Testimony in the trial is scheduled to continue Wednesday. Summers sister: My sister walked with a passion and purpose. Michael McStay said watching his parents bury his brother was the most "unnatural" thing he could've ever witnessed. He was sentenced to death on January 21, 2020. [1][2] Their disappearance was widely reported by the national news media. Merritt was supposed to be sentenced last Friday, Jan. 17, but dramatic twists, turns, and delays prevented that from happening as planned. The car's location from February 4 to February 8 remains unknown. Chase Merritt, 62, is facing a potential death sentence, or life in prison. You start calling his cellphones, her cellphones,' she said. In the summer of 2021, shocking news rocked the state of South Carolina. 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. She said the day detectives told her they had found her family's bodies, it felt as if she'd been hit by a boulder. At the time, Joseph owned an online company named Earth Inspired Products that sold decorative water fountains. Jurors in San Bernardino. Dont worry, your fate will be way less tragic than of the family you murdered.. Blake said Merritt and Kavanugh got into arguments in two meetings during the spring of 2010. 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. Summer McStay's ex-husband spoke next. At that time, no one knew what happened to the family. 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. She had once told him she wanted that song played at her funeral. Scholarly publications with full text pdf download. Mrs Blake described Josephs symptoms as something similar to vertigo and said he complained of feeling 'woozy'. On February 19, California police notified Interpol to be on the lookout for the family. 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. Here are the seven best ways to wear them this spring. By 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,. Merritt said the people responsible for the slayings are still free. "I want to psychologically mess you up," he said to Merritt. 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. Michael McStay's wife spoke next, talking about the pain her family and husband live with every single day. Sentencing still has not happened. 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. 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? Charles Merritt was convicted of killing Joseph and Summer McStay along with their two sons. Ending my life for a crime that I did not commit," Merritt said. He was arrested last year. 'You had a choice. Queen Letizia of Spain is polished in a recycled Reiss skirt as she joins King Felipe VI at Repli-Kate! "[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. Princess Diana's nieces Lady Eliza and Amelia share Do not sell or share my personal information. The McStay family disappeared from their San Diego County home in 2010. ': Anguish of $21m fraudster banker's wife after he's found running POT FARM a year after faking his suicide, 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 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. Related research topic ideas. 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. [28], In January 2018, a trial-setting conference was scheduled for February 23. [3] Merritt was charged with four counts of murder, and the district attorney sought the death penalty. ___ 12 a.m. [20] Although it is possible for a U.S. citizen to enter Mexico without a passport, one is required to reenter the United States. Prosecutors told jurors Merritt killed the family after learning McStay was cutting him out of his business making and selling custom water fountains. 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. And when we were out she would call him constantly. #mcstay #nbc7 https://t.co/Ojp02cg2cJ. Who killed the McStay family? called the investigation into his son's disappearance . It cant be, Susan Blake testified after she regained herself. They said McStay told friends Merritt was doing shoddy work and pilfering money from him. 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. The McStay family of Fallbrook was last heard from or seen on Feb. 4, 2010. 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. Maline spent several hours speaking before the judge. Vanished: Mike also discovered Summer's prescription sunglasses on the kitchen counter, Looking back: Summer is pictured wearing her prescription sunglasses prior to the family's disappearance, Case to crack:There were no signs of forced entry or any foul play, which baffled investigators and suggested the family left on their own accord, First clue: Their neighbor's surveillance camera had captured what appeared to be the family's Isuzu trooper leaving the cul de sac at 7:47 p.m. on the night they went missing. He called Merritt a "ruthless mass murderer.". As recently as April, the FBI believed the family went to Mexico voluntarily. On February 23, 2010, detectives notified Interpol, the International Criminal Police Organization, to be on the lookout for the family heading to Mexico. 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. 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. The McStays have deep Orange County ties, Cirignani said. 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. Ill never get another conversation with him. The disappearance of the McStay family - Joseph, 41, Summer, 43, Gianni, 4, and Joey Jr., 3 - occurred in 2013, when they vanished without a trace from their California home. See also Other Works | Publicity Listings | Official Sites 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. 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. [2] In April 2013, the San Diego Sheriff's Department announced that they believed that the McStays traveled to Mexico voluntarily.[18]. Mike crawled through a window and discovered food rotting in the kitchen, and Summer's prescription sunglasses were also left on the table. "Our family has already received a life sentence. 'Are you that family? 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. 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. And then the family that was killed by their own friend?'" #mcstay #nbc7 https://t.co/xNxV3CqRtr. In the family's home, investigators found bowls of uneaten popcorn, as if the family had just been there, and planned to return. We dont run this circus. 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. Businessman Joseph McStay, his wife, Summer, and their two young sons -- Gianni 4, Joseph Jr. 3 -- were last heard from Feb. 4. 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. Joseph's cellphone pinged a tower in Fallbrook. [6] Joseph owned and operated Earth Inspired Products, a company that built decorative fountains, and Summer was a licensed real estate agent. Two Shallow Graves takes a look at the murders of the McStay family: Joseph, Summer and their two young boys, followed by the shocking trial . The skeletal remains of the McStay family were found near Victorville in 2013 and Merritt was arrested a year later. 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. 'And then as the days went by, you start thinking, "Okay, something's not right here." I remember one woman in particular was all over him for a while. As recently as April, the FBI believed the family went to Mexico voluntarily. According to state records, Merritt had felony convictions for burglary and receiving stolen property. Instead, they said, authorities zeroed in on an innocent man. Our last name is mentioned. [33] The court upheld the jury's recommendation, and Merritt was sentenced to death on January 21, 2020. Im heading to San Bernardino and will keep you updated. 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. The mother of Joseph McStay provided emotional testimony on the second day of the McStay murder trial. His mother was not available to speak to MailOnline about Merritt's latest revelations. 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. Working through prosecutor Rodriguezs objections, Maline asked Blake, Do remember if it bounced?. 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. May 23, 2022 Investigation Discovery's ' Two Shallow Graves' follows the trial of Charles "Chase" Merritt, accused of murdering Joseph McStay and his family. Prosecutors say he bludgeoned them with a sledgehammer. Victorville, California CNN . Three years later, their bodies were found in a remote desert location more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) away in San Bernardino County. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. The family had been beaten to death with a three-pound sledgehammer found in one of the graves. I see its written, yes, she answered, confirming it was her signature. [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. 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. 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.'. On February 15, Michael phoned the San Diego County Sheriff's Department (SDSD) and reported that his brother and his family were missing. The two children were very young a three-year-old and a four-year-old. The case has sparked endless speculation, with both the police and amateur sleuths coming up with countless theories, some plausible, some wild and outrageous. We're just the clowns.". She also touched on the media attention and pressures her family has coped with for years, including questions from strangers. It would take years for investigators to discover the family's grisly fate. At center is Erin McStay, Michaels wife. I would never hurt him in any way. Just stop all the appeals, all the shenanigans. I would have never raised my hand for a woman or child. (Will Lester . Patrick McStay has waited for this day, when he finally gets to speak in court, gets to speak for his slain son Joseph McStay, daughter-in-law Summer and two young grandsons. [4] On June 10, 2019, a jury found Merritt guilty of murdering the McStay family. 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. As a precaution, investigators took DNA samples from the car, but there was still no evidence of foul play. And now, victim impact statements before formal sentencing. The hearing, which consumed more than 10 hours, concluded with several emotional statements from McStay's mother, brother, in-laws and surviving son, as well as from Merritt himself, who . What about the little guys? Judge just denied defense motion to reduce potential sentence to life in prison (Judge will also consider death). Our lives were intertwined both on a business and a personal level. In the book, he speculated that Summer might have committed the murders. But speaking on CNN in 2010 he said: 'My understanding was in the last year hed been having these vertigo type symptoms. She said: 'My son had been sick since last August and hes normally a very healthy person. Finally, Joseph McStay's only surviving son from a previous marriage, Jonah McStay, took the podium. Will Payne 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. In further sensational claims, Merrits new book Afraid of the Light will detail how the couple were having major problems in their relationship and had not had sex for more than a year before they went missing. . How could you beat two precious little babies? 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. During the lull, NBC 7 spoke with prosecuting attorney Britt Imes about the continuing delays. 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. [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. 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. As court resumed, the judge said Maline had made yet another motion: to disqualify this judge from ruling on the remaining motion to reduce Merritt's sentence. Joseph McStay, 40, and his wife, Summer, 43, went missing along with their two children, Gianna, 4, and Joseph, 3. Charles "Chase" Merritt, 62, was sentenced to life in prison for the killing of his former business associate, Joseph McStay, 40. Doves were . [2][7] The deaths were ruled a homicide and San Bernardino County authorities said they believed the family died of blunt force trauma inside their home, but declined to discuss specifics of the deaths or a motive. The family's computer had recent internet searches for: 'What documents do children need for traveling to Mexico?' 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. [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. So why was being grilled about her books on Mastermind so Why should I be asked to tip when I shop online? 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. [27], Prosecutors allege that Merritt had a gambling problem and killed the McStay family for financial gain. ", Chase Merritt watching and listening. ', Getting worried: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, Confusing: Upon Mike's arrival, he noticed that Joseph's 1996 Isuzu Trooper was missing, but their dogs were in the backyard, Abandoned: When Mike crawled through a window of the San Diego County home, he discovered food rotting in the kitchen. 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. [34], On May 22, 2022, the case was looked at again on the Investigation Discovery docuseries Two Shallow Graves. Indian lodge motel in joseph oregon. He always said, "I have messed up one family before, I will not be unfaithful and ruin another one". When their remains were unearthed, investigators also found a rusty sledgehammer that they said was used to kill the family. He just gave me the quote of the day on the continuing delays. They slept in the same bed, but were never intimate. But the details of this case go back decades and has many twists and turns. 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. How scared were they, Chase? Crying for mommy and daddy? California has not executed anyone since 2006. Mystery at the Border: With Christopher Crutchfield Walker, Joseph McStay, Summer McStay, Gianni McStay. 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. I was just trying to keep the customers or whoever was calling calm and hopefully to keep the business going. Patrick McStay was there, too, along with other members of the McStay family, including Joseph McStay's brother, Michael McStay. A grainy video captured at a nearby border crossing deepened the mystery. 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. California currently has a moratorium on death row executions. ', Merritt showed no emotion as she said she felt like she'd been hit by a boulder when she was told the bodies were found: 'It's just a nightmare.'. (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. [7] Summer was born Virginia Lisa Aranda, and had also been known as Summer Martelli. Son of Patrick McStay and Susan Blake. Doctors couldnt diagnose the energy-sapping condition and according to his close friend, Chase Merritt, he started to suspect that his fiery wife may have something to do with it. Around five months before his disappearance he started suffering terrible problems with his equilibrium and his stomach. [9] In the surveillance recording, the vehicle's occupants could not be seen. Just a monster. But despite that public front, I know, prior to their disappearance they had not had sex in more than a year. 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. Merritt was arrested the following year. Four years ago, Patrick McStay lost everything he loved. [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). I don't think so, and I truly hope not. Smith ordered Merritt transferred to San Quentin State Prison until an execution date is scheduled. Here are some last-minute, Best last-minute Valentines Day gifts for him, These are places to live on the West Coast, Scooter rider killed in crash near border identified, SD Co. Sheriff: 2022 inmate death now ruled a homicide, A new pirate-themed speakeasy has washed ashore in, This SD campground is among the best in America, CA extends tax deadline to Oct. 16 for disaster areas, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. An acquaintance of Merritt's told a San Diego reporter, "I think police should look at him and anyone associated with him. Basically, she wouldnt let him near her. Joseph McStay's mother Susan Blake addresses the court during the sentencing of Charles Chase Merritt on Jan. 21, 2020. "[25], On November 5, 2014, detectives from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department arrested Merritt in connection with the deaths of the McStay family after discovering that his DNA had been recovered from their car. Investigators testified they believed the victims were tortured before they were killed. For years, police speculated they. "I did not do this thing. Unconfirmed family sightings were reported in Mexico and elsewhere, perpetuating hopes that they were safe and had left voluntarily. Huh? Sheriffs officials announced that the remains of the four people found buried in the desert belong to the McStay family, a Fallbrook family missing since 2010. Why were they gone? 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. The judge has been speaking for the last hour - and still going, reviewing in slow, excruciating detail certain facts of the case. "I loved Joseph. He would spend days on end in bed. How scared were they, Chase? She said they clashed in front of her as they argued how to keep the business going. He was sentenced to death and life in prison. A decade after the family went missing, their killer was sentenced to death in January 202. 09:19 EST 04 Jan 2014 The attorney argued a motion to reduce Merritt's sentence in the killings of Summer McStay and the children to life in prison without the possibility of parole rather than the death penalty previously recommended by the jury that convicted Merritt. California has not executed anyone on death row since 2006 as current Gov. Published: 23:50 GMT, 22 January 2021 | Updated: 23:58 GMT, 22 January 2021. Family members react to the arrest: Summer McStays brother-in-law, Joseph Russell, speaks and then Michael McStay, brother of Joseph McStay, speaks. The McStay family disappeared from their Fallbrook home in San Diego's North County in 2010. Crying for mommy and daddy?" They were in the process of remodeling their four-bedroom, three-bathroom home when they went missing. [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. Last month marked the 3rd anniversary since a family of four mysteriously vanished from their Southern California home. In the McStay family murders, Judge listens to arguments that sentence should be reduced from death penalty to life in prison without parole. 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? His son, Joseph, his daughter-in-law, Summer, and their two little boys, Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3 vanished. 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.,. Joseph was 40 years old while his wife Summer was 43 making them a rather young family. "Closer still because I know what it's like to lose people I love.". Joseph McStay's brother, Michael McStay, took his turn. During that period, she got an early-morning call from someone in Saudi Arabia, demanding his fountain, she recalled. Patrick said, "I truly believe she loved my son. But what happened to Joseph McStay, 40, his 43-year-old wife, Summer, and sons Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3? Josephs illness was well documented and had left his entire family completely baffled. Arguing, and Dan just wasnt going to budge, she said. 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. 'This despicable, evil monster. We are scarred for life., Its been almost 10 years and the pain hasnt subsided, she added. Joseph McStay has operated Earth Inspired Products, a waterfall and garden accessories business in San Clemente, since 1996, according. Disappeared examines the case of the McStay family who vanished from their Southern California home and may have headed into Mexico. "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. Did you always look up to him Imes asked. [10], Over the next several days, relatives of the McStays unsuccessfully tried to contact the family. In October 2009, Joseph McStay excitedly e-mailed a friend about the house he and his wife had purchased in the San Diego suburb of Fallbrook, Calif. We're just the clowns," Imes said. [3] The trial began on January 7, 2019, in San Bernardino. The evidence finally placing Merritt at the scene of the crime was his cellphone data, prosecutors said. You cannot get back time. Yes, sir, McStay replied. It was believed to have been parked there between 5:30 and 7:00 that evening. He was in a really bad way. 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. In the last of the two meetings, They were definitely yelling, big time, at each other. 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.
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