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When you first met him though, what were your first impressions of him?
JERRY SMITH (PH): Extremely friendly, you know, very outgoing.
This is where Chase and I dug this. KAYE: Jerry Smith (ph), a recreational gold prospector met Chase Merritt in August 2014. He's asked us not to use his real name for his protection.
Jerry met Chase through his new career, gold mining.
SMITH (PH): My wife and I purchased a machine called the dry washer and there was a broken part. So I contacted the manufacturer and the manufacturer got me in touch with Chase.
KAYE: After Chase fixed his gear, Jerry and his wife went gold prospecting with Chase a handful of times in a high desert.
SMITH (PH): He said, "I know those areas like the back on my hand."
KAYE: But Jerry says the Chase Merritt who showed up the last time they met was noticeably different from the friendly cowboy he had come to know.
SMITH (PH): While we were standing there, Chase says to me, "You probably know who I am." And I referred back to him, I said, "Well, not really because we just met you four or five weeks ago." And he said, "Well have you ever heard of the McStay family?"
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A family of four vanishes.
KAYE: Jerry remembered hearing about the McStays on the news but had no clue Chase had any connection to them.
SMITH (PH): He said that he was Joey's best friend and his business partner. He didn't seem sad at all talking about it. He was almost kind of cold and he also went on to talk about his wife, Summer, he called her an F-ing ***** a couple of times.
And more and more, he talked about things that were going on between him and the McStay family that the more uneasy I got.
KAYE: Jerry's unease only got worst when Chase insisted they hike here, to an even more secluded area.
KAYE: So what was your gut telling you that day?
SMITH (PH): I was getting spooked, hair were standing up on my body.
KAYE: Jerry quickly hiked back to his wife, packed up his $10,000 worth of prospect being here and headed out of the desert. The next day, Jerry decided he needed to tell someone what it happened.
SMITH (PH): I made contact with the Sheriff's Department Homicide.
KAYE: What was their response?
SMITH (PH): His response to me was, that he appreciated us calling and he said helps us build like character of about somebody.
KAYE: Little that Jerry know, authorities already believe that Chase Merritt murdered the McStays. Weeks later, they made the announcement.
MCMAHON: Charles Chase Merritt was identified as the suspect responsible for the death of Joseph, Summer, Gianni, and Joseph McStay.
KAYE: Up next, how investigators find him across the (inaudible).
RAMOS: We knew where Mr. Merritt was on a daily basis for the last year.
