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When the family went missing, the pair began their own investigation, describing in the new series how they combed through the McStays emails and followed up any lead they could find. Then began the authorities' quest to figure out who killed the loving family of four. 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. 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. But there was an astonishing number of other people whod had significant run-ins with the McStays, according to the new series. Nelson is a graduate of California State University Fullerton. Man Convicted Of Killing Couple, Their 2 Sons, 10 Years After Familys Skeletal Remains Found In Desert. The 62-year-old welder convicted in the brutal beating deaths of a Fallbrook family of four . Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Investigators also found a three-pound sledgehammer that they believe was the murder weapon and clothing, some of it marked with the same color paint that the McStay family had been using to paint their home when they went missing. NBC article. Investigation Discovery aired a docuseries focused on the McStay family murders in late May. 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. Charles "Chase" Merritt, left, reacts after being found guilty of four counts of first-degree murder of the McStay family, in San Bernardino Superior Court in San Bernardino on June 10. At that time, no one knew what happened to the family. Prosecutors contend greed is the motive for the murders. She was predeceased by : her parents, Manuel Sousa and Nicolina Sousa (Melo); and her siblings . Merritt, who faces the death penalty if convicted, has pleaded not guilty to the crimes. In February 2010, the McStay family vanished without a trace, propelling the authorities to investigate. His trial hadn't even begun until January 2019 after he reportedly fired multiple attorneys as he tried to represent himself. 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 head, extremities and torso, likely from repeated blows to the bodies with the sledgehammer. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! The 58-year-old Merritt is charged with four counts of murder in the deaths of McStay, 40; McStay's wife, Summer, 43; and the couple's two sons, Gianni, 4; and Joey, 3. . Merritt not only had motive to carry out the grisly slayings, it seemed that he also had the opportunity. Merritt faces the death penalty if convicted as charged in the case. In 2014, he completed a fellowship at Loyola Law School's Journalist Law School program. Prosecutors pushing for the death penalty for McStay family murder suspect Charles "Chase" Merritt can use one family photo of the victims during trial, a San Bernardino Superior Court judge . Inside, they found a relatively normal scene: there were a number of new toys, the childrens car seats were in their positions, and the front seats were adjusted to Summer and Josephs relative sizes. At that point, the investigation shifted from searching for missing persons to investigating a possible murder. There were also incisions in her bra that lead investigators to believe it was cut off, the motion states. Read Less Posted: Jan 23, 2015 / 12:29 PM PST Detectives said Merritt had grown up in the area and was familiar with the terrain. Thats unusual.. Merritt, in the series, contends: They didnt have any direct evidence to support that I did these crimes. 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. Source: wikipedia | CBS News |. . While there was little evidence and various theories floated around, nobody really precisely knew what happened to Joseph, his wife, and their two sons until years later. The cops also learned that his cellphone had been pinged in the area where the family was buried. memorial page for Virginia Lisa "Summer" Aranda McStay (27 Dec 1966-4 Feb 2010), Find a Grave Memorial ID 120355781, citing El Toro . Josephs father Patrick McStay, however, continues to be haunted by Merritts dark deeds. When the partner arrived at the home, he found both dogs outside, with food in their bowls, which led them to believe that the family had gone out of town and had somebody caring for the dogs. PEOPLE Explains: How the McStay Family Disappeared Into the Desert but Who Killed Them? McGees law partner, Rajan Maline, is also representing Merritt in the case. There wasnt a sign or sound from them for nearly four years until an off-road motorcyclist came upon two shallow graves in the Mojave Desert, tragically revealing the bodies of the couple and their children. The familys remains were later unearthed by sheriffs crime scene investigators and forensic anthropologists. 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.. 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.. Heavy. On Feb. 4, 2010, Joseph and Summer McStay, ages 40 and 43, and their two sons, Gianni, 4, and 3-year-old Joey Jr., vanished without a trace from their Fallbrook home. Photos Of McStay Family Murder Suspect. Because of the lack of furniture and the state of the home amidst renovations, it was difficult to determine whether or not there had been a struggle. Skip Ancestry navigation Main Menu Home From my discussions with him, thats all he does, is work on his case.. Two Shallow Graves is a seven-part docu-series that delves into the details of the case.The premiere . Furthermore, Josephs mother stated that the car had his asthma medication, and he never went anywhere without it. But jurors disagreed and Merritt was convicted and later sentenced to death for the slayings in January 2020. Lots of peoples names came up, and lots of different theories came up, executive producer Jacinda A Davis tells The Independent. Our priority is picking up the points as soon as we can. Merritt told detectives that during their last lunch meeting, Joseph had given him physical copies of checks to pay for some of the projects they were working on. Lets make no mistake about it, Mr. Merritt is innocent, Maline tells American Greed.. SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (KABC) -- 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. The McStays looked like the All-American family living the dream. Searches about travelling to Mexico were also uncovered on the familys computer, bolstering a theory that theyd gone on a trip. 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. 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.. Josephs business partner, Chase, claimed to have met him for a lunch meeting on the afternoon of February 4, 2010. Although both instances raised investigators' suspicions, another glaring clue would ultimately put Merritt at the center of the investigation. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. Arrest in slaying of . Joe Nelson is an award-winning investigative reporter who has worked for The Sun since November 1999. 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. Merritt was arrested for the family's killings the following year, when his DNA was discovered inside the family vehicle, dumped near the border, and fake company checks traced back to him. Princess Diana flashes a cheeky grin in rare bikini photos. Merritt, a business associate of Joseph McStay, was arrested in 2014. 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. Skip Ancestry navigation Main Menu Home Visitation will be held on Sunday, March 5th 2023 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM at the Perry-McStay Funeral Home (2555 Pawtucket Ave, East Providence, RI 02914). While Summer stayed home to take care of the children, she planned to go to work soon. 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. 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. Mr McStays friend, Gina Watson, and father, Patrick who called Merritt a ruthless mass murderer in court and told him to burn in hell are among the subjects interviewed in the series. Lee Harvey Oswald autopsy photo. Prosecutors pushing for the death penalty for McStay family murder suspect Charles Chase Merritt can use one family photo of the victims during trial, a . If you wish to write to us in regards to this matter, please be advised that we reserve the right to post your. The four-year-old Gianni had suffered a shocking seven blows to the head. 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. On November 11, 2013, the remains of two adults and two children were recovered in the California desert. USA Spot News. There were at least four impacts to the skull of Joseph McStay, and at least seven impacts to 4-year-old Gianni. With heavy hearts, we announce the death of Maria Carvalho (Providence, Rhode Island), who passed away on March 3, 2023. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. Lastly, neither party to this case is arguing or disputing that it was in fact the McStays whom were the victims in this case, according to McGees motion. Michael's worst fears were realized. Research genealogy for Elizabeth McStay of Draycott, Derbyshire, England, as well as other members of the McStay family, on Ancestry. Joseph McStay's mother Susan Blake addresses the court during the sentencing of Charles Chase Merritt on Jan. 21, 2020 . The autopsy revealed all four victims died from blunt force trauma to their heads. I never knew who did it, Ms Watson says in Two Shallow Graves. Later that night, he received a phone call from animal control, which was planning to take the dogs because they had been left outside without food for over a week. But after the family's nanny arrived with the children in New York later estranged husband's property the day after mom went missing, report says. The police concluded that Merritt killed the family for financial gain; the killer had a severe gambling problem, and after the murders, he managed to gain some control of Josephs business accounts. The pair had met through Josephs successful decorative waterfall business, Earth Inspired Products. The car never returned to the home. 'It was blow after blow after blow to a child's skull,' the prosecutor said. There was a couple bowls of I believe popcorn that it looked like the boys were eating, possibly watching TV. Part of the mystery was solved in November 2013 when a motorcyclist stumbled upon two shallow graves in the desert near Victorville and unearthed human remains. A California businessman has been sentenced to death for brutally murdering a family of four and then dumping their bodies in shallow graves in the Mojave Desert. 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. With trial footage, and with getting access to Merrit and to the prosecution and to the defense attorneys, I think we were able to creat a much more intimate picture for an audience that gives you the whole story, Mr Fitzpatrick says. The missing persons flier for the McStay family. Investigators are questioning everybody, Michael McStay tells PEOPLE. In an interview with detectives just two weeks after the family was last seen, Merritt talked about his friend in the past tense. The investigation into the disappearance of the McStay family in February 2010 and the subsequent disappearance of money from the company's bank account led investigators to believe Merritt was responsible. Witnesses also testified that Merritt cashed checks written from Joseph McStay's business account days after McStay and his family vanished. Joseph was 40-years-old back then, and Summer was 43. Then a biker in the Mojave Desert finds their bodies in shallow graves. We just had to go over all kinds of money stuff, Merritt told detectives in an interview recording obtained by American Greed.. Whether or not Merritt receives the death penalty has yet to be decided. 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. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. 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. Everything. There was no evidence to determine where the family went or why they had left. Prosecutors said he bludgeoned the family to death with a sledgehammer. Lying beside the family was a sledgehammer. On June 10, 2019, a San Bernardino County jury found Merritt guilty of murdering the McStay family. That was the last time they would ever speak; no one heard from the McStays after 4 February 2010. Each is holding the hand of a child. 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. The remains were identified as the McStay familys and were buried in two shallow graves. However, in November 2013, an off-track motorcyclist discovered a tiny human skull in an isolated Californian desert, ultimately leading to uncovering the McStays' remains in two shallow graves. The gift by aselin debison free sheet music. This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this . They were actually written several days after the family disappeared and backdated to make it appear as though theyd been issued before the family vanished. Investigators also discovered that the same car had been towed on February 8 for a parking violation near the Mexican border. There was a huge sigh of relief. Reports state that it was via Joseph's flourishing decorative fountain business and Earth Inspired Products that the two first became acquainted. 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. On February 4, 2010,Summer McStay, her husbandJoseph, and their young sonsGianni andJoseph Jr.disappeared from San Diego, California. It took some time for people to become concerned; the family sometimes took small vacations, so it was more than a week before Mr McStays brother, Michael, stopped by the house to see if it held answers to where they might be. The caller lacked the necessary passcodeto delete the account and the customer service representative was unable to carry out his requestleaving the damaging information for investigators to discover later. One of the most infamous murder cases in the Inland area will be a focus of the second season premiere of the Oxygen show "Killer Motive" Saturday, Jan. 23 at 6 p.m. Today, he is still imprisoned at San Quentin State Prison and on death row. January 30, 2015 / 2:32 PM / CBS News. On Feb. 15, the family was reported missing to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department. The sledge hammer is the likely murder weapon. Complete Murderpedia Autopsy Photos online with US Legal Forms.. .. Descargar Dmelect Gratis. 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.. McStay Family Car Found Near Mexican Border, 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, For years the familys mysterious disappearance would continue to baffle investigators until a motorcyclistriding the trails in the Mojave Desert on Nov. 13, 2013 made a, Investigators from the San Bernardino Sheriffs Department soon. If you have any suggestions for any crime locations, infamous crimes or infamous people you want me to cover, (mostly around WA state as that is where I live. In 2018, the trial was postponed again so that his current defense attorney could do more investigating, Merritt remained jailed without bail. He was also cherished by companion he leaves five children, several grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. When Joseph McStay, his wife Summer, and their two young sons disappeared from the familys Fallbrook, California home in February 2010, it was as if theyd simply vanished into thin air. Research genealogy for Vivian McStay of Gordonville, Grayson Texas, USA, as well as other members of the McStay family, on Ancestry. To learn more about the case, tune into Monday's episode of "American Greed" at 10 p.m. ET/PT on CNBC. You can also watch "The McStay Family Mystery" on Oxygen's "Killer Motive.". Case 7, McStay. Please be respectful of the memorial and do not leave any trash when you . Although Merritt adamantly denied being at the location of the makeshift graves, To learn more about the case, tune into Monday's episode of. Merritt is accused of killing his former business associate, Joseph McStay, McStay's wife Summer, and their two small children on Feb. 4, 2010. I never settled on anybody. 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. At the time, Joseph owned an online company named Earth Inspired Products that sold decorative water fountains. 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 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. Their disappearance was widely reported by the national news media. Copyright 2023 KABC Television, LLC. GUILTY. A funeral service will be held on Sunday, March 5th 2023 at 2:00 PM at the . This information was alarming enough for Josephs brother to call the police and report the family missing, as it was uncharacteristic of them to leave the dogs without food. Investigators were stumped until they came upon a distressing hint that directed them towards Charles "Chase" Merritt, a close friend and business partner of Joseph McStay's. Merritt constantly denied he had anything to do with the crime. Volunteers set up the original memorial site in 2013. Publicly Merrittwho had several prior convictions on his recordclaimed to be Josephs best friend. Merritt insists on his innocence in the face of the prosecution's evidence, raising the question: Did Merritt murder the McStay family? McStay Murder Suspect Chase Merritt Has Heart Condition, Lawyer Says . 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 . Defense attorney Rajan Maline has continued to proclaimhis clients innocence, arguing there's no physical evidence linking Merritt to themurder scene. The memorial is located about 200 feet west of Quary road and requires visitors to leave their car at Quary Road and walk east to the actual location. John F. Kennedy autopsy photo (#1) 0. Found the resolution to each, I know who really killed Chanin, her husband did not, I have so many questions about this story. 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.