January 21, 2020 Merritt, 62, was sentenced to life in prison for murdering Joseph McStay, 40. When family members were called in to help identify the people on the video, they had mixed reactions. mcstay family autopsy, mcstay family autopsy photos, mcstay family murders autopsy, how did the mcstay family died, did they ever find the mcstay family, why was the . Chase, you are a low-life coward and a baby killer. Investigators found one of the birth certificates left behind in the home. Prosecutors claim that the McStays were murdered by Merritt for . Investigators are questioning everybody, Michael McStay tells PEOPLE. The authorities initially believed this was the McStay family because of a few other things that came to light. So without direct evidence, then they have to show enough circumstantial evidence to convice the jury that it was me at their home and who killed 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 work ahead to find the killers, and no predictions as to who they are or why they would kill a whole family. In late November 2009, the family moved to Fallbrook, California, for a fresh start in a peaceful and friendly neighborhood. Merritt was a close friend to the McStays and a business partner. There was Mrs McStays ex-boyfriend, who sent her an email just months before the familys disappearance telling the mother-of-two hed love her for ever. He lived nearby and had been arrested for threatning a neighbour and her daughter. Furthermore, Chase wrote several checks on the online business starting February 5; he then went to a few casinos to spend that money. I think, normally when you [look at] a case, youre like, Oh, there could be one or two people involved., There were potentially more than one or two people involved when we started this. In 2019, Charles "Chase" Merritt was accused of killing Joseph McStay's family during his trial for the murders. Family members of the victims . Witnesses also testified that Merritt cashed checks written from Joseph McStay's business account days after McStay and his family vanished. About three days before the disappearance, Joseph emailed Chase regarding the money and was close to firing him. How To Paint Citadel Miniatures Download Pdf NEW! Just a monster.". Authorities say Merritt, a business associate of 40-year-old Joseph McStay, beat the family to death inside their residence. Investigators believed that the family pictured is likely the McStays, based on analysis of family photos and home videos. Syd Field Four Screenplays Pdf 11 !!HOT!! When Joseph needed to develop his bespoke company, he enlisted Merritt, a fabricator, for assistance. The entire case left investigators and loved ones completely puzzled. Nov. 17, 2013 -- The 2010 disappearance of the McStay family, whose skeletal remains were discovered in shallow graves in the California desert last week, led a former North Carolina radio host to . What Happened to the McStays, Who Vanished 3 Years Before They Were Found Buried in the Desert? 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.. 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.. Our priority is picking up the points as soon as we can. Charles Merritt Gets Death Penalty McStay Family Murders PHOTO: Charles Ray Merritt was arrested on Nov.. 5, 2021 by the San.. There was the new husband of Mr McStays ex-wife, a man with a history of violence whod allegedly threatened to muzzle Mrs McStay and beat up her husband. 'It was blow after blow after blow to a child's skull,' the prosecutor said. Investigators also discovered that the same car had been towed on February 8 for a parking violation near the Mexican border. On Jan. 21, 2020, Merritt was sentenced to life in prison and given the death penalty. 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 the Los Angeles County Coroner Walker's body was discovered in a "pugilistic stance," meaning the 40-year-old actor died with his arms up, instinctively trying to shield his head and face from impact. 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 . 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. Arrest in slaying of . The family's disappearance had puzzled investigators, who said there . 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. Eddie Bachman tells American Greed. That kind of cued into us as a red flag there because I dont know how any one person could be certain and say that he was the last person that saw his best friend alive if he wasnt in fact the last person who saw him alive.. His trial hadn't even begun until January 2019 after he reportedly fired multiple attorneys as he tried to represent himself. Prosecutors say Merritt owed McStay more than $42,000. According to reports, denying his involvement in the murders, Merritt told the court. It would take years for investigators to discover the family's grisly fate. The shocking find led to even more mysteries and revealed a surprising number of suspects who seemingly had motives to go after the family, according to a new series premiering this weekend on Investigation Discovery. The accused was found guilty of the charges against him. He tried to deflect the cops by claiming that Summer suffered from anger issues and that Joseph had failing health. They spoke with him for months in 15-minute phone calls allowed by the prison and both were taken aback by his knowledge of the case. Summer will be forever missed by her family and many friends. 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. Michael's worst fears were realized. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Two Shallow Graves is a seven-part docu-series that delves into the details of the case.The premiere . The McStay family of Fallbrook were last heard from or seen on Feb. 4, 2010. Their car was located a few days later, near San Diego, close to the Mexican border. Even more troubling, a QuickBooks customer service representative told investigators he remembered an unsettling call from a man claiming to be Joseph McStay who wanted to completely delete his account and all information on the account, but Hanke said the phone used to call the customer service line had belonged to Merritt, not Joseph. The McStay Family Memorial is located in a very rural desert area directly north of the I-15 Stoddart Wells/Quary Rd exit. Their house didnt show any signs of a struggle, but it was clear they had left in a hurry; there was food left out on the counter, and their beloved pet dogs were left behind. In the end, Merritt was represented by a defense attorney . With heavy hearts, we announce the death of Maria Carvalho (Providence, Rhode Island), who passed away on March 3, 2023. He seemed caught off guard, like Oh, I didnt realize I was doing that, San Bernardino County District AttorneyBritt Imes tellsAmerican Greed.. The family and friends of the McStays did not expect them to be at the Mexican border. Charles Ray Merritt has been named as the suspect in the murders of the McStay family in the San Diego area in 2010. Inside The Gruesome McStay Family Murder Case. In February 2010, the McStay family vanished without a trace, propelling the authorities to investigate. 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.". June 10, 2019 Merritt is found guilty of murdering the McStay family. A 3-pound sledgehammer was found with the bodies . The details of Walker's death are equally lurid and disturbing. The District Attorneys Office, according to McGee, has opposed the motion about the familys photos and videos, which will be argued Friday before Judge Michael A. Smith. 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. 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. Selena autopsy photo. Tribune Broadcasting. 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. In 'Captive Audience', the Stayner Family Opens Up About Navigating an Impossible Reality in the Spotlight, Patrick McStay Has a Theory About Why His Family Was Murdered. In an interview with detectives just two weeks after the family was last seen, Merritt talked about his friend in the past tense. This led to speculation that the family may have willingly fled the country. Around about February 4, 2010, the McStay family, Joseph, 40; his wife, Summer, 43; and their . In addition, investigators also discovered that Summer had changed her name multiple times throughout her life. 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. Merritt's DNA was found on the steering wheel and gearshift, even though Merritt told detectives he had never driven that vehicle. Merritt, who faces the death penalty if convicted, has pleaded not guilty to the crimes. For years, that was the prevailing belief among law enforcement. He boasted it had a loft/game room & big yard for kids to go crazy, referring to their rambunctious preschoolers, Gianni and Joe Jr. Love it.. Investigators would discover evidence that showed someone had taken control of Josephs checking account right before and right after he disappeared, writing a total of nine checks to either Merritt or those who he owed money to totaling nearly $15,000. Publicly Merrittwho had several prior convictions on his recordclaimed to be Josephs best friend. Though simply changing her name is not an indication of anything sinister, it did stir up a number of theories that Summer was responsible for the disappearance. Investigators immediately seized the car and searched it for evidence. SAN DIEGO (CBS 8) - He wrote a book on the McStay case, but an investigative author is expressing shock over the tragic new twist in the case. "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 latest episode of CNBC's "American Greed . He stands charged with first-degree murder in connection with the February 2010 bludgeoning deaths of Summer McStay, 43, her husband Joseph McStay,40, and their two children, Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3. 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. Furthermore, Josephs mother stated that the car had his asthma medication, and he never went anywhere without it. The paint was still fresh on the walls, the corners bordered by blue painter . ABC 7. Judge Michael A. Smith determined there But privately, investigatorsnoticed Merritt had displayed some concerning behavior after the family disappeared. Earlier in the week before the family disappeared, Summer had made plans to visit her sister, who had recently had a baby. They were living at Fallbrook and simply listed as missing. Jan 2, 2018 By all accounts, Joseph McStay, age 40, and his wife Summer, age 43, were happy and living the American dream.. Copyright 2022 Crime Museum, LLC - All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy |. Detectives testified during Merrittspreliminary hearingin June 2015 that Merritt was a gambling man who had written multiple checks totaling more than $21,000 on Joseph McStays QuickBooks account in the weeks after the McStay family was last seen on Feb. 4, 2010. 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. Buried in the Desert: Was a Family Friend Their Killer? Photos Of McStay Family Murder Suspect. I think its a story where people want answers, and this project is another step in trying to give people answers to what really happened.. He continued to plead his innocence, and at his sentencing, he told the judge, I dont deserve this. After he reported the family missing on 15 February, police discoverd the McStays vehicle had been towed from a parking lot near the border with Mexico on 8 February. Cell phone records placed Merritt in the desert where the bodies were ultimately discovered just two days after the family disappeared. Be the first one to comment on this story. I think that, when this show airs, so many people know the case Theres going to be a lot of debate. 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. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. The family did not appear to have any plans to be gone that day. McStay Murder Suspect Chase Merritt Has Heart Condition, Lawyer Says . One of those suspects, Charles Chase Merritt, was convicted of the murders in 2019 and remains on death row in California.
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