At the time, Joseph owned an online company named Earth Inspired Products that sold decorative water fountains. The deaths have been ruled a homicide. He seemed caught off guard, like Oh, I didnt realize I was doing that, San Bernardino County District AttorneyBritt Imes tellsAmerican Greed.. How To Paint Citadel Miniatures Download Pdf NEW! The original memorial consisting of 4 white crosses. Searches about travelling to Mexico were also uncovered on the familys computer, bolstering a theory that theyd gone on a trip. The cops also learned that his cellphone had been pinged in the area where the family was buried. Merritt's DNA was found on the steering wheel and gearshift, even though Merritt told detectives he had never driven that vehicle. Read More:Nicole Berte Murder: Where is Randy Lee Bode Now? A motion filed in San Bernardino Superior Court on Nov. 20 on behalf of McStay family murder suspect Charles Chase Merritt by his attorney, James McGee, argued against the use of family photos and/or videos of the McStay family at trial, stating it could engender sympathy from the jury for the victims and prejudice the jury against Merritt. He was joined by his defense team: three attorneys from the High Desert. They were living at Fallbrook and simply listed as missing. But several family members did not believe that the man in the video was Joseph. I never settled on anybody. Though it is possible that Summer was using a different name, there are no records of passports under any of her other names. 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. About three days before the disappearance, Joseph emailed Chase regarding the money and was close to firing him. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! 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.. Victim(s): Joseph McStay, Summer McStay, Joseph McStay Jr, Gianni McStay, . If you wish to write to us in regards to this matter, please be advised that we reserve the right to post your. Merritts trial has been delayed multiple times due to Merritt attempting to represent himself and repeatedly firing his attorneys, he has gone through five between November 2013 to February 2016. Two Shallow Graves on ID is examining the tragic murders of the McStay family, who were butchered by business associate Charles "Chase" Merritt, and buried in the desert near Victorville, California, in 2010. A motorcyclist found human remains in a desert near Victorville, California. At 30 seconds into the video, note the man and woman entering from lower left of screen. Lots of peoples names came up, and lots of different theories came up, executive producer Jacinda A Davis tells The Independent. Merritt, who faces the death penalty if convicted, has pleaded not guilty to the crimes. 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. McGee noted that investigators submitted a DNA analysis request form to the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Departments Forensic Biology Unit to help identify involved parties and verify involved parties. He also referenced an excerpt from page three of the form, which revealed something that has not been disclosed by investigators to date: they believe Summer McStay had been raped before she was killed. According to cell tower data, on February 4, 2010, his phone was near the McStay family home. Prosecutors contend greed is the motive for the murders. 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 . Joseph and Summer McStay vanished from their . Publicly Merrittwho had several prior convictions on his recordclaimed to be Josephs best friend. In late November 2009, the family moved to Fallbrook, California, for a fresh start in a peaceful and friendly neighborhood. Two days later, the remains were identified as the McStay family. Sheriffs investigators arrested Charles Chase Merritt, 60, of Homeland, in November 2014. 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 McStay family mysteriously disappeared from their California home on February 15, 2010. Nicole Berte Murder: Where is Randy Lee Bode Now. Research genealogy for Vivian McStay of Gordonville, Grayson Texas, USA, as well as other members of the McStay family, on Ancestry. They were dressed similarly to the McStays, and the children were wearing hats similar to ones they had been photographed in. When Joseph McStay, his wife Summer, and their two young sons disappeared from the family's Fallbrook, California home in February 2010, it was as if they'd simply vanished into thin air. mcstay family autopsy, mcstay family autopsy photos, mcstay family murders autopsy, how did the mcstay family died, did they ever find the mcstay family, why was the . Each is holding the hand of a child. Watch the horrifying tale of the McStay family murders and the controversial trial of Charles "Chase" Merritt in ID's Two Shallow Graves, set to air this May 22, 2022. Authorities say Merritt, a business associate of 40-year-old Joseph McStay, beat the family to death inside their residence. Skip Ancestry navigation Main Menu Home Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Merritt was a fabricator, who Joseph had turned to to expand the custom side of his business. Hes a scumbag;hes a creep;he doesnt deserve to walk the earth or take a breath, Patrick tellsAmerican Greed. He killed somebody that trusted in him and gave him a chance when a lot of other people knew he was a crook and then he kills my grandsons, brutally. Sheriffs investigators believe Merritt, a business associate of Joseph McStay who built custom decorative water fountains for McStays online business, killed the McStays for financial gain. Charles Merrit was found guilty of the murders in 2019. My fear is that Im looking for two adult shallow graves and my two nephews crosses, Josephs kid brother, Michael, told the Orange County Register a few weeks after the Feb. 4, 2010, disappearance. Merritts trial finally began on January 7, 2019 and on June 10, 2019, a San Bernardino County jury found Merritt guilty of murdering the McStay family. Reportedly, on January 21, 2020, Merritt was convicted of his crime and issued a sentence of life in prison and the death penalty. McGees law partner, Rajan Maline, is also representing Merritt in the case. Ive heard people say that before and it not be true. The McStay family of Fallbrook were last heard from or seen on Feb. 4, 2010. Their car was located a few days later, near San Diego, close to the Mexican border. He was a business partner of Joseph McStay. He was sentenced to death on January 21, 2020. Everything was circumstantial. Even though Merritt was at one point representing himself, that is no longer the case. On February 4, 2010,Summer McStay, her husbandJoseph, and their young sonsGianni andJoseph Jr.disappeared from San Diego, California. The autopsy revealed all four victims died from blunt force trauma to their heads. The morning of February 4, 2010, started like any other day for the family. The San Diego Sheriffs Department even posted footage of a family that resembled the McStays walking across the border to Mexico. The father of murder victim Joseph McStay and his family is upset with the way the San Diego County Sheriff's Department handled the case. On a seemingly inconsequential day in early 2010, Mr McStay had a conversation with his father and told him he had a lunch meeting. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. Two days later, the remains were identified as the McStay family. I did not do this.. 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. How do you do that?. Inside, he found a relatively normal scene. Just a monster.". 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. USA Spot News. "The house was as if somebody just beamed them up to the Starship Enterprise," reporter Tony Shin, who covered the case for KNSD-TV, recalls in the latest episode of CNBC's "American Greed . Their house didnt show any signs of a struggle, but it was clear they had left in a hurry; there was food left out on the counter, and their beloved pet dogs were left behind. San Bernardino County Det. 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. 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. A carton of eggs lay on the counter, and two bowls of popcorn were located in the living room. The first three episodes of Two Shallow Graves will air on ID (Investigation Discovery) on Sunday, May 22, at 9:00 PM ET. 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. 'It was blow after blow after blow to a child's skull,' the prosecutor said. When Joseph McStay, his wife Summer, and their two young sons disappeared from the familys Fallbrook, California home in February 2010, it was as if theyd simply vanished into thin air. There was a couple bowls of I believe popcorn that it looked like the boys were eating, possibly watching TV. Princess Diana flashes a cheeky grin in rare bikini photos. 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. January 21, 2020 Merritt, 62, was sentenced to life in prison for murdering Joseph McStay, 40. Investigation Discovery aired a docuseries focused on the McStay family murders in late May. A bombshell witness upends the Merritt murder trial, claiming someone else confessed to the McStay murders. Chase further stated that Joseph called him at around 8:28 pm on that evening. The 62-year-old welder convicted in the brutal beating deaths of a Fallbrook family of four . A whole family vanished on February 4, 2010 from their home in Fallbrook, CA.. There were also incisions in her bra that lead investigators to believe it was cut off, the motion states. Michaels worst fears were realized. Although Merritt adamantly denied being at the location of the makeshift graves, he was arrested by the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Office on Nov. 5, 2014 and charged with four counts of murder. While Summer stayed home to take care of the children, she planned to go to work soon. Later that night, he received a phone call from animal control, which was planning to take the dogs because they had been left outside without food for over a week. January 30, 2015 / 2:32 PM / CBS News. 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. 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. We just had to go over all kinds of money stuff, Merritt told detectives in an interview recording obtained by American Greed.. 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. Cell phone records placed Merritt in the desert where the bodies were ultimately discovered just two days after the family disappeared. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. 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. 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. Investigators searched for passport records of the family, and discovered that Joseph had a valid passport that had not been used before or after the disappearance. The McStay family, consisting of Joseph, 40, his wife Summer, 43, and their two sons Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3, were reported missing in 2010. In an interview with detectives just two weeks after the family was last seen, Merritt talked about his friend in the past tense. The paint was still fresh on the walls, the corners bordered by blue painter . 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. According to reports, three years after their disappearance, the family's remains were unearthed in two shallow graves in a remote area of the California desert. 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. 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. Investigators believed that the family pictured is likely the McStays, based on analysis of family photos and home videos. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. 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. Merritt, in the series, contends: They didnt have any direct evidence to support that I did these crimes. Two Shallow Graves airs Sunday from 9/8c on Investigation Discovery. Her disappearance was widely reported in the national news media. The story of the McStay family is one that has baffled San Diego investigators for years.. The McStay Family Disappearance and Murder. The defendant faces four counts of murder and the possibility of the death penalty if convicted. However, the rest of the family thought it was unusual for them to just leave so abruptly. So when the family seemingly disappeared four months later without telling any relatives, friends or business associates, and their car turned up four days later at the Mexican border, many people who knew them feared the worst. Prosecutors pushing for the death penalty for McStay family murder suspect Charles "Chase" Merritt can use one family photo of the victims during trial, a San Bernardino Superior Court judge . A man riding his dirt bike in the area discovered some of the remains and contacted police. One of those suspects, Charles Chase Merritt, was convicted of the murders in 2019 and remains on death row in California. 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. There were no signs of foul play, but the fact that they had left the car and toys four days after leaving home, so close to the Mexican border was bizarre. 1:22. Nearly a decade after the skeletal remains of a family of four were found buried in the California desert, their accused killer was sentenced to death. There is reportedly a DNA match that links Merritt to the McStay May 27, 2021 The McStay family murders occurred on or near February 4, 2010, after the family disappeared from their home in Fallbrook, California, Mcstay family autopsy photos Merritt is on trial for the murder of the McStay family from Fallbrook tried to cover his tracks after the murders. Photographer Behind Iconic Princess Diana Funeral Photos Reflects on Intimate Moments From Service. He tried to deflect the cops by claiming that Summer suffered from anger issues and that Joseph had failing health. According to reports, denying his involvement in the murders, Merritt told the court. Two shallow graves contained the remains of Joseph, his wife Summer, 4-year-old son Gianni and 3-year-old son Joe Jr. Investigators say they have a lot of work ahead to find the killers, and no predictions as to who they are or why they would kill a whole family. After 8-Hour Day in Court, Sentencing Delayed for Man Who Killed McStay Family Charles "Chase" Merritt was found guilty June 10, 2019, on four counts of murder in the slayings of the McStay Family . The investigation revealed that Chase was a gambling addict who owed Joseph about $42,000. Is anyone feeling that the mom has strong narcissistic vibes, I worked on both cases. Merritt is accused of killing his former business associate, Joseph McStay, McStay's wife Summer, and their two small children on Feb. 4, 2010.