Letecia Stauch
Letecia Stauch, the woman charged in the alleged murder of her stepson Gannon Stauch, was deemed competent to stand trial, as revealed in a court hearing Tuesday, according to KKTV. Nonetheless, her defense is still asking for a second look on whether she is fit for trial.
They asked for another mental health evaluation. This one will be conducted by Colorado Springs Dr. Jackie Grimmett. The first one occurred at Colorado State Mental Health Institute.
Another court appearance is scheduled for November 12.
A few extra things:
Defense is claiming the first competency evaluation should not have been recorded, does not want the second one recorded.
Judge says he will look into it. Both prosecution and defense have copies, but were ordered not to watch until a ruling.
— Spencer Wilson (@Spencer_WNews) September 8, 2020
According to investigators, the defendant claimed that Gannon, 11, left home for a friend’s residence on January 27, 2020, but never returned. They assert that is a lie. There was blood on a mattress, the walls, and the floors, as well as in various parts of the defendant’s Volkswagen Tiguan SUV, they said. The vehicle was used to transport the victim’s body, they said.
Authorities also cited suspicious searches. For example, defendant Stauch allegedly used her stepson’s phone on Jan. 27 the to look up “can my parent find my cell phone [if it is off].” They argued it was written in a similar way to how Letecia Stauch did searches on her phone, and they pointed out that “parent” was written in the singular, suggesting that only Gannon’s dad, not Letecia, would be interested in the location of the phone.
Also, the defendant made a “beyond coincidental” purchase of vinegar and baking soda, they said. These items can be used to clean blood, they said. Gannon’s remains were found in Pace, Florida, authorities said.
[Mugshot via El Paso County Sheriff’s Office]
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