.

So say someone else hurt him, it was still TS’ responsibility to seek treatment. There’s a lot more problems than just this though, and I can’t imagine TS trying to point the finger at HH.

 

[RaspberryMama]

No two ways about it, I'm giving HH the benefit of the doubt.
Her mother is an evil murderer, her dad is dead, she just lost her entire family because of her mother, and total strangers on the internet are trashing her because of what her mother did, insinuating she must have known, or helped, or whatever.

AND, she has not been charged with so much as a parking ticket, and has never been identified by LE as even a person of interest.

I'm giving her the benefit of the doubt too. I've been vocal about feeling sympathy for her. That will change if a concrete reason is given for doing so. For now, I'm with you. I fully expect she is now cooperating and previously wasn't for a variety of reasons.

 

[10ofRods]

#2 - I don't think her current age matters, everything would be based on her age at the time. If they had evidence against her for a serious felony, though, they could have easily charged her as an adult at any time. It seems like at this point they've either decided to not press charges on her or they don't have enough evidence yet.

I think they want her to cooperate. It would be better for HH if she did cooperate, as opposed to them having to charge her with something. I'm sure there's been and will be plenty of interviewing going on in South Carolina, if that's where the moving van ended up.

Certainly, LE will want to know from HH what the trip between CO and SC was like and whether LS had opportunity to dispose of evidence along the route. What she said and did throughout.

If a murder took place on the sidewalk outside my house, the police would make it very hard for the occupants of my house not to give a full account of what they saw or didn't see. It's just the way it is. A murder pulls people into legal entanglements that they'd prefer not to be in, even if they had nothing to do with it.

In this case, HH drove cross country with both the victim's body and the murderer. There may have been a parting of ways before Florida. One WSer gave us a map of the places in the AA and it looks like the party may have broken into two parts.

She will have to take the stand. It's better for her to cooperate now. LS's decisions have forced an end to HH's childhood.

In any case, even if HH is never charged with anything and had no knowledge of why her mom was buying cleaning products and trash bags and renting cars and acting weird on the day and day after Gannon disappeared, she is still going to be subpoenaed and appear at trial. Under oath.

IMO.

 

[sunflowerchick]

I will say one more thing on the subject of HH and the AA and then I am done:

LE has more than enough to convict LS with or without any cooperation or help from HH simply because LS can't keep her mouth shut. So IMO this discussion is all a moot point. IMO MOO.

 

[windrower]

No, because it makes TS no less a murderer. If they believed that, they’d charge her with murder under the “position of trust” rule.

So say someone else hurt him, it was still TS’ responsibility to seek treatment. There’s a lot more problems than just this though, and I can’t imagine TS trying to point the finger at HH.

No, quite the opposite of pointing a finger at someone else. Rather, trying to keep any consequences away from herself or someone else.

 

[MassGuy]

I think they want her to cooperate. It would be better for HH if she did cooperate, as opposed to them having to charge her with something. I'm sure there's been and will be plenty of interviewing going on in South Carolina, if that's where the moving van ended up.

Certainly, LE will want to know from HH what the trip between CO and SC was like and whether LS had opportunity to dispose of evidence along the route. What she said and did throughout.

If a murder took place on the sidewalk outside my house, the police would make it very hard for the occupants of my house not to give a full account of what they saw or didn't see. It's just the way it is. A murder pulls people into legal entanglements that they'd prefer not to be in, even if they had nothing to do with it.

In this case, HH drove cross country with both the victim's body and the murderer. There may have been a parting of ways before Florida. One WSer gave us a map of the places in the AA and it looks like the party may have broken into two parts.

She will have to take the stand. It's better for her to cooperate now. LS's decisions have forced an end to HH's childhood.

In any case, even if HH is never charged with anything and had no knowledge of why her mom was buying cleaning products and trash bags and renting cars and acting weird on the day and day after Gannon disappeared, she is still going to be subpoenaed and appear at trial. Under oath.

IMO.

Yeah. TS is going to be convicted either way, but there is no overstating how important HH is to piecing this all together.

We will never have the complete picture, as that’s how cases like this work. Some things are known only to the killer, and will be taken to the grave.

But in order to get the most complete understanding of how this all went down, the prosecution is going to need HH:

What was life in the household like?

What happened on Sunday?

What did you see on Monday?

What did mom tell you in the days and weeks following Gannon’s murder?

What did you help your mom with, and what did you see?

I can probably come up with dozens more questions I have. If I can, the DA certainly can.

 

[Boxer]

HH may in fact be be an abettor after the fact.
MOO she gave up trying to resist LS's nonsensical urgent commands a long time ago.
They found the board and sock on Feb. 15 but I don't think it was publicly known till the arrest 16 days later.
If HH was holding out that her mother couldn't have done this, I assume she has had to accept she did it by now, and that she was used to help cover up.

 

[scapa]

I don't know whether HH is culpable in any way. I do know she's a minor now and was a minor when the crime occurred. And with what we know now, whatever HH's actions were, she didn't kill GS or directly aid in killing him. Maybe she made it harder to catch LS, I don't know. But GS would be just as dead.

While it is interesting to examine photographs for hints of group dynamics, I'm not sure it's fair to draw conclusions about a perceived lack of photos of HH with GS.

First, we don't have knowledge of all photos that exist. Second, many of the photos of the younger children together I've seen came from the bio-mom's side of the family. If it turns out the Stauchs sent LH a photo of the 3 children together and she didn't post it on SM, would we decide there was a problem between LH and HH? That maybe LH had negative feelings about HH and wanted bad things to happen to her? Hardly. Third, IF TS did take photos of his children to send to him when he was away does it mean maybe AS had negative feelings about HH if she didn't also send pictures of HH? I hope not. Fourth, there was a 6-year age gap between HH and GS. I'm 4 years and 6 years older than my bio-brother and sister. By my mid-late teens there probably were many more informal photos taken of my 4 years younger brother with my 6 years younger sister than with me. It had nothing to do with negative feelings but with age and interests. A 17 girl and an 11 year old boy may not have common interests and may not enjoy the same activities. Same for a 16 girl and a 10 year old boy, and 15 and a 9 year old....

It's almost as though people want it two ways: HH is viewed as nearly an adult, GS as a vulnerable young boy (which he was) on the one hand, but on the other hand if they weren't seen "playing together" there must have been a problem...
JMO

Agree. I’ve already posted on this, but I’m also sceptical that much can be gleaned from phots/SM evidence generated within a household so clearly controlled and choreographed by LS, especially tho perhaps not exclusively when AS was away. Who HH was or wasn’t photographed with, how “entitled” she may or may not have seemed in a YT vid — I understand the rationale but it reminds me a bit of those spot-the-blob exercises in the blurry BG video from the Delphi Murders.

My sense is that we won’t know much more about HH’s role until the case moves forward. I can’t see any circumstances under which she had sufficient power in the household to materially affect the adverse treatment and/or murder of Gannon, and I’d further guess that a fair bit of any earlier maltreatment happened out of sight, because it is a more attractive and safer option for an LS-type personality. I grew up in such a household, minus the murdering, and our recourse after years and years was to self-admit to hospital. We had tried nearly everything else. It is incredibly hard to turn against a lifetime’s habits in a few weeks, especially when those habits are founded on the ceaseless drumbeat of the victim complex of your primary caregiver. JMO and JME.

 

[GordianKnot]

Yeah. TS is going to be convicted either way, but there is no understating how important HH is to piecing this all together.

We will never have the complete picture, as that’s how cases like this work. Some things are known only to the killer, and will be taken to the grave.

But in order to get the most complete understanding of how this all went down, the prosecution is going to need HH:

What was life in the household like?

What happened on Sunday?

What did you see on Monday?

What did mom tell you in the days and weeks following Gannon’s murder?

What did you help your mom with, and what did you see?

I can probably come up with dozens more questions I have. If I can, the DA certainly can.

BBM:

He's going to expect answers, too.

According to DDA Allen, this case is still an active investigation, and will remain so right up until the trial.

He's not going to let HH simply run off to SC and refuse to answer LE's questions.

That ain't going to fly.

JMO.

 

[jvikes]

Replying to myself to add: the arrest affidavit does mention HH picked up TS at various locations and ran an errand. I have opinions about that, but not sure it's appropriate to voice them considering HH is a minor and not a named suspect in any crime.

But it has been established that HH provided taxi and errand service in the days following the murder, and that is detailed in the affidavit.

jmo

jmo

My own thoughts on HH and the events around CO exit, based somewhat on what others have brought up here that make sense to me. She did the interview and then they drove back to the hotel in both vehicles. TS comes up with an excuse to go out later, needs to borrow aunt's rental quick. She gets GS, loads him in the back of the van, which no one will be checking inside again. On the 1st, aunt and HH fly out to SC, returning the car. TS is driving solo with the van.

In that scenario, HH would still not know anything other than her mother's narrative, and because the RD video comes out later, it'd make sense that they stick together up until that video release. After the video, TS has likely already dumped GS in FL and back in SC with HH. Maybe being out of CO made it difficult for investigators to even get ahold of HH, so her unwillingness to answer questions the first few days is a little more understandable. On one hand you want to help find your bro, on the other you have your crazy mom saying the blues are out to get *them*. In the weeks following the video until the arrest, maybe HH wasn't able to be contacted again, or she didn't have their number, or they just moved on and didn't feel the need to re-engage with her so the "uncooperative" aspect is just carried thru. Did LE have any idea where HH was for the few weeks after they left CO?

Anyway, that's all I can come up with and still not get too riled about the wording in the AA about HH. I feel less inclined to defend her knowing she didn't actively help LE early in during the investigation. Of course, after the video was out, the weeks of SM discussions/news stories, and after the arrest of her mother, if her stance was to still not talk to LE about anything then I'd feel even less sympathetic towards her. But there's also a chance that LE and HH never even crossed paths again after the 31st.

 

[LietKynes]

Whether wittingly or unwittingly, HH materially assisted in TS's coverup after the murder by taking LS away from the home for hours and by purchasing supplies for TS that were used to clean/conceal evidence.

In the affidavit, LE has overtly characterized HH as being uncooperative with the investigation.
From Page 6, Item #48 of the Arrest Affidavit: HH "has refused to speak with investigators."

This isn't what cooperating with authorities looks like.

HH doesn't appear to have been terribly interested in helping LE to find her missing stepbrother.

Turning a blind eye and a deaf ear to suspicious behavior is not healthy, or constructive, or admirable.
It appears numerous people around TS have been doing just that.
Not just for days, or weeks, or even months…they've likely been doing it for years.

I suspect DDA Allen has had an illuminating conversation with HH, probably through an attorney representing her, and that she is now singing like a canary.

If HH isn't a cooperating witness at this point, then it may just be a case of apple-and-tree, chip-and-block.

JMO.

bbm
Excellent post as always, GK !

First bolded : Well she'd be wise to do so as very soon she won't be a minor, and it's doubtful that TS' abuse of Gannon was totally unknown by others in that household.
Even if they were gone for the day at school or work or wherever.

Second bolded : Yes, that's a possibility.
Sad if a child chooses to protect their parent even after the body of a murdered step-sibling has been found and the person responsible has faced charges.
At the time of the AA Gannon hadn't been found yet.

And for the AA to reflect an uncooperative witness even then is troubling.
I don't think HH participated in the murder ; but her insistence in gathering items to clean organic matter (i.e., blood) and her refusal to the point of being placed in handcuffs over the impounding of the car is concerning.

 

[Cindizzi]

Play-it-Again Sports is not in the affidavit, but she did bring it up herself - and I think all her ramblings are for specific purposes.

She pre-splains.

So if she didn't actually go to PIAS, she told the tale for another reason. To explain why some sports equipment was missing?

jmo

I always thought her talking about Play it Again Sports was maybe in case anyone saw her putting equipment into the truck that day. Specifically a baseball bat (JMO).

Gannon Stauch stepmom reveals where she went the day Colorado boy disappeared [EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW]

The Nissan Frontier and Paths Taken
Tecia Stauch said she drove her husband’s truck on January 27 as a way to cut down on mileage on her own vehicle. She explained that her car was leased and she would have to pay a fee or have to buy the car outright if she went over certain miles each month.

She also said she needed the room in the back of the truck to bring used sports equipment to “Play it Again Sports,” a sporting goods store that buys and sells new and used sporting goods. Stauch said she planned to shop for hockey equipment for Gannon since it was the only sport he had shown interest in.

 

[HundredAcreWood]

I think they want her to cooperate. It would be better for HH if she did cooperate, as opposed to them having to charge her with something. I'm sure there's been and will be plenty of interviewing going on in South Carolina, if that's where the moving van ended up.

Certainly, LE will want to know from HH what the trip between CO and SC was like and whether LS had opportunity to dispose of evidence along the route. What she said and did throughout.

If a murder took place on the sidewalk outside my house, the police would make it very hard for the occupants of my house not to give a full account of what they saw or didn't see. It's just the way it is. A murder pulls people into legal entanglements that they'd prefer not to be in, even if they had nothing to do with it.

In this case, HH drove cross country with both the victim's body and the murderer. There may have been a parting of ways before Florida. One WSer gave us a map of the places in the AA and it looks like the party may have broken into two parts.

She will have to take the stand. It's better for her to cooperate now. LS's decisions have forced an end to HH's childhood.

In any case, even if HH is never charged with anything and had no knowledge of why her mom was buying cleaning products and trash bags and renting cars and acting weird on the day and day after Gannon disappeared, she is still going to be subpoenaed and appear at trial. Under oath.

IMO.

That is a very profound statement. I can't even imagine how crippling this is on her mental state.