‘Psychotic crack’ led woman to kill stepson, defense says

By COLLEEN SLEVIN
Associated Press

DENVER (AP) — A prosecutor says a Colorado woman knew what she was doing when she stabbed her young stepson 18 times, shot him and drove across the country to dump a suitcase with his remains inside. The statement came Monday at the start of the murder trial of Letecia Stauch, over three years after 11-year-old Gannon Stauch was killed. She has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. The defense claims she suffered a “major psychotic crack” as a result of childhood trauma when she killed Gannon. Stauch has been charged with first-degree murder, child abuse resulting in death, tampering with a deceased human body and tampering with physical evidence.