When all four members of the McStay family seemingly vanish into thin air -- here one day, gone the next -- a years-long quest for answers begins. Charles Ray Merritt, 61, stands trial for the murder of a couple and their two sons in San Bernardino County, California. Skip Ancestry navigation Main Menu Home Merrit wasarrested a year after the McStay familysskeletal remainswere discovered in two shallow graves, west of the 15 Freeway and north of Stoddard Wells Road, near Victorville. On February 4, 2010,Summer McStay, her husbandJoseph, and their young sonsGianni andJoseph Jr.disappeared from San Diego, California. The story of the McStay family is one that has baffled San Diego investigators for years.. Otherwise, the family looked identical to the McStays. CNN. Nelson is a graduate of California State University Fullerton. He started as a crime reporter and went on to cover a variety of beats including courts and the cities of Colton, Highland and Grand Terrace. Investigators also discovered that the same car had been towed on February 8 for a parking violation near the Mexican border. But there was an astonishing number of other people whod had significant run-ins with the McStays, according to the new series. The court upheld the jury's recommendation and Merrit was sentenced to death on January 21, 2020 for the McStay Family Massacre. The police concluded that Merritt killed the family for financial gain; the killer had a severe gambling problem, and after the murders, he managed to gain some control of Josephs business accounts. LOS ANGELES 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 . So, lets find out what happened then, shall we? However, the rest of the family thought it was unusual for them to just leave so abruptly. When the partner arrived at the home, he found both dogs outside, with food in their bowls, which led them to believe that the family had gone out of town and had somebody caring for the dogs. It's very difficult to review this case, as there, The FBi has been murdering people for years since their, Clearly its hard for some people to understand that although, What is taking so long? Photo: McStay Family/ZUMA. In 2018, the trial was postponed again so that his current defense attorney could do more investigating, Merritt remained jailed without bail. The gift by aselin debison free sheet music. 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. On Nov. 20, at a vigil where volunteers erected white crosses and released doves, Michael pondered aloud the same questions. In January 2010, just days before the disappearance, the home computer was used to search for passport requirements for kids traveling to Mexico. What to Know. Detectives said when they interviewed Merritt about the missing family, he referred to them in the past tense, saying Joseph McStay "was my best friend.". There wasnt a sign or sound from them for nearly four years until an off-road motorcyclist came upon two shallow graves in the Mojave Desert, tragically revealing the bodies of the couple and their children. Research genealogy for Elizabeth McStay of Draycott, Derbyshire, England, as well as other members of the McStay family, on Ancestry. While there was little evidence and various theories floated around, nobody really precisely knew what happened to Joseph, his wife, and their two sons until years later. Just a monster.". About three days later, Josephs brother, Mike, got into the house through an open window and saw that the pet dogs were still at home but no sign of the family. Charles Ray Merritt has been named as the suspect in the murders of the McStay family in the San Diego area in 2010. A carton of eggs lay on the counter, and two bowls of popcorn were located in the living room. So without direct evidence, then they have to show enough circumstantial evidence to convice the jury that it was me at their home and who killed them.. California man sentenced to death in killings of McStay family members in 2010 "I did not do this thing," Charles Jan 22, 2020 Smith upheld the recommendation the jury made on June 24, 2019, which said Merritt should be put to death for the murders of Summer McStay and Apr 22, 2020 Chase Merritt sentenced to death.. Much evidence linking Chase Merritt to the McStay family murders were presented by the prosecution.. Perhaps Jan 20, 2021 February 15, 2010 Family members report the McStays missing to the San Diego County sheriff's department. The McStays Their house didnt show any signs of a struggle, but it was clear they had left in a hurry; there was food left out on the counter, and their beloved pet dogs were left behind. People. The investigation revealed that Chase was a gambling addict who owed Joseph about $42,000. The authorities zeroed in on Chase after the remains were found and arrested him in the first week of November 2014. Man Convicted Of Killing Couple, Their 2 Sons, 10 Years After Familys Skeletal Remains Found In Desert. Found the resolution to each, I know who really killed Chanin, her husband did not, I have so many questions about this story. The discovery of the McStay family's remains in November 2013 brought an end to more than three years of speculation regarding what happened to them. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. While there were no signs of forced entry, it seemed like the McStays left in a hurry. 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. Lets make no mistake about it, Mr. Merritt is innocent, Maline tells American Greed.. If you have any suggestions for any crime locations, infamous crimes or infamous people you want me to cover, (mostly around WA state as that is where I live. Merritt, who faces the death penalty if convicted, has pleaded not guilty to the crimes. It was February 4, 2010, when the small village of Fallbrook, in San Diego County, was shaken by the disappearance of a whole family. Furthermore, Chase wrote several checks on the online business starting February 5; he then went to a few casinos to spend that money. On the same day as they are broadcast, episodes will be available on discovery+. Prosecutors claim that the McStays were murdered by Merritt for financial gain. Follow the links to read about more violent crimes profiled on ID. The cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. This week on Reasonable Doubt, the team takes on the Raul and Cathy Sarinana were sentenced to death for abusing Would love your thoughts, please comment. Reportedly, on January 21, 2020, Merritt was convicted of his crime and issued a sentence of life in prison and the death penalty. The cops also learned that his cellphone had been pinged in the area where the family was buried. Dylan Eason and Isaiah Churchwell were convicted of murdering Cynthia William "Patrick" Alexander remains in prison for murder. On Feb. 4, 2010, Joseph and Summer McStay, ages 40 and 43, and their two sons, Gianni, 4, and 3-year-old Joey Jr., vanished without a trace from their Fallbrook home. Michaels worst fears were realized. Randi Kaye discusses her investigation into the murder of the McStay family, including her interview with "Chase" Merritt Case 8, Dorothy Scott On February 10, 2010, Josephs business partner, Charles Chase Merritt, asked the authorities to check on the family, but an officer felt nothing was amiss. A 3-pound sledgehammer was found with the bodies, which was believed to be the murder weapon. Who Killed The McStay Family? Photos of McStay Family Murder . Merritt was a close friend to the McStays and a business partner. The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department has yet to release a . At the time, Joseph owned an online company named Earth Inspired Products that sold decorative water fountains. The autopsy revealed all four victims died from blunt force trauma to their heads. Joseph and Summer McStay vanished from their . While no one has the answer, there are many leads, provided by people like Josephs father, Patrick McStay, who has complained for years that the San Diego Sheriffs Department was not treating the case seriously, and Rick Baker, who traveled the world researching his book, No Goodbyes: The Mysterious Disappearance of the McStay Family. Although both instances raised investigators' suspicions, another glaring clue would ultimately put Merritt at the center of the investigation. From my discussions with him, thats all he does, is work on his case.. Another two points would put us in good . For years, that was the prevailing belief among law enforcement. In addition, investigators also discovered that Summer had changed her name multiple times throughout her life. Create your own unique website with customizable templates. The McStay Family Memorial is located in a very rural desert area directly north of the I-15 Stoddart Wells/Quary Rd exit. About three days before the disappearance, Joseph emailed Chase regarding the money and was close to firing him. My fear is that Im looking for two adult shallow graves and my two nephews crosses, Josephs kid brother, Michael, told the Orange County Register a few weeks after the Feb. 4, 2010, disappearance. The deaths have been ruled a homicide. A 3-pound Stanley-brand sledgehammer, the suspected murder weapon, was found in one of the graves, and the skeletal remains indicated the McStay family had suffered multiple bone fractures to the . According to the Los Angeles County Coroner Walker's body was discovered in a "pugilistic stance," meaning the 40-year-old actor died with his arms up, instinctively trying to shield his head and face from impact. SAN BERNARDINO, California- The man accused of killing four members of the McStay family in 2010 will stand trial, a California judge ruled this week. The 62-year-old welder convicted in the brutal beating deaths of a Fallbrook family of four . Jan 18, 2020 MCSTAY FAMILY AUTOPSY PHOTOS.. Man convicted of killing McStay family sentenced to death .. SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. Jaroslav Jerry Hanel had tormented the Diamond Head, Huong Lee and Long Nyugen were an elderly Vietnamese couple. Charles "Chase" Merritt, left, reacts after being found guilty of four counts of first-degree murder of the McStay family, in San Bernardino Superior Court in San Bernardino on June 10. Apr 20, 2020 Joan's husband, Hal Rogers, stayed behind to care for the family's dairy farm.. Joan, Michelle and Christe Rogers.. Photo Source: Crime 1.7k votes, 195 comments.. From the LA Times: "A jury Monday found a man guilty of bludgeoning a family of four and burying their bodies in shallow , Charles Ray Merritt has been sentenced to death for the murders of McStay family members, .. I never knew who did it, Ms Watson says in Two Shallow Graves. uncovered the bodies of all four McStay family members, he was arrested by the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Office. Good Housekeeping. Suspicion had long fallen on Joseph McStays business partner, Chase Merritt, as he had been the last person to have contact with the family, and he also had a criminal record, albeit for small-time offenses. Given the evidence, Chase was eventually found guilty of murdering the McStay family. Today, he is still imprisoned at San Quentin State Prison and on death row. Watch the horrifying tale of the McStay family murders and the controversial trial of Charles "Chase" Merritt in ID's Two Shallow Graves, set to air this May 22, 2022. . Merritt disputes the theory and argues, in the documentary, that hed been the one raising the alarm about the McStays disappearance, claiming he would have reported the four missing if the family hadnt. Morbid Tourism does not recommend visiting the area after dark, as it can be dangerous at times. For years the familys mysterious disappearance would continue to baffle investigators until a motorcyclistriding the trails in the Mojave Desert on Nov. 13, 2013 made a gruesome discovery. Photos Of McStay Family Murder Suspect. Summer and Joseph McStay as well as their sons Joseph Mateo and Gianni had vanished without leaving much behind in terms of clues or without really informing any of their kith and kin. Joe Nelson is an award-winning investigative reporter who has worked for The Sun since November 1999. We just had to go over all kinds of money stuff, Merritt told detectives in an interview recording obtained by American Greed.. Merritts trial has been delayed multiple times due to Merritt attempting to represent himself and repeatedly firing his attorneys, he has gone through five between November 2013 to February 2016. Our priority is picking up the points as soon as we can. But jurors disagreed and Merritt was convicted and later sentenced to death for the slayings in January 2020. After a four-month trial, nine years after the McStay killings . Reports state that Susan, Joseph's mother, was visibly upset and described him as a "despicable, evil monster," adding that knowing how the family was murdered had made her life a nightmare. While Joseph went to a work meeting, Summer spoke to her sister over the phone and planned to visit later. 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. What looked normal to Josephs brother but was alarming to investigators. Autopsy Photos. Lord Hanuman Angry Animated Wallpapers Hd posted by Sarah Anderson a28a80e3cc. Whether or not Merritt receives the death penalty has yet to be decided. When the family went missing, the pair began their own investigation, describing in the new series how they combed through the McStays emails and followed up any lead they could find. Two Shallow Graves delves into a case that garnered national news headlines, eventually culminating in the killer being brought to justice close to a decade later. When you look at the totality of the picture, you just came right back to its Charles Merritt, Imes tellsAmerican Greed.. So, lets find out what happened then, shall we? There was a couple bowls of I believe popcorn that it looked like the boys were eating, possibly watching TV. Merritt used the money to fuel his gambling addiction at nearby casinos, in which he lost thousands of dollars. Chase further stated that Joseph called him at around 8:28 pm on that evening. The family did not appear to have any plans to be gone that day. Thats unusual.. I think its fair to say the show looks at other suspects, and its fair to say that, towards the end of the show, we will confront some of them.. Nov. 17, 2013 -- The 2010 disappearance of the McStay family, whose skeletal remains were discovered in shallow graves in the California desert last week, led a former North Carolina radio host to . The seven-episode Two Shallow Graves premieres Sunday on Investigation Discovery and will be available to stream on discovery+. The morning of February 4, 2010, started like any other day for the family. Charles 'Chase' Merritt was convicted in June of killing his former business associate Joseph McStay, McStay's wife Summer and the couple's children The McStay family vanished from their San Diego . The investigation into the disappearance of the McStay family in February 2010 and the subsequent disappearance of money from the company's bank account led investigators to believe Merritt was responsible. I think, normally when you [look at] a case, youre like, Oh, there could be one or two people involved., There were potentially more than one or two people involved when we started this. On February 15, eleven days after the family was last heard from, the police searched the McStay family home. SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (KABC) -- Prosecutors say a sledgehammer was used to kill all four members of the McStay family, and the 4-year-old boy was struck seven times. mcstay family autopsy, mcstay family autopsy photos, mcstay family murders autopsy, how did the mcstay family died, did they ever find the mcstay family, why was the . Joseph and Summer McStay had two sons Gianni and Joseph Jr. Prosecutors claim he killed business partner Joseph McStay, McStay's 43-year-old wife Summer, and the couple's sons--4 year-old Gianni and 3-year-old Joseph Jr. The memorial is located about 200 feet west of Quary road and requires visitors to leave their car at Quary Road and walk east to the actual location. He was sentenced to death on January 21, 2020. Source: wikipedia | CBS News |. The McStay family - whose bodies were found in a shallow grave in the Californian desert almost four years after they mysteriously vanished - could barely afford to pay $210 a week on rent just . So when the family seemingly disappeared four months later without telling any relatives, friends or business associates, and their car turned up four days later at the Mexican border, many people who knew them feared the worst. A 3-pound sledgehammer was found with the bodies . Its kind of remarkable, Ms Davis says. PEOPLE Explains: How the McStay Family Disappeared Into the Desert but Who Killed Them? Home; . The McStay family, consisting of Joseph, 40, his wife Summer, 43, and their two sons Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3, were reported missing in 2010. All rights reserved. When questioned about his choice of language by investigators, Merritt said he had no idea why he'd done that. McStay Family Murder Investigation: Search Warrants Unsealed, Reveal Details Of Fallbrook House. SAN DIEGO (CBS 8) - He wrote a book on the McStay case, but an investigative author is expressing shock over the tragic new twist in the case. Prosecutors contend, among other things, that the jury is entitled to put a face to the remains of the McStay family, and that the jury has a right to know of whom the witnesses are talking about, McGee noted in another motion the defenses response to the prosecutions opposition motion, filed on Thursday. Each is holding the hand of a child. Two days later, the remains were identified as the McStay family. This site is to discuss and explore the Mcstay family murders. 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. Investigators also found a three-pound sledgehammer that they believe was the murder weapon and clothing, some of it marked with the same color paint that the McStay family had been using to paint their home when they went missing. It gives you the story of the trial, and it gives you the story of the relationship between Merritt and Joseph McStay, and it gives you the understanding of the families on both sides going through the trial one of the interview subjects that we talked to said, This is going to be the comprehensive look at this story - which has not been done before.. Charles Merrit was found guilty of the murders in 2019. McStay Family Murders: Who Killed Them? The District Attorneys Office, according to McGee, has opposed the motion about the familys photos and videos, which will be argued Friday before Judge Michael A. Smith. He continued to plead his innocence, and at his sentencing, he told the judge, I dont deserve this. Investigators immediately seized the car and searched it for evidence. . Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. A family photo shows Joseph McStay, his wife Summer and sons Gianni and Joseph. Charles 'Chase' Merritt is currently on death row in California after his 2019 conviction for the murders of Joseph and Summer McStay and their two young sons. The family's disappearance had puzzled investigators, who said there . A new documentary series re . On February 13, when the family hadnt been heard from in nine days, Josephs brother went to the house. Charles "Chase" Merritt was sentenced to death Tuesday for killing the McStay family of Fallbrook. She was predeceased by : her parents, Manuel Sousa and Nicolina Sousa (Melo); and her siblings . Two Shallow Graves on ID is examining the tragic murders of the McStay family, who were butchered by business associate Charles "Chase" Merritt, and buried in the desert near Victorville, California, in 2010. Both are convinced of Merritts guilt, but even they shake their heads and raise eyebrows at some of the other unexpected threads to the case. Something doesnt, No , the murder happened in Ohio . Investigation Discovery's 'Two Shallow Graves' follows the trial of Charles "Chase" Merritt, the man who [] He seemed caught off guard, like Oh, I didnt realize I was doing that, San Bernardino County District AttorneyBritt Imes tellsAmerican Greed.. In November 2013, almost four years later, a motorcycle rider found two shallow grave sites in the desert, just north of Victorville. Merritt is documented as writing checks totaling $21,000 on McStays business account, after McStay went missing. Publicly Merrittwho had several prior convictions on his recordclaimed to be Josephs best friend,once telling CNNs Randi Kay that although they began as work acquaintances, they quickly grew to be friends, playing paintball together andsharingdinnera few nights a week. A 3-pound Stanley-brand sledgehammer, the suspected murder weapon, was found in one of the graves, and the skeletal remains indicated the McStay family had suffered multiple bone fractures to the .