McStay Family Murders
This episode covers one of the more haunting missing persons cases in recent California history. It’s a case that took years to be classified as a homicide, and it raises hard questions about what happens when investigators commit to the wrong theory early, and don't let go of it.
The McStay Family disappeared on February 4th, 2010. Their bodies were eventually found in the Mojave Desert in 2013. The public ran rampant with speculation and wild theories. But the reason for the family’s murder was much closer to home.
Photo Credits: The Guardian, ABC News
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ABC7 Eyewitness News. "McStay Family Murders: Trial Underway in Infamous IE Case." ABC7 Los Angeles, 7 Jan. 2019, abc7.com/amp/post/mcstay-family-murders-trial-underway-in-infamous-ie-case/5031612/.
Bulwa, Demian, et al. "Search Warrants Unsealed in McStay Murder Case." CBS News, CBS Interactive, 2015, cbsnews.com/amp/news/search-warrants-unsealed-in-mcstay-murder-case/.
CBS Los Angeles. "Charles Merritt Found Guilty of Slaying McStay Family." CBS News Los Angeles, CBS Interactive, 10 June 2019, cbsnews.com/amp/losangeles/news/verdict-monday-for-man-charles-merritt-accused-of-slaying-mcstay-family/.
CBS News. "Charles Merritt Trial: California Man Found Guilty of Killing Family of 4 Found in Desert Graves." CBS News, CBS Interactive, 10 June 2019, cbsnews.com/news/charles-chase-merritt-california-man-guilty-of-killing-family-of-4-found-in-desert-graves-verdict-today-2019-06-10/.
CBS News. "Chase Merritt, Man Accused of Murdering McStay Family, Was Writing Book About Case." CBS News, CBS Interactive, 12 Nov. 2014, cbsnews.com/news/man-arrested-in-mcstay-murders-was-writing-book-about-case/.
Fox News. "California Man Killed Family Sentenced to Death." Fox News, 21 Jan. 2020, foxnews.com/us/california-man-killed-family-sentenced-to-death.
Fox News. "The Latest: Man Convicted of Killing Family Found in Desert." Fox News, 10 June 2019, foxnews.com/us/the-latest-man-convicted-of-killing-family-found-in-desert.
Kavanaugh, Shannon. "Patrick McStay Holds SD County Sheriff's Dept. Accountable." FOX 5 San Diego, 14 Nov. 2014, fox5sandiego.com/news/patrick-mcstay-holds-sd-county-sheriffs-dept-accountable/.
"McStay Family Murders." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 2024, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McStay_family_murders.
NBC 7 San Diego. "San Diego County's Search Warrants in McStay Case Unsealed." NBC 7 San Diego, NBCUniversal, 23 Jan. 2015, nbcsandiego.com/news/local/McStay-Case-Search-Warrants-San-Diego--289610201.html.
NBC 7 San Diego. "SD County Sheriff Defends His Investigators on McStay Case." NBC 7 San Diego, NBCUniversal, 11 Nov. 2014, nbcsandiego.com/news/local/sd-county-sheriff-bill-gore-defends-his-investigators-on-mcstay-case/61954/.
NBC Los Angeles. "'I Knew They Screwed This Up': Father of Murdered Joseph McStay Criticizes San Diego Investigators." NBC Los Angeles, NBCUniversal, 8 Nov. 2014, nbclosangeles.com/news/local/father-of-murdered-joseph-mcstay-criticizes-san-diego-investigators/1988452/.
NBC News. "California Man Sentenced to Death in Killings of McStay Family Members in 2010." NBC News, NBCUniversal, 21 Jan. 2020, nbcnews.com/news/us-news/california-man-sentenced-death-killings-mcstay-family-members-n1119911.
Oxygen. "McStay Family Murders Case Timeline: What to Know." Oxygen, NBCUniversal, 30 Dec. 2023, oxygen.com/killer-motive/crime-news/mcstay-family-murders-case-timeline-what-to-know.
Oxygen. "McStay Family Murders: Who Killed Them?" Oxygen, NBCUniversal, 30 Dec. 2023, oxygen.com/killer-motive/crime-news/mcstay-family-murders-who-killed-them.
Oxygen. "What Clue Led Investigators to Discover the McStay Family's Killer?" Oxygen, NBCUniversal, 22 Dec. 2023, oxygen.com/true-crime-buzz/what-clue-revealed-mcstay-familys-killer-as-charles-merritt.
Warner Bros. Discovery Press Room. "Go Inside the Controversial and Shocking Trial of Charles 'Chase' Merritt for the McStay Family Murders in ID's New Seven-Part Docuseries Two Shallow Graves." Investigation Discovery Press Room, Warner Bros. Discovery, 5 Nov. 2022, press.wbd.com/us/media-release/investigation-discovery/go-inside-controversial-and-shocking-trial-charles-chase-merritt-mcstay-family.