On March 2, 2020, at approximately 8:04 AM, MST, El Paso County Sheriff's Office Detectives, FBI Agents, and members from the El Paso County 4th Judicial District Attorney's Office arrested Letecia Stauch (DOB 08/04/1983) in Horry County, South Carolina.

Letecia Stauch will be held at the Horry County Jail on the charges of:

Murder in the First-Degree (Child Under Twelve-Position of Trust §18-3-102(1)(f)),

Child Abuse Resulting in Death §18-6-401(1)(a), (7)(A)(I),

Tampering with a Deceased Human Body, §18-8-610.5, and

Tampering with Physical Evidence, §18-8-610(1)(a).

She is awaiting extradition hearings before being transported to the El Paso County Jail in Colorado Springs.

The investigation into the disappearance of Gannon Stauch began on January 27, 2020, when Letecia Stauch who is Gannon's stepmother called 9-1-1 to report Gannon had not returned from a friend's house.  By January 28, 2020, our Major Crime Detectives assumed responsibility over the case and began working hand in hand with multiple partners.  By January 30, 2020, the case was upgraded from runaway to missing/endangered. 

Please report any tips you may have to aid law enforcement in recovering Gannon and bringing his family closure to either 719-520-6666 or email Tips@elpasoco.com.

We would like to thank the following agencies for their time, ongoing efforts, expertise, and help they provided and continue to provide for this investigation:

SEARCH PARTNERS:

Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue

Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Colorado Springs Fire Department

Colorado Springs Police Department

Douglas County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue

FBI (Evidence Response Team)

Fountain Police Department

El Paso County Public Works 

Emergency Incident Support

Flight for Life (searching purposes only)

Fremont County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue

Jefferson County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)

Pikes Peak Office of Emergency Management

Tri-Lakes Fire Department

U.S. Army (multiple units - volunteers)

U.S. National Guard 100th Missile Defense Brigade (volunteers) 

INVESTIGATION PARTNERS:

4th Judicial District Attorney's Office

Colorado Springs Police Department

FBI (Denver and South Carolina)

Fountain Police Department

Horry County Sheriff’s Office

Horry County Police Department

Myrtle Beach Police Department

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)

South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) 

All investigative updates will come from the District Attorney's Office and all search effort information will come from the El Paso County Sheriff's Office.  A mug shot of Stauch will be sent out once she has been formally booked.

We would also like to thank the community and people from across the nation for your compassion, generosity, support and patience.  

Let's continue to work together to find Gannon.