Verdict Reached in Charles “Chase” Merritt Trial for Murder of the McStay Family

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – Over nine years after the disappearance of an entire Fallbrook family, the jury has now reached a verdict, which will determined the accused murderer’s fate.

Mom, Dad, and Two Children Missing

On February 13, 2010, Joseph McStay, 40, Summer McStay, 43, and their sons Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3, were reported missing by Joseph’s brother, Michael. It was unclear how long they had been missing, but their home was left in a way that made investigators believe that they had left expecting to return shortly after. There were fresh eggs left on the kitchen counter, and a child-size bowl of popcorn on the sofa. There were no signs of foul play but the family was nowhere to be found. Joseph was the owner and operator of Earth Inspired Products, which built decorative fountains had his friend, Charles Ray Merritt was his business partner. Summer was a real estate agent.

The Investigation

When the family could not quickly be located, authorities scoured the neighborhood to seek information about where the family may have gone. A neighbor’s surveillance footage caught the family’s Isuzu Trooper leaving the home at around 7:47 p.m. on February 4, 2010. The surveillance only captured the bottom portion of the vehicle, so it was not determined who was driving or even who occupied the vehicle.

Throughout the investigation, evidence was collected, but still, so much did not make sense. Police learned that at 11:00 p.m. on February 8, 2010, the family’s vehicle was towed from a San Ysidro, San Diego strip mall parking lot. The strip mall was near the Mexican border and police believe it was left there between 5:30 and 7:00 that same evening.

Human Remains in Victorville Desert

Nearly four years passed and on November 11, 2013, a motorcyclist located human remains buried in two shallow graves in a Victorville desert area. The remains were collected by the Coroner’s office to determine the identity and the cause of death. The first sets of remains were identified as the McStay family, the cause of death, homicide. The two were determined to have died as a result of blunt force trauma.

Arrest and Trial

Almost another year after, with the looming cloud of suspicion always looming over his head, Charles “Chase” Merritt, was arrested. Merritt was charged with the murder of Joseph and his entire family. The trial for Merritt began on January 7, 2019, at the San Bernardino Superior Court.

Verdict

On Friday, June 7, 2019, the jury advised the court that they reached a verdict in the case. Due to the worldwide media attention on the case, the verdict is scheduled to be read at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, June 10, 2019, in Department S21, at the San Bernardino Superior Court.

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