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"Death was the appropriate verdict for those three offenses," the judge said. 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. Everything with her seemed to be done for gain.. Two days later, two sets of remains were officially identified as those of Joseph and Summer McStay. Just a monster., After a delay, the convicted killer of the McStay family of Fallbrook will be sentenced today. Working through prosecutor Rodriguezs objections, Maline asked Blake, Do remember if it bounced?. Finally, Joseph McStay's only surviving son from a previous marriage, Jonah McStay, took the podium. 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. 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. He was arrested last year. At one point he said to me, "Maybe I should start eating out more and stop eating her food". Merritt is fully aware that his book will ruffle feathers and anger certain people, but he believes his intimate knowledge of Josephs life means he may be able to shed some light on the mystery. 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, missing for more than three years, had been found buried in the High Desert near Victorville. 'This despicable, evil monster. 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 58-year-old Merritt is. Gov. Six victim impact statements were heard before Merritt got a chance to speak at the continued sentencing hearing Tuesday. She had asked to get the money back, she said, But I never saw any., Blake had told an investigator that Merritt told her he completed a job for a customer in Saudi Arabia and was paid $17,000. His son, Joseph, his daughter-in-law, Summer, and their two little boys, Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3 vanished. Prosecutors contend greed is the motive for the murders. Trademark and Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. The bodies were identified asJoseph, Summer, Joseph Mateo, and Gianani McStay. 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. California currently has a moratorium on death row executions. So unnatural," he said. The next week, deputies released a video of a group of people similar to the McStay family entering Mexico hand in hand through the pedestrian gate around 7 p.m. on February 8, 2010, the same day their vehicle was towed. Last month marked the 3rd anniversary since a family of four mysteriously vanished from their Southern California home. A neighbor's security camera was triggered at 7:47PM when the McStays . Prosecutors say he bludgeoned them with a sledgehammer. On February 13, Joseph's brother Michael traveled to the McStay residence and climbed in and gained entry to the home upon finding an open window in the back. The hearing, which consumed more than 10 hours, concluded with several emotional statements from McStays mother, brother, in-laws and surviving son, as well as from Merritt himself, who continued to maintain his innocence, I loved Joseph, he said, his voice shaking a times. 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. I just spoke to the prosecuting attorney in the Merritt case. Investigators believed the murder weapon was a 3-pound sledgehammer, which was found in the grave containing the remains of Summer and her son. The case has sparked endless speculation, with both the police and amateur sleuths coming up with countless theories, some plausible, some wild and outrageous. His most recent felony conviction, in 2001, was for the theft of $32,000 worth of welding and drilling equipment from San Gabriel Valley Ornamental Iron Works in Monrovia, California. But the details of this case go back decades and has many twists and turns. The impression I get is that Summer would use her sexuality to get attention and get what she wanted. 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. "So unnatural. Princess Diana's nieces Lady Eliza and Amelia share Do not sell or share my personal information. Just a monster. Joseph McStay's brother, Michael McStay, took his turn. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges that he killed McStay, 40, a former business associate; his wife, Summer, 43, and their two children, Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3, in their Fallbrook home on Feb. 4, 2010, then buried their bodies more than 100 miles away in two shallow graves in the Mojave Desert, north of Victorville and west of the 15 Freeway. Merritt looked at Blake as she spoke. Blakes testimony came during the second day in the capital murder trial of Charles Chase Merrit, 61, of Rancho Cucamonga. In the book, he speculated that Summer might have committed the murders. I know you dont believe me and thats what kills me, he added. Three years later, the remains of the family were discovered in a shallow grave in a remote desert in Southern California. Joseph McStay and his wife, Summer, and their 4- and 3-year sons, Gianni and Joseph Jr., were a fun-loving, happy family who'd recently settled into a comfortable life in Fallbrook, California. And then the family that was killed by their own friend?'" Merritt lashed out at prosecutors he said framed him, some witnesses he accused of lying and the judge he said allowed it to happen. Duchess dons $1,610 Carolina Herrera cape, $300 vegan leather Lovely in lilac! Never again will we hear their voices. #mcstay #nbc7 pic.twitter.com/CGQmypfaZb. [2], On November 7, 2014, police announced they had arrested Charles "Chase" Merritt, Joseph McStay's business partner, and intended to charge him with the murders. The sentencing was supposed to begin at 8:30 a.m. but was delayed by about an hour because Merritt, for unknown reasons, wasn't transported to the courthouse. At the time, Joseph owned an online company named Earth Inspired Products that sold decorative water fountains. 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. By February 2016, he had gone through five attorneys. 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. Why were they gone? [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. "I loved Joseph. 'And then as the days went by, you start thinking, "Okay, something's not right here." We are no longer accepting comments on this article. "Our family has already received a life sentence. I would have never raised my hand for a woman or child. Jackie Collins taught me everything I know. [28], In January 2018, a trial-setting conference was scheduled for February 23. All rights reserved. For years, police speculated they. How scared were they, Chase? They make up a small part of Merritts new book, which is due to be released later this year. His mother Susan Blake gave an interview to Myvalleynews.com six weeks after her sons disappearance, where she said she was very concerned about his health. [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? Judge just denied defense motion to reduce potential sentence to life in prison (Judge will also consider death). Dont worry, your fate will be way less tragic than of the family you murdered.. She would fawn over him and call him, her Joseppi. Joseph McStay's mother, Susan Blake, followed. McStay family went missing nearly three years ago Surveillance video shows four people of similar size crossing into Mexico Relatives dispute author's claim that wife was involved in. The home had no signs of forced entry. I would never raise my hand to a woman or a child.". Why? Imes asked, and Michael broke down on the witness stand. 'He told me he was in a hurry because he had a lunch meeting,' the dad told Killer Motive host Troy Roberts. You cannot get back time. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. [29] Merritt's attorney filed a motion in San Bernardino Superior Court on April 7, 2018, arguing that Joseph's business and accounting records were hearsay evidence and therefore inadmissible. California has not executed anyone since 2006. I even went to the hospital with him to try and see what was wrong; we thought maybe it was stress.'. 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. 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. 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. He maintained his innocence, saying something has always been "amiss" in this case. 'I'm gonna get out the information and try to find them.'. He just gave me the quote of the day on the continuing delays. "Hes an excellent surfer and soccer player. His arrest was announced on November 7, 2014. Charles Chase Merritt was convicted in June of killing his former business associate Joseph McStay, McStays wife, Summer, and their 4- and 3-year-old sons, Gianni and Joseph Jr. 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. An acquaintance of Merritt's told a San Diego reporter, "I think police should look at him and anyone associated with him. We are scarred for life., Its been almost 10 years and the pain hasnt subsided, she added. What lack of sleep REALLY does to your face: Expert reveals the warning signs your skin is suffering, My Daily Horoscope: What does March 2nd hold for MY star sign? Three years later, their bodies were found in a remote desert location more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) away in San Bernardino County. How they stalked the stalker: A gripping new true crime 'It did get weird': Couple who are in the middle of divorce Woman finds out her husband was cheating on her after he was made an equally emotional statement ahead of the sentencing being handed down, telling the court how the killings had scarred their lives. And if the truth be told, despite everything, he was still infatuated with Summer. Sheriffs investigators believeSummer McStay may have been rapedbefore she was killed. The parents of a man who disappeared with his wife and two young children have detailed how they searched for the family for years before it was discovered that their son's business partner brutally murdered them with a sledgehammer. #nbc7 https://t.co/muZXjqJBFT. The family's computer had recent internet searches for: 'What documents do children need for traveling to Mexico?' The McStay family of Fallbrook was last heard from or seen on Feb. 4, 2010. Susan said they would stop in little towns that had just a gas station and a grocery store to post flyers. Inconclusive: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, Frustrating: The McStays friends and family insisted they would never go to Mexico with their children, but there was no other explanation, Heartbreaking: On November 11, 2013, an off-road motorcyclist came across the family's human remains in San Bernardino County's Mojave Desert. Testimony in the trial is scheduled to continue Wednesday. Where were they? They were in the process of remodeling their four-bedroom, three-bathroom home when they went missing. Blake said Merritt and Kavanugh got into arguments in two meetings during the spring of 2010. Crying for Mommy and Daddy? 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,. As a precaution, investigators took DNA samples from the car, but there was still no evidence of foul play. The attorney stopped Merritt, saying, "You can't.". In the summer of 2021, shocking news rocked the state of South Carolina. By Jill Sederstrom The McStay Family Goes Missing Now Playing Preview The McStay Family Goes Missing 2:14 Preview McStay Family Car Found Near Mexican Border 2:24 It was believed to have been parked there between 5:30 and 7:00 that evening. All of the motions were denied. Joseph and Summer McStay had two sons Gianni and Joseph Jr. Arent you tired, man? he asked. We're just the clowns.". Situated in northern San Diego County, the community is known as "The Friendly Village." Sadly, disaster would soon strike the tranquil town. On the surface, while tragic, it may not seem all that crazy. Four years ago, Patrick McStay lost everything he loved. The family had moved to Fallbrook, 45 miles north of San Diego, in November 2009 fromSan Clemente. He has been the entertainment editor, a features writer, a business writer and is now a courts and breaking news reporter. A lot of his close friends did not trust her and thought she treated him very badly. Don't worry, your fate will be way less tragic than that of the family you murdered. May 23, 2022 Investigation Discovery's ' Two Shallow Graves' follows the trial of Charles "Chase" Merritt, accused of murdering Joseph McStay and his family. "From Day One, I just had this gut feeling that I was never going to see them again," he said, swallowing tears. Michael did not find any family at home, and their two dogs were in the backyard. In the gallery sat Merritt's daughter and brother. I would never hurt him in any way. 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. called the investigation into his son's disappearance . Merritt added: If Im honest, I have no idea why he put up with it. He will focus on a number of key incidents and characters and try to paint a picture of what really happened in the lead up to that fateful day. June 10, 2019 Merritt is found guilty of murdering the McStay family. "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. 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. A grainy video captured at a nearby border crossing deepened the mystery. Alex Murdaugh Is Guilty! The family disappeared without a trace in February 2010. 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. Chase, you are a low-life coward and a baby killer. Now Merritt who actually took a voluntary lie detector test at the time of their disappearance and was the last person to see Joseph alive has decided to write a tell all book, in an effort to clear up the mystery. Instead, they said, authorities zeroed in on an innocent man. That family that went missing? " Finally, Joseph McStay's only surviving son from a previous marriage, Jonah McStay, took. 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.'. List of journal articles on the topic 'Kirkland House (Cambridge, Mass.)'. Summer's sister stated that her passport was expired. Published: 23:50 GMT, 22 January 2021 | Updated: 23:58 GMT, 22 January 2021. 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. But despite that public front, I know, prior to their disappearance they had not had sex in more than a year. Joseph's father, Patrick McStay, told the Los Angeles Times in 2011. Chase, you are a low-life baby killer, Blake said as Merritt stared at her impassively. She talked about how the slayings of her son, daughter-in-law, and grandsons have destroyed her family. 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. [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. NBC 7 was once again inside the courtroom Tuesday. Joseph McStay, his wife Summer, and the couple's two young sons mysteriously disappeared in Feb. 2010. The case initially puzzled. How scared were they, Chase? He said: Summer was a very self-centered, self-obsessed person with an awful temper. Joseph was his older brother, by three years, two months, three days, he toldSan Bernardino County Supervising Deputy District Attorney Britt Imes. [27], Prosecutors allege that Merritt had a gambling problem and killed the McStay family for financial gain. Gunfire at 7-Eleven stores killed a clerk in Brea and a 24-year-old man in Santa Ana and injured three others in La Habra and Riverside early Monday, July 11, authorities said. Chase, you are a low-life coward and a baby killer. Merritt who was once a person of interest in the familys 2010 disappearance claims some of Josephs friends started telling him to be careful around Summer, 43. [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. If you were trying to save the business, Ms. Blake, what steps did you take to learn about the funds that were coming into the business and going out of the business, Maline asked, surviving an objection from Rodriguez. "No more surfing; no more anything., Michael McStay said the court should never forget what this case is really about: "Those four innocent people and the lives they never got to live.". This included Susan Blake, Joseph McStay's mother. Arent you tired? 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. We're just the clowns," Imes said. 'You had a choice. [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. My brother was I looked up to my brother. It is my deepest desire in my own life not to spread pain and suffering, said a soft-spoken Jonah McStay. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group, PrettyLittleThing - Offers on women's clothing, Get inspired by the newest styles and offers, Click through for ASOS promo codes this Autumn, Spend less with Missguided's exclusive codes, Treat yourself to offers on make-up and accessories, Check out the latest Wayfair sale to save on furniture. And while he does not believe Summer was directly involved, he will dedicate a significant amount of the book to her behavior and the couples relationship. Father of Joseph McStay, whose remains and wife's were found this week after 2010 disappearance, calls San Diego Sheriff's Dept. Jurors in San Bernardino. 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!' 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. The court took a brief break. 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. 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.". We dont run this circus. #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. But even then rumors of dubious dealings with Mexican cartels bubbled away. The newly unsealed documents indicate Joseph McStay lent Chase Merritt money to cover a gambling debt before McStay and his family disappeared in February 2010. Who'll find love on our blind date? Family members react to the arrest: Summer McStays brother-in-law, Joseph Russell, speaks and then Michael McStay, brother of Joseph McStay, speaks. Merritt also says Summer had a terrible temper and would often snap at her husband over completely insignificant things. The shocking claims will stun everyone who has followed the McStay family disappearance since they first went missing back on February 4, 2010. Our last name is mentioned. "Ultimately, I hope to be a father and when I am, I will hold my children close," he continued. Obviously there wasnt money coming in, cause I was paying for money going out., So to your knowledge, Maline said, there is no money coming in, or you didnt learn of any money coming in.. Merritt was supposed to be sentenced last Friday, Jan. 17, but dramatic twists, turns, and delays prevented that from happening as planned. The father's parents, Patrick McStay and Susan Blake, have opened up about the murders on the second season of the Oxygen true-crime series Killer Motive, which premieres on January 23. Patrick noted that it was 'highly unusual for [the dogs] to be left out alone like that. 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 McStays' skeletal remains were unearthed along with a three-pound rusted sledgehammer believed to be the murder weapon a bra and a child's pants and diaper. she said. 14:31 EST 05 Jan 2014. He had a son from a previous relationship, who he didnt get to see much of and he was terrified that would happen with his two boys if he left Summer. Video recorded the evening of February 8, released on March 5, showed a family of four resembling the McStays crossing the border. [33] The court upheld the jury's recommendation, and Merritt was sentenced to death on January 21, 2020. 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. Just stop all the appeals, all the shenanigans. I know the thought of leaving her crossed his mind, probably quite a lot, but he would never actually go through with it., The comments below have not been moderated, 'Insane' man who lived with his dead mother and stepfather for three days after murdering them recaptured one day after escaping from mental institution, Alabama pastor suspected of stabbing wife to death in July arrested as he tried to board flight to Germany, 'Jail food is cold, the water's bad and my cell doesn't have a microwave': Drug lord suspect writes to complain about prison conditions as he awaits trial, 'Can you imagine telling your four kids he's gone, then he turns up alive? 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. Speaking exclusively to MailOnline Merritt who worked with Joseph in his fountain business - said: I was extremely close to Joseph. He went to the doctor a number of times, but they just didnt know what was wrong with him. "I hope you burn in Hell," he told the man convicted of killing his son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren. "Closer still because I know what it's like to lose people I love.". Hes considering motion of insufficient evidence to support verdict. #McStay family visibly frustrated. Merritt is charged with killing his business associate Joseph McStay; McStay's wife, Summer; and their 3- and 4-year-old sons. (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. If I want to speak with him, I have to go to a gravesite," Michael McStay added. Patrick said, "I truly believe she loved my son. Were they scared, Chase? Just a monster.". 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. Joseph McStay owned a custom fountain business and worked with Merritt. (File photo by Kurt Miller, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG). Related research topic ideas. 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. How can you take that all in?, Susan Blake, right, mother of Joseph McStay, reaches over and holds the hand of her other son Michael McStay, left, at a press conference at the San Bernardino Sheriff Headquarters, Friday, November 15, 2013. He was married to Summer McStay for seven years. 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. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. 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. Bogg Bag Replacement Parts, Fallout 4 Looksmenu Customization Compendium, Como Quitar El Sarro Del Extractor De Jugos, Paris Lee Bennett Write A Prisoner, Winchester Model 43 218 Bee Ammo, Articles J

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