Chapter 116: The Case Against Chase Merritt-The McStay Family Murders Pt. 2

In Part 2 of my coverage on the McStay Family Murders, I cover the trial of Chase Merritt, the man arrested for the murders of Summer and Joseph McStay, and their two little boys, Gianni and Joey Jr. The case against Chase Merritt was built entirely on circumstantial evidence, and three years after my original coverage, I'm still not entirely sure police got the right guy. From the discourse between the prosecution and defense, cell phone and computer records suggesting Chase Merritt's movements were not as straightforward as the police would have you believe, and PayPal records suggesting another suspect stood to gain from Joseph McStay's death, I went over it all, putting together a picture that suggests that someone, somewhere, may have gotten things wrong. Connect with us on Social Media!You can find us at:Instagram: @bookofthedeadpodX: @bkofthedeadpodFacebook: The Book of the Dead PodcastTikTok: BookofthedeadpodOr visit our website at www.botdpod.comFeaturing a promo for Ghost Bites:Ghost Bites is a weekly podcast from Mike and J.T. of Brew Crime, for quick, 5–10 minute dives into the haunted, spooky, and paranormal. Get your weekly dose of all things creepy, served with a side of laughs. It’s the perfect podcast for anyone looking for a fun and frightening experience that won’t take up their whole day.Listen hereAradillas, E. (2014, November 9). Patrick McStay has a theory about why his family was murdered. People.com. https://people.com/crime/mcstay-family-murders-patrick-mcstays-theory-about-why-they-were-killed/Dziemianowicz, J. (2023, December 30). ‘Monster’ slaughters entire family — mom, dad, 2 young sons — and buries them in the desert. Oxygen. https://www.oxygen.com/killer-motive/crime-news/mcstay-family-murders-who-killed-themFalcon, G. (2013, January 26). Three years later, no sign of missing family. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2013/01/26/justice/mcstay-family-disappearance/index.htmlFigueroa, T. (2013, November 15). How the McStay case unfolded. U-T San Diego. https://web.archive.org/web/20131203005025/http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/Nov/15/timeline-mcstay-disappearance-case/Flynn, S. (2022, May 21). McStay murders: A man is on death row for the brutal killings of a young family found in shallow graves in the desert – but did he really do it? The Independent. https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/crime/mcstay-murder-california-documentary-chase-merritt-b2084210.htmlFraga, K. (2025, July 10). The McStay family murders and the “Monster” behind them. All That’s Interesting. https://allthatsinteresting.com/mcstay-family-murdersGarske, M. (2020, January 17). Charles Merritt’s DNA found in McStay family car: search warrants. NBC 7 San Diego. https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/charles-merritt-mcstay-family-murders-search-warrants-unsealed/52907/Gotfredson, D. (2025, July 12). New book details evidence that led to conviction in McStay family murders. cbs8.com. https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/crime/true-crime/new-book-evidence-conviction-mcstay-family-murders/509-8001a9cb-cfeb-42da-b257-c6993f1aa668Gutglueck, M. (2019, April 19). Kavanaugh hacked into McStay’s PayPal account a week after the murders. SBC Sentinel. h