Law&Crime Sidebar - 7 Most Powerful Moments from Child Killer Letecia Stauch’s Sentencing

Episode Date: May 9, 2023

Colorado woman Letecia Stauch was convicted Monday of killing her 11-year-old stepson in 2020. The court wasted no time after the jury returned a guilty verdict and went straight into sentencing. Gannon Stauch’s family expressed their grievances, relived fond memories of their time with Gannon, and hammered the child killer before she was locked up for life in prison. The Law&Crime Network’s Angenette Levy breaks down seven powerful moments from Stauch’s sentencing.PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW:Save 10% on your entire POM Pepper Spray order by using code LAWCRIME10 at http://bit.ly/3IGNFxvSUBSCRIBE TO OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Court JunkieObjectionsThey Walk Among AmericaDevil In The DormThe Disturbing TruthSpeaking FreelyLAW&CRIME NETWORK SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawandcrime/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LawCrimeNetworkFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawandcrimeTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/lawandcrimenetworkTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lawandcrimeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wondery Plus subscribers can binge all episodes of this Law and Crimes series ad-free right now. Join Wondry Plus in the Wondery app Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Agent Nate Russo returns in Oracle 3, Murder at the Grandview, the latest installment of the gripping Audible Original series. When a reunion at an abandoned island hotel turns deadly, Russo must untangle accident from murder. But beware, something sinister lurks in the grand. View Shadows. Joshua Jackson delivers a bone-chilling performance in this supernatural thriller that

will keep you on the edge of your seat. Don't let your fears take hold of you as you dive into this addictive series. Love thrillers with a paranormal twist? The entire Oracle trilogy is available on Audible. Listen now on Audible. I miss you, Gannon, and I love you to the moon and back and back again. I know every day you're with me and your sisters, but that will be never, that will never be taken away. Gannon Stalk's mom, Landon Bullard, describing the loss of her son after the guilty verdict in the murder trial of Gannon's stepmother, Letitia Stout. It's one of the seven most powerful moments from Stalk's sentencing. I've covered a lot of crime stories over the years, many of them here at Law and Crime, and it always makes me think about how important it is for all

of us to stay safe. Well, Palm Pepper Spray can help you do just that. It's a small but mighty self-defense tool. Palm pepper spray shoots up to 12 feet, safe and easy, you just point and spray. And if you want to try it, you can get 10% off. Just log on to palmpeper spray.com, enter the promo law crime 10. And remember, if you or anyone else is ever in danger, always dial 9-1-1. With respect to count number one, charge of murdering the first degree after deliberation, we, the jury, find the defendant, Letitia Stouk, guilty of count number one, murdering the first degree after deliberation. I'm Anjanette Levy and welcome to Law and Crime's Sidebar podcast. As you just heard, Letitia Stouk was found guilty by a jury of murdering her stepson,

11-year-old Gannon Stouk, in January of 2020. As we all know, Letitia Stouk admitted to murdering Gannon. So whether or not she actually committed the crime was never in question. She had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. but by the jury's verdict, you can tell they didn't buy it. Prosecutors said that on January 27th, 2020, Latisha Stalk attacked Gannon in his bedroom. They were living in El Paso County, Colorado in the Colorado Springs area. Investigators claimed they found blood on a mattress, walls, and floors, as well as in Letitia Stalk's vehicle. Deputies believed from the start that Latisha Stalk was

acting suspiciously when Gannon was reported missing. Prosecutors provided evidence that Latisha rented a van and drove from Colorado all the way to Florida a few weeks after Gannon's disappearance and then Gannon's body was later found stuffed in a suitcase under a bridge in Florida's panhandle six weeks after Letitia's trip there. Prosecutors spent a month presenting testimony and evidence to the jury. Those jurors determined that Stalk was not insane when she killed Gannon and they found her guilty of first degree murder. Latisha Stalk was aware of all of her actions when she was killing Gannon and when she tried to cover her tracks, that is what the jury found. Stalk will spend the rest of her life behind bars, but little Gannon will not get the chance

to live his life. And as you can imagine, the people closest to Gannon are hurting the most. Gannon's great uncle, Jeff Davenport, explained how Letitia Stouk didn't just take Gannon away from them, but took away so much more. She took away the future of an 11-year-old boy. I am Gannon's great uncle. I'm Albert's uncle and my sister Debbie, who hopefully will be speaking in a few minutes is his grandmother. Because I am a couple of steps away from him in relation, even though I have personal memories of Gannon

and the loving, wonderful young man that he was and the great man he would have been. I want to leave the depth of impact to his parents. So I would like to talk about the breadth of impact. The preciousness of an 11-year-old's life is beyond measure and all other impacts to all the rest of us pale in comparison to the loss. He suffered himself. But this now convicted murderer did not just murder Gannon. She murdered all of the love and joy and encouragement and security he would have brought to all those he encountered throughout his life.

She murdered his children and his grandchildren, and all of the joy and love and encouragement and security they would have brought to all those they encountered throughout their life and so on and so on. She murdered his junior prom, his senior prom, his high school graduation, his college years, his career, his marriage, his retirement, and his golden years. And it just goes on and on. Now, this was incredibly heartbreaking to listen to. This family has really gone through one of the most painful experiences that any family can. The next person to address the court was Gannon's great-aunt, Veronica Birkenstock, and she talked about what it was like to lose a family member who's a child. She fought back tears as she described this pain. And remarkably, she said that she actually forgives Letitia Stalk.

She said that she hopes Letitia finds God as she serves her life sentence. Nothing in life prepares you for the murder of a child. No one ever thinks this can happen to your family. a little over three and a half years ago I got a call a very dreaded call that I needed to come and be with Landon for over three years I have dear left her sight

and all the hearings all the motions and all the hearings that the defendant decided not to come to because she didn't think it was important for regardless we showed up and we showed up for Gannon I want to talk about forgiveness today because as a Christian I have to forgive

not because I want to because this human flesh does not want to. But judge today on behalf of Land and I, we want this court to know that we have forgiven. Let each support what she did. God is the ultimate judgment, judgeer. But I pray today that you judge will give her what she deserves on this earth

and let God do the rest in eternity. I don't know if this is appropriate to not, but I would like to leave this Bible And at some point in time, if you think it's okay to give to Letitia, as she serves her life sentence, and we hope that would be a punishment that you render shortly. But this is a lot of application, Bible. For the rest of her natural life, I hope she will read the word of God. It really takes a lot of strength and a lot of grace to find forgiveness in your heart for somebody like Letitia Stouk.

And Latisha is going to have an entire lifetime in prison to think about what she, has done in the pain that she has caused. Another person to address the judge was Janie Kandanis. Janie is a member of the community and was also a neighbor of Gannon, Al, and Letitia Stouk. And through the search for Gannon, Janie became very close to Gannon's parents, Al and Landon. All the other parents out there can really relate to this because losing a child or having your child go missing is really every parent's worst nightmare and really their worst fear. This is Janie explaining how the loss of Gannon impacted the community. Also, like what Nicole said, wanted to thank you for making this such a fair and neutral trial through the process.

I am here today, as I have sat with the family for the last three years as a community member in Larson Ranch, who has watched the turmoil that this has caused everybody in our community three years ago. we heard as a neighborhood what happened that a little boy went missing and we rallied together in a way that most communities can never experience or imagine we came together and we helped find ways to get media involved, to get search parties involved, to do everything we could to be of assistance to find this little boy because Gannon wasn't just a neighbor. He was all of our little boys for months. months until he was found we were all scared to let our kids go outside because we were scared that they would be kidnapped. We didn't know what was going to happen. And through that process, we all came together and we met Landon and Al, those of us that didn't know them and we build relationships and friendships and garnered a family relationship

with them through that process. But this is just one thing that as a community member, somebody who was a part of it from the beginning that I can confidently say this is the worst tragedy that anybody could ever go through and every parent's nightmare and I have watched and held Landon as she falls apart time after time but we are here today and justice has finally been served for Gannon and we want to thank you as a community for that opportunity for this to happen today. The most emotional and heartbreaking victim impact statement came from Gannon Stalk's mother, Landon Bullard. She said that she actually loved Letitia Stalk, mother to mother, and trusted her with her son.

Listen as Landon Bullard talks about losing the most precious thing in her life, her son Gannon. That is something that can never be taken away from me. He came into this world fighting. And unfortunately, you left this world fighting. Your Honor, she fought against someone that he loved and trusted. Someone that myself and Albert both trusted and loved. Someone who can never understand what it means to love or trust anyone but herself. For more than three agonizing years, I've often wondered what I may say.

Or if I would even be able to. For three years, I have questioned every single possibility and scenario. For three years, I have tried to forgive you, but I can't. I want to. But no parents should have to bury their child. None parents should have to see or hear the horrific things you. To the whole family, she has taken away the most precious gift in this world. Not just my family, not Alice family, but your own family.

She destroyed dozens of lives, lives of people who never wanted to believe that she could have done this. She knew how special Gannon was, and she knew what meant to most of me. I in my heart can never understand her hatred and insecurities when it came to me, I did love her. Mother to mother, I trusted her with my children while trying to survive a complicated life with my third child. she used every opportunity to write a narrative of my life to again to try to take pieces of my life when she already took some of it that still wasn't enough even to this day even after you murdered him and she tried to take any positive image of him he has caused families and communities to come together children and adults have given their life to christ he is called unity in times of trial

he is a hero you even she even tried to steal that away a cape huh The one image of Gannon that was created for the world. After it went national, TV begging for the return of my son, my hero, how dare her? How truly sick and cruel is she? You stole so much from this world. Gannon's cousins, aunts, uncles, sisters, new siblings. Grandparents and friends are missing a huge portion of their lives without Gannon. Lena is missing her brother.

Your Honor, I've never seen a bond between two siblings so close. is theirs. She had to take that. Why? I'm afraid we may never know that answer, will be. I show his baby sister Nova, pictures and videos of Gannon, so she will always remember who he is, because she stole him from us. He is not forgotten and never will be, and it's so sad to sit here today and face her a person even Gannon love, one that I know while she was attacking and killing him and fought for his life. He defended himself. against her still loving her. A love she never deserved from him

for what she has done. While she is too much of a coward to even come forward with the truth, she owes it to Gannon. But the lack of remorse and the lack of respect to Gannon through this child, her lack of compassion shows me that she and we, well, we were all wrong.

She manipulated all of us and never loved Gannon, Lina, or Harley. I've sat here for over a month having to list her sick lives, even as she tried to destroy who I was in Albert as a father. I've had to sit and listen and watch every reenactment of images. No one wants left in their mind. Landon Bullard then addressed the judge, the court staff, and the jury explaining how hard it was to wait three years for this day for some semblance of justice for her son Gannon. Through all of Letitia's trial and through the investigation, she often actually blamed Landon for the disappearance and death of Gannon, her young son.

In the end, Landon said she is thankful that there's been some sort of justice served. You wanted to leave us with that, knowing it would torture us, but you underestimated me. I am Landon, Gannon's mom, and that will never change. Through my hurt, anger, and pain, I will never be the monster that she is. I can never be filled with the hate that her heart holds. I pray that we will never have to look at her face again. I will continue to hold on to my faith. Vengeance is not mine as I surely wish it could be at times, but it's the Lord's.

I have to trust in that. Thank you, Judge Warner, for your compassion, your patience through this trial. I want to thank the juror for their attentiveness and time they took for joy, justice for my boy to the detectives officers legal team for every single second they've poured out into ganon's case and to the community for your countless hours tisha that was her biggest mistake you underestimated this community and this defensive team lorson ranch they searched for and fought for ganon within hours and they never believed your lies from the moment they started none of these people ever gave up on him you never looked. All of these people, I will forever hold close to my heart. Always Gannon

strong. My gene men forever. Justice has been served today. Your Honor, I pray that you just give her the best sentencing, the long sentencing that you can. This will not bring my son back, but I can sleep soundly for the first time in three years knowing that you can never harm. This defendant can never harm anyone again, knowing Gannon will always be a true hero in a cape. He will always be my son that will never be taken away. Now after Landon finished speaking, it was time for her ex-husband Al Stouk to address the court. And you'll recall that Al Stouk provided crucial evidence in this case. It was really difficult to listen to Al talking with his then-wife, Letitia Stalk, on the phone, about his missing son. He was basically begging her to have.

help him find Gannon. And he was also trying to help Letitia because she obviously was in need of some serious help. He was the closest person to Letitia Stouk. And so it was really heartbreaking to listen to him deliver this statement. He explained the difficulty of personally grieving over Gannon, but points out how hard it is also for Gannon's siblings. Two other people tore into pieces as a result of this are Gannon's sister Lena and Harley. Speaking of Harley, I feel as though as I've lost two children as a result of this tragedy. One of which I will never see on this earth again, and the other which I do not know if a relationship can be salvaged with. Now for Lena.

The video you saw as submitted in evidence her bebopping down the street is actually an excellent depiction of Lena in her happiness and her joy in life. She is very loving, trusting, and at times way too social. Normally, you might be concerned by your little girl talking to utility guy working in the front yard, but in this case, it was the inside of her own home that was of grave concern. Nonetheless, her loss, Lena's loss, is like none I can even imagine. She lost her big brother, her only brother at the time. I still do not know if she has fully processed or fully understands the gravity of the situation, but regardless has pressed forward and is thriving as best as she can.

I am so proud of her. And these are her words. Once again, they're in yellow, so I'll do the best I can. And this is what I asked her if she wanted to say anything to teach you. And this is what she said in her sweetest mind that she has, that you do not do that to people, especially your stepkids. And that it is never all right to do these things. How sweeter of a response can you get?

now for my precious premature firstborn son get it I never in my wildest dreams would have ever thought you'd be in danger buddy or I'd know I wouldn't have not left you at home with what turned out to be your murderer and the last person never seen you on an earth I'm so sorry. Through a father's eyes, children are truly a gift from God,

and among the best and most perfect creations God can make. The fact that Gannon's siblings, children, are left to grieve his death is another really tragic part of this case. And you can really hear the pain in Al's voice as he talks about this. Al finished his victim impact statement by first directing words at the defense, but then sharing with the court who Gannon really was, this little boy. He was just a kid. And then Al played a short video that Gannon made himself.

Your honor, a duty to clear one thing up with the defense. It was said both in the opening statement. in the closing, somehow Ghana has been compared to a demon. And I understand the process. I do. But if they want to take the case up of Gannon being a demon, I will line people

up from Alaska to Denver to Colorado Springs all the way to South Carolina to testify against them. Gana was nobody's demon. I don't care how much anyone was abused or anything. He was not anyone's demon. Oh, okay.

Gannon was truly my buddy. Very recently, before he died, the most alarming thing he did was call me dad. Up until age 10 or 11, I was daddy. But in the last months of his life, I was just dead. A signal that he was coming into those junior high pre teenage years. amazing thing that is he finally started asking me regularly to play ball with him. He was never too much in the sports for most of his life, but that last six to nine months, he really started enjoying playing ball. Some of the most memorable times were him running little five-yard football

routes in the street in front of our house. Most of the time he dropped the ball, but he kept asking let's do it again. I almost had it that time, Daddy. Oh, and that Nintendo switch. One of the most difficult pieces of evidence to give up was his Nintendo. He said it probably has the most of him on it. Knowing I may never see that again is truly devastating. For him, many of his games were not just games, but a challenge to overcome, as I made him beat specific games before I would buy him the next one. I remember not long before he died, him beating the old school Zelda game he had.

As he felt he was getting close to beating the final monster, he paused it, ran upstairs, and we sat at the kitchen island and he beat he beat it right there together with me he was as excited as i ever saw him with all of that and all of the pain of only being able to see him play through the one youtube video he was able to make which i'm about to play i can sleep in peace at night because the father i am and the son he is was culminated as always in our final embrace as he ran out of arms and downstairs to watch Pokemon i in his heart and he and mine if we can try to play that video just maybe the first 10 or 15 seconds of it hey guys and today i'm i'm about to play some sonic maryk

all right let's go in and yes camera mate is right here gropa cell or like gaming and yes sign up for our channels we're going to be doing a lot of these together give the shout up to him his channel freedom I think it's really difficult for any of us to truly put ourselves in the shoes of the Stalk family. They've been through so much and they've experienced so many emotions over the last three years and in just the last several days and over the last month of this trial, it was very difficult for them to get up there and deliver these victim impact statements, but they did it and they did it for Gannon. It was important for them. And now they can see and the world can see

that Letitia Stalk has been held accountable for her actions and she will spend the rest of her life in prison. That's it for this edition of Law and Crime's Sidebar podcast. You can listen to and download Sidebar on Apple, Spotify, Google, and wherever else you get your podcast. And of course, you can always watch it on Law and Crimes YouTube channel. I'm Ann Jeanette Levy and we will see you next time. You can binge all episodes of this law and crime series ad free right now on Wondery Plus. Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.