Letecia Stauch
The murder case against Letecia Stauch, 37, is going to take a little longer than expected. A judge in Colorado on Thursday approved a defense request to postpone a November 12 hearing, according to KDRO. A COVID-19 outbreak got in the way of the defendant meeting with a psychiatrist to determine her competency to stand trial for allegedly murdering stepson Gannon Stauch, 11. The October 30 appointment was canceled, and so were in-person visits at the El Paso County Jail were until at least after November 30, according to The Colorado Springs Gazette. At least 690 inmates were reported to be infected at the facility.
UPDATE: #LeteciaStauch’s defense team has filed a motion, asking to move back the scheduled review hearing on Nov. 12 because of the #COVID19 outbreak at the El Paso County Jail. @KOAA pic.twitter.com/nyqbvQdrsp
— Colette Bordelon (@ColetteBordelon) November 5, 2020
Letecia Stauch’s attorneys say it’s been difficult to arrange a second competency evaluation due to a COVID-19 outbreak at the jail. The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday that 693 inmates had tested positive recently. https://t.co/Cu6clMmpod
— KRDO NewsChannel 13 (@KRDONC13) November 5, 2020
Letecia Stauch’s meeting with Dr. Jackie Grimmett is the defense’s second attempt to review the defendant’s competency. An analysis conducted at the Colorado State Mental Health Institute previously ended in her being declared competent to stand trial, but the defense team is not letting that slide.
Police say Stauch murdered her stepson on January 27, and tried to make it seem that she did not know where he was. They claim, however, she changed her story multiple times, and showed “abnormal behavior,” including getting a rental car, disconnecting her cell phone for a prolonged period of time, “falsely reporting an alleged rape,” and leaving Colorado.
[Mugshot via El Paso County Jail]
