How the Princess of Wales recreated her 2006 outfit from Prince William's Sandhurst graduation Behind-the-scenes at fashion week with the Spencers! How they stalked the stalker: A gripping new true crime 'It did get weird': Couple who are in the middle of divorce Woman finds out her husband was cheating on her after he was made an equally emotional statement ahead of the sentencing being handed down, telling the court how the killings had scarred their lives. Last month marked the 3rd anniversary since a family of four mysteriously vanished from their Southern California home. 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. 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. I just spoke to the prosecuting attorney in the Merritt case. For years, police speculated they. I see its written, yes, she answered, confirming it was her signature. '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. [32] On June 24, the jury recommended that Merritt be sentenced to death. Authorities think they've caught the killer, who is awaiting trial, and the family. On February 23, 2010, detectives notified Interpol, the International Criminal Police Organization, to be on the lookout for the family heading to Mexico. 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. [2] In April 2013, the San Diego Sheriff's Department announced that they believed that the McStays traveled to Mexico voluntarily.[18]. 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.. I even went to the hospital with him to try and see what was wrong; we thought maybe it was stress.'. Around five months before his disappearance he started suffering terrible problems with his equilibrium and his stomach. Susan said they would stop in little towns that had just a gas station and a grocery store to post flyers. 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. Joseph managed a company that built decorative fountains, and Summer was a licensed real estate agent. [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. She also touched on the media attention and pressures her family has coped with for years, including questions from strangers. [27], Prosecutors allege that Merritt had a gambling problem and killed the McStay family for financial gain. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. If I want to speak with him, I have to go to a gravesite," Michael McStay added. I just dropped me to my knees I will never go back to that spot, she told San Bernardino County Deputy District AttorneyMelissa Rodriguez. His son, Joseph, his daughter-in-law, Summer, and their two little boys - Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3 . In the family's home, investigators found bowls of uneaten popcorn, as if the family had just been there, and planned to return. He was arrested last year. ', 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. The shame and despair of being physically attacked by your own child. 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. Sentencing still has not happened. A license plate search for the vehicle led to the discovery that the McStay's SUV had been towed from a parking lot near San Ysidro, California, right near the U.S.-Mexico border, on February 8, 2010, four days after they went missing. The bodies of two members of a family that went missing in 2010 have been identified. '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. The family had been beaten to death with a three-pound sledgehammer found in one of the graves. The family's computer had recent internet searches for: 'What documents do children need for traveling to Mexico?' 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. #nbc7 https://t.co/muZXjqJBFT. Don't worry, your fate will be way less tragic than that of the family you murdered. 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. Ultimately, officials determined it was not the McStay family in that video. 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. Trademark and Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. 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. Testimony in the trial is scheduled to continue Wednesday. 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. Their dogs. The show features new suspects, witnesses, evidence, and theories regarding the case, as well as the trial from both the defendant's and prosecutor's points of view. Merritt was due to speak next. 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. 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. NBC 7 was once again inside the courtroom Tuesday. ", Chase Merritt watching and listening. He would spend days on end in bed. 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. Here are the seven best ways to wear them this spring. Merritt was arrested the following year. "Death was the appropriate verdict for those three offenses," the judge said. Blakes testimony came during the second day in the capital murder trial of Charles Chase Merrit, 61, of Rancho Cucamonga. January 21, 2020 Merritt, 62, was sentenced to life in prison for murdering Joseph McStay, 40. 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. Immediately, the mysterious case gripped the community. Mrs Blake described Josephs symptoms as something similar to vertigo and said he complained of feeling 'woozy'. The court took a brief break. They said McStay told friends Merritt was doing shoddy work and pilfering money from him. 09:19 EST 04 Jan 2014 How could you beat two precious little babies? Merritt lashed out at prosecutors he said framed him, some witnesses he accused of lying and the judge he said allowed it to happen. 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 disappearance, according to an explosive new book. [23] Merritt, who reportedly was the last person Joseph called from his cell phone, also said that he had passed a polygraph test and did not know anything that could help solve the mystery of the family's disappearance. On February 19, California police notified Interpol to be on the lookout for the family. McStay family went missing nearly three years ago Surveillance video shows four people of similar size crossing into Mexico Relatives dispute author's claim that wife was involved in. Judge just said clearly its not timely. #mcstay #nbc7 https://t.co/qLzXb6wJlM. He was sentenced to death and life in prison. Michael did not find any family at home, and their two dogs were in the backyard. 'You had a choice. Merritt looked at Blake as she spoke. Who killed the McStay family? On Monday, more than four years since his arrest in connection with the slayings, the family's accused killer, Charles "Chase" Merritt, is scheduled to go on trial on murder charges in San. "It didn't just mark me that day," Michael McStay said. The 30 Best Shows on Netflix for Kids. Joseph McStay has operated Earth Inspired Products, a waterfall and garden accessories business in San Clemente, since 1996, according. Patrick said, "I truly believe she loved my son. 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. Indiana Man Charged After Son In Diapers Points Gun At . Maline spent several hours speaking before the judge. Merritt later told police that he ignored the voicemail because he was watching a movie. See also Other Works | Publicity Listings | Official Sites A decade after the family went missing, their killer was sentenced to death in January 202. Chase, you are a low-life baby killer, Blake said as Merritt stared at her impassively. 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. His words were a precursor to the deep pain the rest of the McStay family's loved ones would share Tuesday in court. Charles "Chase" Merritt, 62, was sentenced to life in prison for the killing of his former business associate, Joseph McStay, 40. Patrick McStay was there, too, along with other members of the McStay family, including Joseph McStay's brother, Michael McStay. #nbc7 https://t.co/5tmfTOuzsD. But despite that public front, I know, prior to their disappearance they had not had sex in more than a year. You just do what you can for your son, and your family, she said. 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. [3] Merritt was charged with four counts of murder, and the district attorney sought the death penalty. 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. The judge has been speaking for the last hour - and still going, reviewing in slow, excruciating detail certain facts of the case. [8], On February 4, 2010, at 7:47pm, a neighbor's surveillance system captured the bottom eighteen inches of a vehicle, thought at the time to be the McStay family's 1996 Isuzu Trooper. Do I think Chase is involved? Note:A previous version of this story misidentified the prosecutor who questioned Michael McStay. Two days later, two sets of remains were officially identified as those of Joseph and Summer McStay. [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. 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.. His son, Joseph, his daughter-in-law, Summer, and their two little boys, Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3 vanished. California has not executed anyone on death row since 2006 as current Gov. Just stop all the appeals, all the shenanigans. 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. Basically, she wouldnt let him near her. Princess Diana's nieces Lady Eliza and Amelia share Do not sell or share my personal information. And now, victim impact statements before formal sentencing. When the McStays car was found in San Ysidro on the Mexican border four days after they were last seen and security footage of a family of four an hour later heading into the Central American country surfaced, the idea they had left of their own accord gained momentum. I honestly believed my psychiatrist . Joseph was his older brother, by three years, two months, three days, he toldSan Bernardino County Supervising Deputy District Attorney Britt Imes. Then, he slammed the podium loudly with his hands.Come on, Chase! The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. Jackie Collins taught me everything I know. After 8-Hour Day in Court, Sentencing Delayed for Man Who Killed McStay Family. We dont run this circus. Neither was Joseph's brother, Michael. 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. 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.. Summer had also ordered a Spanish-language education program a few months prior to their disappearance. she said. "It is my deepest desire in my own life not to spread pain and suffering," said a. And then the family that was killed by their own friend?'" He had this problem right up until the day he went missing. Description. It would take years for investigators to discover the family's grisly fate. Michael McStay said watching his parents bury his brother was the most "unnatural" thing he could've ever witnessed. Crying for mommy and daddy? 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. Officers arrived at the home and requested a search warrant, executed on February 19, 2010. Soon, the family's car was found at a strip mall in south San Diego County near the U.S.-Mexico border. Josephs illness was well documented and had left his entire family completely baffled. Blake said, speaking to Merritt. 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. He maintained his innocence, saying something has always been "amiss" in this case. Before the sentencing was handed down, six of the McStay family's loved ones delivered tearful, spine-tingling impact statements in court, staring straight at the face of the killer who took the lives of their family. Arguing, and Dan just wasnt going to budge, she said. Charles Chase Merritt, l'associ du pre de famille retrouv mort avec femme et . Patrick also searched for their son in Mexico and thought he had a lead when a family claimed to have seen the McStays at Walmart, but security footage confirmed it wasn't them. With all the action and breaks, there was no time left for victim impact statements and the actual sentencing of Merritt. [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. Voice shaking, it was Merrit's turn to speak to the courtroom and to the McStay family's loved ones. Why? Imes asked, and Michael broke down on the witness stand. 'This despicable, evil monster. Jurors in San Bernardino. So why was being grilled about her books on Mastermind so Why should I be asked to tip when I shop online? Susanmade an equally emotional statement ahead of the sentencing being handed down, telling the court how the killings had scarred their lives. Prosecutors told jurors Merritt killed the family after learning McStay was cutting him out of his business making and selling custom water fountains. [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. 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. Smith ordered Merritt transferred to San Quentin State Prison until an execution date is scheduled. Ending my life for a crime that I did not commit," Merritt said. While Merritt does not think Summer was directly involved, he has revealed she treated Joseph horrendously in the years before they went missing. She said it was not until six months later that she could bear to go out to the site, marked by four crosses. [30] On May 4, the case was scheduled to go to trial in July 2018. NBC 7's Jackie Crea has more. 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. They took none of their belongings, left $100,000 in the bank and even abandoned their beloved dogs. [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. And the fountain designer told MailOnline how Joseph once said to him, Maybe I should start eating out more and stop eating her food. "It's not just a Netflix documentary to us. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. At that time, no one knew what happened to the family. You cannot get back time. Merritt and Kavanaugh both worked with McStays online business, Earth Inspired Products, which offered outdoor water fountains to customers. And when we were out she would call him constantly. They make up a small part of Merritts new book, which is due to be released later this year. 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. When their remains were unearthed, investigators also found a rusty sledgehammer that they said was used to kill the family. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. I'm so bummed out after realising my diagnosis made a few years ago is legitimate. Theres nothing more valuable on this Earth than time and that was stolen from them; that was stolen from us," he said. Were just the clowns, - Britt Imes. 'It's like they went poof,' Susan recalled. 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. The comments below have not been moderated. "You had a choice. 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. Working through prosecutor Rodriguezs objections, Maline asked Blake, Do remember if it bounced?. We are scarred for life., Its been almost 10 years and the pain hasnt subsided, she added. The book will be released later this year. 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,. On Tuesday, the judge said the sentencing stands: Merritt gets life in prison for the killing of Joseph McStay, and the death penalty for the slayings of Summer McStay, Gianni McStay, and Joseph McStay Jr. Charles Merritt was sentenced to death for killing the McStay family.