Prosecution rests in Letecia Stauch trial in death of stepson Gannon
The prosecution has rested in the trial of a Colorado woman accused of killing her 11-year-old stepson in 2020. Letecia Stauch has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity in the death of Gannon Stauch.
Prosecutors have presented evidence they claim links Stauch to the January 2020 murder. They said that investigators found Gannon's blood on Stauch's shoe, found her DNA on a gun linked to his death and learned that she traveled to the Florida Panhandle shortly after he disappeared. The child's remains were found there in March 2020.
Defense attorneys have sought to create doubt that Stauch committed the murder by suggesting someone else could have entered their Colorado Springs home around the time Gannon died.
The defense began calling witnesses at 1 p.m. Tuesday. Among the witnesses a doctor of psychology who is trained to identify certain disorders and has interviewed Letecia. She said she believes Letecia does have different personalities and particularly remembers meeting one referred to as "Maria."
"Maria apparently was a physically abusive entity and when she, and my recollection is when I actually heard her speak and that she was harsh and angry and ... hurtful, that yes, she did... in fact, it made me wonder when I first saw that I thought have I just met, have I just met the aspect of her personality that .. killed Gannon?"
Testimony in the trial is expected to wrap up this week. Closing arguments could come on Friday.
Stauch is charged with first-degree murder, child abuse resulting in death, and tampering with a deceased human being.
