Yeah. The guy complained about how much JM's disappearance/murder financially ruined him...but what about the opportunities AFTER.
Alleged McStay killer 1st to sound alarm
He found a new benefactor in Les Cohen, a chiropractor he met in a Victorville-area bar about three years ago, Cohen told U-T San Diego.
Cohen said Merritt told him the McStay story — that they were best friends and business associates, and how his life nose-dived after the disappearance.
To Cohen, Merritt seemed a good guy, smart, didn’t drink much, didn’t smoke, didn’t do drugs. He did gamble a bit. And he played a mean game of poker and hustled pool.
“He seemed like a straight-shooter, very believable,” Cohen said.
Cohen said he eventually hired the “incredibly talented” welder for fix-it projects and small art pieces. It soon became clear that Merritt had the talent to make “$100,000 waterfalls.”
Seeing “dollar signs,” Cohen set Merritt up with a work space and welding tools, helped cover his utility bills, bought him a phone, and, he said, even got him clothes because he noticed Merritt always wore the same pants and shirt.
Cohen said he also established a shared bank account, putting up $10,000 for materials.
But the money started to disappear, and the projects rarely came to completion.
“He wouldn’t do the work. He wouldn’t fill the orders. … It was always excuses, ‘the sun’s in my eyes,’” Cohen said.
By August 2013, Cohen had enough of a man he said he came to completely distrust. He ended their business dealings.
Three months later, the McStay family’s skeletal remains were found by an off-road motorcyclist outside of Victorville, in a pair of shallow graves.
When Cohen heard the news, his first suspicion was: “Chase did it.”
San Bernardino County authorities took over the case, now a murder investigation. In a way they started from scratch but they also referred to the boxes of case files from the San Diego County sheriff’s missing persons investigation.
Cohen said detectives tracked him down, and he talked with them three, four times. He said last week’s arrest came as no surprise.
“On the outside, he’s the nicest, sweetest guy,” Cohen said. “Mild, calm, never raised a voice, very soft-spoken, methodical. He would tell the (McStay) story and you had no reason not to believe him. But nobody really knew him.”
My meeting with Charles 'Chase' Merritt
Adepoju, who said his background was in banking and finance, emigrated from Nigeria 22 years ago and met Merritt through a mutual friend. Adepoju said Merritt was ready to market a “holistic gel” that he developed to “reduce and eliminate pain almost on contact.” Adepoju said Merritt wanted to introduce his steel sculptures to the public before he sold the gel.
At the time, Adepoju said Merrit was “an artist,” and was excited about the new business. Things apparently didn’t end well.
The business was never officially created, and Adepoju took Merritt to small claims court and was awarded more than $2,000 in October 2012. A bench warrant was later issued for Merritt due to his failure to pay the judgment and his failure to appear for subsequent hearings
On Friday, Adepoju spoke with me by phone and shared more insights on his experience with Merritt. Adepoju said after the Daily Press interview, Merritt asked him to “call Rene and ask him not to run the article.”
“I think his conscience was punishing him and he didn’t want to get exposed,” Adepoju said. “After the interview, Charles acted very funny. I think he was nervous because he got close to the media.“
Adepoju said he met Merritt through a mutual friend in 2012. A few weeks later, the duo sat down and began discussing business.
“I commissioned a few steel sculptures from Charles,” Adepoju said. “Next thing I know, I was his piggy-bank and he owed me over $4,000. I’m glad that we did not follow though with the registration of our business.“
Despite Merritt referring to Adepoju’s Hesperia office as “his office,” Adepoju said the cowboy hat-wearing metal worker only came Adepoju’s office when he needed money. After Adepoju discovered Merritt’s “shady background,” he quickly cut ties with him and took him to court to get his money.
"The program ‘Judge Judy’ even called and wanted us to be on the show when I sued him, but Charles didn’t want to do it,” Adepoju said. “I believe Charles didn’t want to be on the show because of the media exposure, just like he asked that the Daily Press not to run the article.“
Adepoju said after he cut ties with Merritt, a mysterious vehicle pulled up and parked near his property in Apple Valley. When Adepoju went to investigate, the vehicle sped off.
Adepoju said he was initially unaware that Merritt was a “habitual criminal,” who had a history of repeat offenses such as “stealing property and money.”
“We are supposed to be responsible members of the community and report what we see and hear,” Adepoju said. “I can’t believe this Charles guy walked around free when he’s gone from jail to jail, all over the country.“
MOO
