The tragic case will be featured in the Season 2 premiere of Killer Motive, hosted by Troy Roberts and airing Saturday at 6/5c on Oxygen. Merritts cellphone was also traced to the burial site area in the days following the McStays disappearance. WebThe McStay Family Memorial is located in a very rural desert area directly north of the I-15 Stoddart Wells/Quary Rd exit. A three-pound sledgehammer is also found at the site. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. in prison for murdering Joseph McStay, 40. California has not executed anyone on death row since 2006 as current Gov. It gives us courage to know that theyre together and theyre in a better place, said Mike McStay, who attended the conference. Around the same date, fliers were distributed to aid in the search. Susanmade an equally emotional statement ahead of the sentencing being handed down, telling the court how the killings had scarred their lives. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. They were dressed similarly to the McStays, and the children were wearing hats similar to ones they had been photographed in. He is in San Quentin Prison on death row. [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. Beyond Charts+ offers sophisticated Investors with advanced tools. Its been a tough road.. Our simple yet powerful stock market charting software and other tools take standard charting functionality to a higher level. [26], According to the arrest warrant affidavits filed in the case, autopsies concluded that all four victims had been beaten to death with a blunt object. Princess's dance partner Wayne Sleep reveals she would do his washing-up Do not sell or share my personal information. Later that night, he received a phone call from animal control, which was planning to take the dogs because they had been left outside without food for over a week. On Thursday, February 4, the last day that the McStay family was heard from, Joseph attended regular work meetings. The sizes of the people appear to match the McStay family. 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. But several family members did not believe that the man in the video was Joseph. I know this reply is archive but since the other replies were ridiculously over the top I just needed to add mine. Home U.K. 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? It would take years for investigators to discover the family's grisly fate. Joseph's family confirmed that he had an unexplained illness and that Summer was possessive of her husband, but they called Merritt's suggestion that she was responsible for his illness unfounded. April 2, 2010 The FBI joins the search for the missing family. And they should be. However, Michael was sure it wasnt his relatives, adding, Summer would never take the boys to Mexico. Hood Soldier Vanessa Guillen, The Best True Crime Documentaries to Stream Now, Wisc. [27], Prosecutors allege that Merritt had a gambling problem and killed the McStay family for financial gain. How do you do that?. The bodies of Joseph and Summer McStay and their sons, Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3, were found in a shallow grave in 2013, about 100 miles north of their suburban San Diego home. Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. His last known call was with Charles Chase Merritt, a business associate. The bodies were identified asJoseph, Summer, Joseph Mateo, and Gianani McStay.. [30] On May 4, the case was scheduled to go to trial in July 2018. by all accounts aloving family with no enemies,baffled investigators. November 2010 Patrick McStay, who has been painstakingly combing through his sons emails for leads, informs detectives of suspicious activity by a business partner, according to Killer Motive. The possible lead turns into a dead end. Officers arrived at the home and requested a search warrant, executed on February 19, 2010. 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." WebInvestigators found four people who resembled the McStays walking across the border at approximately 7:00 p.m. on February 8, less than two hours after parking the car in the When you look at the totality of the picture, you just came right back to its Charles Merritt, Imes tellsAmerican Greed.. The man found a small human skull that appeared to belong to a child. November 15, 2013 The cause of death for all of them is deemed to be blunt force trauma. There was no evidence to determine where the family went or why they had left. 'Some rough places, but you have had somebody stab me, it doesn't matter,' she noted. California currently has a moratorium on executions. 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. 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. He boasted it had a It was impounded at the time as an abandoned vehicle. Cell phone records placed Merritt in the desert where the bodies were ultimately discovered just two days after the family disappeared. 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. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Merritt told investigators that on Feb. 4, 2010, the day the family disappeared, Merritt and McStay met for lunch at a Chick-Fil-A restaurant in Rancho Cucamonga for a business meeting. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Crying for mommy and daddy?' 'He told me he was in a hurry because he had a lunch meeting,' the dad told Killer Motive host Troy Roberts. Investigators also discovered that the same car had been towed on February 8 for a parking violation near the Mexican border. Please be respectful of the memorial and do not leave any trash when you visit. Investigators believed that the family was tortured before they were killed. Josephs father Patrick McStay, however, continues to be haunted by Merritts dark deeds. When the bodies were found, he offered a refund to those who purchased his book before November 2013. However, a new discovery on border surveillance video changed the course of the investigation. 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. Michael did not find any family at home, and their two dogs were in the backyard. 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.. 'As a mother, you're going to do absolutely anything and everything you can to find them,' she explained. 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. 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. The driver for all Investors is the continuous search for investment opportunities. Joseph owned a company that sold water foundations, he informed Charles Merritt that he owed him more than $42,000. Despite all the cellphone records and banking records of Merritt being tied to the murders of the family, he maintained his innocence throughout the trial. This allows you to focus on the securities you are interested in, so you can make informed decisions. To learn more aboutwhy Merritt committed such a horrible crime and to see exclusive interviews with Joseph's family, watch Killer Motive airing Saturday at 6/5c on Oxygen. So we created Beyond Charts to put you on the right path. When Charles Merritt had an interview with the Daily Mail, he stated how Joseph McStay was my best friend. 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. Joseph McStay, his wife Summer, and the couple's two young sons mysteriously disappeared in Feb. 2010. WebPublished on January 22, 2020 12:19 PM Photo: McStay Family/ZUMA A California businessman has been sentenced to death for brutally murdering a family of four and This gave him a flexible schedule and the ability to work from home, so he could spend more time with his family. [28], In January 2018, a trial-setting conference was scheduled for February 23. 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. 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. On February 13, when the family hadnt been heard from in nine days, Josephs brother went to the house. The McStay family is seen in this undated family photo provided to KGTV. Morbid Tourism does not recommend visiting the area after dark, as it can be dangerous at times. San Quentin, Calif Death Row, Your email address will not be published. Oscar Cainer tells all. [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. 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. When Joseph McStay, his wife Summer, and their two young sons disappeared from the familys Fallbrook, California home in February 2010, it was as if theyd simply vanished into thin air. No mention was made by investigators or attorneys during Merritts preliminary hearing that investigators believe Summer McStay had been raped, nor has any evidence been presented publicly to indicate that, other than what McGee included in his motion. Summers passport was expired and investigators could not find any records that she had applied for a new one. Winter 2009 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.. The familys white 1996 Isuzu Trooper was found near San Ysidro, adjacent to the Mexico border. 'You had a choice. he was moved to death row on january 21, 2020, NOT executed. To learn more about the case, tune into Monday's episode of "American Greed" at 10 p.m. ET/PT on CNBC. Semuanya Tentang Si Bulus You start calling his cellphones, her cellphones,' she said., 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. 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. "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? 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