He continued to plead his innocence, and at his sentencing, he told the judge, I dont deserve this. Witnesses say those checks were backdated to the last day the family was seen. Reports state that it was via Joseph's flourishing decorative fountain business and Earth Inspired Products that the two first became acquainted. The sledge hammer is the likely murder weapon. But that changed when the remains of the McStay family were found in November 2013, [] Summer McStay may have been raped before 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), Summer McStay may have been raped before she was killed, buried in desert, court document says, Baby girl Winter of Lake Arrowhead is born amid raging blizzard, There are many ways to fight writers block, find inspiration, A.K. Joseph Sr ran a successful waterfall business in suburban California, spending every inch of spare time with his raven-haired wife, Summer, and their two young sons, Gianni, four, and Joey Jr, three. Everything. Our priority is picking up the points as soon as we can. Surveillance footage from the border from a few hours prior seemed to show a family of four crossing the border. Two days later, the remains were identified as the McStay family. Source: wikipedia | CBS News |. The autopsy revealed all four victims died from blunt force trauma to their heads. Investigation Discovery aired a docuseries focused on the McStay family murders in late May. memorial page for Virginia Lisa "Summer" Aranda McStay (27 Dec 1966-4 Feb 2010), Find a Grave Memorial ID 120355781, citing El Toro . Do you, This was definitely in IL because we are friends with, Hi. 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 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. Everything was circumstantial. NBC article. 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 . Lets make no mistake about it, Mr. Merritt is innocent, Maline tells American Greed.. District Attorneys Office spokesman Christopher Lee declined to comment Thursday, saying it would be inappropriate given the ongoing criminal case. The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department has yet to release a . 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. 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. McGee argued that the use of family photos and/or videos in the case should only be relevant if they are used for identifying victims, otherwise they are irrelevant. Joseph was 40-years-old back then, and Summer was 43. Given the evidence, Chase was eventually found guilty of murdering the McStay family. Ive heard people say that before and it not be true. It would take years for investigators to discover the family's grisly fate. Josephs father Patrick McStay, however, continues to be haunted by Merritts dark deeds. However, a new discovery on border surveillance video changed the course of the investigation. Merritt insists on his innocence in the face of the prosecution's evidence, raising the question: Did Merritt murder the McStay family? Defense attorney Rajan Maline has continued to proclaimhis clients innocence, arguing there's no physical evidence linking Merritt to themurder scene. Merritt had previously worked with Joseph McStay, who owned and ran the Earth Inspired Products decorative fountain company. When Joseph needed to develop his bespoke company, he enlisted Merritt, a fabricator, for assistance. Merritt, who faces the death penalty if convicted, has pleaded not guilty to the crimes. They were living at Fallbrook and simply listed as missing. How did four people end up here in the middle of nowhere, over 100 miles from where they live? he asked. USA Spot News. But the killer remained a mystery until investigators uncovered a disturbing clue they said pointed them toward Joseph McStays close friend and business associate, Charles Chase Merritt. Case 7, McStay. A carton of eggs lay on the counter, and two bowls of popcorn were located in the living room. I think that, when this show airs, so many people know the case Theres going to be a lot of debate. Just a monster.". Earlier in the week before the family disappeared, Summer had made plans to visit her sister, who had recently had a baby. Merritts trial finally began on January 7, 2019 and on June 10, 2019, a San Bernardino County jury found Merritt guilty of murdering the McStay family. The cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head. I think its probably true; he has read everything, hes currently working on a book about his case and hes constantly working on it in some way. Theres a carton of eggs on the table as if maybe Summer or Joseph were about to make some food or something and the dogs, they had two dogs, they were just left there.. Case 8, Dorothy Scott Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! There were no signs of foul play, but the fact that they had left the car and toys four days after leaving home, so close to the Mexican border was bizarre. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Syd Field Four Screenplays Pdf 11 !!HOT!! 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. Two Shallow Graves also points to an advertisement allegedly placed by the same man to sell the water fountain business from under its rightful owner. Merritt is documented as writing checks totaling $21,000 on McStays business account, after McStay went missing. The accused was found guilty of the charges against him. 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. The familys remains were later unearthed by sheriffs crime scene investigators and forensic anthropologists. Arrest in slaying of . The ID series features new interviews with Merritt who, unsurprisingly, remains adamant that he is innocent as well as trial footage, interviews with legal teams and the McStays loved ones. He was joined by his defense team: three attorneys from the High Desert. Please be respectful of the memorial and do not leave any trash when you . Timeline of Gabby Petito Tragedy 1 Year After Killer Brian Laundrie's Body Was Found, Calif. Man Gets Death Penalty for Killing Business Partner, Victim's Wife, Kids Before Burying Bodies, Murder, Greed and the Mojave Desert: The Mystery Behind the McStay Family Murder. The remains were identified as the McStay familys and were buried in two shallow graves. 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 . In an interview with detectives just two weeks after the family was last seen, Merritt talked about his friend in the past tense. Two Shallow Graves: The McStay Family Murders: With Suzanne Armstrong, Tony Azzaro, Taylor Jarvis, Shawn Patrick Murphy. Gas prices rise for 31st consecutive day in LA County, Carjacking victim comes face to face with suspect during wild chase, How Paul Murdaugh helped solve his own murder. Skip Ancestry navigation Main Menu Home We just had to go over all kinds of money stuff, Merritt told detectives in an interview recording obtained by American Greed.. So, lets find out what happened then, shall we? 'It was blow after blow after blow to a child's skull,' the prosecutor said. Investigators believed that the family pictured is likely the McStays, based on analysis of family photos and home videos. The story of the McStay family is one that has baffled San Diego investigators for years.. Princess Diana flashes a cheeky grin in rare bikini photos. Jaroslav Jerry Hanel had tormented the Diamond Head, Huong Lee and Long Nyugen were an elderly Vietnamese couple. Family members of the victims were emotional in court during the preliminary hearing Monday. Josephs business partner, Chase, claimed to have met him for a lunch meeting on the afternoon of February 4, 2010. Merritt was a close friend to the McStays and a business partner. On Thursday, February 4, the last day that the McStay family was heard from, Joseph attended regular work meetings. In April 2013, the San Diego Sheriffs Department turned the case over to the FBI, which was more equipped to investigate cases that involve other countries. At the beginning, hes like, I know this case better than the attorneys, Mr Fitpatrick adds. 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. He found no signs of a break-in, except for a partially open window, which he used to get into the house. The missing persons flier for the McStay family. Each is holding the hand of a child. This gave him a flexible schedule and the ability to work from home, so he could spend more time with his family. There were at least four impacts to the skull of Joseph McStay, and at least seven impacts to 4-year-old Gianni. 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. There is reportedly a DNA match that links Merritt to the McStay May 27, 2021 The McStay family murders occurred on or near February 4, 2010, after the family disappeared from their home in Fallbrook, California, Mcstay family autopsy photos Merritt is on trial for the murder of the McStay family from Fallbrook tried to cover his tracks after the murders. While Joseph went to a work meeting, Summer spoke to her sister over the phone and planned to visit later. Today, he is still imprisoned at San Quentin State Prison and on death row. Two Shallow Graves airs Sunday from 9/8c on Investigation Discovery. Is anyone feeling that the mom has strong narcissistic vibes, I worked on both cases. 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. Dylan Eason and Isaiah Churchwell were convicted of murdering Cynthia William "Patrick" Alexander remains in prison for murder. Investigation Discovery's 'Two Shallow Graves' follows the trial of Charles "Chase" Merritt, the man who [] 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, .. Two days later, the remains were identified as the McStay family. Though it is possible that Summer was using a different name, there are no records of passports under any of her other names. 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. Charles Merritt Gets Death Penalty McStay Family Murders PHOTO: Charles Ray Merritt was arrested on Nov.. 5, 2021 by the San.. Since opening statements Jan. 7, prosecutors have tried to show jurors that he was the person who killed the McStay family in their Fallbrook home in northern San Diego County and buried them near the High Desert town of Victorville in San Bernardino County. Merritt faces the death penalty if convicted as charged in the case. In addition, security cameras for the parking lot from which the car was towed confirmed that the car had not arrived there until the afternoon of February 8, so there was four days of which the family was unaccounted for. 4:25. 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. According to reports, three years after their disappearance, the family's remains were unearthed in two shallow graves in a remote area of the California desert. The authorities also found Chases DNA on the steering wheel and the gearshift handle of the McStay family car; he had claimed earlier to have never driven that vehicle. Jan 18, 2020 MCSTAY FAMILY AUTOPSY PHOTOS.. Man convicted of killing McStay family sentenced to death .. SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. At that time, no one knew what happened to the family. Family members of the victims . According to cell tower data, on February 4, 2010, his phone was near the McStay family home. Prosecutors told jurors Merritt killed the family after learning Mr McStay was cutting him out; they said the victim told friends Merritt was doing shoddy work and stealing money. 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. 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.". SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - The man accused of killing the McStays, a family of four who disappeared in 2010 and whose remains were found in 2013 in the . Michaels worst fears were realized. That was when Charles Merritts story started falling apart and really gave us the motive, Hanke said. On November 7, 2014, police announced they had arrested Charles "Chase" Merritt, Joseph . I would follow all of these paths, but I never followed just one to the exclusion of the others., She says: To be honest, I was not disappointed when they arrested Chase [Merritt] but scared that perhaps [investigators] didnt look into the whole thing enough because of the fact that we found so much compelling stuff in these other peoples files.. 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. 1:22. At that point, the investigation shifted from searching for missing persons to investigating a possible murder. Follow the links to read about more violent crimes profiled on ID. Whether or not Merritt receives the death penalty has yet to be decided. Lying beside the family was a sledgehammer. A bombshell witness upends the Merritt murder trial, claiming someone else confessed to the McStay murders. This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this . Merritt is accused of killing his former business associate, Joseph McStay, McStay's wife Summer, and their two small children on Feb. 4, 2010. What Happened to the McStays, Who Vanished 3 Years Before They Were Found Buried in the Desert? 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 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. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. Inside The Gruesome McStay Family Murder Case. The McStay family of four was living a happy life, and had recently moved to a new house, which they were renovating and turning into their dream home. Merritt was a fabricator, who Joseph had turned to to expand the custom side of his business. Copyright 2023 KABC Television, LLC. 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. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. The defense now moves to exclude certain expected testimony and evidence from the prosecutions case in chief on the grounds that this evidence is not relevant, and that the onlypurposes of the expected evidence are to sensationalize the alleged crimes and inflame the passions of the jury against Mr. Merritt, according to the Nov. 20 motion.