Homicide investigators search the family's home on Avocado Vista Lane and found no sign of a struggle. The book will be released later this year. Blakes testimony came during the second day in the capital murder trial of Charles Chase Merrit, 61, of Rancho Cucamonga. I don't think so, and I truly hope not. We're just the clowns.". A jury recommended the death penalty for Merritt for the murders of Summer McStay and the children, and life without the possibility of parole in the killing of Joseph McStay. (File photo by Kurt Miller, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG), In this file photo Susan Blake, mother of Joseph McStay, wipes her eyes at a press conference at the San Bernardino Sheriff Headquarters on Friday, November 15, 2013. The two children were very young a three-year-old and a four-year-old. Le mystre de la famille McStay rsolu - Ils ont t tus par l'associ I just spoke to the prosecuting attorney in the Merritt case. They said McStay told friends Merritt was doing shoddy work and pilfering money from him. 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. Patrick said, "I truly believe she loved my son. #mcstay #nbc7 https://t.co/xNxV3CqRtr. 'And then as the days went by, you start thinking, "Okay, something's not right here." (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) Prosecutors are seeking the death. Merritt was transferred to San Quentin State Prison until an execution date is scheduled. Il ne rpond pas au . But even then rumors of dubious dealings with Mexican cartels bubbled away. Jackie Collins taught me everything I know. [3] Merritt was charged with four counts of murder, and the district attorney sought the death penalty. Their remains were eventually discovered in the Mojave Desert near Victorville, California, about 100 miles from their home. ', 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. Im heading to San Bernardino and will keep you updated. Yes, sir, McStay replied. Four years ago, Patrick McStay lost everything he loved. 'As a mother, you're going to do absolutely anything and everything you can to find them,' she explained. The car's location from February 4 to February 8 remains unknown. Susanmade an equally emotional statement ahead of the sentencing being handed down, telling the court how the killings had scarred their lives. Businessman Joseph McStay, his wife, Summer, and their two young sons -- Gianni 4, Joseph Jr. 3 -- were last heard from Feb. 4. Despite all the problems they had and how explosive Summer was, I dont know if he ever truly believed she was capable of that, but it was definitely something he considered. 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. Just a monster. - Susan Blake, Joseph McStays mother. Summer's sister stated that her passport was expired. Were just the clowns, - Britt Imes. How scared were they, Chase? The trial in the downtown San Bernardino Justice Center is before Judge Michael A. Smith. We used to speak to each other 10 or 12 times almost every day and we would talk about absolutely everything. 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. Tony Shin reports for NBC4 News at 4 p.m. on Jan. 8, 2019. The attorney stopped Merritt, saying, "You can't.". Charles "Chase" Merritt appears at his sentencing hearing in San Bernardino, California, on Jan. 21, 2020. Mother of McStay family murder victim: 'We'll never ever be the same Soon, the family's car was found at a strip mall in south San Diego County near the U.S.-Mexico border. McStay family murder: 4-year-old was struck 7 times on head Dont worry, your fate will be way less tragic than of the family you murdered.. Three years later, their bodies were found in a remote desert location more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) away in San Bernardino County. 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. Memorial erected for McStay family that was found dead in Victorville [33] The court upheld the jury's recommendation, and Merritt was sentenced to death on January 21, 2020. 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. He has been the entertainment editor, a features writer, a business writer and is now a courts and breaking news reporter. California man sentenced to death in killings of McStay family members "Our family has already received a life sentence. The 58-year-old Merritt is. Doves were . He was a big part of my life and my familys life. Ending my life for a crime that I did not commit," Merritt said. We are scarred for life., Its been almost 10 years and the pain hasnt subsided, she added. Charles "Chase" Merritt, 62, was sentenced to life in prison for the killing of his former business associate, Joseph McStay, 40. [13] Dean stated in her blog she had just finished producing a radio show for San Diego station KNSJ when she received the call, and that she asked whether she could tell her followers what he had told her. I would have never raised my hand for a woman or child. 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.'. The McStay family of Fallbrook was last heard from or seen on Feb. 4, 2010. Neither was Joseph's brother, Michael. Prosecutors eventually discovered that about the time the family vanished thousands of dollars in checks allegedly from McStay to Merritt had been written and cashed. 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. 'Some rough places, but you have had somebody stab me, it doesn't matter,' she noted. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges that he killed McStay, 40, a former business associate; his wife, Summer, 43, and their two children, Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3, in their Fallbrook home on Feb. 4, 2010, then buried their bodies more than 100 miles away in two shallow graves in the Mojave Desert, north of Victorville and west of the 15 Freeway. 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. Mystery of McStay money: Family found dead could barely afford rent. Summer had also ordered a Spanish-language education program a few months prior to their disappearance. By "Ultimately, I hope to be a father and when I am, I will hold my children close," he continued. Just stop all the appeals, all the shenanigans. Never again will we hear their voices. #mcstay #nbc7 pic.twitter.com/CGQmypfaZb. In the book, he speculated that Summer might have committed the murders. He was sentenced to death on January 21, 2020. 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. Although a search of the house found no evidence of a struggle or foul play, there were indications of a hasty departure: a carton of eggs had been left on the counter, and two child-size bowls of popcorn sat on a sofa. (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. The 30 Best Shows on Netflix for Kids. (File photo by Peter Surowski, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG), In this file photo, Michael McStay, the brother of Joseph McStay and his mother Susan Blake enter the court through the throng of media before the start of the preliminary hearing on Monday, June 15, 2015 for Charles Merritt in the 2010 slayings of four McStay family members in Fallbrook. In the last of the two meetings, They were definitely yelling, big time, at each other. This despicable, evil monster. His face was stoic. Le meurtrier de la famille McStay condamn mort Unanswered Questions About The McStay Family Disappearance document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. He went to the doctor a number of times, but they just didnt know what was wrong with him. Two Shallow Graves takes a look at the murders of the McStay family: Joseph, Summer and their two young boys, followed by the shocking trial . McStay Family Murders: Who Killed Them? | Crime News - Oxygen Official Site #nbc7 https://t.co/muZXjqJBFT. 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. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. Related research topic ideas. He was arrested last year. I was not his best friend, but he was mine and I believe he opened up to me about things he would not tell anyone else. [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). I would never have hurt him in any way. 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 now, victim impact statements before formal sentencing. Chase you are a low life coward and a baby killer. Maline spent several hours speaking before the judge. she said. May 23, 2022 Investigation Discovery's ' Two Shallow Graves' follows the trial of Charles "Chase" Merritt, accused of murdering Joseph McStay and his family. For years, police speculated they. She said the two tangled over how to keep the business afloat. Charles "Chase" Merritt, 62, was convicted in June of killing his former business associate Joseph McStay, 40, McStay's wife, Summer, 43, and their two children, Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr.,. I remember one woman in particular was all over him for a while. 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..