Apr. 7, 2026 7:30p; Updated 4-8 top item with possible cause of death
From WGTD News:
A six year-old Somers girl who died in 2022 may have been smothered to death. That's the new finding of the Kenosha County Medical Examiner's office after receiving fresh information from the Kenosha County Sheriff's Office. A judge last month signed off on a request to change the manner of death for Layla Stahl from "undetermined" to homicide. The sheriff's office said this week they're recommending a charge of 1st Degree Intentional Homicide against the girl's mother, 33 year-old Christina Torchia. A criminal complaint has yet to be filed. Questioned again recently, Torchia purportedly made statements that were inconsistent and conflicted with the evidence. Layla's body was found in her bedroom by the girl's father who was getting ready to go to work. There were no obvious signs of trauma or foul play. According to a news release from the department, investigators took a second look at the case several months ago and developed "significant new information." A pathologist then said the autopsy results were consistent with smothering. In a separate case, Torchia was recently sentenced to a seven-and-a-half year prison term for trying to hire someone to commit a murder.
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A 68-year-old man made his initial appearance in Kenosha Court Tuesday in a nearly 50 year-old murder case following his extradition from Tennessee. Bond for James Fowler was set at $1.5 million and a competency hearing was scheduled. As a 19 year-old Navy recruit in 1977, Fowler allegedly killed autoworker Ralph Gianoli in his Kenosha home. A possible motive has not been revealed.
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The co-owner of a Racine heating and cooling contractor is facing seven counts of theft for taking down payments from customers but not doing the work. Bond for 42 year-old Amanda Putzer Gonzales of T & A Heating and Cooling was set Tuesday at $1,000.
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