COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The father of Gannon Stauch called the discovery of his son's body "gut-wrenching" and thanked supporters for their continued privacy for his family, in a statement released through his church on Sunday.
"I am a very private person anyways, but balancing my desire to show my great appreciation and my need to cope with the continually evolving devastation has not been easy," Al Stauch said in the statement, posted on the Restoration Church Facebook page. "Those who I have personally trusted with information in the public have respected my privacy in an epic manner, and to those one to two people I owe you a lifelong debt of gratitude."
Al Stauch's wife, Letecia Stauch, is accused of killing Gannon, who was last seen Jan. 27 at their home in the Lorson Ranch area of Colorado Springs. Al Stauch filed for divorce against his wife following her arrest on a murder charge in the case. Authorities last week found Gannon's body in Pace, Fla., and new charges were filed against the boy's stepmother.
Al Stauch called the discovery of Gannon "wonderful, yet gut-wrenching news" and called the last two months a "heartbreaking and absolutely devastating time period in my life."
Read Al Stauch's full statement here. He said he likely won't release another public statement until the end of the case.
Letecia Stauch reported her stepson missing from their Colorado Springs home on Jan. 27. She told police that Gannon Stauch left on foot to play at a friend's house and never returned.
According to the El Paso Sheriff's Office, she made the report around 7 p.m. that day.
During the investigation, a neighbor shared a home surveillance video that he said showed the boy and his stepmother leaving their home around 10:13 a.m. on Jan 27. At 2:19 p.m. that same day, the stepmother returned home, seemingly alone.
Thirty-five days after he was reported missing, Letecia Stauch was arrested in South Carolina.
At a press conference following her arrest, El Paso Sheriff's Lt. Mitch Mahalko said authorities no longer believed Gannon Stauch was alive. Mahalko said they are not releasing information as to why they believe that, or why they have accused Letecia Stauch of first-degree murder. According to Denver7's news partners KOAA, the arrest warrant for Letecia Stauch was first sought by El Paso County authorities on Friday, Feb. 28.