Episode 15: The Disappearance and Deaths of the McStay Family
02/29/20 • 25 min
On February 4, 2010, Joseph and Summer McStay, as well as their two toddler sons, Joseph, Jr. and Gianni vanished from their home. Nine days after they went missing, it was reported to police, as people realized that they had not simply went on vacation. Joseph's vehicle was found left at the United States Mexico border, and the scene in their home looked as if they were taken in the middle of a normal day as popcorn had been spilled on the couch, and a carton of raw eggs had been left on the counter. The family's remains were finally found in a shallow grave in the desert on November 13, 2013 by a passing motorcyclist. It was determined that the family had died from blunt force trauma. Joseph's friend and business partner, Charles "Chase" Ray Merritt was arrested in November of 2014 when his DNA had been found in the family's vehicle. He had bludgeoned the family to death with a sledgehammer and buried them in the desert, all for financial gain as he had a gambling addiction. Chase Merritt was sentenced to death finally 10 years after the crime in January 2020.
Note: I'm not sure what was wrong with my microphone, but throughout the episode it would get crackly and I tried my best to re-record and edit the segments. :( Sorry!!
Sources :
Crime Museum. (2017). McStay Family. Retrieved from: https://www.crimemuseum.org/crime-library/cold-cases/mcstay-family/
Figueroa, Teri. (2019, May 28). The missing McStay family: A timeline of the disappearance, investigation, discovery, and trial. Retrieved from: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/courts/story/2019-05-28/the-missingmcstay-family-a-timeline-of-the-disappearance-investigation-discovery-and-trial
AP & Reuters. (2015, January 25). McStay home revealed what led police to believe they had been murdered. Retrieved from: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2926153/Half-eaten-bowls-popcorn-couch-packed-suitcases-bedroom-Court-docs-reveal-scene-McStay-family-home-led-police-believe-d-kidnapped-murdered.html
Payne, Will. (2014, January 4). EXCLUSIVE: McStay family husband feared his wife was POISONING him before they disappeared and were found dead in desert, claims explosive new book. Retrieved from: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2533474/EXCLUSIVE-McStay-family-husband-feared-wife-POISONING-disappeared-dead-desert-claims-explosive-new-book.html
Videos: Law & Crime: McStay Family Murder-Sentencing-Charles Merritt Gives His Statement and Sentencing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o81HVaKYhz8
Law & Crime: McStay Family Murder-Sentencing-Victim Impact Statements Continue, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5GC4UjU-Co&t=1785s
On February 4, 2010, Joseph and Summer McStay, as well as their two toddler sons, Joseph, Jr. and Gianni vanished from their home. Nine days after they went missing, it was reported to police, as people realized that they had not simply went on vacation. Joseph's vehicle was found left at the United States Mexico border, and the scene in their home looked as if they were taken in the middle of a normal day as popcorn had been spilled on the couch, and a carton of raw eggs had been left on the counter. The family's remains were finally found in a shallow grave in the desert on November 13, 2013 by a passing motorcyclist. It was determined that the family had died from blunt force trauma. Joseph's friend and business partner, Charles "Chase" Ray Merritt was arrested in November of 2014 when his DNA had been found in the family's vehicle. He had bludgeoned the family to death with a sledgehammer and buried them in the desert, all for financial gain as he had a gambling addiction. Chase Merritt was sentenced to death finally 10 years after the crime in January 2020.
Note: I'm not sure what was wrong with my microphone, but throughout the episode it would get crackly and I tried my best to re-record and edit the segments. :( Sorry!!
Sources :
Crime Museum. (2017). McStay Family. Retrieved from: https://www.crimemuseum.org/crime-library/cold-cases/mcstay-family/
Figueroa, Teri. (2019, May 28). The missing McStay family: A timeline of the disappearance, investigation, discovery, and trial. Retrieved from: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/courts/story/2019-05-28/the-missingmcstay-family-a-timeline-of-the-disappearance-investigation-discovery-and-trial
AP & Reuters. (2015, January 25). McStay home revealed what led police to believe they had been murdered. Retrieved from: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2926153/Half-eaten-bowls-popcorn-couch-packed-suitcases-bedroom-Court-docs-reveal-scene-McStay-family-home-led-police-believe-d-kidnapped-murdered.html
Payne, Will. (2014, January 4). EXCLUSIVE: McStay family husband feared his wife was POISONING him before they disappeared and were found dead in desert, claims explosive new book. Retrieved from: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2533474/EXCLUSIVE-McStay-family-husband-feared-wife-POISONING-disappeared-dead-desert-claims-explosive-new-book.html
Videos: Law & Crime: McStay Family Murder-Sentencing-Charles Merritt Gives His Statement and Sentencing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o81HVaKYhz8
Law & Crime: McStay Family Murder-Sentencing-Victim Impact Statements Continue, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5GC4UjU-Co&t=1785s
Previous Episode
Episode 14: The Kidnapping and Murder of America’s Child, Polly Hannah Klaas
On October 1,1993, 12 year old Polly Klaas and two friends were excited to have a sleepover at Polly’s home where they would eat ice cream, try on Halloween Costumes, and play board games. The sleepover did not go as planned when at 10:30 PM, Polly went to get supplies for the party and came face to face with a bearded man standing in her doorway. He tied up the other two girls and took Polly away into the night. Her body was found 9 weeks after her kidnapping when the man who had been arrested in suspicion for her kidnapping confessed and told police where to find her. Her case was the first to ever be shared on the internet in 1993 and helped pave the way for Megan’s Law, Amber Alerts, and California’s Three Strikes Law.
Sources:
CBS News Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRmBd0DiH6Q
PollyKlaas.org. (NA). Polly's Story. Retrieved from: http://www.pollyklaas.org/about/pollys-story.html?gclid=CjwKCAiAhJTyBRAvEiwAln2qB31nTT20Eblqtza3_7-idbItz4ipazIQU4BYmrMY_qonP1utBNU7eRoCb_0QAvD_BwE
The Press Democrat. (2013, September 29). 20 Years Later, Petaluma remembers Polly Klaas. Retrieved from: https://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/2218985-181/20-years-later-petaluma-remembers?sba=AAS
Associated Press. (1994, May 15). Slumber Party Excitement Turned to Terror, Girls Recall. Retrieved from: https://www.deseret.com/1994/5/15/19109038/slumber-party-excitement-turned-to-terror-girls-recall
Warren, Jennifer. (1994, May 12). Run-In With Klass Murder Suspect Recalled. Retrieved from: https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-05-12-mn-56799-story.html
Next Episode
Episode 16: The Slenderman Stabbing (Payton Leutner)
On May 30, 2014, three twelve year old girls, Morgan Geyser, Anissa Weier, and Payton Leutner, decided to have a sleepover for Morgan’s birthday. The next morning, Anissa and Morgan tricked Payton into going with them to David’s park to bird watch and play hide-and-seek where the two girls attacked their friend, Payton, stabbing her 19 times. They believed if they didn’t kill her, Slenderman would kill their families, and if they did kill her, they could live with Slenderman in his mansion where they would move up in rank. Mental illness coupled with the ages of the girls made for a vicious attack that they blamed on their belief in Slenderman. Sources: Janes, DeAnna. (2019, October 25). The Complete Timeline and True Story Behind the Slender man Stabbing. The Oprah Magazine. Retrieved from: https://www.oprahmag.com/entertainment/tv-movies/a29591703/slender-man-stabbing-true-story/ Biggs, John. (2014, June 30). The Story of Slenderman, The Internet's Own Monster. TechCrunch. Retrieved from: https://techcrunch.com/2014/06/30/the-story-of-slenderman-the-internets-own-monster/ Jensen, Erin. (2017, January 24). 'Beware the Slenderman' : 7 Things We Learned about Morgan Geyser, Anissa Weier. USA Today. Retrieved from: https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2017/01/24/beware-the-slenderman-documentary-morgan-geyser-anissa-weier/96977142/ Sanchick, Myra. (2014, June 4). "She was cool until 4th Grade:" Classmate Talks about 12-year old stabbing suspect. Fox 6 News. Retrieved from: https://fox6now.com/2014/06/04/she-was-cool-until-4th-grade-classmate-talks-about-stabbing-suspect/ Morgan Geyser and Anissa Weier Police Interviews Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbP1wUx8mYw Crime Vault. Bicyclist's 911 call: 'She was stabbed multiple times' video: https://youtu.be/b90ILO04DRY
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