CA - Joey, Summer, Gianni, Joseph Jr McStay Murders - Feb 4th 2010 #12

[citygirl]

It feels like such a loose end, the "storage unit". Especially with those Chateau keys found buried with Joey. Does anyone have any idea if the storage pods that the McStays rented for their personal belongings were the portable kind? They would have needed Chateau-like locks as well. I wonder if the keys were ever tried on the McStay's personal storage? Does anyone know? That could explain what they were for. And if so, I wonder if Joey stopped by there that day.

I've always been mystified about their personal storage units. I remember thinking in the beginning how does one know that their bodies weren't in there? Nobody looked! The family were not able to do anything even after SB paid the storage fee for several months. Just seemed so cruel to me.

 

[citygirl]

Maybe the size of the warehouse in addition to Dan’s SEO expertise are what attracted Saudi Arabia to EIP?

This has always blown my mind, too. Is there no one in Saudi Arabia that knows how to do water fountains? They find JM and his small business and he's the go-to guy? Not saying it didn't happen.

 

[geevee]

No. Not if the friend thought that there was a good reason that the family went off the grid for a few days. I know it's hard for some here to adjust their way of thinking to what someone else might be thinking, but not everyone's lifestyle is the same and not everyone reacts the same to circumstances like these.

What I can't adjust my thinking to is his girlfriend tells him he should contact LE and he 'doesn't want to get involved'. What was there to "get involved" with? His best friend hasn't been heard from by anyone for days and CM of all people knew exactly how out of character that was for JM. As his 'best friend' who spoke to him many times on the 4th, he would have known if JM and the family were going off somewhere, anywhere.

 

[missy1974]

I've always been mystified about their personal storage units. I remember thinking in the beginning how does one know that their bodies weren't in there? Nobody looked! The family were not able to do anything even after SB paid the storage fee for several months. Just seemed so cruel to me.

I agree citygirl... I wonder how many memories were lost in those storage units I can't believe LE couldn't do something about that or help or something.

 

[cobalt sky]

What I can't adjust my thinking to is his girlfriend tells him he should contact LE and he 'doesn't want to get involved'. What was there to "get involved" with? His best friend hasn't been heard from by anyone for days and CM of all people knew exactly how out of character that was for JM. As his 'best friend' who spoke to him many times on the 4th, he would have known if JM and the family were going off somewhere, anywhere.

"Doesn't want to get involved" probably meant that he didn't want to attract LE's attention to himself unless he absolutely had to because he had a warrant. And there could have been other reasons as well. IMO.

 

[missy1974]

What I can't adjust my thinking to is his girlfriend tells him he should contact LE and he 'doesn't want to get involved'. What was there to "get involved" with? His best friend hasn't been heard from by anyone for days and CM of all people knew exactly how out of character that was for JM. As his 'best friend' who spoke to him many times on the 4th, he would have known if JM and the family were going off somewhere, anywhere.

He also didn't want to meet with Dugal and Fiske because he had a warrant.

This is one of those things that I'm not so sure that the defense shouldn't have just embraced and let it be known because it does explain a few things, but because they don't want it out there what the warrant was for I guess... they haven't or don't want to. Although... it has been mentioned, including in his interview, so I guess it's out there for the jury to hear anyway.

 

[citygirl]

Yes iirc there was a key to the Trooper, which was not tested on the actual trooper until very recently. And there was a Chateau key in Joey's pocket, and another Chateau key I think found in the grave somewhere? Don't hold me to that, I might have the details mixed up. I don't know if the Chateau key(s) were ever tested on the McStay's personal storage unit(s)/pod(s).

I thought there was only one key found in the grave and that was in Joey's pocket. Could be wrong,though.

 

[cobalt sky]

I've always been mystified about their personal storage units. I remember thinking in the beginning how does one know that their bodies weren't in there? Nobody looked! The family were not able to do anything even after SB paid the storage fee for several months. Just seemed so cruel to me.

I agree citygirl... I wonder how many memories were lost in those storage units I can't believe LE couldn't do something about that or help or something.

It is very sad . I'm wondering what the circumstances were, because in my experience as long as the units are being paid for, the company doesn't usually pay attention to or care who is accessing the units. I would have just brought some bolt cutters and cut the locks off to get inside. IF I had access to them. Some places, they are gated, and you need either a key or a password to get through the gates. I don't know anything about where the McStays units/pods were but that could have been the problem, getting past the security gate to access them.

 

[missy1974]

I thought there was only one key found in the grave and that was in Joey's pocket. Could be wrong,though.

I believe it was 3 or 4 keys. I thought I had a snip of them, but I don't.

 

[citygirl]

I agree citygirl... I wonder how many memories were lost in those storage units I can't believe LE couldn't do something about that or help or something.

Lest we forget, some people have speculated they were involved in some nefarious dealings. Large sums of money could have been stashed in there. Guess LE decided that wasn't an issue. And, I agree. Can't believe they didn't intervene for the family. If nothing else but to let them see what was in there.

 

[Recidivist]

This has always blown my mind, too. Is there no one in Saudi Arabia that knows how to do water fountains? They find JM and his small business and he's the go-to guy? Not saying it didn't happen.

I'm not sure about Saudi Arabia either. My brother used to live there on an American compound. My parents in order to go visit him, had to be thoroughly investigated first, and had to obtain permission from the Saudi government in order to go. It was not an easy process. Its hard for me to imagine that a convicted felon, on probation would be able to go there.

 

[citygirl]

He also didn't want to meet with Dugal and Fiske because he had a warrant.

This is one of those things that I'm not so sure that the defense shouldn't have just embraced and let it be known because it does explain a few things, but because they don't want it out there what the warrant was for I guess... they haven't or don't want to. Although... it has been mentioned, including in his interview, so I guess it's out there for the jury to hear anyway.

I thought we read that the DT addressed this in opening statements? Tried to pin it on Maline but he passed it off to McGee.

 

[missy1974]

I thought we read that the DT addressed this in opening statements? Tried to pin it on Maline but he passed it off to McGee.

I think you are right LOL Either way, his lawyers must have had to weight the pro's and con's on that?

I love watching livepd... always makes me laugh at how dumb some of them are... guy/girl phones cops about gf/bf/neighbour... gets arrested because they themselves have a warrant for arrest LOL I can see someone with a warrant avoiding LE ...

JMO

 

[citygirl]

He also didn't want to meet with Dugal and Fiske because he had a warrant.

This is one of those things that I'm not so sure that the defense shouldn't have just embraced and let it be known because it does explain a few things, but because they don't want it out there what the warrant was for I guess... they haven't or don't want to. Although... it has been mentioned, including in his interview, so I guess it's out there for the jury to hear anyway.

But didn't he call them? Sounded like that? Guess not. Also found it strange that he brought the email from Joey about who owed what to whom . And a spread sheet. Wonder what the cops thought of that? Info supplied right out of the gate.

 

[missy1974]

I'm not sure about Saudi Arabia either. My brother used to live there on an American compound. My parents in order to go visit him, had to be thoroughly investigated first, and had to obtain permission from the Saudi government in order to go. It was not an easy process. Its hard for me to imagine that a convicted felon, on probation would be able to go there.

I can't recall where I read it now, but I remember reading that Merritt was only allowed to install the fountain, he couldn't go out and about while there, maybe his history was why?

 

[missy1974]

But didn't he call them? Sounded like that? Guess not. Also found it strange that he brought the email from Joey about who owed what to whom . And a spread sheet. Wonder what the cops thought of that? Info supplied right out of the gate.

I think he did eventually call them back, Fiske told him they would not arrest him, but IIRC in that interview Chase wasn't sure if they were lying or not, and said he was prepared in case they did arrest him. Maybe that's why he met them at the clubhouse instead of the apartment? So if he was arrested the kids didn't see that?

ETA: actually Fiske and Dugal were at his apartment first... I recall them talking about how clean/not clean it was.

 

[cobalt sky]

He also didn't want to meet with Dugal and Fiske because he had a warrant.

This is one of those things that I'm not so sure that the defense shouldn't have just embraced and let it be known because it does explain a few things, but because they don't want it out there what the warrant was for I guess... they haven't or don't want to. Although... it has been mentioned, including in his interview, so I guess it's out there for the jury to hear anyway.

I agree, and he has no history of violence. So letting the jury know his history would just show that stealing is his usual m.o., but violence/murder is not.

 

[citygirl]

It is very sad . I'm wondering what the circumstances were, because in my experience as long as the units are being paid for, the company doesn't usually pay attention to or care who is accessing the units. I would have just brought some bolt cutters and cut the locks off to get inside. IF I had access to them. Some places, they are gated, and you need either a key or a password to get through the gates. I don't know anything about where the McStays units/pods were but that could have been the problem, getting past the security gate to access them.

It was something about their names not being on there. I've had a painful experience with this in the past. My son was hospitalized and living in another state. Couldn't communicate with him and wanted to get into his apartment. My name wasn't on the lease so it was a no go. Just awful.

 

[Recidivist]

I agree, and he has no history of violence. So letting the jury know his history would just show that stealing is his usual m.o., but violence/murder is not.

I think that tail deprived kitten tells a different story.

 

[Mica]

This has always blown my mind, too. Is there no one in Saudi Arabia that knows how to do water fountains? They find JM and his small business and he's the go-to guy? Not saying it didn't happen.

I completely agree.