The following year, authorities filed murder charges against Merritt, Josephs onetime business partner. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! 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. His last known call was with Charles Chase Merritt, a business associate. Josephs brother found no sign of the family, so he left a note for the person feeding the dogs and asked them to call him, as he was concerned about his family. Merritt used the money to fuel his gambling addiction at nearby casinos, in which he lost thousands of dollars. WebThe 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 His last known call was with Charles Chase Merritt, a business associate. The missing persons flier for the McStay family. In addition, neither of the children had passports. 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, Gone: The family was considered missing, and detectives notified Interpol, the International Criminal Police Organization, to be on the lookout for headin to Mexico, Can't tell: 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, Devastating: Joseph's parents headed to Mexico to hang flyers and search for them but never found anything, '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.. KGTV/ABC News. minneapolis crime statistics by race / blackpink members height in feet and weight / blackpink members height in feet and weight He started as a crime reporter and went on to cover a variety of beats including courts and the cities of Colton, Highland and Grand Terrace. Additionally, a family friend was helping paint the house, and left with the intention of returning on Saturday, February 6, to finish the job. Summer's sister stated that her passport was expired. Mom Claimed Daughter, 5, Vanished Overnight. The former welder was sentenced to death for the murders of Summer, Gianni and Joseph Jr. and life without parole for the murder of Joseph. Please be respectful of the memorial and do not leave any trash when you visit. But several family members did not believe that the man in the video was Joseph. Publicly Merrittwho had several prior convictions on his recordclaimed to be Josephs best friend. Cell phone records as well as forged checks also linked him to the crime. To learn more about the case, tune into Monday's episode of "American Greed" at 10 p.m. ET/PT on CNBC. Your email address will not be published. Publicly Merrittwho had several prior convictions on his recordclaimed to be Josephs best friend,once telling CNNs Randi Kay that although they began as work acquaintances, they quickly grew to be friends, playing paintball together andsharingdinnera few nights a week. 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It did appear, however, as though the family left the home quickly. A happy, successful couple with two young sons couldn't just vanish into thin air right? Skip Ancestry navigation Main Menu Home 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. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! . It would have been impossible for the McStays to travel into Mexico with insufficient documents. He could face the death penalty as a result. Many conspiracies believed that they wanted to disappear, and that they have crossed the Mexican border, the familys SUV having been found stranded near the border. WebIn 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. Whether youre interested in researching and testing your ideas, saving and recalling your favourite analysis or accessing tools and strategies from leading Industry Educators, Beyond Charts+ is modern, powerful and easy to use charting software for private investors. Though it is possible that Summer was using a different name, there are no records of passports under any of her other names. 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. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. WebJoseph 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. 'This despicable, evil monster. A man riding his dirt bike in the area discovered some of the remains and contacted police. But privately, investigatorsnoticed Merritt had displayed some concerning behavior after the family disappeared. Coverage of the latest true crime stories and famous cases explained, as well as the best TV shows, movies and podcasts in the genre. The family and friends of the McStays did not expect them to be at the Mexican border. On February 15, eleven days after the family was last heard from, the police searched the McStay family home. In the book, he speculated that Summer might have committed the murders. Hood Soldier Vanessa Guillen, The Best True Crime Documentaries to Stream Now, Wisc. 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.. 'You had a choice. [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. Summers prescription sunglasses are in the house as well, according to Killer Motive. Relatives are certain the family wouldnt go away without telling anyone. [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 driver for all Investors is the continuous search for investment opportunities. Summers skull was fractured and one of their sons heads was bludgeoned seven times, according to court testimony. The sledge hammer is the likely murder weapon. Lets make no mistake about it, Mr. Merritt is innocent, Maline tells American Greed.. Joseph McStay, his wife Summer, and the couple's two young sons mysteriously disappeared in Feb. 2010. WebSan Bernardino County sheriffs investigators believe Summer McStay, who along with her husband Joseph and two young sons was fatally beaten with a sledgehammer and buried 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. A sledgehammer was also found buried at the site. ', 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. Detectives said Merritt had grown up in the area and was familiar with the terrain. San Bernardino County Det. Watchara Phomicinda/Digital First Media/The Press-Enterprise via Getty, Pa. Police Arrest 'Supposed' Friend, Business Partner in Death of Mom Found in Shallow Grave, After 30 Years, Police ID Calif. Woman Who Was Stabbed to Death, but Her Daughters Remain Missing, Ohio Mom and Her 2 Teen Sons Found Dead in Home After Murder-Suicide, N.J. 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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. They were dressed similarly to the McStays, and the children were wearing hats similar to ones they had been photographed in. How did four people end up here in the middle of nowhere, over 100 miles from where they live? he asked. [34], On May 22, 2022, the case was looked at again on the Investigation Discovery docuseries Two Shallow Graves. In April 2013, the San Diego Sheriffs Department turned the case over to the FBI, which was more equipped to investigate cases that involve other countries. Oscar Cainer tells all. Investigators immediately seized the car and searched it for evidence. Timeline of Gabby Petito Tragedy 1 Year After Killer Brian Laundrie's Body Was Found, Calif. Man Gets Death Penalty for Killing Business Partner, Victim's Wife, Kids Before Burying Bodies, Murder, Greed and the Mojave Desert: The Mystery Behind the McStay Family Murder. [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. Merritt told investigators that on Feb. 4, 2010, the day the family disappeared, Merritt and McStay met for lunch at a Chick-Fil-A restaurant in Rancho Cucamonga for a business meeting. A motion filed in San Bernardino Superior Court on Nov. 20 on behalf of McStay family murder suspect Charles Chase Merritt by his attorney, James McGee, argued against the use of family photos and/or videos of the McStay family at trial, stating it could engender sympathy from the jury for the victims and prejudice the jury against Merritt. How could you beat two precious little babies? According to a news article from CNN, it states how Food had been left out and the dogs were home. The family went missing in 2010, four months after they moved into a new house in the San Diego suburb of Fallbrook, California. Sign up for PEOPLEs free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! There was no apparent suspicious activity on the couples credit card accounts. Welcome to Beyond Charts. Investigators believed the murder weapon was a 3-pound sledgehammer, which was found in the grave containing the remains of Summer and her son. Get up to speed on the investigation with the timeline below. 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. "[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. There were no signs of foul play or any forced entry. WebMcStay Family Murder Investigation: Search Warrants Unsealed, Reveal Details Of Fallbrook House. [32] On June 24, the jury recommended that Merritt be sentenced to death. How scared were they, Chase? You start calling his cellphones, her cellphones,' she said., 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. Two days later, the remains were identified as the McStay family. [9] In the surveillance recording, the vehicle's occupants could not be seen. Although both instances raised investigators' suspicions, another glaring clue would ultimately put Merritt at the center of the investigation. , was found on the steering wheel and gear shift of the McStay vehicle abandoned near the Mexico border. November 2010 Patrick McStay, who has been painstakingly combing through his sons emails for leads, informs detectives of suspicious activity by a business partner, according to Killer Motive. The possible lead turns into a dead end. The memorial is located about 200 feet west of Quary road My fear is that Im looking for two adult shallow graves and my two nephews crosses, Josephs kid brother, Michael, told the Orange County Register a few weeks after the Feb. 4, 2010, disappearance. He boasted it had a California currently has a moratorium on executions. Back in February of 2010 the McStay family disappeared, in Fallbrook California. Merritt was a fabricator, who Joseph had turned to to expand the custom side of his business. On Thursday, February 4, the last day that the McStay family was heard from, Joseph attended regular work meetings. 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 gruesome discovery. I loved Joseph, he said. A hearing on McGees motion is scheduled Friday in San Bernardino Superior Court. He was given the, for killing Summer, Gianni, and Joseph Jr. Now, Merritt, To learn more aboutwhy Merritt committed such a horrible crime and to see exclusive interviews with Joseph's family, watch. With no leads, the case went cold until nearly four years later, when the familys remains were found 100 miles away in the Mojave Desert after an off-road motorcyclist discovered human bones. 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