Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! 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. When you look at the totality of the picture, you just came right back to its Charles Merritt, Imes tellsAmerican Greed.. I did not do this.. USA Spot News. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Prosecutors contend greed is the motive for the murders. However, the rest of the family thought it was unusual for them to just leave so abruptly. Sheriffs investigators believe Merritt, a business associate of Joseph McStay who built custom decorative water fountains for McStays online business, killed the McStays for financial gain. 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. In Fallbrook, CA, their home was fifty miles north of San Diego and twenty miles inland from the Pacific coast. Joe Nelson is an award-winning investigative reporter who has worked for The Sun since November 1999. After 8-Hour Day in Court, Sentencing Delayed for Man Who Killed McStay Family Charles "Chase" Merritt was found guilty June 10, 2019, on four counts of murder in the slayings of the McStay Family . Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! NBC article. The sledge hammer is the likely murder weapon. Merritt not only had motive to carry out the grisly slayings, it seemed that he also had the opportunity. He seemed caught off guard, like Oh, I didnt realize I was doing that, San Bernardino County District AttorneyBritt Imes tellsAmerican Greed.. 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. He was sentenced to death on January 21, 2020. The Selena autopsy photos have been temporarily removed from this site. Joseph McStay's business partner, Charles Chase Merritt, was eventually charged with the deaths of the McStay family after detectives found apparent evidence of desertion and, ultimately, foul play. Volunteers set up the original memorial site in 2013. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. January 30, 2015 / 2:32 PM / CBS News. Summer had stated that she felt that Mexico was too unsafe and that she would never go willingly. Two Shallow Graves: The McStay Family Murders: With Suzanne Armstrong, Tony Azzaro, Taylor Jarvis, Shawn Patrick Murphy. Josephs brother found no sign of the family, so he left a note for the person feeding the dogs and asked them to call him, as he was concerned about his family. How do you do that?. The four-year-old Gianni had suffered a shocking seven blows to the head. The caller lacked the necessary passcodeto delete the account and the customer service representative was unable to carry out his requestleaving the damaging information for investigators to discover later. At the beginning, hes like, I know this case better than the attorneys, Mr Fitpatrick adds. Inside, they found a relatively normal scene: there were a number of new toys, the childrens car seats were in their positions, and the front seats were adjusted to Summer and Josephs relative sizes. 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. The house was as if somebody just beamed them up to the Starship Enterprise, reporter Tony Shin, who covered the case for KNSD-TV, recalls in the latestepisode of CNBC's American Greed, airing Monday at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Joseph had a newly successful business designing and installing water fountains. 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. Police announced they had arrested Charles "Chase" Merritt, Joseph McStay's business partner, and intended to charge him with the murders. January 21, 2020 Merritt, 62, was sentenced to life in prison for murdering Joseph McStay, 40. The man convicted of killing a California family of four and burying them in the Mojave Desert nearly 10 years ago has been sentenced to death, San Bernardino County Superior Court Judge Michael A . A whole family vanished on February 4, 2010 from their home in Fallbrook, CA.. Skip to main content. 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.. Charles Merritt, former business partner of Joseph McStay, has just been found guilty of killing the entire McStay family with a sledgehammer and burying their bodies in the desert. An autopsy revealed that the cause of death was blunt force trauma, and it appeared they were tortured before they were killed. The defendant faces four counts of murder and the possibility of the death penalty if convicted. 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. At that time, no one knew what happened to the family. 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.. Investigation Discovery's 'Two Shallow Graves' follows the trial of Charles "Chase" Merritt, accused of murdering Joseph McStay and his family. Earlier in the week before the family disappeared, Summer had made plans to visit her sister, who had recently had a baby. Prosecutors said he bludgeoned the family to death with a sledgehammer. I never knew who did it, Ms Watson says in Two Shallow Graves. Get all your true crime news from Oxygen. For years, that was the prevailing belief among law enforcement. Initial investigation revealed that the family car was found at around 11 pm on February 8, 2010, in a parking lot close to the US-Mexico border in San Ysidro, California. John F. Kennedy autopsy photo (#1) 0. 0. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! 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. Your login session has expired. May she rest in eternal peace. 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. Mr McStays friend, Gina Watson, and father, Patrick who called Merritt a ruthless mass murderer in court and told him to burn in hell are among the subjects interviewed in the series. Charles Ray Merritt, 61, stands trial for the murder of a couple and their two sons in San Bernardino County, California. A 3-pound sledgehammer was found with the bodies . Charles Ray Merritt has been named as the suspect in the murders of the McStay family in the San Diego area in 2010. Just a monster.". The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department has yet to release a . 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. However, friends and family claimed this would be out of character, and the couple still had a large amount of money in a bank account that remained untouched. 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 . There was a couple bowls of I believe popcorn that it looked like the boys were eating, possibly watching TV. In addition, investigators also discovered that Summer had changed her name multiple times throughout her life. Thats unusual.. PEOPLE Explains: How the McStay Family Disappeared Into the Desert but Who Killed Them? Investigators believed that the family pictured is likely the McStays, based on analysis of family photos and home videos. However, a breakthrough in the case came in November 2014 when the cops found Merritts DNA on the steering wheel of McStays car. Something doesnt, No , the murder happened in Ohio . This site is to discuss and explore the Mcstay family murders. He was joined by his defense team: three attorneys from the High Desert. The family of four had just moved into their Southern California home when they vanished on the night of Feb. 4, 2010. Cell phone records indicate that he drove home after the meeting, and he continued to make calls into the evening. CNN. 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. McGee stated in his motion that the identity of the victims was not in dispute, and that DNA and dental records positively identified the McStay family as homicide victims after their skeletal remains were discovered in two shallow graves in November 2013, west of the 15 Freeway and north of Stoddard Wells Road. The family had moved into the house three months earlier, and was in the process of unpacking and doing renovations. Our priority is picking up the points as soon as we can. 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. You can also watch "The McStay Family Mystery" on Oxygen's "Killer Motive.". Joseph McStay, his wife Summer, and the couple's two young sons mysteriously disappeared in Feb. 2010. Autopsy Photos. He continued to plead his innocence, and at his sentencing, he told the judge, I dont deserve this. San Bernardino County sheriffs investigators believe Summer McStay, who along with her husband Joseph and two young sons was fatally beaten with a sledgehammer and buried in a shallow grave near Victorville, may have been raped before she was killed, according to a court document. Buried in the Desert: Was a Family Friend Their Killer? A man riding his dirt bike in the area discovered some of the remains and contacted police. When family members were called in to help identify the people on the video, they had mixed reactions. Investigation Discovery's 'Two Shallow Graves' follows the trial of Charles "Chase" Merritt, the man who [] Today, he is still imprisoned at San Quentin State Prison and on death row. Investigators found one of the birth certificates left behind in the home. A 3-pound sledgehammer was found with the bodies, which was believed to be the murder weapon. In the end, Merritt was represented by a defense attorney . 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. Copyright 2022 Crime Museum, LLC - All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy |. Investigators also uncovered an email from Joseph dated Feb. 1, just days before the family disappeared, stating that Merritt owed him nearly $43,000. Prosecutors pushing for the death penalty for McStay family murder suspect Charles Chase Merritt can use one family photo of the victims during trial, a . There is reportedly a DNA match that links Merritt to the McStay vehicle, which was found in San Ysidro near the U.S.-Mexico border. This led to speculation that the family may have willingly fled the country. The autopsy report details the pathologist's findings.. Merritt is charged with murdering the McStay family of four in February 2010 in San Diego County. He found no signs of a break-in, except for a partially open window, which he used to get into the house. Found the resolution to each, I know who really killed Chanin, her husband did not, I have so many questions about this story. Follow the links to read about more violent crimes profiled on ID. The McStay family murders occurred on or about February 4, 2010, after the family disappeared from their home in Fallbrook, California, United States. 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. This information was alarming enough for Josephs brother to call the police and report the family missing, as it was uncharacteristic of them to leave the dogs without food. Their car was located a few days later, near San Diego, close to the Mexican border. 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.. 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 . McGees law partner, Rajan Maline, is also representing Merritt in the case. There were at least four impacts to the skull of Joseph McStay, and at least seven impacts to 4-year-old Gianni. The family did not appear to have any plans to be gone that day. Home; . When Joseph needed to develop his bespoke company, he enlisted Merritt, a fabricator, for assistance. Read More:Nicole Berte Murder: Where is Randy Lee Bode Now? Merritt would also make a bold claim about his last contact with Joseph. Kevin McStay (Mayo): "There's a lot of teams that will beat each other before this League is over. The missing persons flier for the McStay family. The skeletal remains . Summers passport was expired and investigators could not find any records that she had applied for a new one. On February 4, 2010,Summer McStay, her husbandJoseph, and their young sonsGianni andJoseph Jr.disappeared from San Diego, California. 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. The McStay case started . memorial page for Virginia Lisa "Summer" Aranda McStay (27 Dec 1966-4 Feb 2010), Find a Grave Memorial ID 120355781, citing El Toro . Two Shallow Graves is a seven-part docu-series that delves into the details of the case.The premiere . We just had to go over all kinds of money stuff, Merritt told detectives in an interview recording obtained by American Greed.. The murder suspect, Charles "Chase" Merritt, was present in court, wearing a gray shirt and pattern tie that was delivered to him by his family. Their children, Gianni and Joseph Jr., were 4 and 3, respectively. Pic credit: San Diego County Police. On February 15, the family reported them missing, and the authorities searched the house. Investigators from the San Bernardino Sheriffs Department soon uncovered the bodies of all four McStay family membersincluding Joseph, Summer, 4-year-old Gianni and 3-year-old JosephJr.buried in two shallow graves in the harsh desert. Merritt is accused of killing his former business associate, Joseph McStay, McStay's wife Summer, and their two small children on Feb. 4, 2010. While Joseph went to a work meeting, Summer spoke to her sister over the phone and planned to visit later. The following year, police arrested Merritt, whod worked with Mr McStay in his custom waterfall business. Inside, he found a relatively normal scene. Family members of the victims were emotional in court during the preliminary hearing Monday. Lots of peoples names came up, and lots of different theories came up, executive producer Jacinda A Davis tells The Independent. Visitation will be held on Sunday, March 5th 2023 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM at the Perry-McStay Funeral Home (2555 Pawtucket Ave, East Providence, RI 02914). 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. Randi Kaye discusses her investigation into the murder of the McStay family, including her interview with "Chase" Merritt 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. Although Merritt adamantly denied being at the location of the makeshift graves, he was arrested by the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Office on Nov. 5, 2014 and charged with four counts of murder. How did four people end up here in the middle of nowhere, over 100 miles from where they live? he asked. A bombshell witness upends the Merritt murder trial, claiming someone else confessed to the McStay murders. 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. That changed in November 2013, when the bodies were found in the desert along with a sledgehammer believed to be the murder weapon. Joseph's brother expressed his sorrow, saying. These bodies were soon confirmed as the McStay family. Lord Hanuman Angry Animated Wallpapers Hd posted by Sarah Anderson a28a80e3cc. As it turned out, someone from animal control had stopped by and fed the dogs, so Summer and Joseph had not arranged for someone to feed them. Dan Hanke tells American Greed that when investigators examined Josephs QuickBooks account they did, in fact, discover a series of checks made out to Merritt or other vendors that Merrittowed money to that were dated Feb. 4, but the metadata stored within the computer revealed that the checks had not actually been written that day. Complete Murderpedia Autopsy Photos online with US Legal Forms.. .. Descargar Dmelect Gratis. The McStay Family Memorial is located in a very rural desert area directly north of the I-15 Stoddart Wells/Quary Rd exit. Its not all as simple as it seems; I think thats the point of the show, Mr Fitzpatrick tells The Independent. Part of the mystery was solved in November 2013 when a motorcyclist stumbled upon two shallow graves in the desert near Victorville and unearthed human remains. 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. The San Diego Sheriffs Department even posted footage of a family that resembled the McStays walking across the border to Mexico. A carton of eggs lay on the counter, and two bowls of popcorn were located in the living room. At that point, the investigation shifted from searching for missing persons to investigating a possible murder. The morning of February 4, 2010, started like any other day for the family. This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this . To add a new type of media, please go to the Admin Console. 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. A family photo shows Joseph McStay, his wife Summer and sons Gianni and Joseph. In 2019, Charles "Chase" Merritt was accused of killing Joseph McStay's family during his trial for the murders. It certainly isn't justice, not for Murray or for her family. The family had been savagely beaten to death. Merritt had previously worked with Joseph McStay, who owned and ran the Earth Inspired Products decorative fountain company.

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