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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. A funeral service will be held on Sunday, March 5th 2023 at 2:00 PM at the . McStay Memorial Erected In . There were at least four impacts to the skull of Joseph McStay, and at least seven impacts to 4-year-old Gianni. 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. It would take years for investigators to discover the family's grisly fate. And they should be. 1:22. When the partner arrived at the home, he found both dogs outside, with food in their bowls, which led them to believe that the family had gone out of town and had somebody caring for the dogs. The seven-episode Two Shallow Graves premieres Sunday on Investigation Discovery and will be available to stream on discovery+. 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. CNN. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. PEOPLE Explains: How the McStay Family Disappeared Into the Desert but Who Killed Them? There was finally some closure for the family, Imes says. It wasnt until November 2013 that the case moved forward. What looked normal to Josephs brother but was alarming to investigators. Another two points would put us in good . 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 . 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. Witnesses also testified that Merritt cashed checks written from Joseph McStay's business account days after McStay and his family vanished. The family and friends of the McStays did not expect them to be at the Mexican border. Randi Kaye discusses her investigation into the murder of the McStay family, including her interview with "Chase" Merritt Jan 2, 2018 By all accounts, Joseph McStay, age 40, and his wife Summer, age 43, were happy and living the American dream.. 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 . 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.. Kevin and I work a lot in true crime and talk to a lot of people whove been convicted, and Merritt knows his case inside and out every single detail in a way that Ive never experienced before.. Chase further stated that Joseph called him at around 8:28 pm on that evening. 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. Josephs business partner, Chase, claimed to have met him for a lunch meeting on the afternoon of February 4, 2010. District Attorneys Office spokesman Christopher Lee declined to comment Thursday, saying it would be inappropriate given the ongoing criminal case. The skeletal remains . The family did not appear to have any plans to be gone that day. 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. Skip Ancestry navigation Main Menu Home 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. There was no evidence to determine where the family went or why they had left. 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. Given the evidence, Chase was eventually found guilty of murdering the McStay family. The authorities initially believed this was the McStay family because of a few other things that came to light. Pic credit: San Diego County Police. Joseph was 40-years-old back then, and Summer was 43. Found the resolution to each, I know who really killed Chanin, her husband did not, I have so many questions about this story. Detectives said when they interviewed Merritt about the missing family, he referred to them in the past tense, saying Joseph McStay "was my best friend.". 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. 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. It didnt take this long. Investigators from the San Bernardino Sheriffs Department soon uncovered the bodies of all four McStay family membersincluding Joseph, Summer, 4-year-old Gianni and 3-year-old JosephJr.buried in two shallow graves in the harsh desert. The familys remains were later unearthed by sheriffs crime scene investigators and forensic anthropologists. 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. Additionally, a family friend was helping paint the house, and left with the intention of returning on Saturday, February 6, to finish the job. What to Know. Investigators are questioning everybody, Michael McStay tells PEOPLE. 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. An autopsy revealed that the cause of death was blunt force trauma, and it appeared they were tortured before they were killed. The remains were identified as the McStay family's and were buried in two shallow graves. Photos of McStay Family Murder . The McStay case started . 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. Investigation Discovery's 'Two Shallow Graves' follows the trial of Charles "Chase" Merritt, the man who [] In December 2009, Summer inquired about buying software to learn Spanish. 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. However, a breakthrough in the case came in November 2014 when the cops found Merritts DNA on the steering wheel of McStays car. In 2014, he completed a fellowship at Loyola Law School's Journalist Law School program. Please logout and login again. 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.. Family and friends are welcome to send flowers or leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with the family. Investigation Discovery's 'Two Shallow Graves' follows the trial of Charles "Chase" Merritt, accused of murdering Joseph McStay and his family. Furthermore, Josephs mother stated that the car had his asthma medication, and he never went anywhere without it. The video shows a male adult and a child walking in front of a female adult with another child. McStay Murder Suspect Chase Merritt Has Heart Condition, Lawyer Says . Victim(s): Joseph McStay, Summer McStay, Joseph McStay Jr, Gianni McStay, . February 4, 2010, was the last day anyone could contact a member of the McStay family. When the family went missing, the pair began their own investigation, describing in the new series how they combed through the McStays emails and followed up any lead they could find. In January 2010, just days before the disappearance, the home computer was used to search for passport requirements for kids traveling to Mexico. 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. I think its a story where people want answers, and this project is another step in trying to give people answers to what really happened.. One of those suspects, Charles Chase Merritt, was convicted of the murders in 2019 and remains on death row in California. 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.. They were actually written several days after the family disappeared and backdated to make it appear as though theyd been issued before the family vanished. Family members of the victims . Charles Meritt did the welding, creating some of the metal work, the fountains, and Joseph was the businessman behind it all, and from all accounts, he was flourishing, Shin tells American Greed.. The entire case left investigators and loved ones completely puzzled. Morbid Tourism does not recommend visiting the area after dark, as it can be dangerous at times. 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 . Because of the lack of furniture and the state of the home amidst renovations, it was difficult to determine whether or not there had been a struggle. The defendant faces four counts of murder and the possibility of the death penalty if convicted. A Family Vanishes: With Stacy Keach. Two days later, the remains were identified as the McStay family. In addition, neither of the children had passports. On November 11, 2013, the remains of two adults and two children were recovered in the California desert. That changed in November 2013, when the bodies were found in the desert along with a sledgehammer believed to be the murder weapon. A carton of eggs lay on the counter, and two bowls of popcorn were located in the living room. He seemed caught off guard, like Oh, I didnt realize I was doing that, San Bernardino County District AttorneyBritt Imes tellsAmerican Greed.. Merritt would also make a bold claim about his last contact with Joseph. But there was an astonishing number of other people whod had significant run-ins with the McStays, according to the new series. Whether or not Merritt receives the death penalty has yet to be decided. ABC 7. On Nov. 20, at a vigil where volunteers erected white crosses and released doves, Michael pondered aloud the same questions. He found no signs of a break-in, except for a partially open window, which he used to get into the house. McStay Family Car Found Near Mexican Border, 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, For years the familys mysterious disappearance would continue to baffle investigators until a motorcyclistriding the trails in the Mojave Desert on Nov. 13, 2013 made a, Investigators from the San Bernardino Sheriffs Department soon. She was predeceased by : her parents, Manuel Sousa and Nicolina Sousa (Melo); and her siblings . 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. 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. 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. 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. Chase, you are a low-life coward and a baby killer. Investigators believed that the family was willingly walking across the border, with no indication that they were in any distress. 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. Surveillance footage from the border from a few hours prior seemed to show a family of four crossing the border. Charles Ray Merritt has been named as the suspect in the murders of the McStay family in the San Diego area in 2010. Investigators also uncovered an email from Joseph dated Feb. 1, just days before the family disappeared, stating that Merritt owed him nearly $43,000. 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. How To Paint Citadel Miniatures Download Pdf NEW! Research genealogy for Elizabeth McStay of Draycott, Derbyshire, England, as well as other members of the McStay family, on Ancestry. NBC article. Earlier in the week before the family disappeared, Summer had made plans to visit her sister, who had recently had a baby. A hearing on McGees motion is scheduled Friday in San Bernardino Superior Court. In November 2013, almost four years later, a motorcycle rider found two shallow grave sites in the desert, just north of Victorville. A whole family vanished on February 4, 2010 from their home in Fallbrook, CA.. Just a monster.". Skip Ancestry navigation Main Menu Home 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. 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. Investigation Discoverys 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. There was a couple bowls of I believe popcorn that it looked like the boys were eating, possibly watching TV. The motive was greed and the murders were brutal. Please be respectful of the memorial and do not leave any trash when you visit. 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. 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 bones found in shallow graves in Southern California's Mojave Desert belong to a San Diego-area family of four missing since 2010 and likely murdered, authorities said. 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. On February 10, 2010, Josephs business partner, Charles Chase Merritt, asked the authorities to check on the family, but an officer felt nothing was amiss. So, lets find out what happened then, shall we? That was when Charles Merritts story started falling apart and really gave us the motive, Hanke said. Joseph McStay's mother Susan Blake addresses the court during the sentencing of Charles Chase Merritt on Jan. 21, 2020 . 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. The man convicted of killing a California family of four and burying them in the Mojave Desert nearly 10 years ago has been sentenced to death, San Bernardino County Superior Court Judge Michael A . Since opening statements Jan. 7, prosecutors have tried to show jurors that he was the person who killed the McStay family in their Fallbrook home in northern San Diego County and buried them near the High Desert town of Victorville in San Bernardino County. In 2019, Charles "Chase" Merritt was accused of killing Joseph McStay's family during his trial for the murders. A motorcyclist found human remains in a desert near Victorville, California. And then there was another associate from Mr McStays work, the computer whiz who maintained the company website a man whod sent messages to MrMcStay essentially threatening to destroy the site and ruin the business. 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. At that point, the investigation shifted from searching for missing persons to investigating a possible murder. Investigators also discovered that the same car had been towed on February 8 for a parking violation near the Mexican border. There were also incisions in her bra that lead investigators to believe it was cut off, the motion states. The accused was found guilty of the charges against him. 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. Gas prices rise for 31st consecutive day in LA County, Carjacking victim comes face to face with suspect during wild chase, How Paul Murdaugh helped solve his own 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 Memorial is located in a very rural desert area directly north of the I-15 Stoddart Wells/Quary Rd exit. Though it is possible that Summer was using a different name, there are no records of passports under any of her other names. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. The man found a small human skull that appeared to belong to a child. Charles "Chase" Merritt, who has been convicted of killing the 4-member McStay family of Fallbrook and burying their remains in the San Bernardino County desert back in 2010, carries papers to . Copyright 2022 Crime Museum, LLC - All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy |. Jan 18, 2020 MCSTAY FAMILY AUTOPSY PHOTOS.. Man convicted of killing McStay family sentenced to death .. SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. Today, he is still imprisoned at San Quentin State Prison and on death row. 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. 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. BREAKING: A jury found Charles 'Chase' Merritt GUILTY of first-degree murder in the bludgeoning deaths of the McStay family, Joseph (40), Summer (43), Gianni (4), Joseph Jr. (3). He was given the death penalty for killing Summer, Gianni, and Joseph Jr. Now, Merritt is on San Quentin Death Row. The remains of Joseph Jr., 3, were so minimal that a cause of death could not be determined, San Bernardino . I think, normally when you [look at] a case, youre like, Oh, there could be one or two people involved., There were potentially more than one or two people involved when we started this. How did four people end up here in the middle of nowhere, over 100 miles from where they live? he asked. In April 2013, the San Diego Sheriffs Department turned the case over to the FBI, which was more equipped to investigate cases that involve other countries. Cell phone records placed Merritt in the desert where the bodies were ultimately discovered just two days after the family disappeared. 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. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Charles "Chase" Merritt was sentenced to death Tuesday for killing the McStay family of Fallbrook. 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. 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. How do you do that?. 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. In Fallbrook, CA, their home was fifty miles north of San Diego and twenty miles inland from the Pacific coast. Josephs brother found no sign of the family, so he left a note for the person feeding the dogs and asked them to call him, as he was concerned about his family. Investigators would discover evidence that showed someone had taken control of Josephs checking account right before and right after he disappeared, writing a total of nine checks to either Merritt or those who he owed money to totaling nearly $15,000. Read Less Posted: Jan 23, 2015 / 12:29 PM PST At that time, no one knew what happened to the family. 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. 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. He has covered San Bernardino County since 2009. The authorities zeroed in on Chase after the remains were found and arrested him in the first week of November 2014. This week on Reasonable Doubt, the team takes on the Raul and Cathy Sarinana were sentenced to death for abusing Would love your thoughts, please comment. He had a criminal record and, it turned out, had been skimming money from the enterprise. 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. Everything was circumstantial. It took some time for people to become concerned; the family sometimes took small vacations, so it was more than a week before Mr McStays brother, Michael, stopped by the house to see if it held answers to where they might be. In 2020, Merritt was sentenced to death following a conviction on four murder counts. McStay Family Murder Investigation: Search Warrants Unsealed, Reveal Details Of Fallbrook House. The police concluded that Merritt killed the family for financial gain; the killer had a severe gambling problem, and after the murders, he managed to gain some control of Josephs business accounts. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. The details of Walker's death are equally lurid and disturbing. 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. January 30, 2015 / 2:32 PM / CBS News. 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. Michaels worst fears were realized. Joseph and Summer McStay vanished from their . Thats unusual.. The morning of February 4, 2010, started like any other day for the family. 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.. 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. It was sort of one sort of absurdity after the other, Kevin Fitzpatrick, an executive producer of Two Shallow Graves, tells The Independent. The murders were as gruesome as they were shocking. However, a new discovery on border surveillance video changed the course of the investigation. The story of the McStay family is one that has baffled San Diego investigators for years.. The first three episodes of Two Shallow Graves will air on ID (Investigation Discovery) on Sunday, May 22, at 9:00 PM ET. Joe Nelson is an award-winning investigative reporter who has worked for The Sun since November 1999. Even though Merritt was at one point representing himself, that is no longer the case. Lee Harvey Oswald autopsy photo. 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. 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. None of these theories have been confirmed. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! However, in November 2013, an off-track motorcyclist discovered a tiny human skull in an isolated Californian desert, ultimately leading to uncovering the McStays' remains in two shallow graves. One of the most infamous murder cases in the Inland area will be a focus of the second season premiere of the Oxygen show "Killer Motive" Saturday, Jan. 23 at 6 p.m. 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. 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. Investigation Discovery aired a docuseries focused on the McStay family murders in late May. At the beginning, hes like, I know this case better than the attorneys, Mr Fitpatrick adds. Merritt used the money to fuel his gambling addiction at nearby casinos, in which he lost thousands of dollars. Research genealogy for Vivian McStay of Gordonville, Grayson Texas, USA, as well as other members of the McStay family, on Ancestry. He found rotting food and Mrs McStays prescription sunglasses; there was no sign of foul play. 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. Jun 15, 2015 Merritt has said there is no direct evidence linking him to the crime scene..