Summer had also ordered a Spanish-language education program a few months prior to their disappearance. 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. Around five months before his disappearance he started suffering terrible problems with his equilibrium and his stomach. 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. 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.. Soon, the family's car was found at a strip mall in south San Diego County near the U.S.-Mexico border. Were they scared, Chase? 2023.03.03 04:09 oz2usa I'm so bummed out after realising my diagnosis made a few years ago is legitimate. And now, victim impact statements before formal sentencing. 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. The thing that is bringing you this solace, is ending my life. And they told me they were also gone. "[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. Sorry because he was worth it, he told Imes. We used to speak to each other 10 or 12 times almost every day and we would talk about absolutely everything. By February 2016, he had gone through five attorneys. But speaking on CNN in 2010 he said: 'My understanding was in the last year hed been having these vertigo type symptoms. But even then rumors of dubious dealings with Mexican cartels bubbled away. A deep pause followed as Michael McStay tried to collect himself. 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. Mrs Blake described Josephs symptoms as something similar to vertigo and said he complained of feeling 'woozy'. Joseph McStay's mother, Susan Blake, followed. At center is Erin McStay, Michaels wife. He asked for funds to keep the business going, and at that time I would do anything to help my son probably not in my right mind anyway at that time, she said. The court took a brief break. Day by day, month by month, the case grew colder. The skeletal remains of the McStay family were found near Victorville in 2013 and Merritt was arrested a year later. Scholarly publications with full text pdf download. A lot of his close friends did not trust her and thought she treated him very badly. "Our family has already received a life sentence. All rights reserved. He didnt know what was wrong with him and he was desperate. [17] Because their car was found so close to the Mexican border, police reviewed surveillance footage of the pedestrian gate into Mexico. Arent you tired? [27] Merritt's trial was delayed as he had repeatedly fired his attorneys or attempted to represent himself. 'This despicable, evil monster. It cant be, Susan Blake testified after she regained herself. 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. Do you remember writing that check? he asked. Patrick McStay was there, too, along with other members of the McStay family, including Joseph McStay's brother, Michael McStay. For years, police speculated they went to Mexica, but the McStays bodies were later found buried in the Mojave Desert in November 2013. The mother of Joseph McStay provided emotional testimony on the second day of the McStay murder trial. 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. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. He would try to ignore it at first, but she would call and call and eventually he would have to go off and deal with whatever drama there was. Did you always look up to him Imes asked. Every time you hear a sound in prison or in a movie similar to the sounds you made that day when you murdered this family, I hope it rings loud in your ears. How could you beat two precious little babies? His son, Joseph, his daughter-in-law, Summer, and their two little boys, Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3 vanished. In the McStay family murders, Judge listens to arguments that sentence should be reduced from death penalty to life in prison without parole. 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. 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. Blake said Merritt and Kavanugh got into arguments in two meetings during the spring of 2010. The clip appeared to show a family of four crossing the border into Mexico -- a family that looked like they could have been the McStays. Trademark and Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. His face was stoic. [31] The trial finally began on January 7, 2019, in a San Bernardino court, with both sides making opening statements. The correct identity is San Bernardino CountySupervising Deputy District Attorney Britt Imes. called the investigation into his son's disappearance . Joseph McStay, 43-year-old Summer McStay and their two sons, Gianni, 4, and Joey, 3, vanished without a trace in February 2010 shortly after moving to Fallbrook from Orange County. Family members react to the arrest: Summer McStays brother-in-law, Joseph Russell, speaks and then Michael McStay, brother of Joseph McStay, speaks. Homicide investigators search the family's home on Avocado Vista Lane and found no sign of a struggle. At that time, no one knew what happened to the family. 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 . And that those sounds haunt you, Chase, he said. Judge just denied defense motion to reduce potential sentence to life in prison (Judge will also consider death). Merritt built fountains, while Kavanaughdesigned EIPs website and did search engine optimization. Defense attorney Rajan Maline produced a check to Merritt for $3,300 that was issued in April 2010 and signed by Blake, not on her personnel account, but on an account for Earthinspiredproducts.com. 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. Charles "Chase" Merritt interrupted his attorney Friday during legal proceedings. [7] Summer was born Virginia Lisa Aranda, and had also been known as Summer Martelli. January 21, 2020 Merritt, 62, was sentenced to life in prison for murdering Joseph McStay, 40. On Feb. 15, the family was reported missing to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department. Joseph and Summer McStay had two sons Gianni and Joseph Jr. They were in the process of remodeling their four-bedroom, three-bathroom home when they went missing. "Not natural causes; there was intent here.". "We don't run this circus. But what happened to Joseph McStay, 40, his 43-year-old wife, Summer, and sons Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3? [4] On June 10, 2019, a jury found Merritt guilty of murdering the McStay family. Speaking exclusively to MailOnline Merritt who worked with Joseph in his fountain business - said: I was extremely close to Joseph. The disappearance of the McStay family - Joseph, 41, Summer, 43, Gianni, 4, and Joey Jr., 3 - occurred in 2013, when they vanished without a trace from their California home. The comments below have not been moderated. Our lives were intertwined both on a business and a personal level. Joseph McStay has operated Earth Inspired Products, a waterfall and garden accessories business in San Clemente, since 1996, according. Susan said they would stop in little towns that had just a gas station and a grocery store to post flyers. , updated The bodieswere found in November 2013and Merrittwas arrested and chargeda year later. Then, he slammed the podium loudly with his hands.Come on, Chase! He always said, "I have messed up one family before, I will not be unfaithful and ruin another one". He had this problem right up until the day he went missing. I just dont remember very much because I fell to the office floor. Merritt also says Summer had a terrible temper and would often snap at her husband over completely insignificant things. Chase, you are a low-life coward and a baby killer. 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. Hes considering motion of insufficient evidence to support verdict. #McStay family visibly frustrated. Gunfire at 7-Eleven stores killed a clerk in Brea and a 24-year-old man in Santa Ana and injured three others in La Habra and Riverside early Monday, July 11, authorities said. Instead, they said, authorities zeroed in on an innocent man. 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. As a precaution, investigators took DNA samples from the car, but there was still no evidence of foul play. 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. The case initially puzzled. She was obsessed with the idea of being Italian and that was her name for him. 'You had a choice. [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. He had a son from a previous relationship, who he didnt get to see much of and he was terrified that would happen with his two boys if he left Summer. 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. Summer McStay's ex-husband spoke next. He was given the death penalty for killing Summer, Gianni, and Joseph Jr. Now, Merritt is on San Quentin Death Row. During her morning testimony, Blake also described heated arguments between Merritt and Dan Kavanaugh, both business partners in McStays decorative fountain business. 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. Merritt looked at Blake as she spoke. And when we were out she would call him constantly. "Death was the appropriate verdict for those three offenses," the judge said. Joseph McStay's mother Susan Blake addresses the court during the sentencing of Charles Chase Merritt on Jan. 21, 2020. How scared were they, Chase? It was believed to have been parked there between 5:30 and 7:00 that evening. 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). Merritt was transferred to San Quentin State Prison until an execution date is scheduled. I would never have hurt him in any way. In July 2015, Merritt's defense attorney filed a request to have the case dismissed because of the wording used by the prosecution when the charges were filed. 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. He was the last known person to see Joseph alive, during an hour-and-a-half long meeting in Rancho Cucamonga, California just hours before the family vanished into thin air. According to state records, Merritt had felony convictions for burglary and receiving stolen property.