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Bella Fontenelle. Photo from GoFundMe.
In Abuse Cases

Stepmother Kills Stepdaughter, 6, Leaves Body in Bucket on Mother’s Lawn

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The cases that stick with me the most are the ones that involve children, and particularly children who are betrayed by caregivers in positions of trust.

These sorry excuses for adults forgo their responsibility to work on themselves, and instead unleash their insecurities, shortcomings and inner demons on innocent children. The children they hurt have their whole lives ahead of them. They’re only discovering who they are, what they like and what the world has to offer—and what it doesn’t. And it’s all tragically cut short because the “adult” in question doesn’t take initiative to question their behaviors and seek help. Instead, they choose to express their hatred of themselves and their dissatisfaction with life on the children that stand before them.

And so it goes with the terrible death of 6-year-old Bella Elena Fontenelle.

The Murder of Bella Fontenelle

Bella was beautiful, funny and kind. She loved princesses and playing dress-up. She was a kindergartener at St. Matthew the Apostle School in River Ridge, Louisiana. The mere sight of her was enough to put a smile on someone’s face.

Bella was killed by her father’s longtime girlfriend, 43-year-old Bunnak “Hannah” Landon, on Tuesday, April 25, 2023, in the New Orleans, Louisiana, suburb of Harahan. She was strangled, beaten and suffered blunt-force trauma. If that isn’t horrible enough, Bunnak subsequently forced Bella’s remains into a white 10-galloon bucket used for pool chlorine. Her body was manipulated into the fetal position. She then loaded the bucket into a wagon, walked a block to Bella’s biological mother’s house, and left the bucket in her front lawn.

A home in the neighborhood caught Bunnak on surveillance around 9:35 pm. She walks steadily with calm eeriness, as if transporting a load of groceries. She’s dressed in a red-orange blouse, black pants and white knee-high boots.

An image captured from a neighbor's surveillance camera of Bunnak Landon pulling a wagon that contains a bucket, where Bella Fontenelle's lifeless body is stored. She leaves the bucket on the front lawn of Jennifer Zeledon, Bella's mother. Photo from Fox 8 Live.
An image captured from a neighbor’s surveillance camera of Bunnak Landon pulling a wagon that contains a bucket, where Bella Fontenelle’s lifeless body is stored. She leaves the bucket on the front lawn of Jennifer Zeledon, Bella’s mother. Photo from Fox 8 Live.

Michael Fontenelle, Bella’s father and Bunnak’s boyfriend, worked until about 10:30 pm that night. He is a certified public accountant (CPA) and it was the middle of tax season, so he was busy, overworked and tired. He fell right asleep on the living room couch and didn’t notice Bella and Bunnak’s absence until the next morning. When he awoke on Wednesday, April 26, Michael realized that Bunnak and Bella weren’t home. He arrived at the Hanahan Police Department in Harahan, Louisiana, around 7:30 am to report them missing. A search of the area ensued.

As part of the search, police visited the home of Bella’s mother, Jennifer Zeleden, around 8:30 am. That’s when they discovered Bella’s deceased body wedged inside the bucket. Police located Bunnak around 2 pm at a local hospital. Bunnak was taken to the hospital the night before after walking to the Harahan Police Department. She was in a slightly disoriented state and requested transportation. Bunnak was booked into the Jefferson Parish Correction Center on charges of first-degree murder and obstruction of justice. The first-degree murder charges are not because the murder was confirmed to have been planned, but because it was committed on a child under 12 by an adult in a position of trust.

What series of events could have happened to lead Bunnak to betray Bella? Let’s dive into this case. (Keep in mind, this case is ongoing and many details haven’t been made available yet.)

A Family Backstory

Michael Fontenelle and Jennifer Zeledon met in college. Both of them received degrees in accounting and went on to become CPAs. The couple never married, but they remained together for several years.

Michael and Jennifer had two beautiful daughters: Bella, 6, was the youngest, and she was preceded by an older sister, Aria, now age 7. Shortly after the birth of Bella, Michael and Jennifer separated. The separation was difficult, but they maintained joint custody and kept a working relationship for the sake of their kids. Michael and Jennifer lived close by to make parenting easier. Their homes in Harahan, Louisiana, an area characterized as safe and neighborly, are only a block apart. As the girls grew older, they’d be able to walk to their parents’ homes as often as they wished.

Michael Fontenelle with his live-in girlfriend, Bunnak Landon, and daughter, Bella Fontenelle. Photo from XX.
Michael Fontenelle with his live-in girlfriend, Bunnak Landon, and daughter, Bella Fontenelle. Photo from Facebook.

Bunnak Lim Enters the Picture

Two years after Michael and Jennifer ended their relationship, Michael began dating Bunnak Lim, who goes by the aliases “Hannah Landon” and “Bunnak Landon.” For the purposes of this article, we’ll refer to her as Bunnak.

At the time of this crime, Michael and Bunnak were together for more than four years. Bunnak has a son of her own, though he lives in Florida. Not much is known about the relationship between Bunnak and her son, or her past life. However, there are claims that she once had a family that she since abandoned.

Bunnak moved into the home that Michael shared with his two daughters on Donelon Drive. Together, they shared the single-story home, and Bunnak assumed the role of a step mother.

Bunnak displayed several unusual characteristics in regards to Bella and Aria. She was known to be very jealous, particularly of Jennifer. Thus, she made it a point to convey that her, Michael, Bella and Aria were a tightknit unit. Part of this strategy involved dressing identically to the children. This wasn’t only done for holidays, but for all sorts of occasions. Friends of the family thought it was unusual, given that Bunnak wasn’t the girls’ biological mother and Jennifer was very much involved in their lives.

Bunnak doesn’t have a social media trail. She didn’t work, but was a homemaker of sorts. It’s believed that she originally emigrated to the U.S. from Thailand, though it hasn’t been confirmed. As stated, few details are known about the relationship between Bunnak and her estranged son, or about Bunnak in general.

Michael’s mother, Barbara Fontenelle, wasn’t fond of Bunnak. Rather, his side of the family found Bunnak to be strange and unsettling. She wasn’t close with anyone in Michael’s family. No one felt like they really “knew” her, despite her being with Michael for several years.

More on Bunnak Lim

So far, the details surrounding Bunnak’s life are hazy. However, there are a few facts that have come to the surface.

Bunnak’s time in Harahan, Louisiana, can be traced back to between 2018 and 2019, when she began a relationship with Michael. Prior to this, she lived in various apartments in the Mobile, Alabama, area, about 150 miles northeast of Harahan. According to sources, Bunnak moved to the Mobile area in April 2006. On May 7, 2013, Bunnak obtained a marriage license with Donald Dewayne Landon, her former spouse.

The Wrath of Bunnak’s Jealousy

Bunnak and Jennifer, the girls’ mother, didn’t get along. It’s believed that as a result of that persisting conflict, Bunnak took her frustrations out on Bella. Coincidently, Bella more closely resembled her mother.

Physical Altercations at a Child’s Swim Meet and Soccer Game

As police investigated, they unearthed a petition for a temporary restraining order, which involved physical conflicts between Bunnak and Jennifer back in 2021.

An incident occurred on June 8, 2021, when Jennifer, Bunnak, Michael, Bella, Aria and Jennifer’s sister, Evlyn Zeleden, attended a child’s swim meet at the Riverside Country Club in Harahan. Jennifer approached her daughters to hug them and bid them a job well done. Bunnak intervened and started a fuss about it being “Michael’s custody day,” even though they shared joint custody. Michael agreed to “let” Jennifer hug her daughter for “one minute,” and Bunnak took out her cell phone to record Jennifer.

Evlyn told Bunnak to stop recording and Bunnak slapped Evlyn’s hand. Evlyn told Bunnak to never do that again, and Bunnak proceeded to pull Evlyn’s hair. Michael was not present at the time, though it’s unknown why. He caught the tail-end of the altercation after a bystander intervened. Police were called and both women were interviewed. Bunnak was described in court documents as being “extremely uncooperative” and persistently blamed Jennifer and Evlyn, who had visible scratch marks on her face and hands. Bunnak refused to provide officers with any information until she was threatened with charges.

Bunnak received a municipal summons for simple battery. However, she subsequently filed a temporary restraining order against Jennifer, citing several claims against her. She also cited a second claim about another altercation on March 17, 2021. On this date, the women were attending a children’s soccer game. Bunnak claimed that Jennifer approached her, grabbed her by the arm and threatened to harm her.

The temporary restraining order was dismissed by Judge Faulkner of the 24th Judicial District Court on August 5, 2021. There were no grounds to verify Bunnak’s claims. No other incidents were subsequently known to police.

Updates

Shortly after Bella’s murder, her aunt, Bianca Z. Cano—another of Jennifer’s sisters—started a GoFundMe on behalf of their family, with Jennifer Zeledon listed as the beneficiary. The GoFundMe, which has since closed, raised more than $41,000.

On the GoFundMe page, Bianca writes:

Where do I start… my beautiful Bella… the world is so unjust. You were given to us for 6 amazing years. You were beyond perfection. Your beautiful little voice, your funny personality, the way you danced, the way you were so delicate and fragile, your smile, your laugh, the way expressed yourself. I can go on and on about how amazing this little soul was. My sister’s two daughters were what gave her life meaning and strength to go on each and everyday. This senseless and heinous act has forever destroyed my family. No words can describe the pain that is running through our bodies. It’s truly inhumane.

This case remains ongoing and Bunnak is set to appear in court in July. As frustrating as the details are, many of them are hazy.

A Possible Theory

There seems to have been an influx in stepparents committing violent crimes against their stepchildren. This “influx” may be the result of social media and heightened coverage, which makes it seem like these tragedies are occurring more often.

However, stepchildren may be particularly vulnerable to violence at the hands of a stepparent, according to Humanium.org. There are several reasons for this, which include:

  • Stepparents not feeling as connected to their partner’s children as they do their own
  • Stepparents bringing unresolved personal issues into their new family dynamic
  • Stepparents having low self-esteem or weak bonds, which are then put onto their stepchildren

The Cinderella Effect

The Cinderella effect is a nod to the 1950 animated musical fantasy by Disney, Cinderella, which depicts the main character, Cinderella, being gravely mistreated by her stepmother, Lady Tremaine. Lady Tremaine has two daughters of her own, Anastasia and Drizella, who she favors, and encourages their mistreatment of Cinderella.

Cinderella. Image from Disney Fandom.
Cinderella. Photo from Disney Fandom.

Before it became a Disney classic, Cinderella started as a folktale with thousands of variants worldwide. The oldest Cinderella story dates back to somewhere between 7 BC and AD 23, and tells the story of Rhodopis, a Greek slave woman who married the Pharaoh of Egypt. The story has changed over time to depict the modern-day version of Cinderella recognized in the U.S. today.

‘Survival of the Fittest’

The Cinderella effect is a theory in evolutionary psychology that’s used to explain why stepparents are more likely to abuse stepchildren than biological children. The theory derives from an inherent bias in the wiring of the brain, which suggests that parents are naturally wired to protect and prolong the survival of their own children over children that aren’t biological. It’s a theory that’s linked to survival of the fittest.

Not all stepparents perceive their stepchildren this way. However, for those that don’t have a natural disposition that’s loving, caring and nurturing, the theory states they’re more likely to behave vindictively towards their stepchildren. These vindictive behaviors translate into emotional abuse and, in some cases, the abuse turns physical.

Repressed Emotions

Another contributing factor of the Cinderella Effect involves the stepparent’s emotions. Not all adults are able to cope with emotions in a healthy way. In this context, a stepparent may single out one of the stepchildren, in most instances, to use as a scapegoat to express their repressed emotions.

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Letecia Stauch in a March 11, 2020 court appearance in Colorado Springs. (Photo Credit: KKTV).
In Abuse Cases

StepMONSTER Letecia Stauch Is On Trial; Case and Timeline

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Two years after Letecia Stauch was arrested for 1st-degree murder of Gannon Stauch, her 11-year-old stepson, the witch is FINALLY on trial. The day is almost here when Letecia, aka “Tecia” or “Tee,” will be held responsible for her crimes. And crimes, there are many.

Letecia told her ex-husband Al Stauch at least four different stories about what happened to Gannon when he went missing on Monday, January 27, 2020. Some of these tall tales involved Quincy Brown, a Colorado fugitive who’s been on the run for two years; an undocumented Hispanic construction worker named “Edguardo” or “Eduardo,” and Terrance, a getaway driver. Obviously, none of it was true.

Today is the 12th day of CO. v. Letecia Stauch, where Letecia is pleading not guilty by reason of insanity. Letecia’s plea signifies her admittance to killing Gannon. This means that in 2020, this 35-year-old wife, mother of one, stepmother of two and career schoolteacher, murdered Gannon (and brutally so). Then, she attempted to conceal the evidence by stuffing his body and bedding into a suitcase, and driving 1,500 miles southwest to Pace, Florida, to toss it from a highway overpass.

Yes, she’s on trial, but Letecia is guilty as sin in the eyes of public opinion. Even though she’s clearly crazy, public consensus is that she’s also SANE, and that’s the worst kind of crazy there is.

Let’s dive in to the beginning parts of what we know: who Gannon was, how Letecia met the Stauch’s, what led to this tragedy, and the general timeline up to when Gannon’s body was found.

Who Was Gannon Stauch?

Gannon Stauch. Photo from Facebook.
Gannon Stauch. Photo from Facebook.

Gannon Jacob Stauch was born on September 29, 2008, to Eugene Albert “Al” Stauch and Landen Bullard Hiott in Loris, South Carolina. He entered the world as a fighter, which is sadly how he left it. Gannon was born premature; a one-pound six-ounce baby boy.

Because of Gannon’s condition, doctors gave him a 10% chance of survival. They said if he were to survive, he would be severely mentally and physically disabled. Gannon beat all those odds.

In 2020, Gannon was a fifth-grade student at Grand Mountain School in El Paso County. He was known to be kind, shy and quiet. He loved tacos, the color blue and his Nintendo Switch, especially the game Sonic. He was in talented and gifted student programs. He had a circle of friends.

When members of the community gathered to search for Gannon, they used red ribbons to raise awareness. Students wore blue to school in honor of Gannon. Some neighbors also changed their porch lights to blue to “help Gannon find his way home.”

How Did Gannon Meet Letecia?

Al Stauch and Letecia Stauch. Photos from Facebook.
Al and Letecia Stauch. Photo from Facebook.

Al and then-wife Landen Stauch met Letecia Hardin in 2013 when they all played on a local softball team together. Al and Landen were married for almost 10 years at the time and had two children: Gannon and his younger sister Laina.

Letecia was skilled at softball, having played recreationally and competitively throughout grade school. She grew up around the area of Lumberton, North Carolina, where she attended high school. At the time, Letecia had a 12-year-old daughter, Hailey Hunt.

Al and Landen separated at some point in 2014. Before a divorce was finalized, Al and Letecia started dating. Allegedly, the Stauch’s marriage was failing and both Landen and Al cheated on each other.

By January 2015, Al and Letecia were married.

Initially, Gannon and Laina lived in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, with their mother Landen, who was a health and physical education teacher at the time, and her new husband Mike Hiott.

Al and Letecia Stauch. Photo from Facebook.
Al and Letecia Stauch. Photo from Facebook.

For a few years, the kids shuffled back and forth between households for holidays and summer breaks. It was stressful all around for both sides of the family.

Over time, Al grew concerned about the children’s safety over at Landen’s home. He worried about drugs being around them, which was presumably related to Mike Hiott. At the time, Landen was pregnant with her third child, a daughter she named Novah (Gannon’s half-sister). The pregnancy was high-risk and she was hospitalized for a time because of it. Landen was also given strict orders to be on bed rest, which affected her ability to fully care for Gannon and Laina. (Landen and Mike Hiott have since divorced.)

Al and Letecia were awarded full custody of Gannon and Laina in 2018. The kids then moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado, to live together as a full-time family of five.

Little did they know, who they were moving in with.

Letecia’s Past

The late Chance Hunt, ex-husband of Letecia Stauch.
The late Chance Hunt, ex-husband of Letecia Stauch. Photograph his from his obituary.

Letecia’s criminal dates back to before she graduated from Lumberton High School in 2001. There, she excelled in sports and academics, and she also made a fake bomb threat.

Later that year, after graduation, Letecia was charged with simple assault and communicating threats, though the charges were dropped. She was also arrested for car theft and sentenced to 45 days in jail, issued a $1,000 fine and placed on an 18-month probation.

From 2002 to 2011, Letecia was in an on- and off-relationship with Chance Hunt, the father of her daughter, Harley Hunt. (Harley was born on May 1, 2002.) In 2010, Letecia was arrested for domestic violence and domestic abuse in Horry County, South Carolina. After that arrest, she went by “Tecia.” (Chance also had over 70 criminal offenses to his name.)

Harley Hunt. Letecia Stauch's daughter. Photo from Instagram.
Harley Hunt. Letecia Stauch’s daughter. Photo from Instagram.

Letecia went on to receive a doctorate in education from Liberty University. Her teaching certificate was suspended in North Carolina and terminated in South Carolina due to several offenses.

Less than a year after she divorced Chance, Letecia and Al started dating. In 2014, Chance then, 34, died from a drug overdose. He tested positive for benzodiazepines (Xanax), THC, hydrocodone, fentanyl, and alcohol.

Letecia told her daughter Harley that Chance died during a home-invasion-gone-wrong. She learned about the real nature of his death from the Internet when she was 20 years old, during her mother’s trial. It was one of many truths that would come to light about her mom, and still more will be revealed.

Letecia Moves To Alaska With Al And Kids

Al started working for the U.S. National Guard in 2005. He is currently an operations officer in the 100th Missile Defense Brigade.

In 2017, Al was stationed in Alaska, and the family had to relocate from South Carolina. Letecia begrudgingly moved with the kids, but she hated it. In court, Harley testified that Letecia made comments about committing suicide if she had to live in Alaska any longer. Initially, Gannon and Laina spent summers in Alaska and were with their mother, Landen, during the school year.

Coincidentally, Letecia filed a claim of sexual assault on her by two of Al’s coworkers, one of whom was his captain. The motive is believed to have been to relocate Al to a different base—and it worked. In 2019, the Stauch’s returned to South Carolina and then relocated to Colorado Springs, which is in-between three military bases.

(It’s also around this time that Letecia tells Al she’s pregnant with twins. Hint: She wasn’t.)

Al Stauch and Letecia Stauch. Photo from Facebook.
Al Stauch and Letecia Stauch. Photo from Facebook.

Letecia Resents The Responsibilities Of A Stepmom

Letecia felt like a “glorified babysitter,” a term later uncovered in her Google search history. She was resentful toward Al about being the primary caretaker of Gannon and Laina. She felt Al didn’t return her affections or give her the attention she so desperately pined for. The couple fought often. Letecia frequently accused Al of being with other women.

Al’s job required him to be away from home often, anywhere from three to 14 days at a time. This meant that Letecia, who worked full time as a teacher, was often singlehandedly responsible for all three children. Letecia misdirected much of her anger at Al toward Landen, the kids’ mother, and then toward Gannon.

It wasn’t exciting. It wasn’t sexy. It wasn’t what she thought she signed up for. Life was more hectic with all three kids around, and it wasn’t so easy having a partner whose job kept him away from home.

Letecia wanted excitement. First, she started to seek it out by changing her career. Not long before these crimes occurred, Letecia started the process of becoming a flight attendant. Though it paid less than working as a teacher, the job would allow her to travel the world. In other words, it would require her to be out of the house and free from the responsibilities she didn’t want. Letecia said that Al discouraged it.

Letecia also filed two false burglary reports during the course of their marriage. Why? Who knows.

It’s also important to mention that Al allegedly started an affair with another woman toward the end of their relationship, and that Letecia was suspicious about it. (Al is now married to his third wife, Heather Whitworth, who was supposedly that other woman.)

Now bearing all this in mind, here’s a timeline of the what happened during Gannon’s disappearance and up to when his body was discovered.

Gannon Stauch:
Timeline Before, During and After His
Disappearance and Discovery

Saturday, January 25, 2020

Al is scheduled to go to Oklahoma for training. He allegedly spends the night at the Colorado Springs Airport, where he also brings his mother, who was visiting, to board an 8:30 pm flight. (It’s been said that he spent the night with his then-girlfriend, Heather Whitmore, who arrived home at 4:15 am.)

That afternoon, Letecia starts a string of Google searches on her phone, which later becomes evidence in Gannon’s missing person investigation. Written verbatim, that day these searches were:

  • 12:16 pm: find real military singles
  • 1:40 pm: parenting should be four people not one
  • 1:41 pm: im over doing all the work for my step kids and their mom doesnt help
  • 1:42 pm: mom advice from stepmom
  • 1:49 pm: if you aren’t involved it (sic) your kids life you are shitty
  • 1:50 pm: my husbands ex wife does nothing for her lids (sic)
  • 1:51 pm: i wonder if my husbands ex wife is sending me a card since i.raise.her.kids
  • 1:52 pm: i wonder if my husbands ex wife is sending me a valentines card since i.raise.her.kids
  • 1:54 pm: one day some people will.wish they treated you differently
  • 3:36pm: wjy should my husband chose.me ober family
  • 7:57 pm: find me a rich guy who.wants me to take care of his kids
  • 7:58 pm: find a guy who wants me to take care of.his.kids and get paid

There were also deleted search terms found on Letecia’s iPhone:

  • find me a new husband book
  • I feel like im just a nanny not a step mom
  • husband uses me to babysit his kids
  • are there any free money to move away from bad situation
  • my husband never post about me but does everything else
  • my husband only cleans up for the army not me
  • im jusg (sic) a glorified babysittef
  • find a new husband
  • sent my husband sexual messages and he ignores them
  • make my husband want me more
  • I feel like my husband uses me to babysit his kid
  • find a guy without kids
A photo of Laina, Gannon and Letecia, that was taken on Sunday, January 26, during their hike. Photo from Facebook.
A photo of Laina, Gannon and Letecia, that was taken on Sunday, January 26, during their hike. Photo from Facebook.

Sunday, January 26, 2020

In the morning, Letecia takes Gannon and Laina on a hike at Garden of the Gods Visitor & Nature Center, a 1,341-acre public park. Harley plans to go with them, but is called in to work. (She was a receptionist at a nearby Massage Envy.)

Gannon struggles on the hike, according to Letecia. He injured his foot the night before on wooden boards left on the garage floor. His foot starts to bother him during the hike and he also starts having stomach pains. He defecates in his pants. The three of them plan to eat at Burger King but return home early so Gannon can shower.

Later that night, the “candle incident” occurs. Gannon allegedly lights a candle to conceal the smell of diarrhea, and he drops the candle and candle wax on the carpet. The candle smoke signals the smoke detector and Letecia says she saw two- to three-foot-tall flames. Al later remarks that it’s out of character for Gannon to light a candle for any reason. Letecia extinguishes the fire.

Garden of the Gods. Photo from Wikipedia.
Garden of the Gods. Photo from Wikipedia.

Letecia, Gannon and Laina get into her car, a black Volkswagen Tiguan, and drive around the block to “calm down.” When they return, Letecia cuts out the piece of carpet where the candle wax fell. She plans to replace it the next day. She is allegedly very nervous about Al finding out what happened.

Gannon’s forearms are burned from the incident. Letecia says that he gets blood on the walls from his burns.

Letecia tries airing out the basement to dissipate the smell of smoke. Harley, who normally sleeps downstairs, sleeps upstairs with her mother because it’s too cold downstairs. Curiously, Gannon remains downstairs in the cold by himself.

Letecia’s Google searches from that morning include:

  • 9:25 am: its crappy some parents dont care for their kids or buy them presents
  • 9:27 pm: parents are those who put thwir (sic) kids before their nails

Monday, January 27, 2020

Letecia is expected to start a new job at Mountain Ridge Middle School. Curiously, instead of telling the school her stepson is sick and she needs to stay home, she lies and says her stepfather was killed in a car accident. (One of her stepfathers was hit by a car and killed, but that was many years ago.)

Laina and Gannon Stauch. Photo from FindAGrave.com.
Laina and Gannon Stauch. Photo from FindAGrave.com.

According to Letecia, Gannon stays home from school with a stomach ache. She doesn’t mention his burns to Al. Gannon accompanies Letecia as she visits Petco twice to buy costumes for the family dogs, because the store is having a sale. They leave home around 10:15 am and Gannon appears on a neighbor’s security footage. The way he walks suggests he is drowsy. Gannon’s phone is left behind at Petco.

Letecia also brings Gannon to meet someone she connected with on Craiglist, so she can check out a bicycle she wants to surprise Al with. They return home around 2:15 pm. In later surveillance footage, only Letecia is seen exiting the car.

Between 3-4 pm, Letecia says that Gannon leaves the home to walk to a friend’s house. She says he doesn’t communicate the name of his friend or provide her with an address. Gannon is not captured on any of the neighbors’ security cameras.

Around 5 pm

Harley returns home from work. Letecia sends her and Laina to dollar store to pick up carpet cleaner, trash bags and baking soda.

6:55 pm

Gannon Stauch. Photo from FindAGrave.com.
Gannon Stauch. Photo from FindAGrave.com.

Letecia calls 9-1-1 to report Gannon missing. She alerts Al and he books the next available flight home. Authorities are under the impression that Gannon is a runaway.

10 pm

Deputies from the El Paso County Sheriff’s Department arrives at the Stauch residence.

A six-week-long investigation effort kicks off to find Gannon. Canine units, drones, hundreds of volunteers, personnel from the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, Colorado Springs Police Department and the FBI are involved.

Letecia’s Google searches from that day include:

  • 12:10 am: my son.burned the carpet how.do I fix it
  • 12:43 am: will.humidifier.help if exposed to smoke
  • 12:43 am: smoke affects will humidifier help
  • 12:44 am: smoke from fire affects will humidifier help
  • 12:56 am: Colorado law for kid stating (sic) at home
  • 12:57 am: School is out. is it okay for my kid to stay home alone?
  • 1:01 am: son is sick but I have to go to work
  • 1:03 am: son sick can he stay home
  • 4:41 am: suede repair kit for sofa
  • 6:55 pm: el paso sheriffs office number

Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Letecia picks up Al at the Colorado Springs airport at 9 am. She isn’t driving her car, but a red Kia Rio. It’s a rental.

Letecia tells Al that she’s nearing the mileage cutoff for her lease. She rented a car to avoid extra charges. She says she left her vehicle in the parking lot of a local elementary school, and a coworker drove her to Avis, a car rental chain with a store at the airport. Al finds the scenario odd. He later drives through the parking lot of the school to see if Letecia’s car is there. It isn’t.

Around 10:30 pm, Harley, picks up her mom in her own car, a white Volkswagen Jetta, and brings her back home. They stay in a nearby hotel that night.

Skipping ahead::: Investigators later determine that Letecia drove her car to the airport and parked in a short-term parking lot. She returned to the lot at 7 pm that night. It’s believed that Letecia likely hid Gannon’s body in her car to prevent Al from finding out. She may have moved the body at this time.

Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Letecia returns the rental car at 9 am. She only drove it for a total of 70 miles. (For the record, if you exceed lease mileage by 70 miles, it would cost less than $20.)

On Tuesday, Letecia scheduled a meeting with investigators at the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office at 10 am. She arrives at two hours late. Before the interview, she goes to a car wash. Her car is seized that day.

The First Of Many Fabricated Stories

During the interview, Letecia tells investigators what “really” happened. This is story No. 1. There are at least four stories in total.

Letecia tells Lead Detective Jessica Bethel that she returned home from Petco with Gannon around 2:15 pm. They visit Petco twice that day to purchase outfits for the family dogs.

Earlier that day, Letecia said she passes by an area of her complex that was under construction. She speaks to a laborer, “Edguardo,” about paying him to replace the section of the carpet that was burned the night before. She provides him with her garage door code.

When Letecia and Gannon return home, Edguardo is still there. He is armed with one of Letecia or Al’s guns and threatens her with it repeatedly. Letecia says that Edguardo sexually assaults her and subsequently kidnaps Gannon. She doesn’t call 9-1-1 to report the assault or abduction. Instead, she cleans up the scene to prevent Harley or Laina from knowing what happened.

During the meeting, investigators seize Letecia’s cell phone and apply for a warrant to take DNA samples from her. Letecia then shoves tissues into her pants while saying that she peed herself and had chest pains. She is brought to a local hospital and evaluated. She is fine.

The plan is for Letecia to have a rape kit done. She tells the nurse that she wants to have Harley in the room for support. She goes to the waiting room to get Harley, but sneaks out of the hospital. Harley picks her up at a nearby Taco Bell. Letecia wasn’t under arrest so she cannot be charged with leaving.

Thursday, January 30, 2020

The status of Gannon’s case is changed from runway to endangered missing child. Because of the change, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office is able to notify the FBI and the National Center for Miseimf & Exploited Children.

Letecia's strange interview with Spencer Wilson of KKTV.
Letecia’s strange interview with Spencer Wilson of KKTV.

Friday, January 31, 2020

Letecia is not yet a suspect, but she chooses to do a live interview with reporter Spencer Wilson of KKTV, a local CBS affiliate. During the interview, she has her back facing the camera, which is strikingly odd. She tells Spencer that her family has received more than 20 death threats and repeatedly proclaims her innocence. She mentions how she expects an apology from her family, and especially from Al. Letecia says that she can’t wait for Gannon to come home so he can tell everyone the truth about what happened to him; another odd statement. Spencer later testifies in her trial.

Saturday, February 1, 2020

Letecia and Harley travel cross-country. The plan is to return to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Letecia feels uncomfortable staying at her marital home because Landen, Gannon’s mother and Al’s ex-wife, is currently staying there due to the ongoing investigation. She takes it upon herself to remove her and Harley from the situation instead of staying to support the effort to find Gannon.

Letecia rents a Budget van to move her and Harley’s belongings out of the home.

It’s believed that Gannon’s deceased body was inside of a suitcase, which Letecia kept in the trunk. Harley said she blasted the air conditioner for the whole trip, even when it wasn’t cold. (It was supposedly an effort to mask the smell.)

Here is a map of the route that Letecia and Harley took.

The route that Letecia and Harley drove her van on their road trip to Myrtle Beach. Photo from Crime Curious.
The route that Letecia and Harley drove her van on their road trip to Myrtle Beach. Photo from Crime Curious.

Sunday, February 2, 2020

A neighbor of the Stauch’s, Roderrick Drayton, comes forward with his home surveillance footage, which depicts Letecia coming and going on the day of Gannon’s disappearance. The footage shows Letecia and Gannon leaving in Al’s red Nissan Frontier around 10:15 am on Monday, January 27, 2020, but it only shows Letecia returning.

Monday, March 2, 2020

Letecia is arrested in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. She is charged with the following:

  • First-degree murder of a child under 12 by someone in a position of trust
  • First-degree murder
  • Child abuse resulting in death
  • Tampering with a deceased human body
  • Tampering with physical evidence
  • Crime of violence (8 counts)
  • Attempted escape
Landen Hiott (center) is comforted by her aunt, Veronica Birkenstock, and Albert Stauch, after the announcement that Letecia Stauch was arrested and charged with the 1st-degree murder of Gannon Stauch. Photo Credit: Jerilee Bennett, The Gazette.
Landen Hiott (center) is comforted by her aunt, Veronica Birkenstock, and Albert Stauch, after the announcement that Letecia Stauch was arrested and charged with the 1st-degree murder of Gannon Stauch. Photo Credit: Jerilee Bennett, The Gazette.

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

Gannon’s remains are located. His body is found in a pink suitcase, in the fetal position, inside of his bed sheets and comfortable. The suitcase is found underneath a bridge on the Florida Panhandle, 1,500 miles from his home in Colorado Springs.

Gannon suggested 18 stab wounds and a gunshot wound to his lower jaw.

Rest in peace, Gannon. May justice finally be served.

Resources

  • WTAF was going on in the Stauch Marriage? Gannon Stauch Case Update – Wicked Truth
  • Justice for Gannon Stauch Timeline to Trial – Fox 21 News
  • IF LOOKS COULD KILL: Heartbroken mother of Gannon Stauch stares down Letecia Stauch in court as she is charged with his murder – The Sun
  • Letecia Stauch MURDER TRIAL DAY 1, Jury SELECTION | Gannon Stauch Case – ICkEdMeL
  • INSANE AUDIO, Letecia Stauch MURDER TRIAL DAY 11 | Gannon Stauch CASE PT – ICkEdMeL
  • Letecia Stauch DAUGHTER TESTIFIES! HARLEY HUNT MURDER TRIAL DAY 9 | Gannon Stauch CASE – ICkEdMeL
  • Letecia Stauch ATTACKS OFFICER ON VIDEO! MURDER TRIAL DAY 8 | Gannon Stauch CASE – ICkEdMeL
  • Letecia Stauch INTERROGATION VIDEO? MURDER TRIAL DAY 7 | Gannon Stauch CASE – ICkEdMeL
  • Letecia Stauch BROTHER TESTIFIES! MURDER TRIAL DAY 6 | Gannon Stauch CASE – ICkEdMeL
  • Coroner Witness & AUDIO Letecia Stauch MURDER TRIAL DAY 5 | Gannon Stauch CASE | WARNING GRAPHIC – ICkEdMeL
  • Letecia Stauch MURDER TRIAL DAY 4 | Gannon Stauch CASE PT. 2 – ICkEdMeL
  • Letecia Stauch MURDER TRIAL DAY 4 | Gannon Stauch CASE PT. 1 – ICkEdMeL
  • Mother From Hell Drugs Stepson | Letecia Stauch Trial Highlights | Gannon Stauch – ICkEdMeL
  • Judge Snaps on Letecia Stauch ‘Have Your Hands Cuffed to That Bolt’ | Gannon Stauch Trial Highlights – ICkEdMeL
  • Letecia Stauch FAKE POLYGRAPH, PHONE CALL RELEASED | Gannon Stauch UPDATES – ICkEdMeL
  • Letecia Stauch FULL Interview Insane Lies Caught on Tape – ICkEdMeL
  • Probable CAUSE AFFIDAVIT | Boy Found in Suitcase | Letecia Stauch Murder Trial of Gannon Stauch – ICkEdMeL
  • Coffee and Crime Time: Letecia Stauch Affidavit Part 2 – Stephanie Harlowe
  • Where Is Gannon Stauch? Seriously, Where Is He? – Stephanie Harlowe
  • Letecia Stauch Wk 2 Trial Recap: INSANE Audio/Video, Polygraph, & Key Takeaways | Gannon Stauch Case – Annie Elise x 10 to Life
  • Letecia Stauch Trial Recap: The Major Bombshells, Highlights and Key Takeaways | Gannon Stauch Case – Annie Elise x 10 to Life
  • Worse Than Casey Anthony? Letecia Stauch EVERY Red Flag, Lie, &The REAL Story | Gannon Stauch Case – Annie Elise x 10 to Life
  • Letecia Stauch Past Criminal History & her ExHusband – Zav Girl
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Texas Mother And Boyfriend Kill Toddler, Use Life-Sized Doll As Decoy

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AT A GLANCE

Victim: Hazana Anderson, age 2
Date: Friday, October 19, 2018
Location: Houston, Texas
Perpetrator(s): Tiaundra Kae Christon, 21, and Kenny D’Shawn Hewett, 32
Relationship to victim: mother and mother’s boyfriend
Crimes in sum: Tiaundra Christon, 21, brought her daughter, Hazana Anderson, 2, on a trip to visit her boyfriend, Kenny Hewett, 32, an hour and a half from their home. The toddler took her last breaths in a Houston hotel room after Tiaundra and Kenny beat her for not eating—but they didn’t stop there.

TRIGGER WARNING: CHILD ABUSE RESULTING IN LOSS OF LIFE.

Hazana Anderson was a beautiful baby girl from College Park, Texas; a city in central Texas that sits midway between Houston, San Antonio, Dallas and Austin. She was a winter baby, born on January 18, 2017, Martin Luther King Day in the U.S. Her birth wasn’t planned and her death, presumed to be on Friday, October 19, 2018, was untimely. However, the actions that followed Hazana’s passing were indeed premeditated.

Hazana didn’t make it to her second birthday. She didn’t get to experience Halloween that year even though her mother already bought her a costume. Instead, on October 31, 2018, officials recovered Hazana’s remains from a Texas lake where her discarded body laid submerged for nearly 10 days.

Hazana Anderson. Photo credit: Café Mom, from KCEN News; YouTube

Tiaundra Kae Christon, 21, called 9-1-1 on the morning of Sunday, October 28, 2010, to report her only child missing. The scene was a sinister one masked by the backdrop of a bright, sunny and warm Texas day. Hazana’s mother was distraught when she spoke with dispatchers.

Through exasperated breaths and hysterical pleas, Tiaundra told the dispatcher that she and Hazana went for a walk in Gabbard Park around 8 am; a public park in College Station, Texas, and nearby Tiaundra and Hazana’s home. The two of them settled at an playground in the park.

Around 9 am, Tiaundra ran back to her car to retrieve a bottle of milk for Hazana. Her car was parked some 1,800 feet away (0.3 miles) and it was out of view of the playground. Hazana sat in her stroller, alone and unrestrained. The stroller was also about 120 feet from a pond.

When Tiaunda returned, Hazana wasn’t there. She called 9-1-1 to report her missing at 9:21 am.

At least 163 officials, including higher-ups from the Houston law enforcement scene, met with volunteers and worried friends and family to scour the park for Hazana. Divers, canines and drones aided in the search. Still, there was no sign of the 2-year-old. Police grew suspicious.

Where was baby Hazana?

An image of Gabbard Park in Houston, where Hazana Anderson was reported missing . Photo credit: Foursquare.com

Police Interrogate Tiaundra on Hazana’s Whereabouts

Tiaundra thought her account was foolproof, but police poked holes in her story.

One of their curiosities speculated on the timespan that Hazana purportedly disappeared. Police spoke with several fisherman at the park that morning and none of them reported hearing or seeing a small child, or noticing any suspicious activity.

Tiaunda’s behavior as a mother was another curiosity. Why would a mother leave her toddler unattended in a public park and run a quarter-mile to her car? At the very least, her actions demonstrated poor parenting.

A doll that resembles Hazana.

The last time Tiaundra saw her daughter, Hazana wore a green jacket, cream-colored pants and a purple beanie. So, it was ironic when investigators found a life-sized baby doll wearing a similar outfit in a dumpster across the street from Tiaundra’s parked car. The doll was located inside of a large black handbag.

The stroller that Tiaundra Christon said her daughter, Hazanna Anderson, was seated in when she disappeared on October 28, 2018, from Gibbard Park in Houston. Photo credit: Café Mom, from KCEN News; YouTube.

Tiaundra claimed to have no knowledge of the doll or its clothing. However, at this point, police had enough evidence to arrest Tiaundra on charges of filing a false police report and endangering/abandoning a child. She was booked to Brazos County Jail in Bryan, Texas.

Hazana’s missing person’s case officially became a criminal investigation.

Tiaundra Prioritizes A New Relationship Over Hazana

As standard procedure, police collected Tiaundra’s phone as evidence. From her phone records, they learned Tiaundra communicated frequently via texts and calls with Kenny D’Shawn Hewett, a 32-year-old man from Houston. She identified the man as her boyfriend.

Kenny, who was 11 years older than Tiaundra, had a lengthy criminal past that included violent behavior.

Kenny and Tiaundra dated for a few months, but loved ones already noticed changes in Tiaundra. Prior to having Hazana with ex-boyfriend Tobodrick Anderson, Tiaundra was in school for radiology. When she had Hazana, she paused her studies to dedicate herself to her daughter—for a time. After she met Kenny, Tiaundra lost all interest in her family life and baby girl.

Kenny Hewett. Photograph from Galveston County Court Records.

Tiaundra became distant. When she was physically with Kenny, she was difficult to get ahold of. Tiaundra often ignored phone calls from her parents, regardless of whether it concerned Hazana. It didn’t help that Kenny kept himself away from Tiaundra’s family. When he picked up the 21-year-old, he waited in his car. He never went out of his way to greet or get to know her parents.

On Thursday, October 18, 2018, Tiaundra took Hazana with her to visit Kenny 1.5 hours away in Houston. The three of them planned to stay at a Houston Downtowner Inn & Suites from Oct. 18-20, 2018. Although Tiaundra’s mother lived in Houston and invited them to stay with her, Kenny and Tiaundra denied her request. They wanted to be alone. On the following day, they would be.

On Friday, October 19, 2018, Kenny took Hazana with him to a taco restaurant to pick up food while Tiaundra stayed behind in the hotel. During this 30-minute outing, Hazana refused to eat and it made Kenny angry—very angry. When the two of them returned to the hotel, Hazana was crying and noticeably uncomfortable. Then, the night became especially grim.

Kenny told Tiaundra that she didn’t do a good job “disciplining” her child. He took his belt and used it to beat Hazana on her arms, legs and face, leaving behind welts. He handed Tiaundra the belt and demanded she do the same. Tiaundra used the belt to hit her 2-year-old daughter, but Kenny didn’t think it was hard enough, so he continued. Then, Kenny and Tiaundra placed Hazana in the bathtub, where Kenny waterboarded the child. As she struggled to breathe, Hazana threw up bits of food and defecated in the tub.

After the beating, Hazana started to drift in and out of consciousness. Kenny suggested she take Tylenol and a laxative. When Hazana became cold to the touch, Tiaundra put her back in the bath tub, hoping it would warm her. It didn’t. Tiaundra’s watched her daughter’s eyes roll to the back of her head.

Hazana’s condition deteriorates.

While Hazana was in the bath tub, Tiaundra noticed one detail she didn’t want to believe: her daughter’s anus was gaping. She later told investigators that Hazana’s “butt hole was so huge” and questioned again and again how it happened. Sexual abuse allegations were never confirmed nor denied.

Hazana Anderson.
Photo from YouTube, credit Mamas Uncut.

After the bath, Hazana’s skin still felt cold to the touch. Instead of wrapping the toddler in blankets—or bringing her to the hospital—Tiaundra and Kenny used a hair dryer to warm her. They left the hair dryer on all night and kept it pointed in Hazana’s direction. The hair dryer did nothing but burn Hazana’s skin, thereby worsening her condition.

Noticing little to no improvement, Tiaundra tucked her daughter in to bed, hoping that somehow, some way, she would recover. Hazana’s shallow breathing grew softer and slower. Still, neither adult called 9-1-1.

When Tiaundra and Kenny woke the next morning, Hazana was dead. The medical examiner was never able to determine a cause of death, which played an adverse role in the case.

Tiaundra uses a a toy doll to impersonate Hazana.

Tiaundra and Kenny didn’t want to take responsibility for Hazana’s death. Instead, they concocted a disgraceful plan to conceal her body.

Hazana Anderson. Photo from Facebook.
Hazana Anderson.
Photo from Facebook.

With her daughter now dead, Tiaundra wrapped her body in a plastic bag. She kept that plastic bag on the passenger-side floorboard of her car for three days. She tossed clothing and other items overtop the bag to hide the body from view.

Three days later, her and Kenny purchased chicken feet to add to the bag. Then, they tied it shut with a rope, attached it to a heavy rock and dumped the body in Moses Lake near Texas City.

Why the chicken feet, you ask? Tiaundra and Kenny used it as bait for fish and other water critters. They purposely wanted to attract sea life to Hazana’s body to eliminate potential evidence.

And that’s how Tiaundra bid farewell to her daughter; her only child here on this earth. She tossed her dead body in the water with a bunch of raw chicken feet.

Tiaundra attempts to cover up Hazana’s death.

On October 20, 2018, Tiaundra returned to College Station without Hazana. To avoid questions, she dressed a life-sized doll like Hazana and walked around with the toy in a stroller.

Tiaundra went to a friend’s house, who saw the doll in the backseat and assumed it was Hazana sleeping. She told her mother, who kept asking to see her granddaughter, that Hazana was napping. Other excuses followed. She sent her friends and family old photographs of Hazana and claimed they were current. Surveillance footage from a local Wax-Mart even captured Tiaundra pushing a stroller that contained a motionless “child.”

Tiaundra Christon. Photo credit: Brazos County Sheriff’s Office.

Tiaundra and Kenny’s Sentencing

Police arrested Tiaundra on October 29, 2019 and Kenny on October 31.

On November 8, 2019, Kenny pled guilty to tampering with a human corpse. He received the maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. He will most likely serve most of this sentence due to his prior record.

Tiaundra entered a plea of not guilty to tampering with a human corpse.

Tiaundra’s trial began on December 8, 2019. Three days later, a jury found her guilty after only 40 minutes of deliberation. Tiaundra received the maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Unfortunately, she may only serve three years of her sentence, or 15%, before she is eligible for parole due to state criminal laws.

Hazana’s cause of death is undetermined. Neither Kenny nor Tiaundra were charged with her murder.

My Two Cents Corner

I wonder how much Tiaundra will regret so desperately wanting to be with a man that it cost her her daughter’s life. I say “a man” and not Kenny, because considering her age, recent behavior and decision to be with a person like Kenny, I think her choices were about being with someone in general; the feeling of being wanted and needed, and it being intoxicating like a drug. It wasn’t about love.

Tiaundra had a beautiful daughter. She lived with her grandmother. She had family members willing to help her. The father of her child loved his daughter and wanted to be present in her life. He even preferred having Hazana most of the time. She was in the midst of pursuing a degree in radiology. She had opportunities at her fingertips.

Tiaundra handed over her blessings for a man and it landed her a jail sentence and the permanent label of being a mother who killed her child. I don’t think it’s an excuse, but I personally believe that Tiaundra was naïve.

Kenny had a criminal record that included felony charges. He was also 11 years older than Tiaundra, which is a red flag—no, not for every age gap relationship, but for this one. The age gap placed Kenny in a position to manipulate Tiaundra, which is what I believe happened. I won’t speak too much on Kenny’s behavior in this case, because it is absolutely disgusting in every way. A grown man should never treat a child, especially a precious little girl.

Why didn’t Kenny date a woman closer to him in age? Because he couldn’t. Women his age have more life experience and are thus less willing (or unwilling) to deal with drama. A young, naïve woman may not know better. It probably fed Tiaundra’s ego to date an older “bad boy” and it definitely fed Kenny’s ego to date a younger woman. I’m sure Tiaundra wasn’t his first.

I don’t believe this was the first time Tiaundra saw Kenny express anger violently. I also don’t believe it’s the first time he was violent towards Hazana. In the sources I read, Tiaundra never expressed that it was the first time Kenny behaved that way or that she was shocked at his actions. However, I do think—and this is only my opinion—they were both irritated at the responsibility of caring for a toddler, especially for days in a row. I think Tiaundra was also probably in denial about how toxic the relationship was, also because of naïveté. I think she was also so desperate to please him that she was willing to do anything—clearly.

Again, these are only my speculations. Regardless, it’s an incredible shame that a precious child was taken from this world at the hands of selfish, inept adults.

What do you think about this case?

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Sisters Subjected To Horrific Abuse At Hands Of Mother, Mother’s Partner

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At A Glance

Name(s) of victim(s) + age(s): Nicole Elizabeth Snyder, 6, and Jasmine Jean Snyder, 4
Date(s) of crime(s): on or around May 10, 2016 and on or around August 11, 2017
Location: Hepburn Township, Pennsylvania, and Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Perpetrator(s) + age(s): Marie Sue Snyder, 32, and Echo Butler, 26
Relationship to victim(s): Marie Sue Snyder is the mother of Nicole and Jasmine Snyder, and Echo Butler is the girlfriend of Marie Sue Snyder
Crimes in sum: Five years passed before authorities were alerted to the disappearance of 6-year-old Nicole Snyder and her sister, 4-year-old Jasmine Jean Snyder, of Williamsport, Pennsylvania. It wasn’t that no one noticed their absence before, but their mother, 32-year-old Marie Sue Snyder, had far more involvement than she let on. Reader discretion: TRIGGER WARNING. 

Trigger warning: This case involves severe child abuse.

Welcome to True Crime Beat, a true crime blog.

This blog is several years in the making—the result of starting, stopping and then starting again, with some overthinking sprinkled in between. 

I was moved to finally get this blog going because I couldn’t shake this case. Being interested in true crime, I’ve read about all sorts of cases involving the most horrendous of circumstances, but none have caught my attention more recently than the senseless murders of Nicole and Jasmine Snyder. This post, the first post of this blog and the push to finally start this long-term project, is to raise awareness about this case.

WHERE THIS CRIME TAKES PLACE: Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

The Worst Case I’ve Read In A While

The short lives of 6-year-old Nicole Elizabeth Snyder and her sister, 4-year-old Jasmine Jean Snyder of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, were filled with more evil than most people see in their lifetimes.

Nicole Snyder, right, and her sister Jasmine, taken in the spring or summer of 2015 by their grandfather Robert Snyder. Photo credit: PennLive.  

These precious little girls were traumatized for most of their lives. They were kept from their father and abused by their mother’s partner, and their mother enabled it.

It is absolutely unthinkable to imagine these smiling, blonde-haired babies being exposed to such horrendous treatment. It is a parent’s God-given right to protect their children at all costs, and the girls’ mother, 32-year-old Marie Sue Snyder, failed at that job and devastatingly so.

This is not an easy case to get through. TRIGGER WARNING: This post contains descriptions of severe child abuse. Reader discretion is advised.

What Started This?

Marie Sue Snyder married Joshua Snyder in 2009 and the couple moved to Lititz, Pennsylvania; a small town in Amish Country some 75 miles northwest of Philadelphia. In the next few years, Marie and Joshua had three children, two girls and a boy: Nicole Elizabeth, Jasmine Jean and Jesse.

The couple later moved to the historic small town of Hughesville, Pennsylvania, less than 20 miles outside of Williamsport. Their marriage remained intact through 2014 but only on paper. Marie Sue, then 25, left the martial home with all three children–Jesse was a newborn at the time–and moved in with her friend Echo Butler, 21, and her parents in Williamsport. Echo and Marie had a friendship that quickly escalated into a romantic partnership after the move.

Marie and Joshua officially separated in 2015 and subsequent actions suggest–in my own opinion–that Marie tried to get Joshua out of the picture. Marie filed for primary custody of the children and filed two protection-from-abuse (PFA) orders against Joshua. In the first, Marie said Joshua touched one of the girls inappropriately; a claim that was never confirmed. In the second, Marie said Joshua pulled a gun on her and she feared for her life. Because of the allegations against him, Joshua could only see his children during supervised visits for 12 hours on Fridays.

Around when the second PFA was issued, Joshua went to assist a relative in Maine. Because he was out of town, Joshua was unaware of the second PFA hearing. When he returned to Pennsylvania, he learned he was prohibited from seeing his children, because he didn’t attend the hearing. Joshua repeatedly attempted to gain contact with Marie but to no avail. This was the last time he saw his daughters alive.

Jasmine Snyder, 4, and her sister Nicole Snyder, 6, in the background, playing in the snow.. Photo by her father, Joshua Snyder. Photo credit: PAhomepage

In the meantime, the children continued living with their mother, Echo–who was now their mother’s girlfriend–and her parents, Michele Butler, 46 and Ronald Butler, 50. They all shared a home in Hepburn Township, a rural area four miles north of Williamsport.

Long ago, in the late 1800s, Williamsport was booming due from the success of its lumber industry, and home to the country’s most millionaires. Since then it’s lost about a third of its population.

When the children moved in with Echo and her family, Marie told investigators they were healthy. Joshua told PAhomepage he continued paying child support. He also continuously requested visits with and wellness checks on them, but received no response. Joshua said when he didn’t hear from Marie, he assumed his daughters were safe and they’d reach out to him when they were older. He told PAhomepage he never imagined something like the outcome that transpired.

A Motive Unthinkable

It wasn’t long after Marie in with Echo, that Echo started abusing Nicole and Jasmine. While Marie worked at a nearby nursing home–which is also quite worrisome, if you ask me–Echo was responsible for caring for Nicole, Jasmine and Jesse. The opportunity to be alone with them for so many hours afforded the girls little protection from their tormentor, and their mother was no mother at all.

Echo said she “hated” the girls, so she harmed them daily. She withheld from from them, only delving out spoonfuls of peas or bites of cereal at a time, along with sips of water. Eventually, they weren’t fed at all anymore.

Nicole and Jasmine were physically beaten by Echo, which included being choked, having their hands tied behind their backs and being hit with closed fists. They were sometimes forced to stand in the corner of a room with their faces to the wall from daybreak to nightfall, and made to take cold baths because Echo said they “didn’t deserve” the hot water. The girls were constantly screamed at, pushed and shoved around.

Marie Sue Snyder, 32, and Echo Lane Butler, 26.

Jasmine was often left in a car seat in the home and restrained for hours at a time. Nicole was often bound. Both girls were left sitting in soiled diapers for hours or even days. If they defecated in their diapers or had an accident, Echo smeared feces and urine on their faces.

When their mother, Marie, was asked why her and Echo withheld food from them, she answered coldly, “We starved them so they would die.”

Lisa Shoemaker, Echo’s aunt, came forward as witnessing Echo trying to “sell” Jasmine to a Lycoming County couple for $1,000. Echo refused this claim and stated that Marie didn’t want her ex-husband, Joshua “to know.” It was in 2015 when Lisa also first approached Marie about Echo’s harsh methods of discipline and noticed marks and bruises on the girls’ bodies.

Dale Fisher, a neighbor of the Butler’s from 2014 to 2017, told investigators that while visiting on at least one occasion, he saw Nicole and Jasmine being fed spoonfuls of peas and some water while everyone else had pizza. He described the girls as “skinny” and saw them bound to a wall.

Dale told investigators that during one visit, he heard a “bloodcurdling scream” after Echo brought Nicole to the bathroom to give her a bath. After another visit, Dale and his wife phoned the Children and Youth Services Agency (Children and Youth) and filed a report.

The abuse inflicted on the children was harsh and prolonged. There was no escape for Nicole or Jasmine. As a result of subsequent abuse at the hands of her caregivers, Nicole died on or around May 10, 2016, and Jasmine died on or around August 11, 2017.

For over a year, Jasmine continued living in the home with her abusive caregivers, knowing that her sister died as a direct result. “Fear” is a poor description to explain what Jasmine, who was only four years old, felt during the aftermath of her sister’s death. As if that wasn’t earth-shattering enough, Echo abused Jasmine more harshly after Nicole died.

How The Lies Came To Light

From the last time Joshua saw his daughters in 2015 through the beginning of November of 2021, he believed they were okay. But early that month he learned the bodies of Nicole and Jasmine, his baby girls, were recovered between November 5 and 6, 2021. Nicole had been deceased for five years and Jasmine, for four years.

Nicole and Jasmine’s bodies were found in shallow graves near a trailer home at the end of Livermore Road. The Butler’s lived at 653 Livermore Road in Hepburn Township (shown). Their emaciated bodies were placed in tote bags and hidden behind a shed.

A Google Image photo of the area where Nicole and Jasmine’s bodies were found.   

Despite having passed years before, their condition made the abuse they suffered jarringly apparent–especially as more information was discovered.

When Nicole passed away, she weighed 10 pounds, despite being six years old. Investigators also learned that all three adult women in the household were present during her passing, which included Echo, her abuser, her mother Marie and Echo’s mother Michele. They watched as she took her last breath.

At this same moment, Marie called 9-1-1 but hung up when Echo and Michele told her to do so. When 9-1-1 called back, she told them the call was a mistake.

Echo and Marie then placed Nicole’s body on a bed and covered it with a blanket, to appear like she was sleeping. Then, they took a drive to a nearby store, discussing what to do next. When they returned, they’d decided on moving Nicole’s body to the shed, where it remained for several days. Eventually, Echo grabbed a shovel and dug a hole at the back of a shed on their property and placed Nicole’s body inside. Marie dropped moth balls around it to cover up any possible odor.

Marie told investigators that when Nicole passed away in May 2016, Jasmine had been living with a neighbor, Lisa Shoemaker, who was identified earlier as Echo’s aunt. Marie said that she, Echo and Jesse subsequently moved into their own apartment on Catherine Street in Williamsport after Nicole’s death. The truth was that Jasmine lived in the apartment with them, albeit only for a short time.

Marie said Jasmine was treated “well” at first. She told Echo she couldn’t bear the pain of losing another daughter. An official stopped by their apartment during this time and saw Jasmine playing with toys on the floor. All appeared well from a distance. A year later, Jasmine died as a result of the same abuse inflicted on her older sister. Her body was placed in the trunk of Marie and Echo’s car and brought inside the Livermore Road shed, where Nicole’s body was held. She was ultimately buried alongside her sister.

From then, Marie and Echo made a pact that if anyone asked, they would say Nicole and Jasmine were living with their father, Joshua. Marie and Echo burned all Nicole and Jasmine’s toys and belongings.

What Cracked This Case Open?

Police became concerned with the whereabouts of Nicole and Jasmine Snyder not because they were identified missing, but because their younger brother Jesse, now 7, was missing school. The search for Jesse prompted the involvement of Lycoming County Children and Youth Services. When they made contact with Jesse, authorities saw that he couldn’t use the bathroom independently and couldn’t count beyond 10. Marie claimed she was homeschooling him.

Police then realized Nicole and Jasmine were nowhere to be found. No one but the family claimed to see the girls in six years, and they were suspicious.

Marie was brought in for questioning on September 15, 2021 and again on September 25, 2021. On September 26, Echo and Marie packed their belongings, took Jesse and fled Hepburn Township, promising to never return. They hopped from hotel to hotel for several weeks until police caught up with them. When asked why they ran, Marie and Echo said it was because they didn’t want Jesse to be taken from them. Despite the ongoing abuse toward Nicole and Jasmine, Marie and Echo claimed Jesse wasn’t abused. (I certainly believe his emotional and developmental delays can be considered a result of abuse. Imagine what that little boy has seen and been exposed to?)

On October 22, authorities made contact with Butler’s neighbors, who said they never saw two girls, but only Jesse. On November 5, Echo was taken into custody and admitted to knowing the whereabouts of all three children.

Marie Snyder exists the Lycoming County courthouse where she testified that she and her female partner, Echo Butler, intentionally starved to her two daughters to death. At right is Old Lycoming Twp. Detective Robert Mausteller. Photo credit: PennLIVE.

Marie was taken into custody a day earlier on November 4, 2021. Initially, she told police the girls were staying with a friend and being homeschooled there because she didn’t have enough room for them. However, Marie didn’t provide information on who or where the friend was. Soon after, Nicole and Jasmine’s remains were located on the Williamsport property.

In an interview with PennLive, Robert Synder, the paternal grandfather of Nicole and Jasmine, said Marie never wanted to keep her daughters; she only wanted custody of her son. Nicole and Jasmine’s father, Joshua Snyder, remains committed to finding out exactly what transpired and seeking justice for his late daughters.

While searching the Butler family home, authors found handwritten letters from Marie to Echo, written over the years. In at least one letter, Marie said she never wanted to have children and instead wanted to abort them, but was encouraged otherwise from Joshua and his family. She also apologized to Echo in a December 2015 letter where she wrote, “I’m sorry about these fucking bitches,” referring to her daughters. “If you want them gone, they’re gone.” In January 2017, another letter from Marie to Echo stated, “I know you don’t like Jasmine and never liked Nicole.”

For up to five years following the death of both daughters, Marie and Echo continued to collect more than $70,000 in benefits from the Lycoming County Assistance Office and the Domestic Relations Office.

Joshua Snyder, father of Nicole Elizabeth and Jasmine Jean Snyder, and his father, speak to WNEP16.

The Lycoming County district attorney referred to the Butler’s home as the “trailer of horrors.” In an unsealed police affidavit, Lycoming County District Attorney Ryan Gardner said:

The conditions, unfortunately, these two beautiful little girls were subjected to prior to their deaths, is some of the worst that I have ever seen by far. In speaking with law enforcement, hands down, it is the worst that they have seen as well in their storied 30-plus-year careers.

Ryan Gardner, Lycoming County District Attorney

In an interview with Northern Pennsylvania news station WNEP16, Joshua said, “If something happens, you call the police. You call if something happens to a child. They come out and they investigate. You don’t hide something.”

And If That’s Not Evil Enough…

Echo’s parents, Ronald and Michele, lied to cover up what happened. Michele said she had not seen the girls in more than six years,and didn’t know where they were. Not only were they aware of what happened, but they participated in the abuse, indicating a total of four adults directly involved in Nicole and Jasmine’s murders.

Charges Faced

Michele Butler, 49, pled guilty to third-degree murder charges in mid-April 2022.

Robert Butler, 53, pled guilty on two third-degree felony counts of child endangerment and a misdemeanor charge for obstruction for allegedly telling false information to child protective services.

Marie Sue Snyder and Echo Butler are both facing 40 combined felony and misdemeanor charges, which include criminal homicide, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person. unlawful restraint/serious bodily injury, death by deception-fail to correct, concealed death of a child, endangering the welfare of children, obstruction, abuse of a corpse and conspiracy. Echo is currently being held in Lycoming County Prison and Marie Sue is being held at Center County Correctional Facility.

(Updates to come on sentencing.)

My-Two-Cents Corner ⤵

Blog posts will follow with my two cents, not with every case, but only if I feel it necessary.

PLEASE keep in mind that this is my personal blog with my personal thoughts. What I think is not necessarily true, though I will base my opinion on facts. I

Point No. 1: Why didn’t anyone look for Nicole and Jasmine earlier? Five years?

Even though Marie claimed to be “homeschooling” her children, there really should be a system in place to check on children who are being homeschooled, their wellbeing and the environment in which they’re being educated (and raised). This situation is ripe for abusers to isolate young victims and with no check-in practices in place, children can truly wind up anywhere and in the care of anyone. I’m not aware of the legal side to homeschooling and child welfare, but this is the main problem that stands out to me. If Marie and Echo were intending to abuse Jesse, Marie’s youngest son, there would have been plenty of time to do so before anyone could intervene, as was the case with Nicole and Jasmine.

Point No. 2: Abusers having professional caretaker roles?

I also have to point out a pattern here and that is abusers being entrusted in caregiver positions. Marie worked at a local nursing home. She would go home and allow the continued abuse of her two eldest daughters, her only daughters, ages 6 and 4. Then, she’d go to work and leave her daughters in the care of her vicious, violent partner, and administer care for elderly folks.

I can’t help but assume here that Marie may have abused her patients, at some point or another–especially if she didn’t particularly “like” them, which is what happened in part with Nicole and Jasmine. The girls’ paternal grandfather, Robert Snyder, told PennLive that Marie never wanted the girls; she only wanted Jesse. If she acted on something so senseless in her own home, there’s no reason to assume her patients were safe either.

Point No. 3: How was this allowed to continue with four adults involved?

We’re obviously discussing four adults who are not in their right minds, but there were four people involved, including Nicole and Jasmine’s mother, which makes this even more outrageous.

Cycles of abuse often perpetuate in families, unfortunately. There’s not enough information on the backstory of the Snyder’s or the Butler’s to make this connection, but I will make this assumption myself. However, the difference here is that even if Echo Butler was abused by her parents growing up, it was not severe enough to result in death. Echo is currently incarcerated and still very much alive. So if these behaviors weren’t perpetuated to a current extent, how were they enabled by those around Echo? Another conclusion I have to make here is that the others feared Echo to an extent.

What Do You Think?

Comment your thoughts and options down below, but please be respectful of your community members and the innocent parties involved.

Thank you for reading.

Rest in peace, Nicole and Jasmine Snyder.

References

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