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She said it was not until six months later that she could bear to go out to the site, marked by four crosses. He would spend days on end in bed. Joseph McStay, 40, his wife, Summer, 43, and their sons Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3, vanished from their home in Fallbrook, California, on February 4, 2010. "From Day One, I just had this gut feeling that I was never going to see them again," he said, swallowing tears. A year later,Charles 'Chase' Merritt, who was a partner in Joseph's water-fountain business, was arrested for bludgeoning the married couple and their children to death inside their home in Fallbrook because he owed them $30,000. Ultimately, officials determined it was not the McStay family in that video. [31] The trial finally began on January 7, 2019, in a San Bernardino court, with both sides making opening statements. He was the last known person to see Joseph alive, during an hour-and-a-half long meeting in Rancho Cucamonga, California just hours before the family vanished into thin air. At center is Erin McStay, Michaels wife. [32] On June 24, the jury recommended that Merritt be sentenced to death. and Spanish language lessons. Father of Joseph McStay, whose remains and wife's were found this week after 2010 disappearance, calls San Diego Sheriff's Dept. Joseph was his older brother, by three years, two months, three days, he toldSan Bernardino County Supervising Deputy District Attorney Britt Imes. How could you beat two precious little babies? He was sentenced to death and life in prison. Do you remember writing that check? he asked. I know you dont believe me and thats what kills me, he added. [26], According to the arrest warrant affidavits filed in the case, autopsies concluded that all four victims had been beaten to death with a blunt object. Merritt later told police that he ignored the voicemail because he was watching a movie. Now Merritt who actually took a voluntary lie detector test at the time of their disappearance and was the last person to see Joseph alive has decided to write a tell all book, in an effort to clear up the mystery. The fountain designer has always been seen as a key player in the mystery as he was one of Josephs closest friends and his most trusted business associate. The bodies of the McStay family were found buried in the Mojave desert in 2013, three years after the family vanished from their home in San Diego County. He had a son from a previous relationship, who he didnt get to see much of and he was terrified that would happen with his two boys if he left Summer. Why? Imes asked, and Michael broke down on the witness stand. The car's location from February 4 to February 8 remains unknown. This world was robbed of four beautiful souls. Merritt said the people responsible for the slayings are still free. In the summer of 2021, shocking news rocked the state of South Carolina. Michael McStay remembered the day detectives told him and his family that the bodies of his brother, sister-in-law, and nephews had been discovered in the desert. McStay family went missing nearly three years ago Surveillance video shows four people of similar size crossing into Mexico Relatives dispute author's claim that wife was involved in. The McStays, their two boys Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3, vanished in 2010, leaving food on the table and a massive mystery. His face was stoic. He said: Summer was a very self-centered, self-obsessed person with an awful temper. [34], On May 22, 2022, the case was looked at again on the Investigation Discovery docuseries Two Shallow Graves. "[22], In January 2014, Merritt said that he might write a book about the family, alleging that Summer had anger issues and that Joseph had been ill for some time with a mysterious ailment. Homicide investigators search the family's home on Avocado Vista Lane and found no sign of a struggle. Charles "Chase" Merritt was convicted in June of killing his former business associate Joseph McStay, McStay's wife, Summer, and their 4- and 3-year-old sons, Gianni and Joseph Jr.. They also linked him to a call seeking to close Joseph McStay's online bookkeeping account. All rights reserved, Jury Recommends Death Penalty for Business Associate Convicted of Killing McStay Family, Business Partner Found Guilty in McStay Family Killings, Check Your Pockets: These Coins Can Be Worth Up To $24,000, Glendale Neighborhood Frustrated After an Illegal Hostel Moves In, NASA Images Show Southern California Mountains Before and After Winter Storm, Tax Deadlines Extended to October for Most Californians Due to Storms. The bodies were identified asJoseph, Summer, Joseph Mateo, and Gianani McStay. June 10, 2019 Merritt is found guilty of murdering the McStay family. Seven months later, on November 11, 2013, an off-road motorcyclist came across human remains in San Bernardino County's Mojave Desert. [16], After their disappearance, it was speculated that the McStays left voluntarily since investigators found searches on the family's computers for "What documents do children need for traveling to Mexico?" "I hope you burn in Hell," he told the man convicted of killing his son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren. " Finally, Joseph McStay's only surviving son from a previous marriage, Jonah McStay, took. How the Princess of Wales recreated her 2006 outfit from Prince William's Sandhurst graduation Behind-the-scenes at fashion week with the Spencers! I did not know any of that part, Blake said. Voice shaking, it was Merrit's turn to speak to the courtroom and to the McStay family's loved ones. Joseph's cellphone pinged a tower in Fallbrook. 'You had a choice. The break came, defense attorneys said, when Merritt and McStay separately worked on a custom-fountain side of the business that did not include Kavanaugh. She said they clashed in front of her as they argued how to keep the business going. Jackie Collins taught me everything I know. "Ultimately, I hope to be a father and when I am, I will hold my children close," he continued. Their bodies were not found until 2013, when an off-road motorcyclist came across them in the Mojave Desert. On February 23, 2010, detectives notified Interpol, the International Criminal Police Organization, to be on the lookout for the family heading to Mexico. How scared were they, Chase? Blake said, speaking to Merritt. [35], Last edited on 11 February 2023, at 23:11, "Business partner arrested in McStay family slaying, desert burial", "Trial underway for man accused of killing 4 from San Diego", "Charles Merritt Sentenced to Death for Killing McStay Family, Burying Their Bodies in Mojave Desert", "Authorities distribute 'endangered missing' flier pertaining to missing McStay family", "Buried bodies identified as members of missing McStay family", "Man last phoned by McStay father says he took polygraph test", "Author of McStay book criticized by victim's family", "After discovery, mystery of McStay family's disappearance deepens", "Investigators say Missing McStay family left voluntarily", "McStay Family Update: FBI Joins Search for Missing Family", "Search for Missing Fallbrook family continues", "McStay family Mystery: Who is Chase Merritt", "Tentative trial date set for McStay family murder suspect 'Chase' Merritt", "Backlash over book's new theory on McStay murders", "Merritt attorneys want McStay case dismissed", "McStay family murder suspect Charles 'Chase' Merritt fires attorneys", "McStay family murder suspect Charles 'Chase' Merritt wants new attorneys", "San Bernardino judge allows McStay family murder suspect to have more case files in his cell", "Lawyers for defendant in McStay family murder case want some evidence tossed", "San Bernardino judge delays ruling in bid to exclude key evidence in McStay family murder case", Charles Merritt Found Guilty Of Slaying McStay Family, "Jury recommends death penalty for man who killed McStay family", "Southern California man sentenced to death for killing family of 4", "ID's Two Shallow Graves: How did Charles "Chase" Merritt know the McStay family and where is he now? Blake said Merritt and Kavanugh got into arguments in two meetings during the spring of 2010. His most recent felony conviction, in 2001, was for the theft of $32,000 worth of welding and drilling equipment from San Gabriel Valley Ornamental Iron Works in Monrovia, California. After Joseph, along with his wife and kids, suddenly went missing in February 2010, the authorities didn't have many leads. ", Chase Merritt watching and listening. Trademark and Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. He was sentenced to the death penalty for the slayings of Joseph McStay's wife, Summer McStay, 43, and the couple's two sons, Gianni McStay, 4, and Joseph McStay, Jr., 3. "So unnatural. I dont remember bouncing a check, she said. Susanmade an equally emotional statement ahead of the sentencing being handed down, telling the court how the killings had scarred their lives. So why was being grilled about her books on Mastermind so Why should I be asked to tip when I shop online? He asked for funds to keep the business going, and at that time I would do anything to help my son probably not in my right mind anyway at that time, she said. Hes considering motion of insufficient evidence to support verdict. #McStay family visibly frustrated. According to state records, Merritt had felony convictions for burglary and receiving stolen property. When the bodies were found, he offered a refund to those who purchased his book before November 2013. Jurors in San Bernardino. "No more surfing; no more anything., Michael McStay said the court should never forget what this case is really about: "Those four innocent people and the lives they never got to live.". Victorville, California - Four years ago, Patrick McStay lost everything he loved. Situated in northern San Diego County, the community is known as "The Friendly Village." Sadly, disaster would soon strike the tranquil town. We dont run this circus. Joseph McStay and his wife, Summer, and their 4- and 3-year sons, Gianni and Joseph Jr., were a fun-loving, happy family who'd recently settled into a comfortable life in Fallbrook, California. [27], Prosecutors allege that Merritt had a gambling problem and killed the McStay family for financial gain. Radio host Rick Baker published a book, No Goodbyes: The Mysterious Disappearance of the McStay Family. ', Getting worried:Susan had her son Mike stop by the family's San Diego County home on February 13, 2010, nine days after her son was last heard from, Confusing: Upon Mike's arrival, he noticed that Joseph's 1996 Isuzu Trooper was missing, but their dogs were in the backyard, Abandoned: When Mike crawled through a window of the San Diego County home, he discovered food rotting in the kitchen. By February 2016, he had gone through five attorneys. Susan said they would stop in little towns that had just a gas station and a grocery store to post flyers. Merritt was convicted in June 2019 of the murders of his former business associate Joseph McStay, McStay's wife Summer, and their 4- and 3-year-old sons, Gianni and Joseph Jr. (Irfan. He would often come up and visit me and we would go out for dinner with my wife at the time, but Summer never came. Joseph's father, Patrick McStay, told the Los Angeles Times in 2011. Were they scared, Chase? Charles "Chase" Merritt interrupted his attorney Friday during legal proceedings. Were just the clowns, - Britt Imes. With all the action and breaks, there was no time left for victim impact statements and the actual sentencing of Merritt. [14], The circumstances surrounding the family's disappearance and the lack of clues about their whereabouts triggered speculation by amateur sleuths. A grainy video captured at a nearby border crossing deepened the mystery. And that those sounds haunt you, Chase, he said. Joseph McStay, 40, and his wife, Summer, 43, went missing along with their two children, Gianna, 4, and Joseph, 3. [15] Baker began following the case in 2013 after interviewing Michael McStay on his program. The case has sparked endless speculation, with both the police and amateur sleuths coming up with countless theories, some plausible, some wild and outrageous. Merritt also says Summer had a terrible temper and would often snap at her husband over completely insignificant things. "It didn't just mark me that day," Michael McStay said. They said that he wrote checks totaling more than $21,000 on Joseph's business account in the days after the family was killed and then went on a gambling spree at nearby casinos, where he lost thousands of dollars. "It's not just a Netflix documentary to us. Joseph McStay's mother Susan Blake addresses the court during the sentencing of Charles Chase Merritt on Jan. 21, 2020. Two members of a renowned legal family had been shot and killed on their property. Defense attorney Rajan Maline produced a check to Merritt for $3,300 that was issued in April 2010 and signed by Blake, not on her personnel account, but on an account for Earthinspiredproducts.com. Published: 23:50 GMT, 22 January 2021 | Updated: 23:58 GMT, 22 January 2021. He didnt know what was wrong with him and he was desperate. His son, Joseph, his daughter-in-law, Summer, and their two little boys, Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3 vanished. You start calling his cellphones, her cellphones,' she said. So unnatural," he said. DNA samples were collected from the McSays' family, friends, and associates, but investigators couldn't get a search warrant to access their financial records because there was no evidence of a crime at the time. ", Missing McStay family killed, buried in desert, sheriff says, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=McStay_family_murders&oldid=1138842709, This page was last edited on 11 February 2023, at 23:11. Although a search of the house found no evidence of a struggle or foul play, there were indications of a hasty departure: a carton of eggs had been left on the counter, and two child-size bowls of popcorn sat on a sofa. The McStay family of Fallbrook was last heard from or seen on Feb. 4, 2010. ', Gruesome: The McStays' skeletal remains were unearthed along with a three-pound rusted sledgehammer believed to be the murder weapon, Crime: Charles 'Chase' Merritt, who was a partner in Joseph's water-fountain business, was arrested for the murders in 2014 and found guilty in 2019 (pictured), Criminal: In January 2020, Merritt was sentenced to death for bludgeoning the couple and their children to death inside their home because he owed them $30,000. Charles "Chase" Merritt was convicted in June of killing his former business associate Joseph McStay, McStay's wife, Summer, and their 4- and 3-year-old sons, Gianni and Joseph Jr.. Doves were . He used to spend hours at a time talking on his mobile phone and it got to the stage where he was convinced he had a brain tumor. Investigators also have e-mails indicating the couple asked. And when we were out she would call him constantly. They make up a small part of Merritts new book, which is due to be released later this year. Video recorded the evening of February 8, released on March 5, showed a family of four resembling the McStays crossing the border. 'He told me he was in a hurry because he had a lunch meeting,' the dad told Killer Motive host Troy Roberts. Investigators testified they believed the victims were tortured before they were killed. ', Merritt showed no emotion as she said she felt like she'd been hit by a boulder when she was told the bodies were found: 'It's just a nightmare.'. "We don't run this circus. [23] Merritt, who reportedly was the last person Joseph called from his cell phone, also said that he had passed a polygraph test and did not know anything that could help solve the mystery of the family's disappearance. Despite all the problems they had and how explosive Summer was, I dont know if he ever truly believed she was capable of that, but it was definitely something he considered. In late November 2009, the family moved to Fallbrook, California, for a fresh start in a peaceful and friendly neighborhood. Joseph McStay's mother, Susan Blake, followed. List of journal articles on the topic 'Kirkland House (Cambridge, Mass.)'. [30] On May 4, the case was scheduled to go to trial in July 2018. Every time you hear a sound in prison or in a movie similar to the sounds you made that day when you murdered this family, I hope it rings loud in your ears. It was to me, at the time, very scary, so I literally walked out and said If my son loses his business, so be it, I need to find my family and I left., Under questioning by Rodriguez, Blake described the argument as filled with A lot of, lot of cussing, screaming at each other Chase wanted to wring his neck.. It is my deepest desire in my own life not to spread pain and suffering, said a soft-spoken Jonah McStay. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Joseph loved to eat out anyway, but I know he made a real effort to eat away from his house after that.. After 8-Hour Day in Court, Sentencing Delayed for Man Who Killed McStay Family. Josephs illness was well documented and had left his entire family completely baffled. Here are the seven best ways to wear them this spring. "Our family has already received a life sentence. "Hes an excellent surfer and soccer player. when an off-road motorcyclist came across them in the Mojave Desert, New weekly farmers market opens in Cardiff, Dierks Bentleys Gravel & Gold tour coming to San, Vehicle pursuit prompts lane closures on SR-76, SD animal sanctuary rescues cougar orphanedin car, 2 critically injured in head-on collision, Teenage bicyclist hurt in hit-and-run crash, Experts explain concerns, benefits from CA storms, Best deals of Presidents Day weekend 2023, Forgot about Valentines Day? He was a big part of my life and my familys life. By That family that went missing? [10], Over the next several days, relatives of the McStays unsuccessfully tried to contact the family. I would never hurt him in any way. Merritt and Kavanaugh both worked with McStays online business, Earth Inspired Products, which offered outdoor water fountains to customers. Instead, they said, authorities zeroed in on an innocent man. He had this problem right up until the day he went missing. Will Payne She said the two tangled over how to keep the business afloat. [33] The court upheld the jury's recommendation, and Merritt was sentenced to death on January 21, 2020. 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. Queen Letizia of Spain is polished in a recycled Reiss skirt as she joins King Felipe VI at Repli-Kate! Ending my life for a crime that I did not commit," Merritt said. Gov. He would try to ignore it at first, but she would call and call and eventually he would have to go off and deal with whatever drama there was. The next week, deputies released a video of a group of people similar to the McStay family entering Mexico hand in hand through the pedestrian gate around 7 p.m. on February 8, 2010, the same day their vehicle was towed. Summer and Joseph McStay as well as their sons Joseph Mateo and Gianni had vanished without leaving much behind in terms of clues or without really informing any of their kith and kin. She had once told him she wanted that song played at her funeral. Chase, you are a low-life baby killer, Blake said as Merritt stared at her impassively. How scared were they, Chase? She said: 'My son had been sick since last August and hes normally a very healthy person. At the time, Joseph owned an online company named Earth Inspired Products that sold decorative water fountains. You cannot get back time. Upon his arrival, he noticed that Joseph's 1996 Isuzu Trooper was missing, but their dogs were in the backyard. I did not do this thing.. On February 13, Joseph's brother Michael traveled to the McStay residence and climbed in and gained entry to the home upon finding an open window in the back. She was obsessed with the idea of being Italian and that was her name for him. California man pleads not guilty to killing family of four Susan Blake (L), the mother of Joseph McStay, leaves the courtroom with her son Michael McStay after Charles "Chase" Merritt was. Mystery:Joseph McStay, 40, his wife, Summer, 43, and their sons Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3, vanished from their home in Fallbrook, California, on February 4, 2010, Tragedy: Joseph'sparents, Patrick McStay and Susan Blake, have opened up about the murders on the second season of the Oxygen true-crime series Killer Motive. 'We went all the way down to Cabo because at first they said there were sightings, and then we just took the car and went north. How could you beat two precious little babies? [2][7] The deaths were ruled a homicide and San Bernardino County authorities said they believed the family died of blunt force trauma inside their home, but declined to discuss specifics of the deaths or a motive. He was married to Summer McStay for seven years. Maline spent several hours speaking before the judge. Joseph and Summer McStay were found buried in shallow desert graves along with their two young sons nearly four years after they vanished from their suburban California home (San Bernardino. On Monday, more than four years since his arrest in connection with the slayings, the family's accused killer, Charles "Chase" Merritt, is scheduled to go on trial on murder charges in San. Summers ex husband made good on a promise the two made years ago and just played a portion of Norman Greenbaums Spirit in the Sky. On Feb. 15, the family was reported missing to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department. A license plate search for the vehicle led to the discovery that the McStay's SUV had been towed from a parking lot near San Ysidro, California, right near the U.S.-Mexico border, on February 8, 2010, four days after they went missing. Merritt is accused of killing his former business associate, Joseph McStay, McStay's wife Summer, and their two small children on Feb. 4, 2010. Unconfirmed family sightings were reported in Mexico and elsewhere, perpetuating hopes that they were safe and had left voluntarily. 'This despicable, evil monster. Then a few people started putting the idea in his head that maybe Summer was behind it. And then the family that was killed by their own friend?'" But the details of this case go back decades and has many twists and turns. A license plate search for the vehicle led to the discovery that the McStay's SUV had been towed from a parking lot near San Ysidro, California, right near the U.S.-Mexico border, Gone: The family was considered missing, and detectives notified Interpol, the International Criminal Police Organization, to be on the lookout for headin to Mexico, Can't tell: Deputies released a video of a group of people similar to the McStay family entering Mexico hand in hand through the pedestrian gate around 7 p.m. on February 8, 2010, Devastating: Joseph's parents headed to Mexico to hang flyers and search for them but never found anything. California has not executed anyone on death row since 2006 as current Gov. Joseph, 40, was suffering from a mystery illness in the months before he went missing with Summer and their two young children, and would spend days in bed barely able to walk. [13] Dean stated in her blog she had just finished producing a radio show for San Diego station KNSJ when she received the call, and that she asked whether she could tell her followers what he had told her. I'm so bummed out after realising my diagnosis made a few years ago is legitimate. 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. [3] The trial began on January 7, 2019, in San Bernardino. Merritt looked at Blake as she spoke. (File photo by Kurt Miller, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG), In this file photo Susan Blake, mother of Joseph McStay, breaks down while speaking at a press conference at the San Bernardino Sheriff Headquarters on Friday, Nov. 7, 2014. It was a mystery and he started to consider everything and anything. [17] Other critics of the theory noted that the McStays had more than $100,000 in bank accounts, with no withdrawal of funds in preparation for a trip, and their accounts were untouched after their disappearance. "We don't run this circus. [2], On November 7, 2014, police announced they had arrested Charles "Chase" Merritt, Joseph McStay's business partner, and intended to charge him with the murders. Our lives were intertwined both on a business and a personal level. "I did not do this thing. The trial in the downtown San Bernardino Justice Center is before Judge Michael A. Smith. Scholarly publications with full text pdf download. Michael did not find any family at home, and their two dogs were in the backyard. [7] That 8-hour day in court included lengthy motions arguments from Merritt's attorney, Rajan Maline, and even a moment when Merritt tried to interrupt proceedings and fire Maline. In the book, he speculated that Summer might have committed the murders. Joseph McStay, his wife Summer, and the couple's two young sons mysteriously disappeared in Feb. 2010. The father's parents, Patrick McStay and Susan Blake, have opened up about the murders on the second season of the Oxygen true-crime series Killer Motive, which premieres on January 23. Charles Merritt was convicted of killing Joseph and Summer McStay along with their two sons. Patrick McStay, Joseph's father, was informed of the discovery and phoned missing person advocate Jerrie Dean to tell her what he knew. 'They actually thought that was really them going over the border on the video,' said Susan, who was skeptical but still headed to Mexico to search for her family. According to prosecutors, greed was the motive for the killings and Merritt killed the McStays because he had been embezzling thousands of dollars from Joseph McStay's business. He just gave me the quote of the day on the continuing delays. Joseph was 40 years old while his wife Summer was 43 making them a rather young family. In the last of the two meetings, They were definitely yelling, big time, at each other. "Closer still because I know what it's like to lose people I love.". Investigators believe that Joseph McStay, 40, his wife, Summer, 43, and their sons, 4-year-old Gianni and 3-year-old Joseph, were bludgeoned to death in their home in the San Diego County community of Fallbrook on Feb. 4, 2010, San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon said Friday.