New charges delayed for man suspected of killing his wife in Davis: "People like him need to be stopped."
DAVIS -- Yolo County prosecutors announced Tuesday that they are not yet ready to file new charges against Henry Stanley, 37, arrested five days ago on suspicion of killing his wife Megan Duncanson, 29.
Davis police found Megan's body at the couple's J Street home in the early evening of Thursday, July 11, after she was reported missing by a friend.
See also: Family mourns Davis woman allegedly killed by husband days after domestic violence arrest
Just two days before on Tuesday, July 9, Megan called 911 and told police her husband "wanted to kill her." Stanley was arrested that same day for felony domestic assault-related charges and was released after posting a $30,000 bond.
In Yolo County Court on Tuesday, though CBS13 expected to learn what new charges Stanley would be presented with, prosecutors instead argued successfully for him to be held on no bail on the previous domestic violence charges while they continue to gather evidence in the homicide case. They plan to bring new charges against Stanley soon.
"For us, the best thing we could do, the most we could do for Megan was no bail," said Karen Duncanson, Megan's mother, pleased the judge ended up ruling this way.
Karen and her husband, Rob, gave a victim impact statement on behalf of their daughter who was forever silenced, allegedly at the hands of a man who isolated her from her loved ones and abused her.
"He has gotten away with so much. He has suppressed the life of my daughter for years. He wasn't stopped before. He needs to be stopped. People like him need to be stopped," Karen said.
"Do you feel like this is justice delayed in not having those charges yet?" I asked.
"No," Karen answered. "If they are taking their time and collecting all the evidence against him, that's what we want. I don't want it rushed and there be something botched. It has to be secure and we have to feel totally confident that it's an open and shut case. Period."
Yolo County Chief Deputy District Attorney Melinda Aiello explained to CBS13 that the delay in filing the new charges is because they are still working through all of the evidence in the case and awaiting the results of Megan's autopsy, which is scheduled to happen Thursday, July 18.
Karen said that Rob told the court that though these are Stanley's first criminal offenses, the abuse he has subjected Megan to has been disclosed to both family members and friends over the past two years at least.
"He has taken away a good seven years of her life from us. Slowly but surely he pieced it away. To ultimately be a part of her demise completely? I want him to not think he can get by with this," Karen said.
Karen added that Megan tried to escape the abusive relationship in December 2022, fleeing home to her parents in Southern California when Stanley was sedated after undergoing a medical procedure. Karen said that it was the only time she felt safe leaving. Megan admitted to her then that Stanley had hit her and Karen encouraged her daughter not to return to the relationship.
"She was trying to reclaim herself and her life, but during that whole time, he was manipulating and controlling and taking over when he could," Karen said.
By March 2023, Karen described that Stanley "lured" Megan back to Davis despite the progress it seemed she had made in attempting to abandon the relationship. The abuse would seemly only escalate once she returned. Karen said that Stanley completely isolated Megan and played a role in her largely cutting off her family in the months before her death.
"It just seemed strange to me that my once communicative daughter started pulling back with all of us," Karen said.
The Duncanson family is now waiting patiently for justice, promising that the death of the beloved woman they call a free spirit and bright light will not be in vain.
"Megan's heart, she wouldn't want us to quit. That's just not her," Karen said. "Our goal is to turn our grief into legislation or whatever that is a huge deterrent for anyone who is going to potentially harm another individual."
Stanley's next court hearing is scheduled for August 8.
Aiello confirmed that if the district attorney's office collects enough evidence to move forward with new charges against Stanley before then, they will do so.
