Charles chase merritt, 60, of homeland, stands accused of killing a family of four in february. Chase merritt, 56, has been accused of having a hand in the disappearance nearly four years ago of the mcstay family broke his silence with mailonline after familys remains were found in a. Alleged mcstay killer 1st to sound alarm the san diego. Mcstay family murder suspect chase merritt was writing a book on the case alleging summer mcstay was poisoning her family discussion other. Once more, if joseph is training for chase to utilize the qb, why would he create the chase merritt account a year. Merritt found guilty of murdering the mcstay family, awaits sentencing. Back in 2010, charles chase merritt was among the first to sound the alarm that his business associate, joseph mcstay, and mcstays famly. Websleuths podcast with mike morford, patrick mcstay and. Besides setting the record straight, i am hoping to use any funds earned to pay for my expenses in attending the trial of chase merritt, set. Guilty chase merritt charged wmurder of joseph, summer. Chase merritt, man accused of murdering mcstay family, was.
French publisher apologises for history textbook suggesting 911 was. Charles chase merritt, second left, stands in a san bernardino courtroom after a jury finds him guilty of four counts of firstdegree murder in the 20 killings of the mcstay family. 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. Merritt was arrested in 2014 for the murders of four members of the young mcstay family. Nine years after the mcstay family disappeared, their. Chase merritt, the man recently charged with murdering the mcstays, a family of four who disappeared in 2010 and whose remains were found last year in. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading mcstays, taken too soon.
Man is sentenced to death for murdering family of four. Charles chase merritt faces the death penalty after being found guilty of the murders of the mcstay family. Lingering doubts chase merritt and the mcstay family. On monday, more than four years since his arrest in connection with the slayings, the familys accused killer, charles chase merritt, is scheduled to go on trial on murder charges in san. Below are updates and more information about the hearing and trial regarding the mcstay family trial.
Resolved charles chase merritt found guilty in mcstay family. Back in 2010, charles chase merritt was among the first to sound the alarm that his business associate, joseph mcstay, and mcstays. Chase merritt found guilty of murdering mcstay family, burying. Prosecutors claim that the mcstays were murdered by merritt for. Mcstay family hearing and trial updates people vs charles chase ray merritt trial. Chase merritt found guilty in mcstay family murders. Charles chase merritt is accused of bludgeoning the mcstay family and burying them in shallow graves in the mojave desert. Police announced they had arrested charles chase merritt, joseph mcstays business partner, and intended to charge him with the murders. This blog is meant to serve as a timeline of events leading up to the trial of chase merritt. Lingering doubts chase merritt and the mcstay family murders. The mcstays were an american family found murdered in the desert near victorville, california. Murders committed by someone he thought was a family friend.
Two adults and two children senselessly lost their lives. Chase merritt goes on trial for the murder of joey and summer mcstay and their two children this july. Patrick mcstay, the father of joseph mcstay, tells hlns nancy grace what he believes happened to his son, daughterinlaw and two grandchildren. The discovery of their bodies, however, silenced all the wild theories and finally charles chase merritt, the last man to see joseph mcstay. Mcstay s taken too soon contains facts and evidence along with family information not seen on the tv programs or in newspaper and magazine articles. The mcstay family was an american family found murdered in the desert near victorville, california on november, 20. Mcstays taken too soon contains facts and evidence along with family information not seen on the tv programs or in newspaper and magazine articles. Mcstay family murder suspect chase merritt was writing a. Charles chase merritt, 62, of rancho cucamonga, was convicted of four counts of murder in the deaths of joseph and summer mcstay and their two boys. Man convicted of killing mcstay family sentenced to death. The discovery of their bodies, however, silenced all the wild theories and finally charles chase merritt, the last man to see joseph mcstay alive, knew police were coming to see him. Mcstay book publishes on third anniversary of discovery village news.
According to state records, merritt had felony convictions for. Chase merritt was sentenced to death tuesday for kiilling the mcstay family of fallbrook. When i dedicated myself to this case, i never imagined the trial would take five months. Man is sentenced to death for murdering family of four, including. A motion filed in san bernardino superior court on nov. Tentative trial date set for mcstay family murder suspect chase merritt. Charles chase merritt is accused of bludgeoning the mcstay family and. The mysterious disappearance of the mcstay family rick baker on. In the book, titled afraid of the light, merrick claimed joseph mcstay had been concerned his wife may have been poisoning him. Grandfathers theories about mcstay murders youtube. Some have asked me why i am selling any sort of book about my sons life. In january 2014, prior to his arrest, cnns randi kaye interviewed chase merritt. Chase merritt, the man recently charged with murdering the mcstays, a family of four who disappeared in 2010 and whose remains were found last year in the california desert, was writing a book. Charles chase merritt was convicted in june of killing former business associate joseph mcstay, mcstays wife summer and their sons, gianni, 4, and joseph jr, 3.
The arrest of chase merritt on november 5, 2014, detectives from the san bernardino county sheriffs department arrested chase merritt in connection with the mcstay family massacre after discovering that his dna had been recovered from their car. And the first to sound the alarm when mcstay, his wife and their. Evidence against mcstay family murder suspect charles merritt being challenged by attorney. I believe that joseph mcstay trusted chase and believed in chase. Southern california man, charles chase merritt, was sentenced to death. The trial began on january 7, 2019, in san bernardino, california. Merritt told the daily mail that he was writing a book called. According to state records, merritt had felony convictions for burglary and receiving stolen property. In the wake of chase merritts arrest, patrick mcstay, joseph mcstays father, criticized the san diego county sheriffs office.
Jd crighton has been covering the murder trial of chase merritt, accused of killing the mcstay family of fallbrook in 2010, for a true crime book. Nearly 10 yea rs after their supposed disappearance, the. True crime author believes merritt is guilty of mcstay. A whole family vanished on february 4, 2010 from their home in fallbrook, ca. Investigators and the public also focused on mcstays business partner, chase merritt, who was the last known person to have had contact with joseph mcstay, and was the first to notice his disappearance. On november 5, 2014, chase merritt, a business associate of mcstay was arrested and charged with four counts of murder, after his dna was discovered inside the mcstay vehicle. Charles chase merritt, 62, was sentenced to death tuesday for killing a family of four and burying their bodies in the california desert. Associated press chase merritt maintains his innocence in the 2010 slayings of joseph and summer mcstay. Chase merritt, man accused of murdering mcstay family, was writing. Chase merritt found guilty in mcstay family murders the san diego. True crime author jd crighton couldnt have known how long it would take for the state of california to attempt to prove that charles chase merritt is guilty of murdering the mcstay family. True crime author believes merritt is guilty of mcstay murders. Chase merritt has been many things to joseph mcstay he was the business partner.
Mcstay family murder suspect chase merritt was writing a book on the case alleging summer mcstay was poisoning her family. Chase merritt and joseph mcstay had met up at a restaurant about. Merritt had been working on a book about the mcstay family murders when he was taken into custody, cbs news reported at the time. Charles chase ray merritts trial for the murder of the mcstays will likely begin in spring of this year. In january 2014, merritt said that he might write a book about the family, alleging that summer had anger issues. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Chase merritt found guilty in mcstay family murders the. Mcstay lost his son, daughterinlaw and two grandsons to a vicious murderer. According to the father, the agency that initially took control of the case didnt actively investigate it.
Besides setting the record straight, i am hoping to use any funds earned to pay for my. When i dedicated myself to this case, i never imagined the trial would take five months, crighton said. Merritt was joseph mcstays partner in his waterfountain business and. Troy dugal from the san diego county sheriffs department checked on the twostory home where the family lived. Test your knowledge with the true crime exam at the end of the book. True crime author discusses the trial of chase merritt.
Justice seekers the disappearance and murder of the mcstay. The family disappeared from their fallbrook, california home on february 4, 2010. Merritt, who worked with mcstay in his water features business, was arrested in 2014. The verdict capped nearly a decade of tragedy in a case that drew national attention and has been the subject of documentaries and a book. True crime author jd crighton couldnt have known how long it would take for the state of california to prove that charles chase merritt is guilty of murdering the mcstay family. Almost a year after their bodies were discovered, charles chase merritt was arrested and charged with murdering the mcstay family. The mcstay family massacre the mystery unraveled wickedwe. Radio host rick baker published a book, no goodbyes. On november 7, 2014, police announced they had arrested charles chase merritt, joseph mcstay s business partner, and intended to charge him with the murders. Patrick mcstays new book about the life and murder of the mcstay family from fallbrook, ca.
The 57yearold merritt planned to release a book later this year titled, afraid of the light, in which he claimed joseph mcstay had been. Riverside man convicted in mcstay family murders kpbs. Chase merrit sentenced to death for mcstay family murders. Two days later, the remains were identified as the mcstay family. Charles chase merritt was convicted in june of killing his former business associate joseph mcstay, mcstays wife, summer, and their 4 and 3. Charles chase merritt, left, reacts after being found guilty of four counts of firstdegree murder of the mcstay family, in san bernardino superior court. Chase merritt found guilty of murdering mcstay family. He is an actor and writer, known for doctor who 1963, coronation street 1960 and the avengers 1961. Evidence against mcstay family murder suspect charles. I will continue to update this as more information comes in. On june 10, 2019, a san bernardino county jury found merritt guilty of murdering the mcstay family.
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