Testimony continued Friday morning for the Letecia Stauch murder trial, with several law enforcement experts, a former hotel employee and an assistant principal taking the stand.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, prosecutors say 39-year-old Letecia Stauch stabbed, shot, and beat her stepson, 11-year-old Gannon Stauch, inside the family’s Fountain, Colorado, home in January 2020. Months later, his body was found stuffed into a suitcase beneath a bridge in Pace, Florida.
She’s currently on trial at the El Paso County Court in Colorado, facing first-degree murder and related charges.
Fourth Judicial District Attorney Michael Allen called numerous witnesses to the stand Friday morning, including a crime scene technician for the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office in Florida, Kelly Smith, who described the scene in Pace after Gannon’s body was found.
Also called to the stand was a senior laboratory crime analyst from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Trevor Seifert. He explained to the court the process that experts underwent after finding a bullet in Gannon’s head. Seifert also said two additional bullets were found in a pillow that had been stuffed inside the suitcase with the child’s body.
Next, Kevin Clark, the director of crime strategies and intelligence for the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s office, testified that he assisted with the lead analysis when Gannon was reported missing in January 2020.
According to Clark, the defendant provided the name and number of “Connie Huddle” as a reference while police searched for Gannon, but the number provided was actually Gannon’s cellphone number.
A former Candlewood Suites employee also took the stand and testified that Letecia Stauch checked into the Candlewood Suites in Pensacola on February 4, 2020, and checked out the following day.
According to police, the hotel is minutes away from the bridge where a green suitcase was found, with Gannon’s body inside.
The assistant principal of Timberview Middle School in Colorado Springs, Leslie Hicks, testified Friday that Letecia Stauch was offered employment as a resource teacher at the school in late January.
On the morning Gannon vanished, the defendant called in and said her stepfather had died and she wouldn’t be in for work that day, Hicks said,
“I’m sorry for the time of night message, but my stepfather passed away someone hit him with a car while he was walking. I can update you at a later time,” a message from Letecia read, according to Hicks.
Hicks also testified that the defendant put down “Connie Huddle” as an employment reference, but the number listed was registered to Gannon’s father, Eugene Stauch. A woman answered the phone when Hicks called for a reference, with children making noises in the background.
When Hicks asked if Letecia was available, the female caller said, “No.”
The defendant told Hicks she obtained her doctoral degree at Liberty University. Stauch signed her name on emails as “Dr. Stauch,” according to testimony.
Letecia Stauch is facing charges of:
- Murder in the First Degree (Child Under Twelve-Position of Trust §18-3-102(1)(f))
- Tampering with a Deceased Human Body, §18-8-610.5
- Tampering with Physical Evidence, §18-8-610(1)(a)
The trial continues. Check back for updates.
Additional Information
PART ONE: Tecia Stauch Interview
PART TWO: Tecia Stauch Interview
PART THREE: Tecia Stauch Interview
Neighbor Roderrick Drayton Interview
CLICK HERE to see all of our coverage on Gannon Stauch
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[Feature Photo: Gannon Stauch/Handout; Letecia Stauch via KRDO-TV/The Gazette/AP, Pool]
