[31] The trial finally began on January 7, 2019, in a San Bernardino court, with both sides making opening statements. when an off-road motorcyclist came across them in the Mojave Desert, New weekly farmers market opens in Cardiff, Dierks Bentleys Gravel & Gold tour coming to San, Vehicle pursuit prompts lane closures on SR-76, SD animal sanctuary rescues cougar orphanedin car, 2 critically injured in head-on collision, Teenage bicyclist hurt in hit-and-run crash, Experts explain concerns, benefits from CA storms, Best deals of Presidents Day weekend 2023, Forgot about Valentines Day? 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. 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. 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. A grainy video captured at a nearby border crossing deepened the mystery. Im heading to San Bernardino and will keep you updated. [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). [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. And then the family that was killed by their own friend?'" Father of Joseph McStay, whose remains and wife's were found this week after 2010 disappearance, calls San Diego Sheriff's Dept. I just dont remember very much because I fell to the office floor. "Hes an excellent surfer and soccer player. On Feb. 15, the family was reported missing to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department. Judge just denied defense motion to reduce potential sentence to life in prison (Judge will also consider death). Chase Merritt, 62, is facing a potential death sentence, or life in prison. The fountain designer has always been seen as a key player in the mystery as he was one of Josephs closest friends and his most trusted business associate. "Death was the appropriate verdict for those three offenses," the judge said. [34], On May 22, 2022, the case was looked at again on the Investigation Discovery docuseries Two Shallow Graves. Joseph's cellphone pinged a tower in Fallbrook. What about the little guys? At center is Erin McStay, Michaels wife. Sentencing still has not happened. The evidence finally placing Merritt at the scene of the crime was his cellphone data, prosecutors said. Here are the seven best ways to wear them this spring. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Crying for Mommy and Daddy? 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. 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. Victorville, California CNN . Il ne rpond pas au . Arent you tired? He has been the entertainment editor, a features writer, a business writer and is now a courts and breaking news reporter. Patrick McStay, Joseph's father, was informed of the discovery and phoned missing person advocate Jerrie Dean to tell her what he knew. The bodies of the McStay family were found buried in the Mojave desert in 2013, three years after the family vanished from their home in San Diego County. Three years later, their bodies were found in a remote desert location more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) away in San Bernardino County. I would never have hurt him in any way. (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. The bodies of two members of a family that went missing in 2010 have been identified. '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. 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. 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. [15] Baker began following the case in 2013 after interviewing Michael McStay on his program. Authorities think they've caught the killer, who is awaiting trial, and the family. 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. [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. Blakes testimony came during the second day in the capital murder trial of Charles Chase Merrit, 61, of Rancho Cucamonga. , updated Chase, you are a low-life coward and a baby killer. When the bodies were found, he offered a refund to those who purchased his book before November 2013. Related research topic ideas. - The mysterious disappearance of Joseph McStay, his wife Summer, and their two sons in February 2010 raised a lot of questions. This included Susan Blake, Joseph McStay's mother. Who killed the McStay family? Joseph McStay, his wife Summer, and the couple's two young sons mysteriously disappeared in Feb. 2010. Investigators said they also traced Merritts cellphone to the area where the bodies were buried in the days after the family disappeared and to a call seeking to close McStays online bookkeeping account. Joseph McStay's mother, Susan Blake, followed. Ultimately, officials determined it was not the McStay family in that video. 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. Gavin Newsom has placed a moratorium on executions while he's in office. Charles "Chase" Merritt, who was convicted of murdering the McStay family of four of Fallbrook, speaks to the judge before his sentencing at San Bernardino Superior Court in San Bernardino on. He was the last known person to see Joseph alive, during an hour-and-a-half long meeting in Rancho Cucamonga, California just hours before the family vanished into thin air. Patrick McStay was there, too, along with other members of the McStay family, including Joseph McStay's brother, Michael McStay. He was sentenced to death on January 21, 2020. [3] The trial began on January 7, 2019, in San Bernardino. Joseph was his older brother, by three years, two months, three days, he toldSan Bernardino County Supervising Deputy District Attorney Britt Imes. Then a few people started putting the idea in his head that maybe Summer was behind it. While Merritt does not think Summer was directly involved, he has revealed she treated Joseph horrendously in the years before they went missing. With the motions finally out of the way, the judge moved on to the victim impact statements just before 11:20 a.m. Merritt was also expected to speak after the victims delivered their statements. (File photo by Kurt Miller, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG). A judge denied a motion to reduce Charles Merritt's sentencing from the death penalty to life in prison wihtout parole in the killings of Summer McStay, Gianni McStay and Joseph McStay Jr. Michael McStay talks about how much he misses his brother Joseph McStay at Merritt's sentencing. On February 15, Michael phoned the San Diego County Sheriff's Department (SDSD) and reported that his brother and his family were missing. An acquaintance of Merritt's told a San Diego reporter, "I think police should look at him and anyone associated with him. Day by day, month by month, the case grew colder. Investigators testified they believed the victims were tortured before they were killed. (File photo by Kurt Miller, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG), In this file photo Susan Blake, mother of Joseph McStay, wipes her eyes at a press conference at the San Bernardino Sheriff Headquarters on Friday, November 15, 2013. I would have never raised my hand for a woman or child. Arguing, and Dan just wasnt going to budge, she said. Kavanaugh has denied any involvement in the familys disappearance and slayings. Oscar Cainer tells all, How to dress like a grown up: Trust me, loose fit can be flattering, says Shane Watson, Anti-agers no one but you needs to know about,Inge Van Lotringen tells all. All of the motions were denied. You start calling his cellphones, her cellphones,' she said. But when Rodriguez questioned her Tuesday, Blake said, Thats what was said, but I dont know for sure.. Arent you tired, man? he asked. The family had been beaten to death with a three-pound sledgehammer found in one of the graves. By February 2016, he had gone through five attorneys. 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. He was arrested last year. 'We went all the way down to Cabo because at first they said there were sightings, and then we just took the car and went north. Joseph McStay, de 40 aos, su mujer, Summer, de 43, y sus hijos Gianni, de 4, y Joseph Jr., de 3, desaparecieron de su casa en Fallbrook, California, el 4 de febrero de 2010 DESAPARICIN " Finally, Joseph McStay's only surviving son from a previous marriage, Jonah McStay, took. We used to speak to each other 10 or 12 times almost every day and we would talk about absolutely everything. In the McStay family murders, Judge listens to arguments that sentence should be reduced from death penalty to life in prison without parole. Finally, Joseph McStay's only surviving son from a previous marriage, Jonah McStay, took the podium. For years, police speculated they. But despite that public front, I know, prior to their disappearance they had not had sex in more than a year. Just a monster., After a delay, the convicted killer of the McStay family of Fallbrook will be sentenced today. He maintains his innocence. 'I'm gonna get out the information and try to find them.'. Immediately, the mysterious case gripped the community. A license plate search for the vehicle led to the discovery that the McStay's SUV had been towed from a parking lot near San Ysidro, California, right near the U.S.-Mexico border, on February 8, 2010, four days after they went missing. Charles Merritt was convicted of killing Joseph and Summer McStay along with their two sons. 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. It would take years for investigators to discover the family's grisly fate. 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. I know you dont believe me and thats what kills me, he added. Michael did not find any family at home, and their two dogs were in the backyard. Merritt was found guilty on June 10, 2019, on four counts of murder. In the family's home, investigators found bowls of uneaten popcorn, as if the family had just been there, and planned to return. Obviously that was a real problem for Joseph and he used to talk to me about it regularly. Despite all the problems they had and how explosive Summer was, I dont know if he ever truly believed she was capable of that, but it was definitely something he considered. I'm so bummed out after realising my diagnosis made a few years ago is legitimate. When their remains were unearthed, investigators also found a rusty sledgehammer that they said was used to kill the family. Joseph and Summer McStay had two sons Gianni and Joseph Jr. I was just trying to keep the customers or whoever was calling calm and hopefully to keep the business going. She had once told him she wanted that song played at her funeral. 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. 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. 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. Finally, Joseph McStay's only surviving son from a previous marriage, Jonah McStay, took the podium. Seven months later, on November 11, 2013, an off-road motorcyclist came across human remains in San Bernardino County's Mojave Desert. Joseph McStay, 40, and his wife, Summer, 43, disappeared along with their two children, Gianna, 4, and Joseph, 3, from their their serene San Diego-area community more than a month ago. A small public memorial was held Wednesday afternoon in honor of the McStay family, a couple and their two young sons whose bodies were discovered last week in the Mojave Desert. Charles Merritt was found guilty of murdering a family of four, and now the jury is recommending the death penalty. "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.". A decade after the family went missing, their killer was sentenced to death in January 202. His attorney was arguing motions before Merritt was set to be sentenced. According to state records, Merritt had felony convictions for burglary and receiving stolen property. #nbc7 https://t.co/5tmfTOuzsD. The impression I get is that Summer would use her sexuality to get attention and get what she wanted. Chase, you are a low-life coward and a baby killer. (File photo by Peter Surowski, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG), In this file photo, Michael McStay, the brother of Joseph McStay and his mother Susan Blake enter the court through the throng of media before the start of the preliminary hearing on Monday, June 15, 2015 for Charles Merritt in the 2010 slayings of four McStay family members in Fallbrook. 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. Do I think Chase is involved? The 30 Best Shows on Netflix for Kids. I loved Joseph. #mcstay #nbc7 pic.twitter.com/gDh8XuxqiV, Merritt said he has the "utmost disdain" for the investigators and prosecutors who "put them all in this courtroom" and for the people who, in his words, "manipulated the evidence.". The surviving McStay family members held an emotional memorial for. 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. He was a big part of my life and my familys life. I even went to the hospital with him to try and see what was wrong; we thought maybe it was stress.'. His son, Joseph, his daughter-in-law, Summer, and their two little boys, Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3 vanished. 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. Merritt later told police that he ignored the voicemail because he was watching a movie. 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. Jackie Collins taught me everything I know. He was married to Summer McStay for seven years. [24] When asked if he thought Merritt was a suspect, Joseph's father Patrick said, "I have to have faith in Chase because I have to have faith in my son. 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? How scared were they, Chase? Merritt also says Summer had a terrible temper and would often snap at her husband over completely insignificant things. 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. May 23, 2022 Investigation Discovery's ' Two Shallow Graves' follows the trial of Charles "Chase" Merritt, accused of murdering Joseph McStay and his family. In the book, he speculated that Summer might have committed the murders. Homicide investigators search the family's home on Avocado Vista Lane and found no sign of a struggle. Merritt looked at Blake as she spoke. She said they clashed in front of her as they argued how to keep the business going. Indiana Man Charged After Son In Diapers Points Gun At . [28], In January 2018, a trial-setting conference was scheduled for February 23.
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