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

[missy1974]

Apart from chase was on the phone to Joey every single day so that doesn’t make sense for Chase to think Joey went away on holiday without mentioning anything especially when they had lunch together the day before they vanished.

Did Chase say they went on holiday?

 

[missy1974]

Wow. I have a lot of pages to catch up on.
Anyway, I was thinking about these high end Terra Vista apts and how CJ had to go from living there to living in a trailer in someone's yard. IIRC it was during LE's search of that trailer that CJ voluntarily gave LE the info that there was one of CM's computers at her mom's house. You never know, she might be helpful to the prosecution after all.

MOO

It definitely implies to me that she was not impeding or obstructing the investigation IMO Maybe she will be good for the pro's. Or maybe she really does believe Chase didn't do this and thought there would be something that would help prove that on the computer?

 

[Force Ten]

This is all very interesting speculation but at the end of the day we don't really know and it's not really relevant to the case. All we know is that Joey and Chase were close friends and business associates. It's not uncommon for men of certain demographics to trash each other's "old ladies". I don't care for it either but it doesn't make Chase a killer. IMO.

I wholly disagree. To disparage his "best friend's" wife after she was brutally murdered along side him is highly unusual and downright callous. The right thing to have done is not say anything out of respect for his "friend" and the person who's deceased. Or just say I hold reversations about her and let's just leave it at that. That's someone with class would do. Just another example of Merritt's low moral standard and no decency.

 

[asyousay]

Did Chase say they went on holiday?

No I was saying that Mike had a legitimate excuse thinking the family had gone away as they wasn’t in contact all the time. Thats why Mike wasn’t concerned.

Chase on the other hand should of been concerned after 48 hours due to the fact he spoke to Joey every single day.

 

[Cricket28]

I just want clarification on this point so Joeys final phone call to Chase did not connect?

It did NOT. Therefore it did not show up on CM's phone or his phone log. That is why I find it really odd that when he was asked about it he didn't simply pull out his phone to confirm that he didn't have any missed calls from JM that night. Instead he gives "reasons" why he didn't answer it. Even saying how much he regretted not picking up to talk to JM. So maybe, just maybe, he did have first hand knowledge of the call being made because he was with JM and JM's phone when that call was made.

MOO

 

[cobalt sky]

I wholly disagree. To disparage his "best friend's" wife after she was brutally murdered along side him is highly unusual and downright callous. The right thing to have done is not say anything out of respect for his "friend" and the person who's deceased. Or just say I hold reversations about her and let's just leave it at that. That's someone with class would do. Just another example of Merritt's low moral standard and no decency.

BBM- oh I agree. Like I said earlier, I don't like it either. But it doesn't prove murder, which is what this trial is about. IMO.

 

[missy1974]

It did NOT. Therefore it did not show up on CM's phone or his phone log. That is why I find it really odd that when he was asked about it he didn't simply pull out his phone to confirm that he didn't have any missed calls from JM that night. Instead he gives "reasons" why he didn't answer it. Even saying how much he regretted not picking up to talk to JM. So maybe, just maybe, he did have first hand knowledge of the call being made because he was with JM and JM's phone when that call was made.

MOO

But he didn't say this right away, he said it years later, right, well as far we know? Isn't this the same interview that he says he doesn't actually remember the call, it's Cathy that remembers it?

 

[Cricket28]

Did he help handout flyers or help search for them at anytime? Tia

Imo

RSBM

In SB's testimony she said she asked CM to help pass out fliers and he refused. He couldn't even pretend to care about finding the family.

MOO

 

[Force Ten]

BBM- oh I agree. Like I said earlier, I don't like it either. But it doesn't prove murder, which is what this trial is about. IMO.

Right, that's not what I'm saying, or anyone else. I don't understand why some keep implying that people conclude this from one piece of evidence. It's the totality of everything and Merritt's character strongly permeates throughout such evidence. It speaks to who Chase Merritt is and was.

 

[missy1974]

No I was saying that Mike had a legitimate excuse thinking the family had gone away as they wasn’t in contact all the time. Thats why Mike wasn’t concerned.

Chase on the other hand should of been concerned after 48 hours due to the fact he spoke to Joey every single day.

I agree that Chase should have maybe been more concerned and gone to the family sooner maybe, but would it have made a difference? It wasn't just Mike.

I just don't know at what point the burden shifts from Chase in this regard. I guess everyone has their own opinion on it, but IMO if a friend alerted my family that something was out of the ordinary, I would hope my family would be concerned and not think I was on vacation. But like @mom2chloe says, I would never leave on a vacation without my family knowing either, and they would never expect that I was on vacation unless I previously told them. We have a rule in my house, that no one is allowed to leave the city without letting someone know, I have young "adults", I follow to many of these cases, I am a worrier lol

 

[Cricket28]

Keep in mind CM said Joey would have dinner at his house once or twice a week. Wonder if Joey ever took the boys to hang out with CMs children?

I'm not sure I believe JM ate at CM's that often.
I think CM's two youngest were several years older than Gianni and Joe Jr.
Plus, I don't think there is anyway whatsoever that SM would allow her boys to be around CM like that.

MOO

 

[cobalt sky]

Right, that's not what I'm saying, or anyone else. I don't understand why some keep implying that people conclude this from one piece of evidence. It's the totality of everything and Merritt's character strongly permeates throughout such evidence. It speaks to who Chase Merritt is and was.

All I'm saying is that there are countless men of less than stellar character out there but they don't murder anyone. And there are many upstanding men of great character, pillars of their communities, who murder people. The only totality I'm really interested in is what is being presented to the jury, as they are the ones who will be deciding Chase's fate. IMO.

 

[HelenK]

This is all very interesting speculation but at the end of the day we don't really know and it's not really relevant to the case. All we know is that Joey and Chase were close friends and business associates. It's not uncommon for men of certain demographics to trash each other's "old ladies". I don't care for it either but it doesn't make Chase a killer. IMO.

It might be relevant if Chase's ultimately quashed idea of what his relationship with Joey was became part and parcel of the motive for the killings.

 

[Cricket28]

She wouldn't have been at work? I still don't know what she did for employment around that time lol

Didn't she have or work for a business that rented out party equipment, like bounce houses for kids parties?

MOO

 

[cobalt sky]

It might be relevant if Chase's ultimately quashed idea of what his relationship with Joey was became part and parcel of the motive for the killings.

Has there been anything to suggest that Chase's version of his relationship with Joey is untrue though?

McGyver spent a good amount of time at the McStay house in the week or so before they disappeared. He testified that Chase was also there on some of the days he was at the McStay house. I would have thought McGyver would have testified to any contention among Joey/Summer and Chase, either witnessed by him or reported to him by either Joey or Summer. But iirc he said nothing to indicate anything different than Joey and Chase were close friends and business associates whose relationship was in good standing. I also don't recall that anyone else reported anything different to what Chase claims. At least that I remember. IMO.

 

[mom2chloe]

I agree that Chase should have maybe been more concerned and gone to the family sooner maybe, but would it have made a difference? It wasn't just Mike.

I just don't know at what point the burden shifts from Chase in this regard. I guess everyone has their own opinion on it, but IMO if a friend alerted my family that something was out of the ordinary, I would hope my family would be concerned and not think I was on vacation. But like @mom2chloe says, I would never leave on a vacation without my family knowing either, and they would never expect that I was on vacation unless I previously told them. We have a rule in my house, that no one is allowed to leave the city without letting someone know, I have young "adults", I follow to many of these cases, I am a worrier lol

This brings to mind another thought. Have we seen if SB or MM called or texted JM or SM February 4th on? Although in hindsight we know they were deceased wouldn’t either of them try to text or call if only to receive a we’re on vacation or off the grid response?

 

[missy1974]

This brings to mind another thought. Have we seen if SB or MM called or texted JM or SM February 4th on? Although in hindsight we know they were deceased wouldn’t either of them try to text or call if only to receive a we’re on vacation or off the grid response?

Absolutely, I believe they did call both Joey and Summer and maybe texted? I recall Mike saying that Summer had 2 phones at the time and he tried both. Their VM's were still on Summer's phone, however, they were not on Joey's because messages before the 15th were deleted.

 

[Karinna]

All I'm saying is that there are countless men of less than stellar character out there but they don't murder anyone. And there are many upstanding men of great character, pillars of their communities, who murder people. The only totality I'm really interested in is what is being presented to the jury, as they are the ones who will be deciding Chase's fate. IMO.

BBM, Agree, as Merritt is the only one on Trial right now for quadruple murders of the McStay family. The State determined CM has a case to answer.
And prior to that LE had joined the dots and charged and arrested CM for the crime. I imagine all roads led back to Merritt.

 

[Karinna]

Right, that's not what I'm saying, or anyone else. I don't understand why some keep implying that people conclude this from one piece of evidence. It's the totality of everything and Merritt's character strongly permeates throughout such evidence. It speaks to who Chase Merritt is and was.

Exactly.

 

[MichaelCorleone]

Has there been anything to suggest that Chase's version of his relationship with Joey is untrue though?

McGyver spent a good amount of time at the McStay house in the week or so before they disappeared. He testified that Chase was also there on some of the days he was at the McStay house. I would have thought McGyver would have testified to any contention among Joey/Summer and Chase, either witnessed by him or reported to him by either Joey or Summer. But iirc he said nothing to indicate anything different than Joey and Chase were close friends and business associates whose relationship was in good standing. I also don't recall that anyone else reported anything different to what Chase claims. At least that I remember. IMO.

No. MacGyver testified about the tension between Summer and Merritt and how uncomfortable it was to be around them. He said when he arrived Summer did not introduce Merritt and Merritt did not introduce himself and they weren’t talking to each other and it was awkward.