‘I am very confident in the verdict’: Stauch trial juror speaks out about murder case

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) - Less than two weeks ago, Letecia Stauch was found guilty in the death of 11-year-old Gannon Stauch and is beginning a life sentence in prison.

11 News anchor Grace Kraemer spoke with a woman who says she helped decide that conviction after hearing weeks of testimony.

After the Stauch murder trial, Grace received an email from a woman who said she served on the panel. She told Grace she wanted to share her side of the story on camera but did not want her name to be used.

The woman will be referred to as the juror in this story.

“I cling to the fact that we were chosen at random, but we were chosen for a reason,” said the juror.

The juror said she went into the trial with an open mind.

“Sometimes the obvious answer isn’t the correct answer and sometimes it is the correct answer, but you have to do the research. In this case, the research was going to the trial and listening,” said the juror.

She told Grace it was a difficult case to sit through, from hearing medical examiners explain the injuries Gannon received to seeing evidence photos and to listen to family members share their traumas.

“It was much more difficult than I expected it to be emotionally,” said the juror.

As the prosecution and defense closed, the juror said she felt ready to deliberate and thought the other jurors felt the same way. She said after only a few hours speaking with the other jurors, she was certain they were ready to convict.

“Even the people that took a little bit longer. I think that was their opinion going into it. They just needed to reassure themselves and to wrap their minds around that we were making a life-changing decision for many many people,” said the juror.

The juror told 11 News the jury was able to come to an unanimous verdict, and after that guilty verdict was read by the judge, she said she felt relief but also sadness for the family.

“It’s frustrating to hear it all. It is hard to not be able to get to that why,” the juror explained.

The juror said the trial will be something she carries with her forever.

“My daughter-in-law said something to me the other day, she said, ’You know, it’s kind of like going to battle. It was kind of like you did your service for the country which was required, but you can be proud of what you did,’” the juror said.

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