"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. 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. 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. Queen Letizia of Spain is polished in a recycled Reiss skirt as she joins King Felipe VI at Repli-Kate! Joseph McStay, his wife Summer, and the couple's two young sons mysteriously disappeared in Feb. 2010. My brother was I looked up to my brother. San Bernardino County Superior Court Judge Michael Smith upheld the jurys recommendation of death following a two-day sentencing hearing that included a flurry of last-minute motions from Merritt and his lawyer, who accused prosecutors of misconduct, Merritts earlier attorneys of incompetence and, on Tuesday, tried to remove the judge himself from the case. (File photo by Kurt Miller, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG), In this file photo Susan Blake, mother of Joseph McStay, breaks down while speaking at a press conference at the San Bernardino Sheriff Headquarters on Friday, Nov. 7, 2014. And when we were out she would call him constantly. [6] Joseph owned and operated Earth Inspired Products, a company that built decorative fountains, and Summer was a licensed real estate agent. Sorry because he was worth it, he told Imes. '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. The trial in the downtown San Bernardino Justice Center is before Judge Michael A. Smith. 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. Joseph was his older brother, by three years, two months, three days, he toldSan Bernardino County Supervising Deputy District Attorney Britt Imes. The family had been beaten to death with a three-pound sledgehammer found in one of the graves. 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. 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.'. How the Princess of Wales recreated her 2006 outfit from Prince William's Sandhurst graduation Behind-the-scenes at fashion week with the Spencers! They were in the process of remodeling their four-bedroom, three-bathroom home when they went missing. 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. This despicable, evil monster. 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,. You cannot get back time. January 21, 2020 Merritt, 62, was sentenced to life in prison for murdering Joseph McStay, 40. Disappeared examines the case of the McStay family who vanished from their Southern California home and may have headed into Mexico. Huh? Son of Patrick McStay and Susan Blake. Yes, sir, McStay replied. The court took a brief break. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. It was to me, at the time, very scary, so I literally walked out and said If my son loses his business, so be it, I need to find my family and I left., Under questioning by Rodriguez, Blake described the argument as filled with A lot of, lot of cussing, screaming at each other Chase wanted to wring his neck.. She talked about how the slayings of her son, daughter-in-law, and grandsons have destroyed her family. Voice shaking, it was Merrit's turn to speak to the courtroom and to the McStay family's loved ones. According to prosecutors, greed was the motive for the killings and Merritt killed the McStays because he had been embezzling thousands of dollars from Joseph McStay's business. 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. Soon, the family's car was found at a strip mall in south San Diego County near the U.S.-Mexico border. 2023.03.03 04:09 oz2usa I'm so bummed out after realising my diagnosis made a few years ago is legitimate. Joseph's cellphone pinged a tower in Fallbrook. Joseph, 40, was suffering from a mystery illness in the months before he went missing with Summer and their two young children, and would spend days in bed barely able to walk. Victorville, California CNN . And while he does not believe Summer was directly involved, he will dedicate a significant amount of the book to her behavior and the couples relationship. He didnt know what was wrong with him and he was desperate. Gavin Newsom has placed a moratorium on executions while hes in office. "You had a choice. 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.. Note:A previous version of this story misidentified the prosecutor who questioned Michael McStay. He was a big part of my life and my familys life. Chase, you are a low-life coward and a baby killer. The two children were very young a three-year-old and a four-year-old. Investigators believed the murder weapon was a 3-pound sledgehammer, which was found in the grave containing the remains of Summer and her son. #nbc7 https://t.co/muZXjqJBFT. [1][2] Their disappearance was widely reported by the national news media. (Will Lester . "I did not do this thing. "We don't run this circus. 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. Where were they? Authorities think they've caught the killer, who is awaiting trial, and the family. 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. His mother was not available to speak to MailOnline about Merritt's latest revelations. I have been in complete denial about having schizophrenia for the last few years. 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. Summer McStay's ex-husband spoke next. In the McStay family murders, Judge listens to arguments that sentence should be reduced from death penalty to life in prison without parole. [17] Other critics of the theory noted that the McStays had more than $100,000 in bank accounts, with no withdrawal of funds in preparation for a trip, and their accounts were untouched after their disappearance. As a precaution, investigators took DNA samples from the car, but there was still no evidence of foul play. , updated Maline spent several hours speaking before the judge. [7] Summer was born Virginia Lisa Aranda, and had also been known as Summer Martelli. [7] His words were a precursor to the deep pain the rest of the McStay family's loved ones would share Tuesday in court. A lot of his close friends did not trust her and thought she treated him very badly. Then, he slammed the podium loudly with his hands.Come on, Chase! Just a monster. 'Some rough places, but you have had somebody stab me, it doesn't matter,' she noted. 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.. Merritt is accused of killing his former business associate, Joseph McStay, McStay's wife Summer, and their two small children on Feb. 4, 2010. Joseph's father, Patrick McStay, told the Los Angeles Times in 2011. Patrick McStay was there, too, along with other members of the McStay family, including Joseph McStay's brother, Michael McStay. Merritts defense team has claimed Kavanaugh is a likely suspect in the McStay family case, but was overlooked by investigators despite what they described as a deteriorating relationship with Joseph McStay in the months before the familys disappearance. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) Prosecutors are seeking the death. On the surface, while tragic, it may not seem all that crazy. Obviously that was a real problem for Joseph and he used to talk to me about it regularly. [31] The trial finally began on January 7, 2019, in a San Bernardino court, with both sides making opening statements. How scared were they, Chase? In the book, he speculated that Summer might have committed the murders. Chase Merritt, 62, is facing a potential death sentence, or life in prison. "So unnatural. And she recounted for Rodriguez how she gave $4,410 in personal checks to Merritt in the months after her son and his family disappeared, based on Merritts claims he needed the money to complete projects for the business. He then spoke to his friend several more times on his mobile over the course of the afternoon and actually missed a call from him at 8.28pm, which was the last time Joseph used his phone. 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. Gavin Newsom has placed a moratorium on executions while he's in office. And then the family that was killed by their own friend?'" He has been the entertainment editor, a features writer, a business writer and is now a courts and breaking news reporter. In the gallery sat Merritt's daughter and brother. Ultimately, officials determined it was not the McStay family in that video. Judge just said clearly its not timely. #mcstay #nbc7 https://t.co/qLzXb6wJlM. Trademark and Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. 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. All rights reserved, Jury Recommends Death Penalty for Business Associate Convicted of Killing McStay Family, Business Partner Found Guilty in McStay Family Killings, Check Your Pockets: These Coins Can Be Worth Up To $24,000, Glendale Neighborhood Frustrated After an Illegal Hostel Moves In, NASA Images Show Southern California Mountains Before and After Winter Storm, Tax Deadlines Extended to October for Most Californians Due to Storms. Michael McStay remembered the day detectives told him and his family that the bodies of his brother, sister-in-law, and nephews had been discovered in the desert. Merritt looked at Blake as she spoke. Joseph managed a company that built decorative fountains, and Summer was a licensed real estate agent. Mystery at the Border: With Christopher Crutchfield Walker, Joseph McStay, Summer McStay, Gianni McStay. During her morning testimony, Blake also described heated arguments between Merritt and Dan Kavanaugh, both business partners in McStays decorative fountain business. Inconclusive:After three years of searching, the San Diego Sheriff's Department investigators concluded in April 2013 that the McStay family had gone to Mexico voluntarily, Frustrating: The McStays friends and family insisted they would never go to Mexico with their children, but there was no other explanation, Heartbreaking: On November 11, 2013, an off-road motorcyclist came across the family's human remains in San Bernardino County's Mojave Desert. Situated in northern San Diego County, the community is known as "The Friendly Village." Sadly, disaster would soon strike the tranquil town. 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. For years, police speculated they went to Mexica, but the McStays bodies were later found buried in the Mojave Desert in November 2013. 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. Were just the clowns, - Britt Imes. 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. Charles "Chase" Merritt appears at his sentencing hearing in San Bernardino, California, on Jan. 21, 2020. [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. He was in a really bad way. 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. I don't think so, and I truly hope not. How could you beat two precious little babies? June 10, 2019 Merritt is found guilty of murdering the McStay family. Joseph McStay, 40, his wife, Summer, 43, and their sons Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3, vanished from their home inFallbrook, California, on February 4, 2010. What about the little guys? After Joseph, along with his wife and kids, suddenly went missing in February 2010, the authorities didn't have many leads. 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. 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. (File photo by Kurt Miller, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG). NBC 7's Jackie Crea has more. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. The impression I get is that Summer would use her sexuality to get attention and get what she wanted. While Merritt does not think Summer was directly involved, he has revealed she treated Joseph horrendously in the years before they went missing. Two days later, two sets of remains were officially identified as those of Joseph and Summer McStay. She was obsessed with the idea of being Italian and that was her name for him. He went to the doctor a number of times, but they just didnt know what was wrong with him. - The mysterious disappearance of Joseph McStay, his wife Summer, and their two sons in February 2010 raised a lot of questions. [15] Baker began following the case in 2013 after interviewing Michael McStay on his program. Blake was followed in testimony by her son and Joseph McStays brother, Michael McStay who said Joseph gave him $2,000 to start his fire sprinkler system business. The 30 Best Shows on Netflix for Kids. I would never hurt him in any way. The evidence finally placing Merritt at the scene of the crime was his cellphone data, prosecutors said. she said. Hes considering motion of insufficient evidence to support verdict. #McStay family visibly frustrated. On Friday, he. They said McStay told friends Merritt was doing shoddy work and pilfering money from him. 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. We're just the clowns.". 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. [14], The circumstances surrounding the family's disappearance and the lack of clues about their whereabouts triggered speculation by amateur sleuths. We're just the clowns," Imes said. Just stop all the appeals, all the shenanigans. 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. Joseph and Summer McStay were found buried in shallow desert graves along with their two young sons nearly four years after they vanished from their suburban California home (San Bernardino. May 23, 2022 Investigation Discovery's ' Two Shallow Graves' follows the trial of Charles "Chase" Merritt, accused of murdering Joseph McStay and his family. Joseph McStay owned a custom fountain business and worked with Merritt. Investigators believe that Joseph McStay, 40, his wife, Summer, 43, and their sons, 4-year-old Gianni and 3-year-old Joseph, were bludgeoned to death in their home in the San Diego County community of Fallbrook on Feb. 4, 2010, San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon said Friday. Doves were . What lack of sleep REALLY does to your face: Expert reveals the warning signs your skin is suffering, My Daily Horoscope: What does March 2nd hold for MY star sign? They said that he wrote checks totaling more than $21,000 on Joseph's business account in the days after the family was killed and then went on a gambling spree at nearby casinos, where he lost thousands of dollars. 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. Merritt also says Summer had a terrible temper and would often snap at her husband over completely insignificant things. I see its written, yes, she answered, confirming it was her signature. #mcstay #nbc7 https://t.co/xNxV3CqRtr. Despite all the time I spent with Joseph, I had no kind of relationship with her. 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). Speaking exclusively to MailOnline Merritt who worked with Joseph in his fountain business - said: I was extremely close to Joseph. Crying for mommy and daddy? [24] When asked if he thought Merritt was a suspect, Joseph's father Patrick said, "I have to have faith in Chase because I have to have faith in my son. The book will be released later this year. When the bodies were found, he offered a refund to those who purchased his book before November 2013. How can you take that all in?, Susan Blake, right, mother of Joseph McStay, reaches over and holds the hand of her other son Michael McStay, left, at a press conference at the San Bernardino Sheriff Headquarters, Friday, November 15, 2013. In the family's home, investigators found bowls of uneaten popcorn, as if the family had just been there, and planned to return. 'When I last talked to my son, on February 4, he said he still didnt feel good,' said Blake, adding that she had provided the Sheriffs Dept with information on Josephs health problems. His son, Joseph, his daughter-in-law, Summer, and their two little boys - Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3 . How could you beat two precious little babies? On February 23, 2010, detectives notified Interpol, the International Criminal Police Organization, to be on the lookout for the family heading to Mexico. Mike crawled through a window and discovered food rotting in the kitchen, and Summer's prescription sunglasses were also left on the table. He would spend days on end in bed. It is my deepest desire in my own life not to spread pain and suffering, said a soft-spoken Jonah McStay. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. The case has sparked endless speculation, with both the police and amateur sleuths coming up with countless theories, some plausible, some wild and outrageous. Just a monster.". Everything with her seemed to be done for gain.. California man pleads not guilty to killing family of four Susan Blake (L), the mother of Joseph McStay, leaves the courtroom with her son Michael McStay after Charles "Chase" Merritt was. Family members react to the arrest: Summer McStays brother-in-law, Joseph Russell, speaks and then Michael McStay, brother of Joseph McStay, speaks. "I loved Joseph. "Our family has already received a life sentence. 09:19 EST 04 Jan 2014 After three years of searching, the San Diego Sheriff's Department investigators concluded in April 2013 that the McStay family had gone to Mexico voluntarily. [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. I remember one woman in particular was all over him for a while. So why was being grilled about her books on Mastermind so Why should I be asked to tip when I shop online? 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. 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. How to trick yourself slim: Top nutritionist reveals her tips including shrinking your cutlery, sniffing Meghan's (very expensive) date night look! 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. 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. 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. Will Payne Judge just denied defense motion to reduce potential sentence to life in prison (Judge will also consider death). List of journal articles on the topic 'Kirkland House (Cambridge, Mass.)'. 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. Joseph McStay has operated Earth Inspired Products, a waterfall and garden accessories business in San Clemente, since 1996, according. DNA samples were collected from the McSays' family, friends, and associates, but investigators couldn't get a search warrant to access their financial records because there was no evidence of a crime at the time. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. "The gruesome and brutal details of the crime that you committed are his family," she said to Merritt. 'As a mother, you're going to do absolutely anything and everything you can to find them,' she explained. she said. Homicide investigators search the family's home on Avocado Vista Lane and found no sign of a struggle. They took none of their belongings, left $100,000 in the bank and even abandoned their beloved dogs. Joseph McStay, 40, and his wife, Summer, 43, went missing along with their two children, Gianna, 4, and Joseph, 3. [4], On June 10, 2019, a San Bernardino County jury found Merritt guilty of murdering the McStay family. Prosecutors told jurors Merritt killed the family after learning McStay was cutting him out of his business making and selling custom water fountains. I did not know any of that part, Blake said. This world was robbed of four beautiful souls. Joseph McStay's mother Susan Blake addresses the court during the sentencing of Charles Chase Merritt on Jan. 21, 2020. She had once told him she wanted that song played at her funeral. 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. Around five months before his disappearance he started suffering terrible problems with his equilibrium and his stomach. And if the truth be told, despite everything, he was still infatuated with Summer. Merritt was found guilty on June 10, 2019, on four counts of murder. [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). "The constant questions when we are out. Merritt was transferred to San Quentin State Prison until an execution date is scheduled. Patrick McStay, Joseph's father, was informed of the discovery and phoned missing person advocate Jerrie Dean to tell her what he knew. You just do what you can for your son, and your family, she said. [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. Don't worry, your fate will be way less tragic than that of the family you murdered. Merritt and Kavanaugh both worked with McStays online business, Earth Inspired Products, which offered outdoor water fountains to customers. He was married to Summer McStay for seven years. 'It's like they went poof,' Susan recalled. We are scarred for life., Its been almost 10 years and the pain hasnt subsided, she added. At that time, no one knew what happened to the family. Three years later, the remains of the family were discovered in a shallow grave in a remote desert in Southern California. He would often come up and visit me and we would go out for dinner with my wife at the time, but Summer never came. The attorney stopped Merritt, saying, "You can't.".