He was joined by his defense team: three attorneys from the High Desert. The deaths have been ruled a homicide. SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (KABC) -- Prosecutors say a sledgehammer was used to kill all four members of the McStay family, and the 4-year-old boy was struck seven times. Prosecutors say Merritt owed McStay more than $42,000. At that point, the investigation shifted from searching for missing persons to investigating a possible murder. Please be respectful of the memorial and do not leave any trash when you visit. When questioned about his choice of language by investigators, Merritt said he had no idea why he'd done that. That was when Charles Merritts story started falling apart and really gave us the motive, Hanke said. A new documentary series re . It wasn't until January 2019 that his trial even started after it was revealed that he dismissed many lawyers to defend himself in court. Merritt has said there is no direct evidence linking him to the crime scene. He stands charged with first-degree murder in connection with the February 2010 bludgeoning deaths of Summer McStay, 43, her husband Joseph McStay,40, and their two children, Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3. In addition, neither of the children had passports. Inside, he found a relatively normal scene. Their disappearance was widely reported by the national news media. This gave him a flexible schedule and the ability to work from home, so he could spend more time with his family. At 30 seconds into the video, note the man and woman entering from lower left of screen. Theres a carton of eggs on the table as if maybe Summer or Joseph were about to make some food or something and the dogs, they had two dogs, they were just left there.. There was Mrs McStays ex-boyfriend, who sent her an email just months before the familys disappearance telling the mother-of-two hed love her for ever. He lived nearby and had been arrested for threatning a neighbour and her daughter. It certainly isn't justice, not for Murray or for her family. Inside The Gruesome McStay Family Murder Case. Summer will be forever missed by her family and many friends. Ive heard people say that before and it not be true. However, there was raw food left out, which seemed to indicate the family left in a hurry or had the intention to come back soon after. Who Killed The McStay Family? Prosecutors told jurors Merritt killed the family after learning Mr McStay was cutting him out; they said the victim told friends Merritt was doing shoddy work and stealing money. The family was from Fallbrook, a quiet bedroom community in San Diego County. It gives you the story of the trial, and it gives you the story of the relationship between Merritt and Joseph McStay, and it gives you the understanding of the families on both sides going through the trial one of the interview subjects that we talked to said, This is going to be the comprehensive look at this story - which has not been done before.. Charles 'Chase' Merritt was convicted in June of killing his former business associate Joseph McStay, McStay's wife Summer and the couple's children The McStay family vanished from their San Diego . Investigators also uncovered an email from Joseph dated Feb. 1, just days before the family disappeared, stating that Merritt owed him nearly $43,000. The four-year-old Gianni had suffered a shocking seven blows to the head. Home; . The discovery of the McStay family's remains in November 2013 brought an end to more than three years of speculation regarding what happened to them. Look out for wildlife like rattlesnakes. Investigators were stumped until they came upon a distressing hint that directed them towards Charles "Chase" Merritt, a close friend and business partner of Joseph McStay's. I think its fair to say the show looks at other suspects, and its fair to say that, towards the end of the show, we will confront some of them.. Create your own unique website with customizable templates. Chase, you are a low-life coward and a baby killer. Merritt is accused of killing his former business associate, Joseph McStay, McStay's wife Summer, and their two small children on Feb. 4, 2010. The caller lacked the necessary passcodeto delete the account and the customer service representative was unable to carry out his requestleaving the damaging information for investigators to discover later. On February 15, the family reported them missing, and the authorities searched the house. The autopsy report details the pathologist's findings.. Merritt is charged with murdering the McStay family of four in February 2010 in San Diego County. Merritt not only had motive to carry out the grisly slayings, it seemed that he also had the opportunity. Additionally, a family friend was helping paint the house, and left with the intention of returning on Saturday, February 6, to finish the job. Lastly, neither party to this case is arguing or disputing that it was in fact the McStays whom were the victims in this case, according to McGees motion. They had a loving circle of friends and family, enjoyed taking trips and watching their young sons grow and learn. One of those suspects, Charles Chase Merritt, was convicted of the murders in 2019 and remains on death row in California. A 3-pound Stanley-brand sledgehammer, the suspected murder weapon, was found in one of the graves, and the skeletal remains indicated the McStay family had suffered multiple bone fractures to the . On Jan. 21, 2020, Merritt was sentenced to life in prison and given the death penalty. Merritt insists on his innocence in the face of the prosecution's evidence, raising the question: Did Merritt murder the McStay family? Photo: McStay Family/ZUMA. At the time, Joseph owned an online company named Earth Inspired Products that sold decorative water fountains. Otherwise, the family looked identical to the McStays. Read More:Nicole Berte Murder: Where is Randy Lee Bode Now? Merritt was a close friend to the McStays and a business partner. He was convicted in June 2019, however, and sentenced to death the following January. There was a huge sigh of relief. Good Housekeeping. The sledge hammer is the likely murder weapon. Investigation Discovery's 'Two Shallow Graves' follows the trial of Charles "Chase" Merritt, accused of murdering Joseph McStay and his family. Prosecutors claim that the McStays were murdered by Merritt for financial gain. According to cell tower data, on February 4, 2010, his phone was near the McStay family home. On Feb. 4, 2010, Joseph and Summer McStay, ages 40 and 43, and their two sons, Gianni, 4, and 3-year-old Joey Jr., vanished without a trace from their Fallbrook home. Just a monster.". The authorities zeroed in on Chase after the remains were found and arrested him in the first week of November 2014. On February 9, when family and business partners hadnt heard from Joseph in five days, they sent a co-worker to the house to see if the familys beloved dogs were there. Skip Ancestry navigation Main Menu Home Defence attorney Raj Maline in the series describes this suspect as a walking, talking red flag but Merritts team was barred in court from bringing up him or the other suspects without concrete evidence linking them to the crimes. Merritt's girlfriend gives him an alibi, but the prosecution attempts to discredit her . Each is holding the hand of a child. He adds: There are so many actual other people who could potentialy be suspects and so many people who had motive. 1:22. Investigators discovered that neither of the familys cars had traveled to Mexico in years, so they believed that the family had not driven into Mexico during the unaccounted for four days. Heavy. Reports state that Susan, Joseph's mother, was visibly upset and described him as a "despicable, evil monster," adding that knowing how the family was murdered had made her life a nightmare. On June 10, 2019, a San Bernardino County jury found Charles 'Chase' Merritt guilty of murdering the McStay family and recommended that he be sentenced to death. It wasnt until November 2013 that the case moved forward. Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. Family members of the victims were emotional in court during the preliminary hearing Monday. As it turned out, someone from animal control had stopped by and fed the dogs, so Summer and Joseph had not arranged for someone to feed them. McGees law partner, Rajan Maline, is also representing Merritt in the case. The McStays looked like the All-American family living the dream. Two Shallow Graves: The McStay Family Murders: With Suzanne Armstrong, Tony Azzaro, Taylor Jarvis, Shawn Patrick Murphy. Their bodies were found on November 13, 2013 in the desert near Victorville, California. On a seemingly inconsequential day in early 2010, Mr McStay had a conversation with his father and told him he had a lunch meeting. June 10, 2019 Merritt is found guilty of murdering the McStay family. SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (KABC) -- Prosecutors say a sledgehammer was used to kill all four members of the McStay family, and the 4-year-old boy was struck seven times. The McStay family mysteriously disappeared from their California home on February 15, 2010. Is anyone feeling that the mom has strong narcissistic vibes, I worked on both cases. Joseph Sr ran a successful waterfall business in suburban California, spending every inch of spare time with his raven-haired wife, Summer, and their two young sons, Gianni, four, and Joey Jr, three. There was a couple bowls of I believe popcorn that it looked like the boys were eating, possibly watching TV. The McStay family - whose bodies were found in a shallow grave in the Californian desert almost four years after they mysteriously vanished - could barely afford to pay $210 a week on rent just . Autopsy Photos. The McStay Family Disappearance and Murder. Investigators are questioning everybody, Michael McStay tells PEOPLE. Investigation Discovery's 'Two Shallow Graves' follows the trial of Charles "Chase" Merritt, the man who [] For years, that was the prevailing belief among law enforcement. In 2019, Charles "Chase" Merritt was accused of killing Joseph McStay's family during his trial for the murders. Furthermore, Josephs mother stated that the car had his asthma medication, and he never went anywhere without it. With heavy hearts, we announce the death of Maria Carvalho (Providence, Rhode Island), who passed away on March 3, 2023. Reportedly, on January 21, 2020, Merritt was convicted of his crime and issued a sentence of life in prison and the death penalty. Investigators believe Summer was raped at the time as her pants were in the grave near her head, and her panties were in the pants as (if) they were pulled off together, according to the motion. But several family members did not believe that the man in the video was Joseph. A Family Vanishes: With Stacy Keach. Buried in the Desert: Was a Family Friend Their Killer? Selena autopsy photo. On November 11, 2013, the remains of two adults and two children were recovered in the California desert. Its not all as simple as it seems; I think thats the point of the show, Mr Fitzpatrick tells The Independent. Part of the mystery was solved in November 2013 when a motorcyclist stumbled upon two shallow graves in the desert near Victorville and unearthed human remains. The San Diego Sheriffs Department even posted footage of a family that resembled the McStays walking across the border to Mexico. Copyright 2023 KABC Television, LLC. Family and friends are welcome to send flowers or leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with the family. Merritt was arrested for the family's killings the following year, when his DNA was discovered inside the family vehicle, dumped near the border, and fake company checks traced back to him. Merritt, who faces the death penalty if convicted, has pleaded not guilty to the crimes. How did four people end up here in the middle of nowhere, over 100 miles from where they live? he asked. Cell phone records indicate that he drove home after the meeting, and he continued to make calls into the evening. In January 2010, just days before the disappearance, the home computer was used to search for passport requirements for kids traveling to Mexico. With trial footage, and with getting access to Merrit and to the prosecution and to the defense attorneys, I think we were able to creat a much more intimate picture for an audience that gives you the whole story, Mr Fitzpatrick says. The defense now moves to exclude certain expected testimony and evidence from the prosecutions case in chief on the grounds that this evidence is not relevant, and that the onlypurposes of the expected evidence are to sensationalize the alleged crimes and inflame the passions of the jury against Mr. Merritt, according to the Nov. 20 motion. Joseph had a newly successful business designing and installing water fountains. Eddie Bachman tells American Greed. That kind of cued into us as a red flag there because I dont know how any one person could be certain and say that he was the last person that saw his best friend alive if he wasnt in fact the last person who saw him alive.. What looked normal to Josephs brother but was alarming to investigators. After he reported the family missing on 15 February, police discoverd the McStays vehicle had been towed from a parking lot near the border with Mexico on 8 February. Photos of McStay Family Murder . The ID series features new interviews with Merritt who, unsurprisingly, remains adamant that he is innocent as well as trial footage, interviews with legal teams and the McStays loved ones. The McStay family murders occurred on or about February 4, 2010, after the family disappeared from their home in Fallbrook, California, United States. Joseph and Summer McStay had two sons Gianni and Joseph Jr. Lots of peoples names came up, and lots of different theories came up, executive producer Jacinda A Davis tells The Independent. About three days before the disappearance, Joseph emailed Chase regarding the money and was close to firing him. On November 5, 2014, Chase Merritt, a business associate of McStay was arrested and charged with four counts of murder, after his DNA was discovered inside the McStay vehicle. I think that, when this show airs, so many people know the case Theres going to be a lot of debate. This information was alarming enough for Josephs brother to call the police and report the family missing, as it was uncharacteristic of them to leave the dogs without food. The mystery was largely treated as a missing-persons case until this month, after a motorcyclist riding through the desert above Victorville, Calif., came across a weathered skull and called police. The murder suspect, Charles "Chase" Merritt, was present in court, wearing a gray shirt and pattern tie that was delivered to him by his family. The McStay Family Memorial is located in a very rural desert area directly north of the I-15 Stoddart Wells/Quary Rd exit. In Fallbrook, CA, their home was fifty miles north of San Diego and twenty miles inland from the Pacific coast. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. In October 2009, Joseph McStay excitedly e-mailed a friend about the house he and his wife had purchased in the San Diego suburb of Fallbrook, Calif. The familys remains were later unearthed by sheriffs crime scene investigators and forensic anthropologists. An attorney eventually represented Merritt, and the jury decided in favor of the victims. Investigators made a break in the investigation when a neighbors security camera caught the McStays car leaving their home on the evening of February 4. The authorities also found Chases DNA on the steering wheel and the gearshift handle of the McStay family car; he had claimed earlier to have never driven that vehicle. Morbid Tourism does not recommend visiting the area after dark, as it can be dangerous at times. Dan Hanke tells American Greed that when investigators examined Josephs QuickBooks account they did, in fact, discover a series of checks made out to Merritt or other vendors that Merrittowed money to that were dated Feb. 4, but the metadata stored within the computer revealed that the checks had not actually been written that day. Summer McStay may have been raped before she, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Summer McStay may have been raped before she was killed, buried in desert, court document says, Baby girl Winter of Lake Arrowhead is born amid raging blizzard, There are many ways to fight writers block, find inspiration, A.K. While no one has the answer, there are many leads, provided by people like Josephs father, Patrick McStay, who has complained for years that the San Diego Sheriffs Department was not treating the case seriously, and Rick Baker, who traveled the world researching his book, No Goodbyes: The Mysterious Disappearance of the McStay Family. The seven-episode Two Shallow Graves premieres Sunday on Investigation Discovery and will be available to stream on discovery+. He started as a crime reporter and went on to cover a variety of beats including courts and the cities of Colton, Highland and Grand Terrace. San Bernardino County Det. Prosecutors claim he killed business partner Joseph McStay, McStay's 43-year-old wife Summer, and the couple's sons--4 year-old Gianni and 3-year-old Joseph Jr. McGee argued that the use of family photos and/or videos in the case should only be relevant if they are used for identifying victims, otherwise they are irrelevant. That was the last time they would ever speak; no one heard from the McStays after 4 February 2010. A man riding his dirt bike in the area discovered some of the remains and contacted police. If you have any suggestions for any crime locations, infamous crimes or infamous people you want me to cover, (mostly around WA state as that is where I live. However, a breakthrough in the case came in November 2014 when the cops found Merritts DNA on the steering wheel of McStays car. In December 2009, Summer inquired about buying software to learn Spanish. As the investigation continued, it also emerged that the last call from Mr McStays phone had been to Merritt whose cell phone pinged near a tower in the desert in the vicinity of the shallow graves. Impact-Soundworks-PEARL-Concert-Grand-v2 [PATCHED], DMz.Sora [UPD], Indir Title Zamanda Aile Ailede Zaman Pdf Oku, Crack For Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic CC 2020 V9.2.0.10 X64 Free Download - Wor brolau, 50 Cent Get Rich Or Die Tryin Album Download Zip 78 ^NEW^, Mel 01 - Mel In A Cute Bikini, $N-2013-12-23-21h55m06s70 @iMGSRC.RU, !!INSTALL!! 4:25. Two days later, the remains were identified as the McStay family. People. Merritt is documented as writing checks totaling $21,000 on McStays business account, after McStay went missing. Investigators found four people who resembled the McStays walking across the border at approximately 7:00 p.m. on February 8, less than two hours after parking the car in the nearby parking lot. Merritt had previously worked with Joseph McStay, who owned and ran the Earth Inspired Products decorative fountain company. USA Spot News. The pair had met through Josephs successful decorative waterfall business, Earth Inspired Products. The car never returned to the home. Today, he is still imprisoned at San Quentin State Prison and on death row. There were at least four impacts to the skull of Joseph McStay, and at least seven impacts to 4-year-old Gianni. The investigation into the disappearance of the McStay family in February 2010 and the subsequent disappearance of money from the company's bank account led investigators to believe Merritt was responsible. Suspicion had long fallen on Joseph McStays business partner, Chase Merritt, as he had been the last person to have contact with the family, and he also had a criminal record, albeit for small-time offenses. Cell phone records placed Merritt in the desert where the bodies were ultimately discovered just two days after the family disappeared. There was no evidence to determine where the family went or why they had left. The McStay family murders occurred on or near February 4, 2010, after the family disappeared from their home in Fallbrook, California, United States; their bodies were found in the desert near Victorville, California, on November 13, 2013. Credit: Find the McStay Family Facebook Page. In addition, security cameras for the parking lot from which the car was towed confirmed that the car had not arrived there until the afternoon of February 8, so there was four days of which the family was unaccounted for. Detectives with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department described in detail what they found, describing the remains of four bodies, 45 groups of bones, including ribs and parts of legs from two adults and two children. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. The 62-year-old welder convicted in the brutal beating deaths of a Fallbrook family of four . Jan 2, 2018 By all accounts, Joseph McStay, age 40, and his wife Summer, age 43, were happy and living the American dream.. Two Shallow Graves will shed fresh insight into Merritt's disputed murder trial by gaining unprecedented access to both Merritt's defense and prosecution teams. Photos Of McStay Family Murder Suspect. Lee Harvey Oswald autopsy photo. Publicly Merrittwho had several prior convictions on his recordclaimed to be Josephs best friend,once telling CNNs Randi Kay that although they began as work acquaintances, they quickly grew to be friends, playing paintball together andsharingdinnera few nights a week. But that changed when the remains of the McStay family were found in November 2013, [] Prosecutors contend greed is the motive for the murders. and a close friend of the family falls under suspicion. It would take years for investigators to discover the family's grisly fate. Merritt, in the series, contends: They didnt have any direct evidence to support that I did these crimes. He continued to plead his innocence, and at his sentencing, he told the judge, I dont deserve this. After a four-month trial, nine years after the McStay killings . Found the resolution to each, I know who really killed Chanin, her husband did not, I have so many questions about this story. Investigators also found a three-pound sledgehammer that they believe was the murder weapon and clothing, some of it marked with the same color paint that the McStay family had been using to paint their home when they went missing. I think its probably true; he has read everything, hes currently working on a book about his case and hes constantly working on it in some way. However, friends and family claimed this would be out of character, and the couple still had a large amount of money in a bank account that remained untouched. Judge Michael A. Smith determined there Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. Joseph McStay, his wife Summer, and the couple's two young sons mysteriously disappeared in Feb. 2010.
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