What Happened to the McStays, Who Vanished 3 Years Before They Were Found Buried in the Desert? The man found a small human skull that appeared to belong to a child. [3] The trial began on January 7, 2019, in San Bernardino. Video recorded the evening of February 8, released on March 5, showed a family of four resembling the McStays crossing the border. Their skulls and jaws were smashed and fractured. This gave him a flexible schedule and the ability to work from home, so he could spend more time with his family. On February 13, when the family hadnt been heard from in nine days, Josephs brother went to the house. Now She's Sentenced to Life for Starving Girl to Death, How a Calif. Man with a Seemingly Perfect Life Killed His Wife, Then Went on the Lam After Posting Bail, How Police in Stockton, Calif., Caught an Alleged Serial Killer In the Act: 'He Was on a Mission to Kill'. 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., 'And then as the days went by, you start thinking, "Okay, something's not right here." McGees law partner, Rajan Maline, is also representing Merritt in the case. The deaths have been ruled a homicide. Eventually, someone close to the family was convicted of bludgeoning the McStays to death before burying them in the desert. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group, PrettyLittleThing - Offers on women's clothing, Get inspired by the newest styles and offers, Click through for ASOS promo codes this Autumn, Spend less with Missguided's exclusive codes, Treat yourself to offers on make-up and accessories, Check out the latest Wayfair sale to save on furniture. Their disappearance was extensively reported on national news stations across the country. When the bodies were found, he offered a refund to those who purchased his book before November 2013. Merritt was a fabricator, who Joseph had turned to to expand the custom side of his business. At their home in Fallbrook, California, investigators found no signs of forced entrance or violence. PEOPLE Explains: How the McStay Family Disappeared Into the Desert but Who Killed Them? The familys disappearance was a shock to the investigators because there was shown no evidence of struggle at their Fallbrook home. Before he was sentenced, Merritt tearfully proclaimed his innocence. Lets make no mistake about it, Mr. Merritt is innocent, Maline tells American Greed.. [3] Merritt was charged with four counts of murder, and the district attorney sought the death penalty. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Summers skull was fractured and one of their sons heads was bludgeoned seven times, according to court testimony. They recognized that the children and Summer were the people in the video, but Josephs mother believed that if the man in the video were Joseph, his hair would have been much bushier. Officers arrived at the home and requested a search warrant, executed on February 19, 2010. [34], On May 22, 2022, the case was looked at again on the Investigation Discovery docuseries Two Shallow Graves. Merritt told detectives that during their last lunch meeting, Joseph had given him physical copies of checks to pay for some of the projects they were working on. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. Zero-calorie sweetener linked to heart attack and stroke, study finds, Snowed in during the SoCal storm, this Lake Arrowhead resident traded in a car for cross-country skis, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot concedes defeat, Southern California home sales fall to all-time low, Zero-calorie sweetener linked to heart attack and stroke, study finds, As many as 700,000 Illinois residents could lose Medicaid health coverage this year, Balloon ban made official in Laguna Beach, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. The tragic case will be featured in the Season 2 premiere of, Joseph McStay, 40, an entrepreneur who sold indoor water fountains, and his wife,Summer McStay, 43, and their sons, Gianni and Joseph Jr., move to Fallbrook, California, a community known as The Friendly Village.. [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. omeone close to the family was convicted of bludgeoning the McStays to death before burying them in the desert. Investigators believed the murder weapon was a 3-pound sledgehammer, which was found in the grave containing the remains of Summer and her son. However, there was raw food left out, which seemed to indicate the family left in a hurry or had the intention to come back soon after. I don't think so, and I truly hope not. The family had moved into the house three months earlier, and was in the process of unpacking and doing renovations. An In 2014, he completed a fellowship at Loyola Law School's Journalist Law School program. How a Serial Killer Was Caught While 'Literally Trying to Clean His Van of Evidence', Phoenix Mother Wanted to End Marriage Before Husband Killed Her and Their 3 Children, Friends Say, a white extension cord wrapped around his neck. McStay Family Car Found Near Mexican Border. Sign up for PEOPLEs free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. According to state records, Merritt had felony convictions for burglary and receiving stolen property. The McStay Family Memorial is located in a very rural desert area directly north of the I-15 Stoddart Wells/Quary Rd exit. They were dressed similarly to the McStays, and the children were wearing hats similar to ones they had been photographed in. The McStay family of four was living a happy life, and had recently moved to a new house, which they were renovating and turning into their dream home. The defense now moves to exclude certain expected testimony and evidence from the prosecutions case in chief on the grounds that this evidence is not relevant, and that the onlypurposes of the expected evidence are to sensationalize the alleged crimes and inflame the passions of the jury against Mr. Merritt, according to the Nov. 20 motion. Otherwise, the family looked identical to the McStays. 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, Riverside County DA implores state lawmakers in war on fentanyl: We need your help!, Rep. Aguilar announces $500k for sickle cell mental health support, Stunning new park in South Fontana offers something for all outdoor enthusiasts, Is there a problem with paying cash for a car? Sheriffs investigators arrested Charles Chase Merritt, 60, of Homeland, in November 2014. In addition, investigators also discovered that Summer had changed her name multiple times throughout her life. Hannah Betts' Better not younger: Secret to longer, thicker locks? [29] Merritt's attorney filed a motion in San Bernardino Superior Court on April 7, 2018, arguing that Joseph's business and accounting records were hearsay evidence and therefore inadmissible. But hed also tell Kay during his television interview that he had definitely been the last person to see Joseph. Victim(s): Joseph McStay, Summer McStay, Joseph McStay Jr, Gianni McStay, . Merritt used the money to fuel his gambling addiction at nearby casinos, in which he lost thousands of dollars. Inside, he found a relatively normal scene. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. There was no evidence of forced entry or a struggle. KGTV/ABC News -- A business associate of a California family that mysteriously disappeared more than four years has been charged in the four murders - including two young boys, police said today. Crying for Mommy and Daddy? There was no apparent suspicious activity on the couples credit card accounts. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! [1][2] Their disappearance was widely reported by the national news media. Although Merritt adamantly denied being at the location of the makeshift graves, To learn more about the case, tune into Monday's episode of. [2][11], During their investigation, the police learned that around 11:00 pm on February 8, the family's Trooper had been towed from a strip mall parking lot in San Ysidro, San Diego, near the Mexican border. 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. How do you do that?. Just a monster. Were they victims of a crime? On February 15, Michael phoned the San Diego County Sheriff's Department (SDSD) and reported that his brother and his family were missing. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. His most recent felony conviction, in 2001, was for the theft of $32,000 worth of welding and drilling equipment from San Gabriel Valley Ornamental Iron Works in Monrovia, California. ', 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, Mike crawled through a window and discovered food rotting in the kitchen, and Summer's prescription sunglasses were also left on the table., 'It's like they went poof,' Susan recalled., There were no signs of forced entry or any foul play, which baffled investigators and suggested the family left on their own accord., The family's computer had recent internet searches for: 'What documents do children need for traveling to Mexico?' 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. WebJoseph 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. February 4, 2010 During a phone conversation Josephtold his fatherhe was in a hurry because he had to get to a lunch meeting. With no leads, the case went cold until nearly four years later, when the familys remains were found 100 miles away in the Mojave Desert after an off-road motorcyclist discovered human bones. Webmcstay family autopsy photos. Merritts cellphone was also traced to the burial site area in the days following the McStays disappearance. 'You had a choice. How could you beat two precious little babies?, Joseph McStays mother, Susan Blake, said before Tuesdays sentencing, the Associated Press reports. His last known call was with Charles Chase Merritt, a business associate. The comments below have not been moderated. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. 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.. There were also incisions in her bra that lead investigators to believe it was cut off, the motion states. 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. Mcstays, and the children were wearing hats similar to ones they had been photographed in wearing similar! Was found in the days following the McStays crossing the border truly hope not [ 1 [! North of the I-15 Stoddart Wells/Quary Rd exit 1 ] [ 2 ] their disappearance was a 3-pound,. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] their disappearance was a shock to the McStays.. At their Fallbrook home schedule and the children were wearing hats similar to ones they had been in! 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