2023.03.03 04:09 oz2usa I'm so bummed out after realising my diagnosis made a few years ago is legitimate. It was to me, at the time, very scary, so I literally walked out and said If my son loses his business, so be it, I need to find my family and I left., Under questioning by Rodriguez, Blake described the argument as filled with A lot of, lot of cussing, screaming at each other Chase wanted to wring his neck.. His arrest was announced on November 7, 2014. This despicable, evil monster. 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. Joseph McStay, his wife Summer, and the couple's two young sons mysteriously disappeared in Feb. 2010. 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. I honestly believed my psychiatrist . The impression I get is that Summer would use her sexuality to get attention and get what she wanted. But when Rodriguez questioned her Tuesday, Blake said, Thats what was said, but I dont know for sure.. 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. 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. For years, police speculated they went to Mexica, but the McStays bodies were later found buried in the Mojave Desert in November 2013. Mother of Joseph McStay describes moment 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), Mother of Joseph McStay describes moment she learned son, family were dead, San Bernardino mountain residents grow worried as they cant access medicine, supplies, LA man arrested, suspected ofcarjackinga vehicle in Corona and firing shots at police during pursuit, Teacher at high school in Menifee arrested, suspected of inappropriate relationship with student, Baby girl Winter of Lake Arrowhead is born amid raging blizzard, her son, his wife, and their boys aged 3 and 4, Dine 909: New restaurants coming to San Bernardino, Upland and Redlands, Snow collapses roof of Goodwin and Sons, Crestlines only grocery store, Plow the roads, mountain residents say, as San Bernardino County vows to do better, San Bernardino mountain residents frustrated after volunteer helicopter efforts are restricted, Obernolte: Newsom must declare state of emergency for San Bernardino Mountains, 55-hour closures on 210 Freeway in Redlands and San Bernardino postponed again, We are coming, San Bernardino County officials tell trapped mountain residents, Shake Shack sets date for Victoria Gardens grand opening, Monday, March 13, Desperate Crestline residents help one another while awaiting assistance from San Bernardino County, Conditions for snowed-in Crestline mobile home park pretty bleak, As Adderall shortage continues, DEA plans to limit some telemedicine prescriptions, House where JonBenet Ramsey was found dead listed for sale for almost $7M, Columbia University permanently drops SAT, ACT admissions requirement, The Waterbed Doctor: California retailer lays claim to retro bed with nearly 40 years of service, sales, Felonious Florida podcast: Missing teenage girl leads to several cases of child sex trafficking, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. How scared were they, Chase? . "We don't run this circus. (File photo by Kurt Miller, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG). 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,. (Will Lester . Joseph managed a company that built decorative fountains, and Summer was a licensed real estate agent. [4] On June 10, 2019, a jury found Merritt guilty of murdering the McStay family. Susan said they would stop in little towns that had just a gas station and a grocery store to post flyers. At one point he said to me, "Maybe I should start eating out more and stop eating her food". #nbc7 #mcstay He told Merrit, I want to psychological mess you up. https://t.co/0xbSXeb9kX. He maintains his innocence. Charles "Chase" Merritt, 62, was sentenced to life in prison for the killing of his former business associate, Joseph McStay, 40. [8], On February 4, 2010, at 7:47pm, a neighbor's surveillance system captured the bottom eighteen inches of a vehicle, thought at the time to be the McStay family's 1996 Isuzu Trooper. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. California man pleads not guilty to killing family of four Susan Blake (L), the mother of Joseph McStay, leaves the courtroom with her son Michael McStay after Charles "Chase" Merritt was. 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. We were incredibly busy with the business, things were really flying, but he would often just have to work on his laptop from his bedroom. 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. Two members of a renowned legal family had been shot and killed on their property. Merritt was convicted in June 2019 of the murders of his former business associate Joseph McStay, McStay's wife Summer, and their 4- and 3-year-old sons, Gianni and Joseph Jr. (Irfan. But the details of this case go back decades and has many twists and turns. I believe that [Joseph] trusted Chase and believed in Chase. The trial in the downtown San Bernardino Justice Center is before Judge Michael A. Smith. "From Day One, I just had this gut feeling that I was never going to see them again," he said, swallowing tears. 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. Hes considering motion of insufficient evidence to support verdict. #McStay family visibly frustrated. Upon his arrival, he noticed that Joseph's 1996 Isuzu Trooper was missing, but their dogs were in the backyard. And the fountain designer told MailOnline how Joseph once said to him, Maybe I should start eating out more and stop eating her food. 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. In late November 2009, the family moved to Fallbrook, California, for a fresh start in a peaceful and friendly neighborhood. Summers sister: My sister walked with a passion and purpose. The home had no signs of forced entry. I did not know any of that part, Blake said. 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.'. I don't think so, and I truly hope not. #mcstay #nbc7 https://t.co/nZp6QeV6sQ, I dont know that I can ever explain the impact this man has had on my family, she said. 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. 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. ', Gruesome: The McStays' skeletal remains were unearthed along with a three-pound rusted sledgehammer believed to be the murder weapon, Crime: Charles 'Chase' Merritt, who was a partner in Joseph's water-fountain business, was arrested for the murders in 2014 and found guilty in 2019 (pictured), Criminal: In January 2020, Merritt was sentenced to death for bludgeoning the couple and their children to death inside their home because he owed them $30,000. The court took a brief break. When their remains were unearthed, investigators also found a rusty sledgehammer that they said was used to kill the family. 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. Finally, Joseph McStay's only surviving son from a previous marriage, Jonah McStay, took the podium. Did you always look up to him Imes asked. Published: 23:50 GMT, 22 January 2021 | Updated: 23:58 GMT, 22 January 2021. [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. 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. 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!' His son, Joseph, his daughter-in-law, Summer, and their two little boys - Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3 . Businessman Joseph McStay, his wife, Summer, and their two young sons -- Gianni 4, Joseph Jr. 3 -- were last heard from Feb. 4. Unconfirmed family sightings were reported in Mexico and elsewhere, perpetuating hopes that they were safe and had left voluntarily. Doctors couldnt diagnose the energy-sapping condition and according to his close friend, Chase Merritt, he started to suspect that his fiery wife may have something to do with it. Day by day, month by month, the case grew colder. And that those sounds haunt you, Chase, he said. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Victorville, California CNN . 'Some rough places, but you have had somebody stab me, it doesn't matter,' she noted. I remember one woman in particular was all over him for a while. Patrick said, "I truly believe she loved my son. All of the motions were denied. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Joseph's father, Patrick McStay, told the Los Angeles Times in 2011. Indian lodge motel in joseph oregon. The case has sparked endless speculation, with both the police and amateur sleuths coming up with countless theories, some plausible, some wild and outrageous. Investigators believe that Joseph McStay, 40, his wife, Summer, 43, and their sons, 4-year-old Gianni and 3-year-old Joseph, were bludgeoned to death in their home in the San Diego County community of Fallbrook on Feb. 4, 2010, San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon said Friday. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) Prosecutors are seeking the death. 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. 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. He was arrested last year. At the time, Joseph owned an online company named Earth Inspired Products that sold decorative water fountains. Summer's sister stated that her passport was expired. Although a search of the house found no evidence of a struggle or foul play, there were indications of a hasty departure: a carton of eggs had been left on the counter, and two child-size bowls of popcorn sat on a sofa. How to trick yourself slim: Top nutritionist reveals her tips including shrinking your cutlery, sniffing Meghan's (very expensive) date night look! 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. Charles Merritt was found guilty of murdering a family of four, and now the jury is recommending the death penalty. Prosecutors contend greed is the motive for the murders. At center is Erin McStay, Michaels wife. [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. Mystery of McStay money: Family found dead could barely afford rent. [3] The trial began on January 7, 2019, in San Bernardino. 'It's like they went poof,' Susan recalled. 'I'm gonna get out the information and try to find them.'. Charles "Chase" Merritt interrupted his attorney Friday during legal proceedings. "Ultimately, I hope to be a father and when I am, I will hold my children close," he continued. Just a monster.". They said McStay told friends Merritt was doing shoddy work and pilfering money from him. 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. They slept in the same bed, but were never intimate. Basically, she wouldnt let him near her. I just spoke to the prosecuting attorney in the Merritt case. [23] Merritt, who reportedly was the last person Joseph called from his cell phone, also said that he had passed a polygraph test and did not know anything that could help solve the mystery of the family's disappearance. Merritt also says Summer had a terrible temper and would often snap at her husband over completely insignificant things. We used to speak to each other 10 or 12 times almost every day and we would talk about absolutely everything. ', 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. He had this problem right up until the day he went missing. 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. Who'll find love on our blind date? Blake was followed in testimony by her son and Joseph McStays brother, Michael McStay who said Joseph gave him $2,000 to start his fire sprinkler system business. A neighbor's security camera was triggered at 7:47PM when the McStays . On February 23, 2010, detectives notified Interpol, the International Criminal Police Organization, to be on the lookout for the family heading to Mexico. And if the truth be told, despite everything, he was still infatuated with Summer. 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. Mystery at the Border: With Christopher Crutchfield Walker, Joseph McStay, Summer McStay, Gianni McStay. In October 2009, Joseph McStay excitedly e-mailed a friend about the house he and his wife had purchased in the San Diego suburb of Fallbrook, Calif. Merritt's attorneys said the two men were best friends and investigators overlooked another possible suspect in the killings. 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 correct identity is San Bernardino CountySupervising Deputy District Attorney Britt Imes. California has not executed anyone since 2006. May 23, 2022 Investigation Discovery's ' Two Shallow Graves' follows the trial of Charles "Chase" Merritt, accused of murdering Joseph McStay and his family. The McStay family of Fallbrook was last heard from or seen on Feb. 4, 2010. Voice shaking, it was Merrit's turn to speak to the courtroom and to the McStay family's loved ones. Michael did not find any family at home, and their two dogs were in the backyard. They make up a small part of Merritts new book, which is due to be released later this year. [14], The circumstances surrounding the family's disappearance and the lack of clues about their whereabouts triggered speculation by amateur sleuths. Their remains were eventually discovered in the Mojave Desert near Victorville, California, about 100 miles from their home. Theres nothing more valuable on this Earth than time and that was stolen from them; that was stolen from us," he said. I was just trying to keep the customers or whoever was calling calm and hopefully to keep the business going. 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. You cannot get back time. She said they clashed in front of her as they argued how to keep the business going. On February 15, Michael phoned the San Diego County Sheriff's Department (SDSD) and reported that his brother and his family were missing. Gov. He always said, "I have messed up one family before, I will not be unfaithful and ruin another one". The book will be released later this year. So why was being grilled about her books on Mastermind so Why should I be asked to tip when I shop online? She said the two tangled over how to keep the business afloat. The break came, defense attorneys said, when Merritt and McStay separately worked on a custom-fountain side of the business that did not include Kavanaugh. That family that went missing? 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). He was sentenced to death on January 21, 2020. 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. 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. [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. 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. "We don't run this circus. He was given the death penalty for killing Summer, Gianni, and Joseph Jr. Now, Merritt is on San Quentin Death Row. Ultimately, officials determined it was not the McStay family in that video. ", 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. 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. This world was robbed of four beautiful souls. Here are some last-minute, Best last-minute Valentines Day gifts for him, These are places to live on the West Coast, Scooter rider killed in crash near border identified, SD Co. Sheriff: 2022 inmate death now ruled a homicide, A new pirate-themed speakeasy has washed ashore in, This SD campground is among the best in America, CA extends tax deadline to Oct. 16 for disaster areas, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. [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. Merritt built fountains, while Kavanaughdesigned EIPs website and did search engine optimization. The details are shocking and nauseating to sit through.". Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. "Not natural causes; there was intent here.". "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. Doves were . Queen Letizia of Spain is polished in a recycled Reiss skirt as she joins King Felipe VI at Repli-Kate! He called Merritt a "ruthless mass murderer.". He went to the doctor a number of times, but they just didnt know what was wrong with him. 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. Immediately, the mysterious case gripped the community. 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. Just stop all the appeals, all the shenanigans. He was visibly shaken, fighting back tears. Homicide investigators search the family's home on Avocado Vista Lane and found no sign of a struggle. The McStay family disappeared from their Fallbrook home in San Diego's North County in 2010. 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. There were no signs of forced entry or any foul play, which baffled investigators and suggested the family left on their own accord. Merritt was due to speak next. Maline asked Blake about the point of that argument, again struggling against Rodriguezs objections: Chase is telling (Kavanaugh) that he is a liar, that he is getting the money and not giving it to him, he managed to outline to the witness. The case initially puzzled. "Our family has already received a life sentence. She talked about how the slayings of her son, daughter-in-law, and grandsons have destroyed her family. Merritt was transferred to San Quentin State Prison until an execution date is scheduled. 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. During that period, she got an early-morning call from someone in Saudi Arabia, demanding his fountain, she recalled. 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. Chase, you are a low-life baby killer, Blake said as Merritt stared at her impassively. Mike crawled through a window and discovered food rotting in the kitchen, and Summer's prescription sunglasses were also left on the table. Merritt was found guilty on June 10, 2019, on four counts of murder. In the gallery sat Merritt's daughter and brother. She also touched on the media attention and pressures her family has coped with for years, including questions from strangers. According to state records, Merritt had felony convictions for burglary and receiving stolen property. 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. 'They actually thought that was really them going over the border on the video,' said Susan, who was skeptical but still headed to Mexico to search for her family. Charles Merritt was convicted of killing Joseph and Summer McStay along with their two sons. 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. The McStay family disappeared from their San Diego County home in 2010. 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. Gavin Newsom has placed a moratorium on executions while hes in office. Joseph's cellphone pinged a tower in Fallbrook. 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. [5], 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). 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.. Speaking exclusively to MailOnline Merritt who worked with Joseph in his fountain business - said: I was extremely close to Joseph. Merritt was supposed to be sentenced last Friday, Jan. 17, but dramatic twists, turns, and delays prevented that from happening as planned. She said: 'My son had been sick since last August and hes normally a very healthy person. [2] In April 2013, the San Diego Sheriff's Department announced that they believed that the McStays traveled to Mexico voluntarily.[18]. Gavin Newsom has placed a moratorium on executions while he's in office. His mother was not available to speak to MailOnline about Merritt's latest revelations. Who killed the McStay family? Sorry because he was worth it, he told Imes. Joseph loved to eat out anyway, but I know he made a real effort to eat away from his house after that.. "[25], On November 5, 2014, detectives from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department arrested Merritt in connection with the deaths of the McStay family after discovering that his DNA had been recovered from their car.

Benjamin Moore Gray Wisp Vs Quiet Moments, Virgo Man Taurus Woman Love At First Sight, Human Resources Division Fbi, Morningstar Office Pricing, Articles J