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. #nbc7 https://t.co/5tmfTOuzsD. Charles "Chase" Merritt was convicted in June of killing his former business associate Joseph McStay, McStay's wife, Summer, and their 4- and 3-year-old sons, Gianni and Joseph Jr.. Joseph McStay has operated Earth Inspired Products, a waterfall and garden accessories business in San Clemente, since 1996, according. The family had moved to Fallbrook, 45 miles north of San Diego, in November 2009 fromSan Clemente. "We don't run this circus. 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. There were no signs of forced entry or any foul play, which baffled investigators and suggested the family left on their own accord. I would never have hurt him in any way. On February 23, 2010, detectives notified Interpol, the International Criminal Police Organization, to be on the lookout for the family heading to Mexico. We dont run this circus. "I did not do this thing. 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. Joseph McStay; his wife, Summer; and their two children, Gianni and Joseph Mateo, have not been heard from since the night of Thursday, February 4, 2010. 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. He didnt know what was wrong with him and he was desperate. He was sentenced to the death penalty for the slayings of Joseph McStay's wife, Summer McStay, 43, and the couple's two sons, Gianni McStay, 4, and Joseph McStay, Jr., 3. His attorney also says Merritt himself will want to speak. Son of Patrick McStay and Susan Blake. Never again will we hear their voices. #mcstay #nbc7 pic.twitter.com/CGQmypfaZb. "It's not just a Netflix documentary to us. 'Some rough places, but you have had somebody stab me, it doesn't matter,' she noted. Finally, Joseph McStay's only surviving son from a previous marriage, Jonah McStay, took the podium. The surviving McStay family members held an emotional memorial for. Blakes testimony came during the second day in the capital murder trial of Charles Chase Merrit, 61, of Rancho Cucamonga. Chase, you are a low-life coward and a baby killer. "[22], In January 2014, Merritt said that he might write a book about the family, alleging that Summer had anger issues and that Joseph had been ill for some time with a mysterious ailment. '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. I was just trying to keep the customers or whoever was calling calm and hopefully to keep the business going. 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. #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. Six victim impact statements were heard before Merritt got a chance to speak at the continued sentencing hearing Tuesday. Patrick had the chance to directly address Merritt in court, calling him a 'ruthless mass murderer' and telling him, 'I hope you burn in hell. [26], According to the arrest warrant affidavits filed in the case, autopsies concluded that all four victims had been beaten to death with a blunt object. "I loved Joseph. Officers arrived at the home and requested a search warrant, executed on February 19, 2010. Yes, sir, McStay replied. But speaking on CNN in 2010 he said: 'My understanding was in the last year hed been having these vertigo type symptoms. 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. 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. 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. They were in the process of remodeling their four-bedroom, three-bathroom home when they went missing. Le 9 fvrier 2010, il avait envoy un courrier lectronique au pre de Joseph McStay, alertant de la disparition de son associ : Je n'ai pas de nouvelles de Joe. 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[10], Over the next several days, relatives of the McStays unsuccessfully tried to contact the family. 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.. [15] Baker began following the case in 2013 after interviewing Michael McStay on his program. 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. During the lull, NBC 7 spoke with prosecuting attorney Britt Imes about the continuing delays. [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. Father of Joseph McStay, whose remains and wife's were found this week after 2010 disappearance, calls San Diego Sheriff's Dept. How scared were they, Chase? At center is Erin McStay, Michaels wife. His words were a precursor to the deep pain the rest of the McStay family's loved ones would share Tuesday in court. 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. Were just the clowns, - Britt Imes. Charles "Chase" Merritt, 62, was convicted in June of killing his former business associate Joseph McStay, 40, McStay's wife, Summer, 43, and their two children, Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr.,. For years, police speculated they. 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. And they told me they were also gone. 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. Their dogs. Arguing, and Dan just wasnt going to budge, she said. Mrs Blake described Josephs symptoms as something similar to vertigo and said he complained of feeling 'woozy'. 'This despicable, evil monster. "corrupt" . I would never raise my hand to a woman or a child.". They took none of their belongings, left $100,000 in the bank and even abandoned their beloved dogs. "[21][22], In 2013, Merritt acknowledged he had spent more than an hour with Joseph the day the McStay family went missing. Day by day, month by month, the case grew colder. Just stop all the appeals, all the shenanigans. It was a mystery and he started to consider everything and anything. "So unnatural. She said the two tangled over how to keep the business afloat. 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. "Ultimately, I hope to be a father and when I am, I will hold my children close," he continued. Three years later, the remains of the family were discovered in a shallow grave in a remote desert in Southern California. The bodies of Joseph McStay, 40, and his wife Summer, 43, along with their sons Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3, were found in a shallow grave in the desert north of Victorville in 2013. They said that he wrote checks totaling more than $21,000 on Joseph's business account in the days after the family was killed and then went on a gambling spree at nearby casinos, where he lost thousands of dollars. Merritt was transferred to San Quentin State Prison until an execution date is scheduled. [28], In January 2018, a trial-setting conference was scheduled for February 23. Joseph's father, Patrick McStay, told the Los Angeles Times in 2011. 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. Murdaugh is heckled as he leaves court, Two Russian tanks annihilated with bombs by Ukrainian armed forces, Ukraine soldiers shoot down enemy drones with drones of their own, Dozens stuck in car park as staff refuses to open gate for woman, Missing hiker buried under snow forces arm out to wave to helicopter, Insane moment river of rocks falls onto Malibu Canyon in CA, Fleet-footed cop chases an offender riding a scooter, Isabel Oakeshott clashes with Nick Robinson over Hancock texts. I just dropped me to my knees I will never go back to that spot, she told San Bernardino County Deputy District AttorneyMelissa Rodriguez. Our lives were intertwined both on a business and a personal level. Chase, you are a low-life coward and a baby killer. Im heading to San Bernardino and will keep you updated. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. Authorities said they traced his cellphone to the gravesite area. [1][2] Their disappearance was widely reported by the national news media. How the Princess of Wales recreated her 2006 outfit from Prince William's Sandhurst graduation Behind-the-scenes at fashion week with the Spencers! Chase, you are a low-life coward and a baby killer. Two members of a renowned legal family had been shot and killed on their property. The attorney stopped Merritt, saying, "You can't.". He was in a really bad way. The thing that is bringing you this solace, is ending my life. I believe that [Joseph] trusted Chase and believed in Chase. 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. 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. Joseph McStay, his wife Summer, and the couple's two young sons mysteriously disappeared in Feb. 2010. Patrick McStay, Joseph McStay's father told CBS 8 in San Diego that authorities informed him two of the bodies found in shallow graves in the Mojave Desert on Monday were that of his son and his son's wife, Summer. Prosecutors told jurors Merritt killed the family after learning McStay was cutting him out of his business making and selling custom water fountains. Sheriffs investigators believeSummer McStay may have been rapedbefore she was killed. In the last of the two meetings, They were definitely yelling, big time, at each other. 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. The bodies were identified asJoseph, Summer, Joseph Mateo, and Gianani McStay. Everything with her seemed to be done for gain.. Seven months later, on November 11, 2013, an off-road motorcyclist came across human remains in San Bernardino County's Mojave Desert. The McStay family of Fallbrook was last heard from or seen on Feb. 4, 2010. 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. He went to the doctor a number of times, but they just didnt know what was wrong with him. Merritt has pleaded not guilty to the murders of McStay; McStay's wife, Summer, 43; 4-year-old son Gianni and 3-year-old Joseph Jr. [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. It was believed to have been parked there between 5:30 and 7:00 that evening. ', Gruesome: The McStays' skeletal remains were unearthed along with a three-pound rusted sledgehammer believed to be the murder weapon, Crime: Charles 'Chase' Merritt, who was a partner in Joseph's water-fountain business, was arrested for the murders in 2014 and found guilty in 2019 (pictured), Criminal: In January 2020, Merritt was sentenced to death for bludgeoning the couple and their children to death inside their home because he owed them $30,000. Description. Joseph McStay, 40, and his wife, Summer, 43, went missing along with their two children, Gianna, 4, and Joseph, 3. Homicide investigators search the family's home on Avocado Vista Lane and found no sign of a struggle. The family disappeared without a trace in February 2010. She would shout at him in the privacy of their own home, but then put on a front like he was the most important person in the world when they were in public. Joseph and Summer McStay were found buried in shallow desert graves along with their two young sons nearly four years after they vanished from their suburban California home (San Bernardino. He said: Summer was a very self-centered, self-obsessed person with an awful temper. But he would not even entertain the idea of cheating on her. On February 15, Michael phoned the San Diego County Sheriff's Department (SDSD) and reported that his brother and his family were missing. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. List of journal articles on the topic 'Kirkland House (Cambridge, Mass.)'. Joseph's cellphone pinged a tower in Fallbrook. #nbc7 https://t.co/muZXjqJBFT. Patrick said, "I truly believe she loved my son. The two children were very young a three-year-old and a four-year-old. Businessman Joseph McStay, his wife, Summer, and their two young sons -- Gianni 4, Joseph Jr. 3 -- were last heard from Feb. 4. Joseph McStay's mother, Susan Blake, followed. Queen Letizia of Spain is polished in a recycled Reiss skirt as she joins King Felipe VI at Repli-Kate! His arrest was announced on November 7, 2014. 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. He would often come up and visit me and we would go out for dinner with my wife at the time, but Summer never came. ", Missing McStay family killed, buried in desert, sheriff says, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=McStay_family_murders&oldid=1138842709, This page was last edited on 11 February 2023, at 23:11. California has not executed anyone since 2006. Mystery:Joseph McStay, 40, his wife, Summer, 43, and their sons Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3, vanished from their home in Fallbrook, California, on February 4, 2010, Tragedy: Joseph'sparents, Patrick McStay and Susan Blake, have opened up about the murders on the second season of the Oxygen true-crime series Killer Motive. 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? "Not natural causes; there was intent here.". 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. #mcstay #nbc7 https://t.co/xNxV3CqRtr. Mystery at the Border: With Christopher Crutchfield Walker, Joseph McStay, Summer McStay, Gianni McStay. 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). [14], The circumstances surrounding the family's disappearance and the lack of clues about their whereabouts triggered speculation by amateur sleuths. "Our family has already received a life sentence. Investigators testified they believed the victims were tortured before they were killed. Kavanaugh has denied any involvement in the familys disappearance and slayings. (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. He has been the entertainment editor, a features writer, a business writer and is now a courts and breaking news reporter. Il avait t le premier dplorer la disparition de Joseph McStay et sa famille , en fvrier 2010. On Feb. 15, the family was reported missing to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department. The disappearance of Joseph, Summer and their two sons Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3 gripped the nation for almost four years, keeping people guessing until their bodies were discovered lying in a shallow grave in the Californian desert on November 15. The McStay family disappeared from their San Diego County home in 2010. Joseph McStay's mother Susan Blake addresses the court during the sentencing of Charles Chase Merritt on Jan. 21, 2020. We are scarred for life., Its been almost 10 years and the pain hasnt subsided, she added. Michael McStay's wife spoke next, talking about the pain her family and husband live with every single day. 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. No one can explain how a seemingly normal suburban family who only moved into their new home in Fallbrook, California, three months earlier, could be living a regular life one day and then vanish the next. #mcstay #nbc7 https://t.co/Ojp02cg2cJ. 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. 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. Were they scared, Chase? He was such a great guy and he got his share of female attention. After 8-Hour Day in Court, Sentencing Delayed for Man Who Killed McStay Family. During her morning testimony, Blake also described heated arguments between Merritt and Dan Kavanaugh, both business partners in McStays decorative fountain business. (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. 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. ___ 12 a.m. The case initially puzzled. The McStays have deep Orange County ties, Cirignani said. 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. Situated in northern San Diego County, the community is known as "The Friendly Village." Sadly, disaster would soon strike the tranquil town. Watch live on social media with @fox5sandiego pic.twitter.com/jm1tgT66R2, Jeff McAdam (@JeffMcAdamTV) January 21, 2020, The victims family members, meanwhile, dismissed Merritt as, in the words of McStays mother, Susan Blake, a despicable, evil monster.. I just spoke to the prosecuting attorney in the Merritt case. [2][12], On November 11, 2013, a dirt biker found four sets of human remains buried in two shallow graves in the desert near Victorville, California. Their bodies were not found until 2013, when an off-road motorcyclist came across them in the Mojave Desert. Joseph McStay, 40, his wife, Summer, 43, and their sons Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3, vanished from their home in Fallbrook, California, on February 4, 2010. Joseph McStay - the father of the family of four found dead in the California desert after vanishing nearly four years ago - had suspicions his wife was POISONING him in the days before their . Where were they? Charles Merritt was convicted of killing Joseph and Summer McStay along with their two sons. The shocking claims will stun everyone who has followed the McStay family disappearance since they first went missing back on February 4, 2010. I know you dont believe me and thats what kills me. I even went to the hospital with him to try and see what was wrong; we thought maybe it was stress.'. How to trick yourself slim: Top nutritionist reveals her tips including shrinking your cutlery, sniffing Meghan's (very expensive) date night look! They make up a small part of Merritts new book, which is due to be released later this year. called the investigation into his son's disappearance . Then, he slammed the podium loudly with his hands.Come on, Chase! Disappeared examines the case of the McStay family who vanished from their Southern California home and may have headed into Mexico. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. As a precaution, investigators took DNA samples from the car, but there was still no evidence of foul play. "It is my deepest desire in my own life not to spread pain and suffering," said a. Joseph and Summer McStay were found buried in shallow desert graves along with their two young sons nearly four years after they vanished from their suburban California home (San Bernardino. 2023.03.03 04:09 oz2usa I'm so bummed out after realising my diagnosis made a few years ago is legitimate. 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. 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. 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 newly unsealed documents indicate Joseph McStay lent Chase Merritt money to cover a gambling debt before McStay and his family disappeared in February 2010. I did not know any of that part, Blake said. I would have never raised my hand for a woman or child. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. His mother was not available to speak to MailOnline about Merritt's latest revelations. I was not his best friend, but he was mine and I believe he opened up to me about things he would not tell anyone else. You cannot get back time. , updated That 8-hour day in court included lengthy motions arguments from Merritt's attorney, Rajan Maline, and even a moment when Merritt tried to interrupt proceedings and fire Maline. Why? Imes asked, and Michael broke down on the witness stand. 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. Radio host Rick Baker published a book, No Goodbyes: The Mysterious Disappearance of the McStay Family. In the summer of 2021, shocking news rocked the state of South Carolina. Dont worry, your fate will be way less tragic than of the family you murdered.. 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.
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