Will Payne (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. She said the two tangled over how to keep the business afloat. 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. she said. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. She talked about how the slayings of her son, daughter-in-law, and grandsons have destroyed her family. He has been the entertainment editor, a features writer, a business writer and is now a courts and breaking news reporter. She also touched on the media attention and pressures her family has coped with for years, including questions from strangers. Day by day, month by month, the case grew colder. [7] [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. By He asked for funds to keep the business going, and at that time I would do anything to help my son probably not in my right mind anyway at that time, she said. Merritt also says Summer had a terrible temper and would often snap at her husband over completely insignificant things. The McStays have deep Orange County ties, Cirignani said. During her morning testimony, Blake also described heated arguments between Merritt and Dan Kavanaugh, both business partners in McStays decorative fountain business. [7] Summer was born Virginia Lisa Aranda, and had also been known as Summer Martelli. Princess Diana's nieces Lady Eliza and Amelia share Do not sell or share my personal information. The back of the check said endorsement cancelled, he pointed out. He would spend days on end in bed. The skeletal remains of the McStay family were found near Victorville in 2013 and Merritt was arrested a year later. Who'll find love on our blind date? 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. [1] At 8:28 pm, a call was placed from Joseph's cell phone to his business associate, Charles "Chase" Merritt, which went to voicemail. 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 has pleaded not guilty to the murders of McStay; McStay's wife, Summer, 43; 4-year-old son Gianni and 3-year-old Joseph Jr. After 4 Years Of Investigation, Authorities Say McStay - HuffPost Merritts defense team has claimed Kavanaugh is a likely suspect in the McStay family case, but was overlooked by investigators despite what they described as a deteriorating relationship with Joseph McStay in the months before the familys disappearance. Investigators testified they believed the victims were tortured before they were killed. SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. A Southern California man was sentenced to death Tuesday for the 10-year-old killings of a family of four whose bodies were found buried in shallow graves in the California desert. After three years of suspicion, the family's bones were discovered in a desert over a hundred miles from their house. Instead, they said, authorities zeroed in on an innocent man. She said it was not until six months later that she could bear to go out to the site, marked by four crosses. Josephs illness was well documented and had left his entire family completely baffled. In the book, he speculated that Summer might have committed the murders. Immediately, the mysterious case gripped the community. He was a big part of my life and my familys life. During the lull, NBC 7 spoke with prosecuting attorney Britt Imes about the continuing delays. #nbc7 https://t.co/muZXjqJBFT. This world was robbed of four beautiful souls. An acquaintance of Merritt's told a San Diego reporter, "I think police should look at him and anyone associated with him. "[22], In January 2014, Merritt said that he might write a book about the family, alleging that Summer had anger issues and that Joseph had been ill for some time with a mysterious ailment. Merritt said the people responsible for the slayings are still free. Yes, sir, McStay replied. I loved Joseph. #mcstay #nbc7 pic.twitter.com/gDh8XuxqiV, Merritt said he has the "utmost disdain" for the investigators and prosecutors who "put them all in this courtroom" and for the people who, in his words, "manipulated the evidence.". 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. If I want to speak with him, I have to go to a gravesite," Michael McStay added. (File photo by Kurt Miller, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG), In this file photo Susan Blake, mother of Joseph McStay, wipes her eyes at a press conference at the San Bernardino Sheriff Headquarters on Friday, November 15, 2013. McStay Family Murders: How Did They Die? Who Killed Them? All rights reserved, Jury Recommends Death Penalty for Business Associate Convicted of Killing McStay Family, Business Partner Found Guilty in McStay Family Killings, Check Your Pockets: These Coins Can Be Worth Up To $24,000, Glendale Neighborhood Frustrated After an Illegal Hostel Moves In, NASA Images Show Southern California Mountains Before and After Winter Storm, Tax Deadlines Extended to October for Most Californians Due to Storms. Joseph McStay, 43-year-old Summer McStay and their two sons, Gianni, 4, and Joey, 3, vanished without a trace in February 2010 shortly after moving to Fallbrook from Orange County. 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. 2023.03.03 04:09 oz2usa I'm so bummed out after realising my diagnosis made a few years ago is legitimate. 'As a mother, you're going to do absolutely anything and everything you can to find them,' she explained. Merritt was found guilty on June 10, 2019, on four counts of murder. January 21, 2020 Merritt, 62, was sentenced to life in prison for murdering Joseph McStay, 40. On the surface, while tragic, it may not seem all that crazy. [28], In January 2018, a trial-setting conference was scheduled for February 23. Summers ex husband made good on a promise the two made years ago and just played a portion of Norman Greenbaums Spirit in the Sky. Merritt sentenced to death for McStay family murders Sheriffs investigators believeSummer McStay may have been rapedbefore she was killed. Joseph McStay; his wife, Summer; and their two children, Gianni and Joseph Mateo, have not been heard from since the night of Thursday, February 4, 2010. Then, he slammed the podium loudly with his hands.Come on, Chase! [14], The circumstances surrounding the family's disappearance and the lack of clues about their whereabouts triggered speculation by amateur sleuths. [34], On May 22, 2022, the case was looked at again on the Investigation Discovery docuseries Two Shallow Graves. Merritt is charged with killing his business associate Joseph McStay; McStay's wife, Summer; and their 3- and 4-year-old sons. [32] On June 24, the jury recommended that Merritt be sentenced to death. On Monday, more than four years since his arrest in connection with the slayings, the family's accused killer, Charles "Chase" Merritt, is scheduled to go on trial on murder charges in San. 09:19 EST 04 Jan 2014 You just do what you can for your son, and your family, she said. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. In the summer of 2021, shocking news rocked the state of South Carolina. The trial in the downtown San Bernardino Justice Center is before Judge Michael A. Smith. Judge just denied defense motion to reduce potential sentence to life in prison (Judge will also consider death). She would fawn over him and call him, her Joseppi. Homicide investigators search the family's home on Avocado Vista Lane and found no sign of a struggle. I know you dont believe me and thats what kills me, he added. Chase, you are a low-life coward and a baby killer. He used to spend hours at a time talking on his mobile phone and it got to the stage where he was convinced he had a brain tumor. After Joseph, along with his wife and kids, suddenly went missing in February 2010, the authorities didn't have many leads. Missing McStay Family Members Found In Shallow Grave Blake said, speaking to Merritt. In July 2015, Merritt's defense attorney filed a request to have the case dismissed because of the wording used by the prosecution when the charges were filed. 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. The attorney stopped Merritt, saying, "You can't.". On February 23, 2010, detectives notified Interpol, the International Criminal Police Organization, to be on the lookout for the family heading to Mexico. A deep pause followed as Michael McStay tried to collect himself. The family had been beaten to death with a three-pound sledgehammer found in one of the graves. Finally, Joseph McStay's only surviving son from a previous marriage, Jonah McStay, took the podium. McStay murders: A man is on death row for the brutal killings of a He was given the death penalty for killing Summer, Gianni, and Joseph Jr. Now, Merritt is on San Quentin Death Row. He just gave me the quote of the day on the continuing delays. ___ 12 a.m. The comments below have not been moderated. 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. The McStay family of Fallbrook was last heard from or seen on Feb. 4, 2010. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. [20] Although it is possible for a U.S. citizen to enter Mexico without a passport, one is required to reenter the United States. Patrick also searched for their son in Mexico and thought he had a lead when a family claimed to have seen the McStays at Walmart, but security footage confirmed it wasn't them. In a preview clip from the episode about the McStay family, Patrick recalled speaking to his son in the morning on the day they disappeared. And the fountain designer told MailOnline how Joseph once said to him, Maybe I should start eating out more and stop eating her food. 'When I last talked to my son, on February 4, he said he still didnt feel good,' said Blake, adding that she had provided the Sheriffs Dept with information on Josephs health problems. By February 2016, he had gone through five attorneys. "It's not just a Netflix documentary to us. Merritt was transferred to San Quentin State Prison until an execution date is scheduled. Investigators also have e-mails indicating the couple asked. 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. Do I think Chase is involved? Finally, Joseph McStay's only surviving son from a previous marriage, Jonah McStay, took the podium. ", Chase Merritt watching and listening. Authorities said they traced his cellphone to the gravesite area. And that those sounds haunt you, Chase, he said. 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. Hes considering motion of insufficient evidence to support verdict. #McStay family visibly frustrated. You cannot get back time. Neither was Joseph's brother, Michael. He maintains his innocence. Richard K. De Atley has been a journalist since 1975, for City News Service in Los Angeles, The Associated Press in Los Angeles and New York, and The Press-Enterprise in Riverside. Joseph and Summer McStay had two sons Gianni and Joseph Jr. His arrest was announced on November 7, 2014. Merritt was arrested the following year. When the bodies were found, he offered a refund to those who purchased his book before November 2013. I just dont remember very much because I fell to the office floor. Sentencing still has not happened. [9] In the surveillance recording, the vehicle's occupants could not be seen. [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? Joseph McStay's brother, Michael McStay, took his turn. Journal articles: 'Kirkland House (Cambridge, Mass.)' - Grafiati He said: Summer was a very self-centered, self-obsessed person with an awful temper. He was a big part of my life and my familys life. See also Other Works | Publicity Listings | Official Sites How could you beat two precious little babies? Were just the clowns, - Britt Imes. But even then rumors of dubious dealings with Mexican cartels bubbled away. 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. On February 19, California police notified Interpol to be on the lookout for the family. [2][12], On November 11, 2013, a dirt biker found four sets of human remains buried in two shallow graves in the desert near Victorville, California. "We don't run this circus. Nine years after the McStay family disappeared, their accused killer And she recounted for Rodriguez how she gave $4,410 in personal checks to Merritt in the months after her son and his family disappeared, based on Merritts claims he needed the money to complete projects for the business. As a precaution, investigators took DNA samples from the car, but there was still no evidence of foul play. called the investigation into his son's disappearance . Four years ago, Patrick McStay lost everything he loved. He told me when they had first got together they had a great sex life, but she just lost interest. Despite all the time I spent with Joseph, I had no kind of relationship with her. The family had moved to Fallbrook, 45 miles north of San Diego, in November 2009 fromSan Clemente. Arguing, and Dan just wasnt going to budge, she said. He was the last known person to see Joseph alive, during an hour-and-a-half long meeting in Rancho Cucamonga, California just hours before the family vanished into thin air. 'It's like they went poof,' Susan recalled. He was in a really bad way. We're just the clowns.". "We don't run this circus. His attorney was arguing motions before Merritt was set to be sentenced.
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