McStays Episode 6: Life or Death
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What is the background of the McStay murder case and why is it going to trial now?
Hi, this is Ashen Singh here with another weekly episode of our latest true crime series from 2020 in ABC Audio, What Happened to the Mixed Days? Remember you can get new episodes weekly on Tuesdays if you follow What Happened to the Mixed Days on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you're listening now. Or you can hear the entire series right now ad-free by subscribing to twenty twenty True Crime Plus on Apple Podcasts. Click the link in the description to start your free trial today. Now here's the next episode of what happened to the mixed days.
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In twenty nineteen, more than four years after his arrest. Charles Chase Merritt was finally headed to trial. He'd been charged with killing the Mixtays, Joseph, Summer, Gianni, and Joseph Junior. Pleaded not guilty. Merritt would be tried at San Bernardino Superior Court. An imposing and sleek building downtown. Its shiny, reflective facade, reminiscent of the waterfall's merit built for Joseph. It had taken more than five years from when the Mixtay's remains were discovered to To the start of this trial. A long road for the victim's loved ones. Outside court and after a pretrial hearing. Joseph's brother Michael McStay spoke to local TV station KBC. Michael says he was confident authorities had the right guy.
Finally, somebody is gonna have to take responsibility for what they did to my loving family. And um You know, I wanna see him get what he's got coming to him.
Joseph's mother, Susan Blake, was there too.
I did want to stand up and I did want Chase to s to look at me in the eyes. I wanted him to see us and the pain we've been through. And that now we're back for justice.
With Chase Merritt facing four charges of murder in the first degree. Death penalty was on the table. He was fighting for his life. Would the jury decide Merritt was the one who killed the McStays? From ABC Audio in twenty twenty. I'm Arshan Singh. And this is what happened to the mixed days. Episode six. Life or death.
You know, we're not supposed to show our emotions, we're supposed to be professional at all times. And I almost lost it. I actually had to turn around and like catch my breath and take a minute.
Britt Himes is a district attorney with the county of San Bernardino. He was one of the prosecutors who presented the case against Chase Merritt in court. And I'm s told ABC News in an interview last year. And in the nearly thirty years he's been a prosecutor. The Mixtay family murders was the most personal case he'd worked on. As a dad. The emotion really hit him, he said. When he was questioning a crime scene specialist on the stand. Put up a picture of the family's Asuzu trooper for the jury to see.
It was Joseph Jr.'s car seat. It was the same car seat that I put my kids in. Was a personal connection that I don't think I ever had with any other case.
For Hymes, the Mixtay murder case stood out for another reason too. The most difficult case in twenty seven years. I'm said there were several reasons the McStay case was such a difficult one. It was the nearly four year gap between the murders and the discovery of the bodies. the multiple jurisdictions involved. The enormous amount of public interest, which generated a huge volume of tips for law enforcement to handle. And I'm said Lack of direct evidence against Mary.
We would have loved to have had An identifiable murder scene with physical evidence, whether it be blood or fingerprints or DNA, we would have loved to have had an eyewitness. We would have loved to have had a neighbor have heard a scream in the night. when it happened. I mean I could probably go on and on.
Instead, I'm said. Вот хі і не з фело просекутр з хай circumstantial evidence.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the background of the McStay murder case and why is it going to trial now?
0:00–5:25
2
How did the prosecution present the motive, means, and opportunity of Chase Merritt?
5:25–9:43
3
What forensic and physical evidence (DNA, blood, household items) did the state rely on?
9:43–14:53
4
How did the defense challenge the state’s case with claims of confirmation bias and missing evidence?
14:53–19:57
5
What role did cell‑phone tower pings and the surveillance video of a white truck play in the trial?
19:57–24:48
6
How did the jury react to the evidence and what was the verdict for Chase Merritt?
24:48–29:38
7
What sentencing options were considered and why did the death penalty become a focus?
29:38–34:24
8
What has happened since the verdict – appeals, death‑row status, and the families’ closure?
34:24–39:00