Davis man denied bail as wife’s death, preliminarily ruled suicide, still under investigation

KOVR

By Ashley Sharp

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    YOLO COUNTY, California (KOVR) — A judge in Yolo County court Thursday afternoon refused once again to set bail for Henry “Harry” Stanley, now nearly a month after he was jailed on suspicion of killing his wife, Megan Duncanson.

Megan’s death was recently ruled “suicide by hanging,” according to a preliminary report by the Yolo County coroner’s office. The coroner’s final findings will not be announced for weeks.

Stanley’s public defender argued Thursday there was no reason for him to still be behind bars considering Megan could have died by suicide and the fact that he does not have a prior criminal history.

The public defender asked the judge to set bail so Stanley could be released on probation and also asked that his felony domestic violence charges be reduced down to misdemeanors.

The judge ruled against both.

The Duncanson family, which attended the hearing, called the ruling a small victory.

“He saw exactly what we see. He knows the monster needs to stay where he is,” said Karen Duncanson, Megan’s mother.

The judge heard testimony from a 911 dispatcher and a Davis police officer at Thursday’s hearing.

The officer testified that he responded to the Stanley home on J Street after Megan first called 911 on July 9 whispering to police that her husband was going to kill her.

Officers arrived to find a bruised and battered woman who once again told police her husband wanted to kill her.

A still image from an officer-worn bodycam video was shown in court Thursday, depicting Megan throwing her hands to her neck, gesturing to being strangled.

Davis police arrested Stanley that same day, July 9, on felony charges related to domestic violence, which included beating his wife. He posted bail and was released.

Just two days later on July 11, Davis police found Megan dead in the couple’s backyard after a friend called in a welfare check on her.

Police once again arrested Stanley on suspicion of being involved, calling it from the start a “homicide” investigation.

The officer testified in court Thursday that Stanley did cooperate with their investigation and answered their questions on scene.

“There is just too much evidence pointing to the fact that she is not gonna do this to herself. I don’t want to speak to what I don’t know, but I am very suspicious,” Karen said.

The Duncanson family says they do not believe Megan died by suicide.

“As a mother, I have this instinct and I am not wrong,” Karen said. “I think he is capable of anything.”

The prosecution has not charged Stanley with murder but argued in court Thursday the death investigation is not over.

Stanley has been held on his original felony charges related to domestic violence with no bail for nearly a month.

RELATED: New charges delayed for man suspected of killing his wife in Davis: “People like him need to be stopped.”

In court Thursday, the question was debated: Was Megan really in fear for her life?

Stanley’s public defender argued that her physical wounds “were not that severe” and that though she was “distraught” during her encounters with 911 and Davis police, she never actually voiced the words “I am afraid.”

The audio from the 911 call where Megan first told dispatchers her husband wanted to kill her was played in court.

It is one factor that weighed into the judge’s conclusion that Megan was fearful.

“To hear her whispering voice, her whispering voice,” Karen said. “She realized her life was seriously in danger.”

The prosecutor told the judge the 911 tape was “the epitome” of someone in fear for their life and that it was clear Megan was in desperate need of help when she called. Dispatchers even transferred their conversation over to text after Megan continued to hush her voice so Stanley would not hear her.

The judge ordered Thursday that Stanley remain jailed on the felony domestic violence-related charges with no bail for at least another two weeks.

His next hearing is scheduled for Aug. 22 at 9 a.m.

At that hearing, the judge ruled he wants to hear a risk assessment report from the county’s probation office summarizing what threat exists if Stanley were to be released on bond in the future.

He also ruled that if the prosecution can present evidence that challenges the coroner’s preliminary finding that Megan died by suicide, he wants to hear it.

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