His son, Joseph, his daughter-in-law, Summer, and their two little boys - Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3 . And now, victim impact statements before formal sentencing. Mother of Joseph McStay describes moment she learned son, family were "It didn't just mark me that day," Michael McStay said. He was in a really bad way. During her morning testimony, Blake also described heated arguments between Merritt and Dan Kavanaugh, both business partners in McStays decorative fountain business. The McStays' disappearance from their serene San Diego-area community of Bonsall has since prompted an investigation by police who still have no idea what happened. Watch live on social media with @fox5sandiego pic.twitter.com/jm1tgT66R2, Jeff McAdam (@JeffMcAdamTV) January 21, 2020, The victims family members, meanwhile, dismissed Merritt as, in the words of McStays mother, Susan Blake, a despicable, evil monster.. 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. In 2010, Joseph McStay (age 40) and his wife Summer (age 43) lived in Fallbrook, California, with their sons Gianni (age 4) and Joseph Jr. (age 3). Inside the Gruesome McStay Family Murder Case - Peoplemag All of the motions were denied. You just do what you can for your son, and your family, she said. she said. Chase, you are a low-life baby killer, Blake said as Merritt stared at her impassively. Basically, she wouldnt let him near her. He boasted it had a "loft/game room & big. The show features new suspects, witnesses, evidence, and theories regarding the case, as well as the trial from both the defendant's and prosecutor's points of view. At the time, Joseph owned an online company named Earth Inspired Products that sold decorative water fountains. California man sentenced to death in killings of McStay family members We dont run this circus. The attorney argued a motion to reduce Merritt's sentence in the killings of Summer McStay and the children to life in prison without the possibility of parole rather than the death penalty previously recommended by the jury that convicted Merritt. Obviously there wasnt money coming in, cause I was paying for money going out., So to your knowledge, Maline said, there is no money coming in, or you didnt learn of any money coming in.. At that time, no one knew what happened to the family. Prosecutors told jurors Merritt killed the family after learning McStay was cutting him out of his business making and selling custom water fountains. 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. Dont worry, your fate will be way less tragic than of the family you murdered.. 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. I was not his best friend, but he was mine and I believe he opened up to me about things he would not tell anyone else. He didnt know what was wrong with him and he was desperate. NBC 7's Jackie Crea has more. [4], On June 10, 2019, a San Bernardino County jury found Merritt guilty of murdering the McStay family. ", Chase Merritt watching and listening. Then, he slammed the podium loudly with his hands.Come on, Chase! As recently as April, the FBI believed the family went to Mexico voluntarily. His words were a precursor to the deep pain the rest of the McStay family's loved ones would share Tuesday in court. 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. June 10, 2019 Merritt is found guilty of murdering the McStay family. Situated in northern San Diego County, the community is known as "The Friendly Village." Sadly, disaster would soon strike the tranquil town. During the lull, NBC 7 spoke with prosecuting attorney Britt Imes about the continuing delays. 'And then as the days went by, you start thinking, "Okay, something's not right here." Our last name is mentioned. He was in the hospital for a couple of weeks, and on the (February) 4, he was talking to my mother and he had to pull over when he was driving home because he felt vertigo type symptoms.'. He would spend days on end in bed. He played a portion of "Spirit in the Sky" by Norman Greenbaum in court, saying he was making good on a promise he made to Summer McStay many years ago. 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. "Ultimately, I hope to be a father and when I am, I will hold my children close," he continued. 'I'm gonna get out the information and try to find them.'. 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. On February 19, California police notified Interpol to be on the lookout for the family. Merritt was transferred to San Quentin State Prison until an execution date is scheduled. Sheriffs officials announced that the remains of the four people found buried in the desert belong to the McStay family, a Fallbrook family missing since 2010. Joseph McStay - Biography - IMDb The back of the check said endorsement cancelled, he pointed out. Missing Family May Have Been Spotted - NBC 7 San Diego Investigators believed the murder weapon was a 3-pound sledgehammer, which was found in the grave containing the remains of Summer and her son. A decade after the family went missing, their killer was sentenced to death in January 202. When their remains were unearthed, investigators also found a rusty sledgehammer that they said was used to kill the family. The shame and despair of being physically attacked by your own child. Defense: Other partner killed McStays, buried them in desert I even went to the hospital with him to try and see what was wrong; we thought maybe it was stress.'. After three years of searching, the San Diego Sheriff's Department investigators concluded in April 2013 that the McStay family had gone to Mexico voluntarily. He was visibly shaken, fighting back tears. As recently as April, the FBI believed the family went to Mexico voluntarily. In the McStay family murders, Judge listens to arguments that sentence should be reduced from death penalty to life in prison without parole. Chase, you are a low-life coward and a baby killer. How can you take that all in?, Susan Blake, right, mother of Joseph McStay, reaches over and holds the hand of her other son Michael McStay, left, at a press conference at the San Bernardino Sheriff Headquarters, Friday, November 15, 2013. Last month marked the 3rd anniversary since a family of four mysteriously vanished from their Southern California home. Memorial erected for McStay family that was found dead in Victorville [2] In April 2013, the San Diego Sheriff's Department announced that they believed that the McStays traveled to Mexico voluntarily.[18]. How One Man's Greed Meant the End of the Entire McStay Family Arguing, and Dan just wasnt going to budge, she said. The evidence finally placing Merritt at the scene of the crime was his cellphone data, prosecutors said. Unanswered Questions About The McStay Family Disappearance We are no longer accepting comments on this article. His attorney also says Merritt himself will want to speak. His arrest was announced on November 7, 2014. And they told me they were also gone. And if the truth be told, despite everything, he was still infatuated with Summer. Mcstay Family Documentary Netflix[1] [2] Their disappearance was widely "The gruesome and brutal details of the crime that you committed are his family," she said to Merritt. Crying for mommy and daddy?" How they stalked the stalker: A gripping new true crime 'It did get weird': Couple who are in the middle of divorce Woman finds out her husband was cheating on her after he was made an equally emotional statement ahead of the sentencing being handed down, telling the court how the killings had scarred their lives. This despicable, evil monster. [7] He just gave me the quote of the day on the continuing delays. [1][2] Their disappearance was widely reported by the national news media. Princess Diana's nieces Lady Eliza and Amelia share Do not sell or share my personal information. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. [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? "It marked my kids.". "Death was the appropriate verdict for those three offenses," the judge said. [31] The trial finally began on January 7, 2019, in a San Bernardino court, with both sides making opening statements. Merritt looked at Blake as she spoke. #mcstay #nbc7 https://t.co/xNxV3CqRtr. "I did not do this thing. Merritt added: If Im honest, I have no idea why he put up with it. Working through prosecutor Rodriguezs objections, Maline asked Blake, Do remember if it bounced?. California has not executed anyone on death row since 2006 as current Gov. He said: Summer was a very self-centered, self-obsessed person with an awful temper. He maintained his innocence, saying something has always been "amiss" in this case. Patrick McStay, Joseph McStay's father told CBS 8 in San Diego that authorities informed him two of the bodies found in shallow graves in the Mojave Desert on Monday were that of his son and his son's wife, Summer. His attorney was arguing motions before Merritt was set to be sentenced. Alex Murdaugh Is Guilty! A lot of his close friends did not trust her and thought she treated him very badly. In the last of the two meetings, They were definitely yelling, big time, at each other. It would take years for investigators to discover the family's grisly fate. Mike crawled through a window and discovered food rotting in the kitchen, and Summer's prescription sunglasses were also left on the table. 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. "Disappeared" Mystery at the Border (TV Episode 2011) - IMDb Chase, you are a low-life coward and a baby killer. On February 15, Michael phoned the San Diego County Sheriff's Department (SDSD) and reported that his brother and his family were missing. "The extreme violence and savagery of the nature of the killings -- particularly of two small children -- far outweigh the totality of all of the mitigating evidence," the judge added. I have been in complete denial about having schizophrenia for the last few years. The bodies of Joseph McStay, 40, and his wife Summer, 43, along with their sons Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3, were found in a shallow grave in the desert north of Victorville in 2013. Immediately, the mysterious case gripped the community. They also linked him to a call seeking to close Joseph McStay's online bookkeeping account. Where Are Patrick and Michael McStay Now? - The Cinemaholic Don't worry, your fate will be way less tragic than that of the family you murdered. Finally, Joseph McStay's only surviving son from a previous marriage, Jonah McStay, took the podium. Jurors in San Bernardino. The clip appeared to show a family of four crossing the border into Mexico -- a family that looked like they could have been the McStays. 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 got their first clue when they learned a neighbor's surveillance camera had captured what appeared to be the family'sIsuzu trooper leaving the cul de sac at 7:47 p.m. on the night they went missing. Indian lodge motel in joseph oregon | | I'm so bummed out after McStay Family Murders Case Timeline: What To Know | Crime News Mystery of McStay money: Family found dead could barely afford rent. 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. McStay says he's felt all along that multiple people were involved in the February 2010 disappearance of his son, Joseph; Joseph's wife, Summer; and their children; 3-year-old Joey and. Charles "Chase" Merritt appears at his sentencing hearing in San Bernardino, California, on Jan. 21, 2020. They make up a small part of Merritts new book, which is due to be released later this year. California has not executed anyone since 2006. Their remains were eventually discovered in the Mojave Desert near Victorville, California, about 100 miles from their home. Judge just said clearly its not timely. #mcstay #nbc7 https://t.co/qLzXb6wJlM. Soon, the family's car was found at a strip mall in south San Diego County near the U.S.-Mexico border. At one point he said to me, "Maybe I should start eating out more and stop eating her food". We are no longer accepting comments on this article. The McStay family disappeared from their Fallbrook home in San Diego's North County in 2010. "Not natural causes; there was intent here.". [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. Jackie Collins taught me everything I know. 'It's like they went poof,' Susan recalled. Two members of a renowned legal family had been shot and killed on their property. A neighbor's security camera was triggered at 7:47PM when the McStays . After 8-Hour Day in Court, Sentencing Delayed for Man Who Killed McStay Family. We're just the clowns," Imes said. The parents of a man who disappeared with his wife and two young children have detailed how they searched for the family for years before it was discovered that their son's business partner brutally murdered them with a sledgehammer. The hearing, which consumed more than 10 hours, concluded with several emotional statements from McStay's mother, brother, in-laws and surviving son, as well as from Merritt himself, who . Merritt and Kavanaugh both worked with McStays online business, Earth Inspired Products, which offered outdoor water fountains to customers. Duchess dons $1,610 Carolina Herrera cape, $300 vegan leather Lovely in lilac! Three years later, no sign of missing family | CNN How could you beat two precious little babies? 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. 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. Our lives were intertwined both on a business and a personal level. By February 2016, he had gone through five attorneys. Charles "Chase" Merritt interrupted his attorney Friday during legal proceedings. While Merritt does not think Summer was directly involved, he has revealed she treated Joseph horrendously in the years before they went missing. Chase Merritt found guilty of murdering McStay family, burying bodies What about the little guys? The court took a brief break. Patrick McStay was there, too, along with other members of the McStay family, including Joseph McStay's brother, Michael McStay. Michael did not find any family at home, and their two dogs were in the backyard. 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. 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. How scared were they, Chase? The surviving McStay family members held an emotional memorial for. Prosecutors eventually discovered that about the time the family vanished thousands of dollars in checks allegedly from McStay to Merritt had been written and cashed. By The McStays have deep Orange County ties, Cirignani said. [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. [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?" Everything with her seemed to be done for gain.. Did you always look up to him Imes asked. He then spoke to his friend several more times on his mobile over the course of the afternoon and actually missed a call from him at 8.28pm, which was the last time Joseph used his phone. I see its written, yes, she answered, confirming it was her signature. How the Princess of Wales recreated her 2006 outfit from Prince William's Sandhurst graduation Behind-the-scenes at fashion week with the Spencers! "It's not just a Netflix documentary to us. Merritt is accused of killing his former business associate, Joseph McStay, McStay's wife Summer, and their two small children on Feb. 4, 2010. Two days later, two sets of remains were officially identified as those of Joseph and Summer McStay. Who killed the McStay family? The mother of Joseph McStay wept on the witness stand Tuesday as she recounted the moment in November 2013 when she learned the remains of her son, his wife, and their boys aged 3 and 4,. ', 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. Merritt who was once a person of interest in the familys 2010 disappearance claims some of Josephs friends started telling him to be careful around Summer, 43. Murdaugh is heckled as he leaves court, Two Russian tanks annihilated with bombs by Ukrainian armed forces, Ukraine soldiers shoot down enemy drones with drones of their own, Dozens stuck in car park as staff refuses to open gate for woman, Missing hiker buried under snow forces arm out to wave to helicopter, Insane moment river of rocks falls onto Malibu Canyon in CA, Fleet-footed cop chases an offender riding a scooter, Isabel Oakeshott clashes with Nick Robinson over Hancock texts. Joseph McStay, his wife Summer, and the couple's two young sons mysteriously disappeared in Feb. 2010. On February 23, 2010, detectives notified Interpol, the International Criminal Police Organization, to be on the lookout for the family heading to Mexico. Merritt is charged with killing his business associate Joseph McStay; McStay's wife, Summer; and their 3- and 4-year-old sons. "You had a choice. Two Shallow Graves takes a look at the murders of the McStay family: Joseph, Summer and their two young boys, followed by the shocking trial . Journal articles: 'Kirkland House (Cambridge, Mass.)' - Grafiati McStay Family Murders: How Did They Die? Who Killed Them? For years, police speculated they. He was such a great guy and he got his share of female attention. So unnatural," he said. [19] Relatives of the McStays doubted that they would travel to Mexico, saying that Joseph and Summer avoided the country because of the safety threat posed by recent drug wars. McStay murders: A man is on death row for the brutal killings of a ", 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.