El Paso County Sheriff Joe Roybal released the following statement after a jury found Leticia Stauch guilty of murdering her 11-year-old stepson, Gannon Stauch:
“Gannon’s disappearance and the subsequent exhaustive search garnered local, national, and worldwide attention.
The outpouring of community support was overwhelming and an example of the heart the citizens of El Paso County have for one another, especially when tragedy strikes. Still to this day there are ribbons, signs, tributes, and blue porch lights across our community, for Gannon.
This case was arguably one of the largest in our Sheriff’s Office history, in both notoriety and depth of information collected.
To this point, it is important for me to acknowledge the hard work, sacrifice and dedication of the men and women of the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office and their resolve to bring Gannon’s killer to justice.
For each of you in the Sheriff’s Office who took part in this investigation, you have my thanks and appreciation.
As with many large investigations, we could not have done it alone and we had extensive help from so many law enforcement partners.
The value of relationships and strong collaboration amongst law enforcement organizations across local, state, and federal levels cannot be overstated and Gannon’s case highlights this importance.
I also want to thank the citizens of El Paso County who served on this jury and played an integral role in the criminal justice process. You helped to bring closure and found justice for Gannon’s family.
Lastly, I want to thank District Attorney Michael Allen and his talented team for their commitment to aggressively prosecuting this case.”
The agencies who supported the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office’s efforts in solving this case include:
-The Federal Bureau of Investigations
- The 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office
-The Colorado Springs Metro Crime Lab and the Colorado Springs Police Department
-The Fountain Police Department
-The Colorado Bureau of Investigations
-Myrtle Beach Police Department (South Carolina)
-Horry County Sheriff’s Office (South Carolina)
-Rhode Island State Police
-Dickensen County Sheriff’s Office (Kansas)
-Kansas State Patrol
- and Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office (Florida)