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. On February 13, when the family hadnt been heard from in nine days, Josephs brother went to the house. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Who Killed The McStay Family? The McStay case started . Charles Merritt Gets Death Penalty McStay Family Murders PHOTO: Charles Ray Merritt was arrested on Nov.. 5, 2021 by the San.. At the beginning, hes like, I know this case better than the attorneys, Mr Fitpatrick adds. Investigators are questioning everybody, Michael McStay tells PEOPLE. San Bernardino Superior Court Judge Michael A. Smith ruled Monday afternoon that there is sufficient evidence for Merritt to stand trial. Though simply changing her name is not an indication of anything sinister, it did stir up a number of theories that Summer was responsible for the disappearance. On Feb. 15, the family was reported missing to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department. He had a criminal record and, it turned out, had been skimming money from the enterprise. There was a huge sigh of relief. To learn more about the case, tune into Monday's episode of "American Greed" at 10 p.m. ET/PT on CNBC. Investigators immediately seized the car and searched it for evidence. 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 . Merritt, who faces the death penalty if convicted, has pleaded not guilty to the crimes. 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. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Merrit wasarrested a year after the McStay familysskeletal remainswere discovered in two shallow graves, west of the 15 Freeway and north of Stoddard Wells Road, near Victorville. Research genealogy for Elizabeth McStay of Draycott, Derbyshire, England, as well as other members of the McStay family, on Ancestry. Investigation Discovery aired a docuseries focused on the McStay family murders in late May. Though it is possible that Summer was using a different name, there are no records of passports under any of her other names. 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 . Family and friends are welcome to send flowers or leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with the family. It wasnt until November 2013 that the case moved forward. 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.. Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. Reportedly, on January 21, 2020, Merritt was convicted of his crime and issued a sentence of life in prison and the death penalty. McStay Family Murders: Who Killed Them? 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. While there was little evidence and various theories floated around, nobody really precisely knew what happened to Joseph, his wife, and their two sons until years later. Something doesnt, No , the murder happened in Ohio . I think that, when this show airs, so many people know the case Theres going to be a lot of debate. There was no evidence to determine where the family went or why they had left. In 2014, he completed a fellowship at Loyola Law School's Journalist Law School program. Merritt not only had motive to carry out the grisly slayings, it seemed that he also had the opportunity. When Joseph needed to develop his bespoke company, he enlisted Merritt, a fabricator, for assistance. CNN. Jan 2, 2018 By all accounts, Joseph McStay, age 40, and his wife Summer, age 43, were happy and living the American dream.. The original memorial consisting of 4 white crosses. That changed in November 2013, when the bodies were found in the desert along with a sledgehammer believed to be the murder weapon. Found the resolution to each, I know who really killed Chanin, her husband did not, I have so many questions about this story. Do you, This was definitely in IL because we are friends with, Hi. After a four-month trial, nine years after the McStay killings . 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. We need to find the killer., For more on the tragic case that has baffled authorities pick up this weeks issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Monday. He was given the death penalty for killing Summer, Gianni, and Joseph Jr. Now, Merritt is on San Quentin Death Row. 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. Merritt was a fabricator, who Joseph had turned to to expand the custom side of his business. From my discussions with him, thats all he does, is work on his case.. Skip Ancestry navigation Main Menu Home Just a monster.". At that point, the investigation shifted from searching for missing persons to investigating a possible murder. Visitation will be held on Sunday, March 5th 2023 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM at the Perry-McStay Funeral Home (2555 Pawtucket Ave, East Providence, RI 02914). 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 . Pic credit: San Diego County Police. Lets make no mistake about it, Mr. Merritt is innocent, Maline tells American Greed.. A motorcyclist found human remains in a desert near Victorville, California. I never settled on anybody. The family did not appear to have any plans to be gone that day. McGee stated in his motion that the identity of the victims was not in dispute, and that DNA and dental records positively identified the McStay family as homicide victims after their skeletal remains were discovered in two shallow graves in November 2013, west of the 15 Freeway and north of Stoddard Wells Road. The court upheld the jury's recommendation and Merrit was sentenced to death on January 21, 2020 for the McStay Family Massacre. Family members of the victims . 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. Lord Hanuman Angry Animated Wallpapers Hd posted by Sarah Anderson a28a80e3cc. One of those suspects, Charles Chase Merritt, was convicted of the murders in 2019 and remains on death row in California. In an email Thursday, sheriffs Lt. Sarkis Ohannessian declined to comment, citing the ongoing criminal case. Case 8, Dorothy Scott 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. Both are convinced of Merritts guilt, but even they shake their heads and raise eyebrows at some of the other unexpected threads to the case. San Bernardino County sheriffs investigators believe Summer McStay, who along with her husband Joseph and two young sons was fatally beaten with a sledgehammer and buried in a shallow grave near Victorville, may have been raped before she was killed, according to a court document. Dylan Eason and Isaiah Churchwell were convicted of murdering Cynthia William "Patrick" Alexander remains in prison for murder. He was sentenced to death on January 21, 2020. The paint was still fresh on the walls, the corners bordered by blue painter . It was sort of one sort of absurdity after the other, Kevin Fitzpatrick, an executive producer of Two Shallow Graves, tells The Independent. On Thursday, February 4, the last day that the McStay family was heard from, Joseph attended regular work meetings. The deaths have been ruled a homicide. 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 . Jan 18, 2020 MCSTAY FAMILY AUTOPSY PHOTOS.. Man convicted of killing McStay family sentenced to death .. SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. 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. 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. May she rest in eternal peace. He was joined by his defense team: three attorneys from the High Desert. 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 latestepisode of CNBC's American Greed, airing Monday at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Summers passport was expired and investigators could not find any records that she had applied for a new one. They had a loving circle of friends and family, enjoyed taking trips and watching their young sons grow and learn. I would follow all of these paths, but I never followed just one to the exclusion of the others., She says: To be honest, I was not disappointed when they arrested Chase [Merritt] but scared that perhaps [investigators] didnt look into the whole thing enough because of the fact that we found so much compelling stuff in these other peoples files.. 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. Timeline of Gabby Petito Tragedy 1 Year After Killer Brian Laundrie's Body Was Found, Calif. Man Gets Death Penalty for Killing Business Partner, Victim's Wife, Kids Before Burying Bodies, Murder, Greed and the Mojave Desert: The Mystery Behind the McStay Family Murder. And they should be. Woman is wearing light colore. On Nov. 20, at a vigil where volunteers erected white crosses and released doves, Michael pondered aloud the same questions. Investigators also discovered that the same car had been towed on February 8 for a parking violation near the Mexican border. The details of Walker's death are equally lurid and disturbing. Judge Michael A. Smith determined there The District Attorneys Office, according to McGee, has opposed the motion about the familys photos and videos, which will be argued Friday before Judge Michael A. Smith. Today, he is still imprisoned at San Quentin State Prison and on death row. There was the new husband of Mr McStays ex-wife, a man with a history of violence whod allegedly threatened to muzzle Mrs McStay and beat up her husband. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Merritt faces the death penalty if convicted as charged in the case. Publicly Merrittwho had several prior convictions on his recordclaimed to be Josephs best friend. Research genealogy for Vivian McStay of Gordonville, Grayson Texas, USA, as well as other members of the McStay family, on Ancestry. But after the family's nanny arrived with the children in New York later estranged husband's property the day after mom went missing, report says. The remains were identified as the McStay family's and were buried in two shallow graves. . The mysterious murders of the McStay family. 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. 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. Two days later, the remains were identified as the McStay family. When you look at the totality of the picture, you just came right back to its Charles Merritt, Imes tellsAmerican Greed.. There wasnt a sign or sound from them for nearly four years until an off-road motorcyclist came upon two shallow graves in the Mojave Desert, tragically revealing the bodies of the couple and their children. The memorial is located about 200 feet west of Quary road and requires visitors to leave their car at Quary Road and walk east to the actual location. Two Shallow Graves delves into a case that garnered national news headlines, eventually culminating in the killer being brought to justice close to a decade later. 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. Initial investigation revealed that the family car was found at around 11 pm on February 8, 2010, in a parking lot close to the US-Mexico border in San Ysidro, California. Is anyone feeling that the mom has strong narcissistic vibes, I worked on both cases. It's very difficult to review this case, as there, The FBi has been murdering people for years since their, Clearly its hard for some people to understand that although, What is taking so long? Her disappearance was widely reported in the national news media. For years, that was the prevailing belief among law enforcement. Princess Diana flashes a cheeky grin in rare bikini photos. Wright decided to hire Bobby and Willie Guillory to kill the couple in an attempt to claim their life insurance. Furthermore, Chase wrote several checks on the online business starting February 5; he then went to a few casinos to spend that money. The authorities initially believed this was the McStay family because of a few other things that came to light. Cell phone records indicate that he drove home after the meeting, and he continued to make calls into the evening. 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. But several family members did not believe that the man in the video was Joseph. Their bodies were found on November 13, 2013 in the desert near Victorville, California. That was the last time they would ever speak; no one heard from the McStays after 4 February 2010. The shocking find led to even more mysteries and revealed a surprising number of suspects who seemingly had motives to go after the family, according to a new series premiering this weekend on Investigation Discovery. Each is holding the hand of a child. This gave him a flexible schedule and the ability to work from home, so he could spend more time with his family. 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.. She was predeceased by : her parents, Manuel Sousa and Nicolina Sousa (Melo); and her siblings . Even though Merritt was at one point representing himself, that is no longer the case. 4:25. Joseph McStay's mother Susan Blake addresses the court during the sentencing of Charles Chase Merritt on Jan. 21, 2020 . Lying beside the family was a sledgehammer. 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. 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. 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. Investigators also uncovered an email from Joseph dated Feb. 1, just days before the family disappeared, stating that Merritt owed him nearly $43,000. Skip Ancestry navigation Main Menu Home Then a biker in the Mojave Desert finds their bodies in shallow graves. 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. Merritt used the money to fuel his gambling addiction at nearby casinos, in which he lost thousands of dollars. In Fallbrook, CA, their home was fifty miles north of San Diego and twenty miles inland from the Pacific coast. Joseph and Summer McStay vanished from their . 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. Their car was located a few days later, near San Diego, close to the Mexican border. The man found a small human skull that appeared to belong to a child. Buried in the Desert: Was a Family Friend Their Killer? But that changed when the remains of the McStay family were found in November 2013, [] 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 . There were also incisions in her bra that lead investigators to believe it was cut off, the motion states. An attorney eventually represented Merritt, and the jury decided in favor of the victims. Two Shallow Graves: The McStay Family Murders: With Suzanne Armstrong, Tony Azzaro, Taylor Jarvis, Shawn Patrick Murphy. 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. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. All rights reserved. People. So without direct evidence, then they have to show enough circumstantial evidence to convice the jury that it was me at their home and who killed them.. 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. Josephs business partner, Chase, claimed to have met him for a lunch meeting on the afternoon of February 4, 2010. Two days later, the remains were identified as the McStay family. SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - The man accused of killing the McStays, a family of four who disappeared in 2010 and whose remains were found in 2013 in the . The bodies of 40-year-old California businessman Joseph McStay, his 43-year-old wife, Summer, and sons Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3, were found . Volunteers set up the original memorial site in 2013. On February 15, the family reported them missing, and the authorities searched the house. 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. Photos Of McStay Family Murder Suspect. A California businessman has been sentenced to death for brutally murdering a family of four and then dumping their bodies in shallow graves in the Mojave Desert. California man sentenced to death in killings of McStay family members in 2010 "I did not do this thing," Charles Jan 22, 2020 Smith upheld the recommendation the jury made on June 24, 2019, which said Merritt should be put to death for the murders of Summer McStay and Apr 22, 2020 Chase Merritt sentenced to death.. Much evidence linking Chase Merritt to the McStay family murders were presented by the prosecution.. Perhaps Jan 20, 2021 February 15, 2010 Family members report the McStays missing to the San Diego County sheriff's department. Joseph and Summer McStay had two sons Gianni and Joseph Jr. Everything. Their disappearance was widely reported by the national news media. 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. A whole family vanished on February 4, 2010 from their home in Fallbrook, CA.. Investigation Discovery's 'Two Shallow Graves' follows the trial of Charles "Chase" Merritt, accused of murdering Joseph McStay and his family. 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. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. USA Spot News. The sizes of the people appear to match the McStay family. Chase went on TVand talked about his relationship with Joseph and one of the key statements that he made was something to the effect of he was definitely the last person who saw Joseph alive, San Bernardino County Sheriffs Sgt. Tribune Broadcasting. Ive heard people say that before and it not be true. He was also cherished by companion he leaves five children, several grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. Jaroslav Jerry Hanel had tormented the Diamond Head neighborhood of Honolulu, HI, for years, but one day, he completely snapped and murdered landlord, Lois Cain, shot two responding police officers, and set fire to the neighborhood. Chase, you are a low-life coward and a baby killer. 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. 1:22. Kevin McStay (Mayo): "There's a lot of teams that will beat each other before this League is over. On February 4, 2010,Summer McStay, her husbandJoseph, and their young sonsGianni andJoseph Jr.disappeared from San Diego, California. The skeletal remains . The family and friends of the McStays did not expect them to be at the Mexican border. A Family Vanishes: With Stacy Keach. 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. Please be respectful of the memorial and do not leave any trash when you visit. Merritt had previously worked with Joseph McStay, who owned and ran the Earth Inspired Products decorative fountain company. 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. On November 7, 2014, police announced they had arrested Charles "Chase" Merritt, Joseph . Around about February 4, 2010, the McStay family, Joseph, 40; his wife, Summer, 43; and their two sons, Gianni, 4, and Joey Jr., 3, disappeared from their home in Fallbrook, Ca. He boasted it had a loft/game room & big yard for kids to go crazy, referring to their rambunctious preschoolers, Gianni and Joe Jr. Love it.. Case 7, McStay. The video shows a male adult and a child walking in front of a female adult with another child. Please logout and login again. They had recently moved to a home Jan 21, 2020 Charles Merritt was sentenced to death for killing the McStay family.. A jury recommended the death penalty for Merritt for the murders of Summer Jan 22, 2020 Charles Merritt has been sentenced to death for killing the entire McStay family in a bizarre California case that went unsolved for years.