UPDATE
Leticia “Tecia” Stauch appeared in court in El Paso County, Colorado, on Thursday afternoon. A judge informed her of the charges she was arrested on and ordered to remain in jail without bond. She’s due back in court on March 11.
Original Story
The stepmother of missing Colorado boy, Gannon Stauch, has arrived back to Colorado after extradition from South Carolina.
The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Letecia “Tecia” Stauch was booked into the El Paso County jail on Thursday, on charges of first-degree murder, tampering with evidence, child abuse, and tampering with a deceased body.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Stauch waived her extradition hearing after her arrest in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. During a Tuesday morning court hearing in Horry County, Stauch told Horry County Judge Clifford L. Welsh that she hadn’t been given the chance to obtain an attorney before deciding whether to waive the extradition process.
“I’ve never been given the opportunity, since the beginning, to even call my attorneys to talk to them about any of these things,” Stauch said.
According to court documents, Colorado Springs public defender Kathryn Strobel has now been assigned to represent Stauch.
WATCH: Letecia Stauch court appearance
WATCH: Letecia Stauch is making her first appearance via video before a judge in South Carolina. She was arrested yesterday on suspicion of murdering stepson Gannon Stauch. (Note: This is raw feed from sister station WMBF. Slight audio issues may be due to reception in courtroom.)https://www.kktv.com/content/news/Sheriffs-Office-searching-for-missing-11-year-old-boy-567360661.html
Posted by KKTV 11 News on Tuesday, March 3, 2020
Gannon was last seen January 27 in his Lorson Ranch neighborhood near Colorado Springs. Stauch said the boy left on foot to go to a friend’s house in the neighborhood, but never returned home.
Stauch previously told CrimeOnline that she never hurt Gannon and had no idea where to find him.
On Monday, authorities announced that they do not believe Gannon is alive. They said foul play was likely involved.
Meanwhile, the District Court of El Paso County, Colorado, ruled Thursday morning that KOAA-TV’s request for extensive courtroom media coverage on March 5 has been granted.
“The Colorado Supreme Court rules and FINDS there is no reasonable likelihood that expanded media coverage would unduly detract from the solemnity, decorum, and dignity of the court and expanded media coverage would not create adverse effects that would be greater than those caused by traditional media coverage,” court documents read.
Stauch’s first appearance is scheduled for March 5 at 3:30 p.m. EST.
Check back for updates.
Additional Coverage
PART ONE: Tecia Stauch Interview
PART TWO: Tecia Stauch Interview
PART THREE: Tecia Stauch Interview
CLICK HERE to see all of our coverage on Gannon Stauch
Check back for updates.
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[Feature Photo: Tecia Stauch/Police Handout; Gannon Stauch/Handout]