During the last stretch of Friday's marathon day in court, only one person was able to deliver a victim impact statement: Patrick McStay, Joseph McStay's father. She had once told him she wanted that song played at her funeral. 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. Arent you tired? On Monday, more than four years since his arrest in connection with the slayings, the family's accused killer, Charles "Chase" Merritt, is scheduled to go on trial on murder charges in San. Patrick McStay has waited for this day, when he finally gets to speak in court, gets to speak for his slain son Joseph McStay, daughter-in-law Summer and two young grandsons. "Ultimately, I hope to be a father and when I am, I will hold my children close," he continued. 'This despicable, evil monster. 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. He didnt know what was wrong with him and he was desperate. Patrick McStay, Joseph's father, was informed of the discovery and phoned missing person advocate Jerrie Dean to tell her what he knew. "It marked my kids.". Their remains were eventually discovered in the Mojave Desert near Victorville, California, about 100 miles from their home. So why was being grilled about her books on Mastermind so Why should I be asked to tip when I shop online? Theres nothing more valuable on this Earth than time and that was stolen from them; that was stolen from us," he said. The McStay family disappeared from their San Diego County home in 2010. He was sentenced to the death penalty for the slayings of Joseph McStay's wife, Summer McStay, 43, and the couple's two sons, Gianni McStay, 4, and Joseph McStay, Jr., 3. 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. Blake said, speaking to Merritt. Joseph McStay has operated Earth Inspired Products, a waterfall and garden accessories business in San Clemente, since 1996, according. He boasted it had a "loft/game room & big. Basically, she wouldnt let him near her. Michael McStay's wife spoke next, talking about the pain her family and husband live with every single day. Merritt built fountains, while Kavanaughdesigned EIPs website and did search engine optimization. He was in a really bad way. The 30 Best Shows on Netflix for Kids. 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. Just a monster. January 21, 2020 Merritt, 62, was sentenced to life in prison for murdering Joseph McStay, 40. Four years ago, Patrick McStay lost everything he loved. I believe that [Joseph] trusted Chase and believed in Chase. Joseph 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. #mcstay #nbc7 https://t.co/Ojp02cg2cJ. 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. 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, missing for more than three years, had been found buried in the High Desert near Victorville. California has not executed anyone since 2006. Tony Shin reports for NBC4 News at 4 p.m. on Jan. 8, 2019. Did you always look up to him Imes asked. During her morning testimony, Blake also described heated arguments between Merritt and Dan Kavanaugh, both business partners in McStays decorative fountain business. Kavanaugh has denied any involvement in the familys disappearance and slayings. I know you dont believe me and thats what kills me. If I want to speak with him, I have to go to a gravesite," Michael McStay added. I know the thought of leaving her crossed his mind, probably quite a lot, but he would never actually go through with it., The comments below have not been moderated, 'Insane' man who lived with his dead mother and stepfather for three days after murdering them recaptured one day after escaping from mental institution, Alabama pastor suspected of stabbing wife to death in July arrested as he tried to board flight to Germany, 'Jail food is cold, the water's bad and my cell doesn't have a microwave': Drug lord suspect writes to complain about prison conditions as he awaits trial, 'Can you imagine telling your four kids he's gone, then he turns up alive? During the lull, NBC 7 spoke with prosecuting attorney Britt Imes about the continuing delays. 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 judge has been speaking for the last hour - and still going, reviewing in slow, excruciating detail certain facts of the case. Victorville, California - Four years ago, Patrick McStay lost everything he loved. [1][2] Their disappearance was widely reported by the national news media. 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. "It's not just a Netflix documentary to us. Judge just said clearly its not timely. #mcstay #nbc7 https://t.co/qLzXb6wJlM. During that period, she got an early-morning call from someone in Saudi Arabia, demanding his fountain, she recalled. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. NBC 7's Jackie Crea has more. As recently as April, the FBI believed the family went to Mexico voluntarily. 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. Crying for mommy and daddy?" 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. When their remains were unearthed, investigators also found a rusty sledgehammer that they said was used to kill the family. 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? Video recorded the evening of February 8, released on March 5, showed a family of four resembling the McStays crossing the border. ': Anguish of $21m fraudster banker's wife after he's found running POT FARM a year after faking his suicide, Pavement where disabled woman gestured at cyclist before fatal crash, TN residents say Jack Daniel's distillery spews black mold, Incredible footage of Ukrainian soldiers fighting Russians in Bakhmut, Pro-Ukrainian drone lands on Russian spy planes exposing location, 'Buster is next!' 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. The court took a brief break. We used to speak to each other 10 or 12 times almost every day and we would talk about absolutely everything. #mcstay #nbc7 https://t.co/nZp6QeV6sQ, I dont know that I can ever explain the impact this man has had on my family, she said. 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. 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.. Unconfirmed family sightings were reported in Mexico and elsewhere, perpetuating hopes that they were safe and had left voluntarily. Summer and Joseph McStay as well as their sons Joseph Mateo and Gianni had vanished without leaving much behind in terms of clues or without really informing any of their kith and kin. His son, Joseph, his daughter-in-law, Summer, and their two little boys - Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3 . California has not executed anyone on death row since 2006 as current Gov. 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. In a preview clip from the episode about the McStay family, Patrick recalled speaking to his son in the morning on the day they disappeared. Six victim impact statements were heard before Merritt got a chance to speak at the continued sentencing hearing Tuesday. ', 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. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. They said McStay told friends Merritt was doing shoddy work and pilfering money from him. 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. We're just the clowns.". 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. 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. Merritt said the people responsible for the slayings are still free. 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. In the summer of 2021, shocking news rocked the state of South Carolina. Summers sister: My sister walked with a passion and purpose. [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. Mystery:Joseph 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, Tragedy: Joseph'sparents, Patrick McStay and Susan Blake, have opened up about the murders on the second season of the Oxygen true-crime series Killer Motive. The mother of Joseph McStay provided emotional testimony on the second day of the McStay murder trial. He was married to Summer McStay for seven years. They make up a small part of Merritts new book, which is due to be released later this year. Will Payne Princess Diana's nieces Lady Eliza and Amelia share Do not sell or share my personal information. She would fawn over him and call him, her Joseppi. Jurors in San Bernardino. [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. Their dogs. She said: 'My son had been sick since last August and hes normally a very healthy person. Summer McStay's ex-husband spoke next. [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. she said. 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. 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. 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. 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. "I did not do this thing. I just dropped me to my knees I will never go back to that spot, she told San Bernardino County Deputy District AttorneyMelissa Rodriguez. De Atley is a Cal State Long Beach graduate with a double major in journalism and political science. 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. Why? Imes asked, and Michael broke down on the witness stand. 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. Ill never get another conversation with him. [32] On June 24, the jury recommended that Merritt be sentenced to death. They slept in the same bed, but were never intimate. "You had a choice. I would never hurt him in any way. 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. 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. [16], After their disappearance, it was speculated that the McStays left voluntarily since investigators found searches on the family's computers for "What documents do children need for traveling to Mexico?" Prosecutors say he bludgeoned them with a sledgehammer. Homicide investigators search the family's home on Avocado Vista Lane and found no sign of a struggle. As a precaution, investigators took DNA samples from the car, but there was still no evidence of foul play. Related research topic ideas. The details are shocking and nauseating to sit through.". He used to spend hours at a time talking on his mobile phone and it got to the stage where he was convinced he had a brain tumor. Joseph McStay and his wife, Summer, and their 4- and 3-year sons, Gianni and Joseph Jr., were a fun-loving, happy family who'd recently settled into a comfortable life in Fallbrook, California. 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. The McStay family of Fallbrook was last heard from or seen on Feb. 4, 2010. He said: Summer was a very self-centered, self-obsessed person with an awful temper. Radio host Rick Baker published a book, No Goodbyes: The Mysterious Disappearance of the McStay Family. "So unnatural. The back of the check said endorsement cancelled, he pointed out. As court resumed, the judge said Maline had made yet another motion: to disqualify this judge from ruling on the remaining motion to reduce Merritt's sentence. " Finally, Joseph McStay's only surviving son from a previous marriage, Jonah McStay, took. 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. 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. 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. I know you dont believe me and thats what kills me, he added. Do you remember writing that check? he asked. Merritt was supposed to be sentenced last Friday, Jan. 17, but dramatic twists, turns, and delays prevented that from happening as planned. 2023.03.03 04:09 oz2usa I'm so bummed out after realising my diagnosis made a few years ago is legitimate. Chase you are a low life coward and a baby killer. "The gruesome and brutal details of the crime that you committed are his family," she said to Merritt. I did not know any of that part, Blake said. I was just trying to keep the customers or whoever was calling calm and hopefully to keep the business going. Charles "Chase" Merritt, 62, was sentenced to life in prison for the killing of his former business associate, Joseph McStay, 40. How could you beat two precious little babies? Authorities said they traced his cellphone to the gravesite area. Businessman Joseph McStay, his wife, Summer, and their two young sons -- Gianni 4, Joseph Jr. 3 -- were last heard from Feb. 4. She was obsessed with the idea of being Italian and that was her name for him. 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. He will focus on a number of key incidents and characters and try to paint a picture of what really happened in the lead up to that fateful day. After 8-Hour Day in Court, Sentencing Delayed for Man Who Killed McStay Family. "Not natural causes; there was intent here.". They were in the process of remodeling their four-bedroom, three-bathroom home when they went missing. An acquaintance of Merritt's told a San Diego reporter, "I think police should look at him and anyone associated with him. Joseph McStay; his wife, Summer; and their two children, Gianni and Joseph Mateo, have not been heard from since the night of Thursday, February 4, 2010. The evidence finally placing Merritt at the scene of the crime was his cellphone data, prosecutors said. Crying for mommy and daddy? Merritt has pleaded not guilty to the murders of McStay; McStay's wife, Summer, 43; 4-year-old son Gianni and 3-year-old Joseph Jr. Joseph McStay, 40, and his wife, Summer, 43, disappeared along with their two children, Gianna, 4, and Joseph, 3, from their their serene San Diego-area community more than a month ago. Three years later, their bodies were found in a remote desert location more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) away in San Bernardino County. [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. 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.. 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.