11-07-2014, 03:17 PM
(11-07-2014, 02:38 PM)Midwest Spy Wrote: I know HotD, I took a few swings at this case, but my first assertion was directed at the business partner. Later, of course, a person tries to rationalize other theories.
What an animal, taking out an entire family. Sounds like bludgeoned them. He deserves death , however even if CA sentences him, we know it takes 25+ years to carry it out.
Yeah, I like reading all of your theories and rationale. It just cracks me every time you go through a thread and bump an old post like that, you goof ball.
If the McStays were my family members, I'd prefer a confession to the crime and all of the details for a sentence of life in prison w/o parole rather than encourage prosecutors to go for the death penalty.
As you said, if a death sentence is secured after years and millions of dollars are expended in pursuit of a conviction, it takes a couple of decades before anyone gets put to death here. Merritt's already in his late 50s or early 60s, IIRC. Plus, the death penalty could easily be overturned and a death sentence would then revert to LWOP anyhow.
Anyway, I agree with you that Merritt, if guilty, is a complete animal. Bludgeoning to death a whole family to whom you've been close is barbaric -- especially to do that to the little boys.
Very interested to learn more about LE's theory and evidence, not only in regards to the motive, but also the logistics.
If Merritt killed the family in their home by blunt force, there would have been blood at the scene. But, on the surface, nothing of the sort was visible to SDPD. So, I think Merritt would have had to clean up very quickly and very well. He mighta had to paint over some of it -- the house was being repainted at the time of the disappearance.
If he worked alone, seems likely he loaded 4 bodies into his truck, drove them over an hour to the desert in Victorviille, dug graves, buried them, drove back and parked within walking distance of the house, cleaned the house to conceal the murders, then stole the McStays' SUV and planted it near the Mexican border -- all undetected. Then, he used some kind of transportation service to get back to his truck and drove off into the sunset.
Or, maybe the Mexico travel searches and Spanish language CDs were because the McStays got in over their heads in something with Merritt. They coulda been trying to get to the border when Merritt caught up with them and took them back to the house in his truck to kill them, leaving their SUV at the border?
Still so many questions.