mcstay family autopsy photos
I loved Joseph, he said. Investigators discovered that neither of the familys cars had traveled to Mexico in years, so they believed that the family had not driven into Mexico during the unaccounted for four days. CNN. Dan Hanke tells American Greed that when investigators examined Josephs QuickBooks account they did, in fact, discover a series of checks made out to Merritt or other vendors that Merrittowed money to that were dated Feb. 4, but the metadata stored within the computer revealed that the checks had not actually been written that day. Two shallow graves contained the remains of Joseph, his wife Summer, 4-year-old son Gianni and 3-year-old son Joe Jr. Investigators say they have a lot of work ahead to find the killers, and no predictions as to who they are or why they would kill a whole family. Duchess is seen visiting woke coffee brand she invested in - her first public Lovely in lilac! McStay Family Car Found Near Mexican Border. An acquaintance of Merritt's told a San Diego reporter, "I think police should look at him and anyone associated with him. search the McStay family home. Susan explained that her son and daughter-in-law would often go on 'little mini-trips' with their kids in California, so they weren't alarmed at first., 'And then as the days went by, you start thinking, "Okay, something's not right here." There was no apparent suspicious activity on the couples credit card accounts. [6] Joseph owned and operated Earth Inspired Products, a company that built decorative fountains, and Summer was a licensed real estate agent. 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. A year later,Charles 'Chase' Merritt, who was a partner in Joseph's water-fountain business, was arrested for bludgeoning the married couple and their children to death inside their home in Fallbrook because he owed them $30,000. [7] Summer was born Virginia Lisa Aranda, and had also been known as Summer Martelli. Lets make no mistake about it, Mr. Merritt is innocent, Maline tells American Greed.. [2] In April 2013, the San Diego Sheriff's Department announced that they believed that the McStays traveled to Mexico voluntarily.[18]. There was no evidence of forced entry or a struggle. Joseph McStay, his wife Summer, and the couple's two young sons mysteriously disappeared in Feb. 2010. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Chase, you are a low-life baby killer.. Who would brutally murder the entire McStay family? 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. I know this reply is archive but since the other replies were ridiculously over the top I just needed to add mine. It was unclear. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. ', 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. in prison for murdering Joseph McStay, 40. Theyre not there, but their dogs are in the backyard and theres food rotting in the kitchen. Investigators from the San Bernardino Sheriffs Department soon uncovered the bodies of all four McStay family membersincluding Joseph, Summer, 4-year-old Gianni and 3-year-old JosephJr.buried in two shallow graves in the harsh desert. There was finally some closure for the family, Imes says. 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. 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. 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. February 19, 2010 Detectives search the McStay family home. 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. 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. February 13, 2010 Josephs brother, Michael, goes to his siblings house and enters it through an open window to search for the family. Josephs father Patrick McStay, however, continues to be haunted by Merritts dark deeds. California has not executed anyone on death row since 2006 as current Gov. The driver for all Investors is the continuous search for investment opportunities. Summer had also ordered a Spanish-language education program a few months prior to their disappearance., 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., 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, 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., 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., As a precaution, investigators took DNA samples from the car, but there was still no evidence of foul play., On February 23, 2010, detectives notified Interpol, the International Criminal Police Organization, to be on the lookout for the family heading to Mexico., The next week, 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, the same day their vehicle was towed., Huh? The original memorial consisting of 4 white crosses. After 5:47 p.m.Joseph and Summer ended all communications. 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. [1][2] Their disappearance was widely reported by the national news media. While no one has the answer, there are many leads, provided by people like Josephs father, Patrick McStay, who has complained for years that the San Diego Sheriffs Department was not treating the case seriously, and Rick Baker, who traveled the world researching his book, No Goodbyes: The Mysterious Disappearance of the McStay Family. The car's location from February 4 to February 8 remains unknown. ', A decade after the family went missing, their killer was sentenced to death in January 202. On February 13, when the family hadnt been heard from in nine days, Josephs brother went to the house. We need to find the killer., For more on the tragic case that has baffled authorities pick up this weeks issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Monday. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Published on November 9, 2014 01:05 PM. [20] Although it is possible for a U.S. citizen to enter Mexico without a passport, one is required to reenter the United States. ', 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, Mike crawled through a window and discovered food rotting in the kitchen, and Summer's prescription sunglasses were also left on the table., 'It's like they went poof,' Susan recalled., There were no signs of forced entry or any foul play, which baffled investigators and suggested the family left on their own accord., The family's computer had recent internet searches for: 'What documents do children need for traveling to Mexico?' The McStay family of four was living a happy life, and had recently moved to a new house, which they were renovating and turning into their dream home. I don't think so, and I truly hope not. Investigators immediately seized the car and searched it for evidence. Sheriffs investigators arrested Charles Chase Merritt, 60, of Homeland, in November 2014. Though it is possible that Summer was using a different name, there are no records of passports under any of her other names. Prosecutors contend, among other things, that the jury is entitled to put a face to the remains of the McStay family, and that the jury has a right to know of whom the witnesses are talking about, McGee noted in another motion the defenses response to the prosecutions opposition motion, filed on Thursday. Being spoiled by my rich friend makes me feel like a charity case, Anti-agers no one but you needs to know about,Inge Van Lotringen tells all, How to dress like a grown up: Trust me, loose fit can be flattering, says Shane Watson, The one thing I've learnt byBinky Felstead, My Daily Horoscope: What does 27th February bring for my star sign? Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. What looked normal to Josephs brother but was alarming to investigators. Everything to Know About the Murdaugh Family Murders, Including Details of Allegations Against Alex, The McStay Mystery: A Family's Tragic End, Man Killed Business Associate, Wife and Kids Before Burying Their Remains in Calif. Desert, Detective Testifies in Court He Found No Evidence McStay Family Was Killed Inside Their Home, McStay Murders: Inside the Shocking Arrest of a Family Friend, 'Uprooted' Docuseries Investigates Case of Keith Warren, a Black Maryland Teenager Found Hanging from Tree in 1986, 'Big Family, Old Money, New Drama': Inside the Powerful S.C. Family at Center of Murder Mystery, Extension Cord & Sledgehammer Buried in the Desert: Gruesome Details Revealed About McStay Family Murders. [15] Baker began following the case in 2013 after interviewing Michael McStay on his program. According to the San Bernardino Sun, prosecutors alleged Merritt was a gambling addict who committed the crime for financial gain and wrote thousands of dollars in checks on Josephs business account for days after he disappeared. The family had moved into the house three months earlier, and was in the process of unpacking and doing renovations. According to investigators, DNA allegedly matching Merritts was found on the steering wheel of the McStays white Isuzu Trooper, which was abandoned near the Mexico border following the familys disappearance. He was charged with four counts of murder and the district attorney requested the death penalty. There were no signs of foul play or any forced entry. Unconfirmed family sightings were reported in Mexico and elsewhere, perpetuating hopes that they were safe and had left voluntarily. His last known call was with Charles Chase Merritt, a business associate. 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. You can also watch "The McStay Family Mystery" on Oxygen's "Killer Motive.". How could you beat two precious little babies?, Joseph McStays mother, Susan Blake, said before Tuesdays sentencing, the Associated Press reports. And they should be. There was a huge sigh of relief. WebPublished on January 22, 2020 12:19 PM Photo: McStay Family/ZUMA A California businessman has been sentenced to death for brutally murdering a family of four and Photos Of McStay Family Murder Suspect. 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Additionally, a family friend was helping paint the house, and left with the intention of returning on Saturday, February 6, to finish the job. Dad Broke into Ex's Home and Fatally Stabbed Their Children, 3 and 5, in Their Beds, Idaho Murders Timeline: Everything to Know About the Case, Phoenix Dad Kills Wife, Toddler Son and Twin Baby Daughters in Murder-Suicide: 'Complete Shock', Investigators Reveal How They Learned Chris Watts Was Lying and that He Killed Pregnant Wife, 2 Daughters, Fla. Cell phone records as well as forged checks also linked him to the crime. "[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. 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. Mom Found Guilty of Killing Toddler Son, Burning Body and Burying Him in Yard, Woman Pleads Guilty to Helping Bury, Conceal Body of Murdered Ft. The sledge hammer is the likely murder weapon. According to detectives, Josephs body was found with a white extension cord wrapped around his neck. "[21][22], In 2013, Merritt acknowledged he had spent more than an hour with Joseph the day the McStay family went missing. So we created Beyond Charts to put you on the right path. I would never have hurt him in any way. why you have not fixed that glaring error is beyond me. The McStay family is seen in this undated family photo provided to KGTV. Get up to speed on the investigation with the timeline below. he was moved to death row on january 21, 2020, NOT executed. November 11, 2013 A motorcyclist finds human remains in the desert near Victorville, California, 100 miles north of the McStay home. 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