| McStay family murders | |
|---|---|
 Missing persons flier for the McStay family | |
| Location | Fallbrook, California, U.S. |
| Date | c. February 4, 2010 |
Attack type | Mass murder by bludgeoning, torture murder, child murder, disappearance |
| Weapon | Sledgehammer |
| Deaths | 4 |
| Perpetrator | Charles "Chase" Ray Merritt |
| Motive | Unknown |
| Verdict | Guilty on all counts |
| Convictions | First-degree murder with special circumstances (4 counts)
|
| Sentence | Death (de jure) |
The McStay family murders occurred on or near February 4, 2010, after the family disappeared from their home in Fallbrook, California, United States; their bodies were found in the desert near Victorville, California, on November 13, 2013.[1][2] Their disappearance was widely reported by the national news media.[2]
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.[3] The trial began on January 7, 2019, in San Bernardino.[4] On June 10, 2019, a jury found Merritt guilty of murdering the McStay family. He was sentenced to death on January 21, 2020.[5]
- ^ Figueroa, Teri (November 15, 2013). "How the McStay case unfolded". U-T San Diego. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved December 1, 2013.
- ^ a b Stickney, R. (November 15, 2013). "Timeline: McStay Family Mystery". NBC 7 San Diego. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved December 1, 2013.
- ^ Serna, Joseph; Masunaga, Samantha (November 7, 2014). "Business partner arrested in McStay family slaying, desert burial". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on November 7, 2014. Retrieved November 7, 2014.
- ^ "Trial underway for man accused of killing 4 from San Diego". KUSI. Associated Press. January 7, 2019. Archived from the original on January 8, 2019. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
- ^ Lyster, Lauren; Knight, Nerissa (January 21, 2020). "Charles Merritt Sentenced to Death for Killing McStay Family, Burying Their Bodies in Mojave Desert". KTLA TV. Los Angeles, CA. Associated Press. Archived from the original on January 21, 2020. Retrieved January 21, 2020.