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June 10, 2019 Merritt is found guilty of murdering the McStay family. His son, Joseph, his daughter-in-law, Summer, and their two little boys - Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3 . Finally, Joseph McStay's only surviving son from a previous marriage, Jonah McStay, took the podium. (File photo by Peter Surowski, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG), In this file photo, Michael McStay, the brother of Joseph McStay and his mother Susan Blake enter the court through the throng of media before the start of the preliminary hearing on Monday, June 15, 2015 for Charles Merritt in the 2010 slayings of four McStay family members in Fallbrook. In the gallery sat Merritt's daughter and brother. [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?" Judge just denied defense motion to reduce potential sentence to life in prison (Judge will also consider death). The shocking claims will stun everyone who has followed the McStay family disappearance since they first went missing back on February 4, 2010. The case has sparked endless speculation, with both the police and amateur sleuths coming up with countless theories, some plausible, some wild and outrageous. Prosecutors told jurors Merritt killed the family after learning McStay was cutting him out of his business making and selling custom water fountains. 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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. The family's computer had recent internet searches for: 'What documents do children need for traveling to Mexico?' But speaking on CNN in 2010 he said: 'My understanding was in the last year hed been having these vertigo type symptoms. Joseph's cellphone pinged a tower in Fallbrook. He went to the doctor a number of times, but they just didnt know what was wrong with him. He had this problem right up until the day he went missing. Officers arrived at the home and requested a search warrant, executed on February 19, 2010. A license plate search for the vehicle led to the discovery that the McStay's SUV had been towed from a parking lot near San Ysidro, California, right near the U.S.-Mexico border, Gone: The family was considered missing, and detectives notified Interpol, the International Criminal Police Organization, to be on the lookout for headin to Mexico, Can't tell: Deputies released a video of a group of people similar to the McStay family entering Mexico hand in hand through the pedestrian gate around 7 p.m. on February 8, 2010, Devastating: Joseph's parents headed to Mexico to hang flyers and search for them but never found anything. The details are shocking and nauseating to sit through.". They also linked him to a call seeking to close Joseph McStay's online bookkeeping account. The evidence finally placing Merritt at the scene of the crime was his cellphone data, prosecutors said. Investigators also have e-mails indicating the couple asked. Why were they gone? The court took a brief break. #nbc7 pic.twitter.com/usvvTgHitl. A jury recommended the death penalty for Merritt for the murders of Summer McStay and the children, and life without the possibility of parole in the killing of Joseph McStay. 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. In the last of the two meetings, They were definitely yelling, big time, at each other. NBC 7's Jackie Crea has more. (File photo by Kurt Miller, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG), In this file photo Susan Blake, mother of Joseph McStay, breaks down while speaking at a press conference at the San Bernardino Sheriff Headquarters on Friday, Nov. 7, 2014. Merritt is fully aware that his book will ruffle feathers and anger certain people, but he believes his intimate knowledge of Josephs life means he may be able to shed some light on the mystery. Three years later, their bodies were found in a remote desert location more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) away in San Bernardino County. But the details of this case go back decades and has many twists and turns. Merritt is charged with killing his business associate Joseph McStay; McStay's wife, Summer; and their 3- and 4-year-old sons. She really didnt like anyone being around Joseph and the family other than herself and a very small, selective group of people. It was believed to have been parked there between 5:30 and 7:00 that evening. Situated in northern San Diego County, the community is known as "The Friendly Village." Sadly, disaster would soon strike the tranquil town. (File photo by Kurt Miller, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG). 'You had a choice. The impression I get is that Summer would use her sexuality to get attention and get what she wanted. The comments below have not been moderated. Indian lodge motel in joseph oregon. she said. During the last stretch of Friday's marathon day in court, only one person was able to deliver a victim impact statement: Patrick McStay, Joseph McStay's father. The 58-year-old Merritt is. I did not do this thing.. Joseph McStay has operated Earth Inspired Products, a waterfall and garden accessories business in San Clemente, since 1996, according. Joseph McStay, 40, and his wife, Summer, 43, went missing along with their two children, Gianna, 4, and Joseph, 3. Le 9 fvrier 2010, il avait envoy un courrier lectronique au pre de Joseph McStay, alertant de la disparition de son associ : Je n'ai pas de nouvelles de Joe. Day by day, month by month, the case grew colder. Blakes testimony came during the second day in the capital murder trial of Charles Chase Merrit, 61, of Rancho Cucamonga. Merritt lashed out at prosecutors he said framed him, some witnesses he accused of lying and the judge he said allowed it to happen. Mystery at the Border: With Christopher Crutchfield Walker, Joseph McStay, Summer McStay, Gianni McStay. With all the action and breaks, there was no time left for victim impact statements and the actual sentencing of Merritt. [28], In January 2018, a trial-setting conference was scheduled for February 23. 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. That 8-hour day in court included lengthy motions arguments from Merritt's attorney, Rajan Maline, and even a moment when Merritt tried to interrupt proceedings and fire Maline. I don't think so, and I truly hope not. The fountain designer has always been seen as a key player in the mystery as he was one of Josephs closest friends and his most trusted business associate. Our last name is mentioned. Joseph McStay owned a custom fountain business and worked with Merritt. He was visibly shaken, fighting back tears. [33] The court upheld the jury's recommendation, and Merritt was sentenced to death on January 21, 2020. 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. The McStay family murders occurred on or near February 4, 2010, after the family disappeared from their home in Fallbrook, California, United States; their bodies were found in the desert near Victorville, California, on November 13, 2013. Sheriffs investigators believeSummer McStay may have been rapedbefore she was killed. Just a monster. His attorney was arguing motions before Merritt was set to be sentenced. 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. Investigators believed the murder weapon was a 3-pound sledgehammer, which was found in the grave containing the remains of Summer and her son. It would take years for investigators to discover the family's grisly fate. Patrick McStay has waited for this day, when he finally gets to speak in court, gets to speak for his slain son Joseph McStay, daughter-in-law Summer and two young grandsons. On February 15, Michael phoned the San Diego County Sheriff's Department (SDSD) and reported that his brother and his family were missing. Sorry because he was worth it, he told Imes. Authorities think they've caught the killer, who is awaiting trial, and the family. 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. 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. They took none of their belongings, left $100,000 in the bank and even abandoned their beloved dogs. We are scarred for life., Its been almost 10 years and the pain hasnt subsided, she added. 'It's like they went poof,' Susan recalled. Chase Merritt sobs and says I did not do this thing. On February 23, 2010, detectives notified Interpol, the International Criminal Police Organization, to be on the lookout for the family heading to Mexico. His words were a precursor to the deep pain the rest of the McStay family's loved ones would share Tuesday in court. 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. Two members of a renowned legal family had been shot and killed on their property. (Will Lester . Scholarly publications with full text pdf download. Crying for mommy and daddy?" 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). And if the truth be told, despite everything, he was still infatuated with Summer. The disappearance of Joseph, Summer and their two sons Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3 gripped the nation for almost four years, keeping people guessing until their bodies were discovered lying in a shallow grave in the Californian desert on November 15. The family disappeared without a trace in February 2010. In the McStay family murders, Judge listens to arguments that sentence should be reduced from death penalty to life in prison without parole. Joseph McStay, 40, his wife, Summer, 43, and their sons Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3, vanished from their home inFallbrook, California, on February 4, 2010. Their remains were eventually discovered in the Mojave Desert near Victorville, California, about 100 miles from their home. As recently as April, the FBI believed the family went to Mexico voluntarily. It cant be, Susan Blake testified after she regained herself. January 21, 2020 Merritt, 62, was sentenced to life in prison for murdering Joseph McStay, 40. A grainy video captured at a nearby border crossing deepened the mystery. #mcstay #nbc7 https://t.co/xNxV3CqRtr. Pavement where disabled woman gestured at cyclist before fatal crash, TN residents say Jack Daniel's distillery spews black mold, Incredible footage of Ukrainian soldiers fighting Russians in Bakhmut, Pro-Ukrainian drone lands on Russian spy planes exposing location, 'Buster is next!' 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. The bodieswere found in November 2013and Merrittwas arrested and chargeda year later. The skeletal remains of the McStay family were found near Victorville in 2013 and Merritt was arrested a year later. 'This despicable, evil monster. The bodies were identified asJoseph, Summer, Joseph Mateo, and Gianani McStay. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. On Friday, he. Did you always look up to him Imes asked. He conducted dozens of interviews on the case (traveling to Mexico, Belize, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic), followed leads, and reported sightings of the family. ', Merritt showed no emotion as she said she felt like she'd been hit by a boulder when she was told the bodies were found: 'It's just a nightmare.'. She said the two tangled over how to keep the business afloat. Businessman Joseph McStay, his wife, Summer, and their two young sons -- Gianni 4, Joseph Jr. 3 -- were last heard from Feb. 4. Related research topic ideas. Michael McStay remembered the day detectives told him and his family that the bodies of his brother, sister-in-law, and nephews had been discovered in the desert. 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. And that those sounds haunt you, Chase, he said. A decade after the family went missing, their killer was sentenced to death in January 202. You cannot get back time. I would never hurt him in any way. Unconfirmed family sightings were reported in Mexico and elsewhere, perpetuating hopes that they were safe and had left voluntarily. Gunfire at 7-Eleven stores killed a clerk in Brea and a 24-year-old man in Santa Ana and injured three others in La Habra and Riverside early Monday, July 11, authorities said. He would often come up and visit me and we would go out for dinner with my wife at the time, but Summer never came. Summer McStay's ex-husband spoke next. "Hes an excellent surfer and soccer player. [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. Arguing, and Dan just wasnt going to budge, she said. Defense attorney Rajan Maline produced a check to Merritt for $3,300 that was issued in April 2010 and signed by Blake, not on her personnel account, but on an account for Earthinspiredproducts.com. No one can explain how a seemingly normal suburban family who only moved into their new home in Fallbrook, California, three months earlier, could be living a regular life one day and then vanish the next. They slept in the same bed, but were never intimate. Susan explained that her son and daughter-in-law would often go on 'little mini-trips' with their kids in California, so they weren't alarmed at first. His mother was not available to speak to MailOnline about Merritt's latest revelations. [7] Summer was born Virginia Lisa Aranda, and had also been known as Summer Martelli. [27] Merritt's trial was delayed as he had repeatedly fired his attorneys or attempted to represent himself. I know you dont believe me and thats what kills me. During that period, she got an early-morning call from someone in Saudi Arabia, demanding his fountain, she recalled. A small public memorial was held Wednesday afternoon in honor of the McStay family, a couple and their two young sons whose bodies were discovered last week in the Mojave Desert. On the surface, while tragic, it may not seem all that crazy. Around five months before his disappearance he started suffering terrible problems with his equilibrium and his stomach. 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.'. 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. During the lull, NBC 7 spoke with prosecuting attorney Britt Imes about the continuing delays. 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. Il avait t le premier dplorer la disparition de Joseph McStay et sa famille , en fvrier 2010. Sentencing still has not happened. He always said, "I have messed up one family before, I will not be unfaithful and ruin another one". And when four skeletal remains were found in shallow graves in the remote Mojave Desert, San Bernardino County, it put an end to any belief the McStays had started a new life in the sunshine. They said that he wrote checks totaling more than $21,000 on Joseph's business account in the days after the family was killed and then went on a gambling spree at nearby casinos, where he lost thousands of dollars. My brother was I looked up to my brother. Huh? San Bernardino County Superior Court Judge Michael Smith upheld the jurys recommendation of death following a two-day sentencing hearing that included a flurry of last-minute motions from Merritt and his lawyer, who accused prosecutors of misconduct, Merritts earlier attorneys of incompetence and, on Tuesday, tried to remove the judge himself from the case. 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. 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. And when we were out she would call him constantly. She said they clashed in front of her as they argued how to keep the business going. "Ultimately, I hope to be a father and when I am, I will hold my children close," he continued. Alex Murdaugh Is Guilty! [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? Neither was Joseph's brother, Michael. 'And then as the days went by, you start thinking, "Okay, something's not right here." Obviously that was a real problem for Joseph and he used to talk to me about it regularly. When the McStays car was found in San Ysidro on the Mexican border four days after they were last seen and security footage of a family of four an hour later heading into the Central American country surfaced, the idea they had left of their own accord gained momentum. Investigators and the public also focused on Merritt, the last known person to have had contact with Joseph and the first to notice his disappearance. The McStays' skeletal remains were unearthed along with a three-pound rusted sledgehammer believed to be the murder weapon a bra and a child's pants and diaper. She said the day detectives told her they had found her family's bodies, it felt as if she'd been hit by a boulder.