EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. — Human remains found in Florida have been “tentatively identified” as 11-year-old Gannon Stauch, who went missing from the Colorado Springs area on Jan. 27, according to the El Paso Sheriff’s Office. No other details were available as of Friday at noon.
Gannon’s stepmother, Letecia Stauch, was arrested on March 2 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and is accused of murdering the boy. She is facing the following charges:
- First-degree murder of a child under the age of 12 by a person in a position of trust
- Second-degree child abuse resulting in death
- Tampering with a deceased human body
- Tampering with physical evidence
Gannon Stauch went missing in late January
Letecia reported her stepson missing from their Colorado Springs home on Jan. 27, telling police that he’d left on foot to play at a friend’s house and never returned. According to the El Paso Sheriff’s Office, she made the report around 7 p.m. Few details have been released in the case, but crews over the last few weeks have been searching in the same general area of southern Douglas County as well as northern El Paso County . During the investigation, a neighbor shared a home surveillance video that he said showed the boy and his stepmother leaving their home around 10:13 a.m. on Jan 27. At 2:19 p.m., the stepmother returned home, seemingly alone.
Thirty-five days after he was reported missing, Letecia was arrested in South Carolina.
At a press conference following her arrest, El Paso Sheriff’s Lt. Mitch Mahalko said authorities no longer believed Gannon was alive. Mahalko said they are not releasing information as to why they believe that, or why they have accused Letecia of first-degree murder. According to KOAA, the arrest warrant for Letecia was first sought by El Paso County authorities on Friday, Feb. 28.
Neighbors and friends created a memorial in the Lorson Ranch neighborhood where Gannon lived.
This story was originally published by Stephanie Butzer at KMGH.
Read More:
- Biden, Buttigieg look to exploit Iowa opening as impeachment drags rivals back to DCWho is Ovidio Guzman Lopez, Who is El Chapo?
- TADI MISSING GIRLS: FAMILY REJECTS AKUFO-ADDO’S CALL
- Democracy 2020 Digest: Struggling Warren pulls back from South Carolina, puts her chips on Nevada
- Yendi: Police officer’s gun, ammo allegedly stolen under bizarre circumstances
- Takoradi missing girls saga: Executive Secretary of the National Identification Authority (NIA) supports Madam Tiwa Addo Dankwas’ removal