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Detective Jason Yoder
On March 17th, 2020 he was a major crimes investigator with the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office. He was assigned as the lead detective on the case.
Discovery
- When he got to the scene there was a suitcase and a human body that appeared to have been rolled out of the suitcase, covered in bedding.
- There was an impression in the marsh area in the shape and size of the suitcase.
- The indentation was off in the wood line away from the bridge.
- Once back at the office, Yoder did a state and region-wide search for missing children. A co-worker brought in a flyer of Gannon from Colorado via the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
- At this point, investigators believed the body was a child based on clothing and size but had no confirmation yet.
- The dental features, two large front teeth and a large gap in the front teeth, were distinct in Gannon and in the body.
- Autopsy was the next day, March 18 2020; Yoder took a photo of Gannon with him to autopsy.
- After the body was cleaned, it became more noticeable that he may be Gannon.
- The body was indeed positively identified as Gannon Stauch.
- Gannon was wearing jogging pants with a stripe down the side, an athletic shirt, and football socks.
- Yoder called the El Paso County Sheriff's Office.
Exhibits
- Exhibit 70 is a photo from the ground looking up at the bridge, looking from the general area where the suitcase was discovered.
- Exhibit 71 is a photo of the bedding and Gannon's body.
- Exhibit 72 is the missing person's flyer of Gannon.
- Exhibit 73 is a picture or a piece of the bedding found in the suitcase.
- Exhibit 74 is the same thing.
- Exhibit 75 is a pillow found in the suitcase.
- Exhibit 76 is more bedding from the suitcase.
Candlewood Suites
- Asked about Candlewood Suites in Pensacola.
- Exhibit 221 - It's a layover map of the river, highway 90, a scenic highway, a red dot where the suitcase was located, and a hotel - the Candlewood Suites.
- There is a direct route down highway 90 from the bridge to the hotel.
Re-Direct
- There are no lights at night.
- There is an emergency pull off lane. It’s the only place you can pull over without getting hit.
- The other bridges the defense mentioned are more heavily trafficked depending on time of year and time of day.
Cross Examination
- The bridge is 3/4s of a mile, he estimates.
- The Escambia River from one bank to another is probably 2 or 300 yards.
- The bridge covers both dry areas and water.
- It's not the biggest bridge in Pensacola.
- They took DNA from the two workers who found the suitcase to make sure that it was them that were touching the suitcase (the rest of the defense's question didn't make sense).