11-13-2014, 10:04 AM
WHERE THINGS STAND NOW
Background:
In November 2013, a motorcyclist passing through the area found the remains of Joseph and Summer McStay and their two small sons in two shallow graves not far from Interstate 15 in San Bernadino County, more than 100 miles from the family’s home in Fallbrook, north of San Diego.
The family had been missing since February 2010. The coroner found that the parents and their two small boys had all been killed by blunt force trauma.
In the year since the bodies were discovered, San Bernadino PD authorities have determined that there was no evidence the family had traveled to Mexico after their disappearance, as San Diego PD had previous believed. The San Bernadino PD called the border video “unrelated” to the McStay disappearance and murder case.
![[Image: MCMAHON-Sheriff.jpg]](http://rotwnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/MCMAHON-Sheriff.jpg)
San Bernadino County Sheriff John McMahon ^ said the killings appeared to be “extremely orchestrated” and carried out by more than one person back when the bodies were discovered a year ago.
However, after reviewing 4,500 pages of investigative records, executing 60 search warrants and conducting 200 interviews, investigators zeroed in on Charles (Chase) Merritt -- a business associated of Josheph McStay -- concluding he had acted alone in killing the family in their own home, San Bernadino authorities said last week.
![[Image: 2013__12__Mike-Ramos-620x417.jpg]](http://www.pe.com/pictures/2013__12__Mike-Ramos-620x417.jpg)
San Bernadino County District Attorney Mike Ramos ^ said he has not yet decided whether he will seek the death penalty in what he called a “cold and callous murder of an entire family.” Ramos told CNN that authorities had been watching Merritt, closely for some time before arresting him last week. "There was no doubt in our mind this was the person that committed the murders," Ramos said. "His story is all over the place."
Authorities say they found evidence at the grave site that supports their case against Merritt.
![[Image: images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT5DQOrvfyAfYO9hS40oD5...OmkymxnI9u]](https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT5DQOrvfyAfYO9hS40oD54grZYMJBHev4D4JqDdAOmkymxnI9u)
Merritt's defense attorney Robert A. Ponce ^ spoke to reporters outside the courtroom following yesterday's arraignment where he entered "not guilty" pleas to four counts of aggravated murder. Ponce is a well-regarded private defense attorney with over 25 years of experience. Here is his website: http://www.robertponcelaw.com/criminal_defense.html
Ponce expressed sorrow for the McStay and Aranda families for the tragic loss of their loved ones and made the following statement. "I'm going to do everything that I can for Mr. Merritt, everything in my power, to be able to represent him -- do everything that I can to be able to help him in this case -- to specifically see if there isn't a way that with the tragedy that's taken place, that that tragedy not extend to him (Merritt) and not extend to his family also."
The next hearing is scheduled for November 20th.
Sources:
http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/12/us/mcstay-...?hpt=hp_t2
http://wgntv.com/2014/11/07/cold-and-cal...ities-say/
Background:
In November 2013, a motorcyclist passing through the area found the remains of Joseph and Summer McStay and their two small sons in two shallow graves not far from Interstate 15 in San Bernadino County, more than 100 miles from the family’s home in Fallbrook, north of San Diego.
The family had been missing since February 2010. The coroner found that the parents and their two small boys had all been killed by blunt force trauma.
In the year since the bodies were discovered, San Bernadino PD authorities have determined that there was no evidence the family had traveled to Mexico after their disappearance, as San Diego PD had previous believed. The San Bernadino PD called the border video “unrelated” to the McStay disappearance and murder case.
San Bernadino County Sheriff John McMahon ^ said the killings appeared to be “extremely orchestrated” and carried out by more than one person back when the bodies were discovered a year ago.
However, after reviewing 4,500 pages of investigative records, executing 60 search warrants and conducting 200 interviews, investigators zeroed in on Charles (Chase) Merritt -- a business associated of Josheph McStay -- concluding he had acted alone in killing the family in their own home, San Bernadino authorities said last week.
San Bernadino County District Attorney Mike Ramos ^ said he has not yet decided whether he will seek the death penalty in what he called a “cold and callous murder of an entire family.” Ramos told CNN that authorities had been watching Merritt, closely for some time before arresting him last week. "There was no doubt in our mind this was the person that committed the murders," Ramos said. "His story is all over the place."
Authorities say they found evidence at the grave site that supports their case against Merritt.
Merritt's defense attorney Robert A. Ponce ^ spoke to reporters outside the courtroom following yesterday's arraignment where he entered "not guilty" pleas to four counts of aggravated murder. Ponce is a well-regarded private defense attorney with over 25 years of experience. Here is his website: http://www.robertponcelaw.com/criminal_defense.html
Ponce expressed sorrow for the McStay and Aranda families for the tragic loss of their loved ones and made the following statement. "I'm going to do everything that I can for Mr. Merritt, everything in my power, to be able to represent him -- do everything that I can to be able to help him in this case -- to specifically see if there isn't a way that with the tragedy that's taken place, that that tragedy not extend to him (Merritt) and not extend to his family also."
The next hearing is scheduled for November 20th.
Sources:
http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/12/us/mcstay-...?hpt=hp_t2
http://wgntv.com/2014/11/07/cold-and-cal...ities-say/