Missing Families -- Jamison (10/09), Szczepanik (12/09 - Presumed Deceased, Son Found Deceased), McStay (2/10)

Does anyone else think that it's rather odd that 3 entire families have gone missing without a trace? Is this something that happens regularly, but we just don't hear about it as much?

1. October 8, 2009: Bobby & Sherrilynn Jamison & 6 yr old daughter, Madyson; Eufala/Red Oak, Oklahoma; Abandoned pickup found with malnourished dog inside along with a large sum of cash and their personal belongings including ID's & wallets.
http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/PubCaseSearchServlet?act=viewPoster&caseNum=1134094&orgPrefix=NCMC&searchLang=en_US

2. December 14, 2009: Vanderlei & Jacqueline Szczepanik & 7 yr old son Christopher; Omaha, Nebraska; Disappeared without a trace. Food was left rotting on table, computer was on, 4 checks were uncashed, and several other items that would have been taken had the family planned on being gone. Their '95 Dodge Caravan was found after 6 weeks of searching.
http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/PubCaseSearchServlet?act=viewPoster&caseNum=1141175&orgPrefix=NCMC&searchLang=en_US

3. February 4, 2010: Joseph & Summer McStay, 4 yr old Gianni & 3 yr old Joseph, Jr; San Diego, CA; Dogs were left in the home and no arrangements had been made for their care, Internet business has been untouched and the family's '96 Isuzu Trooper was found abandoned near the Mexico border.
http://www.10news.com/news/22584504/detail.html?taf=sand

PI - I do find that very odd, and would love to know what happened to each family.

Pi, you are definitely a great PI. I had not heard of any of these cases. This is just terrible.

Three families, how can they just disappear off the radar. Three couples, each had one child. Definitely foul play.

I wonder if one of the family members planned and carried out a murder/suicide. Or a relative might have been involved in eliminating the entire family. There has to be some clue left somewhere.

Jamison Family (No new information in the news...)

Missing: The Jamison Family of Eufala, OklahomaPosted on November 4th, 2009 by Valhall

http://www.thehinkymeter.com/?p=408

Quote from the article:
"But there are rules in southeastern Oklahoma.

* Know where you’re going before you start.

* If you come upon a trailer with a blue tarp hanging of the edge – don’t take the time to turn around…back out immediately.

* Carry your gun.

* Don’t go alone."

Sounds like a place I wouldn't want to go into...

Wow! That's scary! They left their dogs? Something bad happened to these families. How could they just disappear without a trace? Drugs? Really bad, Bad Guys? My pets are like my kids, they are my kids. Most people wouldn't leave them.

Thank you pi-girl for bringing these cases to our attention. I hope that you don't mind that I expanded your posts a bit & editted the title to include the families names. (Makes it easier to locate the threads)

Oh, you are welcome!
I don't mind at all! Whatever it takes to get the information out there!

Thanks, Fysty

I had only heard of the McStay family, and follow that case almost daily - but there's not much news to report unfortunately... I do find it VERY odd that entire families can seemingly disappear without a trace, ESPECIALLY when it's middle class, hard working parents that are doting parents - not the least bit involved in suspicious activities, etc.... WHAT IS GOING ON??

Surveillance video offers new lead in missing family case
Posted: Mar 05, 2010 7:16 PM CST
Updated: Mar 06, 2010 11:29 AM CST

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (CBS 8) - There's a possible new lead in the case of a missing Fallbrook family that vanished without a trace one month ago. Detectives confirm to News 8 the family of four may have been spotted on surveillance tape walking across the border at San Ysidro.

Video taken of the San Ysidro border crossing on the evening of Feb. 8 from the rooftop of a private business shows a family of four walking across the border.

"In that video we have two adults, a female and a male, walking with two children the same age as the McStay children Gianni and Joseph," San Diego County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Roy Frank said.

Joseph and Summer McStay and their two young sons have been missing for a month. Their white Isuzu Trooper was found abandoned in a San Ysidro parking lot. Detectives are not releasing the U.S. Customs video.

"We're not releasing it's part of the investigation and it's being evaluated," Sgt. Frank said.

The new video appears to show the family casually on foot crossing the border.

"It looks like the family of four is walking there on their own. We don't know if anybody could be walking behind them or in front of them," Sgt. Frank said.

News 8 reviewed surveillance video from other cameras in the same area. We identified several families of four, but the video is so dark it's impossible to identify anyone. Detectives are having the same problem with the U.S. Customs video.

"Because of the darkness and other issues, we need to spend more time on this to confirm or deny it is the McStay family," Sgt. Frank said.

Investigators allowed McStay family relatives to view the surveillance tape, but they too were unable to make a positive identification.

Detectives believe the McStays' white truck arrived at the San Ysidro parking lot sometime after 5 p.m. They have not found any usable surveillance video of the vehicle in the lot.

http://www.760kfmb.com/Global/story.asp?S=12093642

New Lead in Case of Missing Family of Four
Updated: 3 hours 38 minutes ago

(March 7) -- More than a month after the McStay family mysteriously disappeared in Fallbrook, Calif., authorities are investigating a new lead: video surveillance of a family of four crossing the U.S.-Mexico border that appears to be consistent with Joseph McStay, 40, his wife, Summer, 43 and their children, Gianni, 4, and Joseph, 3.

"What we see in this video is a lead and that lead is encouraging to us," San Diego County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Roy Frank told AOL News. "We can't be sure that it is the McStay family but we do know their vehicle was parked about five minutes away, walking distance, on the same day the video shows a family of four walking across the border."



The video taken from the rooftop of a private business on the border is dated Feb. 8, the same day the McStays' abandoned white Isuzu Trooper was towed from a parking lot near the U.S.-Mexico border. The family was last heard from by relatives and business contacts four days earlier, on Feb. 4, prompting a homicide investigation into their vanishing and bringing sorrow to the community where family and friends continue to hope for their return.

The video shows an adult male, an adult female and two children "of about the same age" walking across the border, but Sgt. Frank acknowledges it is difficult to see clear images of the people's faces. Joseph McStay's brother, Mike McStay, expresses his skepticism about the video in a blog post Sunday at the McStay family Web site.

"I have seen the videos firsthand along with my mom, " he wrote. "The video quality is very poor. I personally could NOT make a positive identification."

McStay adds that "two or three families" are seen crossing the border in the video, one of which includes a little girl, and the other with a man McStay says "walks nothing like my brother."

According to Frank, officials are enhancing the surveillance footage in an effort to examine the faces more closely and potentially identify the McStays. He said investigators would survey additional video of the parking lot where the McStays' car was abandoned to see if video will show a family walking away from the vehicle and heading to the border.

For Michael McStay, the video provides few clues.

"The vehicle was found near the border, but there are no eyewitnesses as to who actually got out of the vehicle," he wrote. "The vehicle could have been parked by others, we simply do not know at this time."

The sheriff's department sends investigators to Mexico two to three times a week to look into cases including that of the McStays.

"This is a true mystery," Frank told AOL News. "We're hopeful that we're going to find the McStay family whether they went to Mexico or not."

http://www.aolnews.com

hmmmm, i don't want to jump to conclusions, but if it was the McStay family walking alone across the border - wouldn't you think that they just maybe wanted to disappear??

Wow. This is too strange! All the missing women are similar in appearance... long dark hair, dark complexion, dark eyes. Then look at the ages of the kids. Very strange!!! Just a coincidence, or something else? Just wondering. I sure hope someone is looking into the similarities. Could be nothing, but may be something. These families need to be found! My heart goes out to their friends and families.

Welcome Lynnlock.

It is very strange that entire families disappear. If there are any updates on any of these families, someone is sure to post it here.

I hope you enjoy RC as much as we all do.

Three Months Later, No Sign Of Missing Family
Daughter makes plea to help find them

Posted: 5:35 PM Mar 17, 2010
Reporter: Jodi Baker

Three months to the day since the Szczepanik family went missing, Omaha police say they have no new leads in the case. But Wednesday, the couple’s older daughter said she has not given up hope they will be found alive.

Full Story & Video:
http://www.wowt.com/news/headlines/88267352.html

FALLBROOK: Relative of missing family fears the worst
Michael McStay unconvinced his brother is on border crossing video

By TERI FIGUEROA - Posted: March 18, 2010 10:55 pm

The uncle of two missing Fallbrook children said Thursday that he's not convinced their parents, Joseph and Summer McStay, are the two adults shown on a grainy video crossing into Mexico last month.

The McStay family vanished last month from its Fallbrook home, triggering an international search. The video, which was released by authorities nearly two weeks ago, is dark, grainy and unclear, but it could contain images of the missing family crossing the U.S.-Mexico border at San Ysidro.

Sheriff's investigators say there is a "high probability" that the four people caught on tape strolling into Mexico at about 7 p.m. on Feb. 8 are Joseph and Summer McStay and their two boys Gianni, 4, and Joey Jr., 3.

But Joseph McStay's brother doesn't think it is his brother and sister-in-law. The kids, he fears, look like his missing nephews. He just can't tell.

Full story:
http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/fallbrook/article_edeea84e-70c8-5767-8bd0-6df3ac23cd34.html

Sadly, I cannot find any updates on the Jamison family.

Two Possible Sightings of the McStay Family
April 8, 2010

Possible sightings of the McStay family in Mérida and Barra Navidad, Mexico, have been reported, according to the McStay family Web site.

Joseph McStay, his wife Summer and two children went missing abruptly on Feb. 4. Since then, no traces of phone calls have been found or evidence of foul play. Four days later on Feb. 8, the family’s Izuzu Trooper was found in San Ysidro, next to the Mexican border. After authorities scanned the computer of the family, the history of their internet browser showed that someone was seeking to find a way into Mexico without visas. Since their disappearance, the FBI, aerial drones and a large distribution of fliers have all aided in the search.

Michael McStay, Joseph’s brother, also maintains there is promising evidence of the family’s whereabouts. “Two sightings occurred in Merida and Barra Navidad,” he said. “Joey owns property in Merida and he wouldn’t take off without telling us.”

Last week, Michael McStay was handing out fliers on the border in hopes of finding someone who might have seen the family. “While I was on the border a Mexican police officer from Tijuana walked up to me,” he said. “I grabbed the person closest to me to interpret what the officer was saying. According to the translator this is the first time the officer heard of the investigation.”

Michael McStay is also convinced that authorities have not done their best to find the family. “One of my questions was that if someone did a search on the PC, did they look for a specific destination,” he said. “The detective simply said ‘no’ and I’m not convinced. Truthfully I should be able to know this information.”

Michael McStay will travel with the FBI to Mexico this week.

http://www.sanclementetimes.com/view/full_story/7004236/article-Two-possible-sightings-of-the-McStay-family?instance=eye_on_sc

pi-girl, thanks for all of the updates. These are just bizarre. I can see a family wanting to start over, for whatever reason, but when you actually leave everything you own behind just doesn't make any sense. And the pets, so very strange.
I'm glad Michael McStay is able to go with the FBI to Mexico, hopefully they will find some answers. I'm looking forward to an update.

Jamison

I have not been able to find any new news about this family. Just wanted to add what I could find and bump this thread.

Madyson Jamison is shown in this file photo getting her hair done. She and her parents, Bobby and Sherilynn Jamison, have been missing since Oct., 7, 2009


On October 17, 2009, Bobby and Sherilyn Jamison's truck is found abandoned on a dirt road in Oklahoma's remote San Bois Mountains. They and their 6-year-old daughter Madyson are nowhere to be found. Along with the Jamisons' coats, wallets, GPS device, and cell phones, investigators find the family dog in the truck, barely clinging to life. They are stunned to discover a bank bag hidden in the truck that contains $32,000 in cash.
As they look more deeply into the Jamison's lives, police find a series of perplexing clues, each pointing in different and increasingly unusual directions: Could the large amount of cash found in the truck signal that the Jamisons were involved in illicit drug trafficking? Did a hostile 11-page letter written by Sherilyn to her husband indicate that this was a murder-suicide? A missing .22 caliber pistol adds to the immediate concerns of law enforcement.

The leads become downright bizarre when a local pastor tells investigators that Bobby and Sherilyn apparently believed that their lakeside home was inhabited by spirits. A revenge theory comes to light after police learn that a man living with the Jamisons threatened Sherilyn's life, and was forced to leave at gunpoint.
Investigators look into each scenario, no matter how odd, and come up empty-handed. Although they have no suspects, analysis of the disappearance site gives police their current leading theory: forced abduction. The truck's location and position indicates that the Jamisons were trying to leave and their path was blocked. But what happened to the family next is a complete mystery.



http://investigation.discovery.com/tv/disappeared/the-missing/bobby-and-sherilyn-jamison.html

Szczepanik

OMAHA, Neb. — An Omaha detective says a man charged in the deaths of missing Brazilian family he worked for in Omaha allegedly said he tortured his boss and threw the remains in the Missouri River.

KETV of Omaha says Detective Chris Spencer testified Friday during a hearing for Valdeir Goncalves-Santos. A judge ruled there is probable cause for him to stand trial on first-degree murder, beginning Aug. 15.

He's suspected of killing Vanderlei Szczepanik (SUH'-pan-ick), his wife and young son. The family disappeared in December 2009.

Spencer testified that Goncalves-Santos told his wife in Brazil that he and two others tortured Szczepanik, "quartered him" and put the remains in a sack with rocks and threw it in the river. Investigators think Szczepanik's wife and son were killed. The bodies haven't been found.

http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/42acac98b30f483cba0ef471c52a1f8e/NE--Missing_Omaha_Family/



Updated: 6:50 PM Mar 4, 2011
Detective Testifies Suspect Tortured Szczepanik
Pre-trial hearing

Douglas County District Court Judge Otepka ruled there is probable cause to move forward with the death penalty trial of 30-year-old Valdeir Goncalves-Santos, who’s facing three counts of first-degree murder in connection with the disappearance of an Omaha family.

An Omaha homicide detective testified that Goncalves-Santos told his wife in Brazil that he was going to torture Vanderlei Szczepanik, "quarter him, put him in sacks with rocks so the body would not float or surface and then throw it in the river."

Story and Video:
http://www.wowt.com/news/headlines/117430068.html

McStay

Few clues a year after McStay family disappeared
BY SUSAN SHRODER, UNION-TRIBUNE
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2011 AT 6:31 P.M.

FALLBROOK — Mike McStay tries to remain focused each day, being a good husband, raising three young daughters, running his fire-protection business in San Clemente and preparing the family for the adoption this summer of two young orphans from Ghana.

But for the past year, he has been haunted wondering what happened to his beloved older brother, who vanished a year ago Friday along with his wife and their two young sons.

The home of Joseph and Summer McStay on Avocado View Lane in Fallbrook is in foreclosure and empty, its contents distributed among family members. Nearly $100,000 remains untouched in a checking account that Joseph McStay had, his brother said.

Full story:
http://web.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/feb/03/few-clues-year-after-mcstay-family-disappeared/

I was sad to see the story of the McStay's on the tv show tonight. After reviewing the article it is too much of a coinsidense that two other families disappeared also. Or that the dates of these disappearences are two months apart almost to the day.

There has to be a common denominator between these cases. Especially that the dates are almost to the day. Also, the entire family disappeared, not 1 or both parents, but entire families. They must have been a witness to something then lured away by this common denominator.

It seemed that the McStay's searched for an alternative outlet prior to their disappearance as though they were looking for a way to disappear.

I'm sure they love their families and might be hiding out in order to protect their families from whatever it is that they're running away from. That's why they have not touched their monies. They could have been lured to a destination which they wouldn't need money. Somewhere they might be able to live naturally without the use of money.

I think they are still alive but hiding out until they can figure out an answer.

God Bless them and their families.

Hi, image5!

I have followed the McStay case as it unfolded. There is not much about the case in the media lately.

You referenced a TV show and an article. What TV show were they on? I would have watched it if I had known they were going to be featured.

Also, where can I read the article about them that you referenced in your comment?

Thanks, image5

Hi image5!

I agree that it all seems a little strange. I hope that you are correct and they are only in hiding or possibly witness protection.

Whatever the reason, I would like to believe they are alright and that entire families just don't disappear into thin air.

Welcome to RC Image5. I hope you stay with us and get involved in some of the cases we are watching.

Can't wait to read your take of some of the other cases we are following and don't forget to check out our games and arcade. Some of us spend lots of late nights in the gameroom playing the word games.

We would be glad to have you join us.

Hi, image5!

Until I read sitemama's comment, I did not know you are new to Reality Chatter. I did not check your join date!

A huge warm welcome to Reality Chatter! Looking forward to your comments and opinions!

For you:

to RC, image5. Hope you enjoy it here.

Here is a video that was made by Connie Lloyd and uploaded to YouTube by TIGERBABE72 on
Oct 9, 2011. It is 8 minutes and 13 seconds with numerous pictures of the Jamison family and info about this case.

October 8, 2011 was 2 years that the Jamison family went missing. (Poster indicates 10-8-09 as the "Missing" date)

What I find odd is that Madyson's hair on the Missing Persons poster is blond (appears to be bleached). In the many pics in the video, it looks as though she is a natural redhead. Why would someone bleach a child's hair blond? Strange! I do not know when the pic was taken but Madyson was 6 years old when she went missing with her parents.

If the huge amount of money was not left in the truck, I would think maybe the Jamison family decided to go "underground." Bleach Madyson's hair and just disappear but I think that is not the case.

Where is the Jamison family?
~~~~~

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wtm5z8qrX9w&feature=related
YouTube - Uploaded by TIGERBABE72 on Oct 9, 2011

VIDEO: Mystery In Oklahoma Jamison Family Vanished 2 Years Ago October 8, 2009

A family mysteriously disappears 2 years ago while looking at land to buy leaving their dog and belongings behind and no clues.
_______________



MADYSON STORMY STAR JAMISON

http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/PubCaseSearchServlet?act=viewChildDetail&caseNum=1134094&orgPrefix=NCMC&seqNum=1&caseLang=en_US&searchLang=en_US
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children - Madyson Stormy Star Jamison

Szczepanik

Missing Brazilian boy's body pulled from Mo. River
By MARGERY A. BECK
Associated Press
Published: Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2011 - 9:38 am
Last Modified: Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2011 - 2:58 pm

OMAHA, Neb. -- The body of a 7-year-old Brazilian boy missing for nearly two years and believed to have been killed with his missionary parents in Nebraska was pulled from the Missouri River after one of three men charged in the deaths led authorities to the remains, an attorney said Tuesday.

DNA tests have confirmed that the body pulled from the Iowa side of the river on Thursday was that of Christopher Szczepanik, who was reported missing along with his parents in January 2010, Omaha Police Chief Alex Hayes and Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine announced.

Vanderlei and Jacqueline Szczepanik and their son had been staying Omaha, where Vanderlei Szczepanik, a carpenter, was working on renovating a former school. Friends and relatives in Brazil accustomed to hearing from the family each day reported them missing after they last made contact Dec. 17, 2009.

Three men from Brazil, whom authorities say worked for the Szczepaniks and ran up thousands of dollars in charges on the family's credit cards, were later charged with murder, although the family's bodies hadn't been found. Christopher Szczepanik's body is the first to be recovered.

full story:
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/10/18/3987216/missing-brazilian-boys-body-pulled.html

McStay adults found.

Ch 10 news about McStays

Sheriff: Remains of McStay family found

Patrick McStay angry over handling of case



Posted: 11/15/2013
Last Updated: 2 hours ago

Michael Chen
Melissa Mecija

SAN DIEGO - Authorities Friday said human remains found in the Mojave Desert near Victorville this week belong to a Fallbrook couple who disappeared with their two young sons in February 2010.

A motorcyclist riding about 50 yards from a dirt road west of Interstate 15 on Monday morning found two shallow graves containing the skeletons of Joseph and Summer McStay and two children believed to be their sons, Gianni and Joseph Jr., San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon said.

Dental records confirmed the couple's identities, and detectives have concluded that all four were homicide victims, McMahon told reporters in a late-morning briefing. Authorities expected to identify the juvenile remains soon through DNA comparisons, he said.

Read more:

http://www.10news.com/news/father-of-joseph-mcstay-outraged-over-handling-of-missing-family-case-111513

McStay Family Remains Found in Mojave Desert; Questions Still Remain

Friday, 15 Nov 2013 02:57 PM
By Michael Mullins

The McStay family's remains are believed to have been recovered from a shallow grave in the Mojave Desert outside the California city of Victorville earlier this week. The family of four from San Diego, Calif., has been missing since February 2010.

Two sets of skeletal remains were discovered by an off-road motorcyclist on Monday. In one plot, authorities recovered the skeletons of 42-year-old Joseph McStay and his 45-year-old wife Summer, according to Joseph's father Patrick McStay.

A short distance away in another shallow grave, authorities recovered two more skeletons that are believed to be the couple's two children, Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3, The Los Angeles Times reported.

Prior reports indicated that the family crossed over the Mexican border. However, it is unclear what happened to the McStay family after that point, CBS News reported.

Patrick McStay disputed such claims that his son took his family across the border. He told CBS Los Angeles that his son would have attempted to make contact during the past three years if he was OK.

Read more:

http://www.newsmax.com/TheWire/mcstay-family-remains-found/2013/11/15/id/536924

@junie4justice:

Thank you so much for posting the update about the McStay family. What a horrible discovery. My heart goes out to their families.

oops . . . I forgot about this thread. I posted a Link to an article on Developing Stories.

Will copy & paste here.
___________________________________


I followed the "McStay family missing" for a long time. It was a very mysterious disappearance.

If I remember correctly, I posted many articles about this family on Developing Stories at The Hinky Meter.

The remains of the McStay family have been found. The parents have been identified via dental records. Their 2 boys have not been positively identified yet; pending DNA tests.
~~~~~


McStay family remains found in desert, mystery remains

By Rick Rojas and James Rainey
November 15, 2013, 4:25 p.m.

Los Angeles Times -Los Angeles, CA


Nearly four years ago, the McStays left their snug home in suburban San Diego County on a chilly February evening. Piling into their Isuzu Trooper, parents Joseph and Summer and young sons Gianni and Joseph Jr. left behind two dogs, two bowls of popcorn and, soon, a mystery.

Snipped:

About 1,374 days later and about 100 miles to the north, San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies uncovered the skeletal remains of the parents and two small bodies believed to be their boys, authorities said Friday. An off-road motorcyclist had noticed a few scattered bones four days earlier, near what turned out to be a pair of shallow graves on the edge of the desert outside Victorville.

After years of false leads and purported sightings from around the nation and into Mexico, San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon put part of the mystery to rest when he announced that the four McStays were homicide victims. But the sheriff said it would take more investigation before detectives would have any hope of saying how or why the family died.

Read more:

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-mcstay-family-remains-found-in-desert-mystery-remains-20131115,0,4908.story?track=rss#axzz2km9WQ87O

The Strange Story Of The McStay Family Who Was Found Buried In Desert


Joseph McStay, 40, his wife, Summer, 43, and their two sons, Gianni, 4, and Joseph, 3. (mcstayfamily.org)

The story of the McStay family is one that has baffled San Diego investigators for years. The family of four seemed to completely vanish one February day nearly four years ago without much of a trace.

This week the body of Joseph McStay and his wife Summer were discovered buried in the desert just off the 15 freeway outside of Victorville. Authorities have not yet confirmed it, but they suspect the two other skeletons found buried alongside the couple are the McStay's boys Gianni, 4, and Joseph, 3.

How they ended up in the desert is still a mystery. Investigators at a press conference today swatted down questions from reporters asking whether the McStays were connected to the Mexican cartel. San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon told reporters, "We’ll go where the investigation leads. There is no indication of it now." An autopsy on the bodies of the McStay's family is expected later today, but there hasn't been much evidence about what happened since they disappeared February 4, 2010.

There was no indication from family or friends that anything was awry with them. The couple had been social and kept in regular contact with their family. The previous year the McStays had moved into their home in Fallbrook, a small city in San Diego County and the avocado capital of the world. Summer was a stay-at-home mom, and Joseph ran a company that installed water fountains. The family was working on renovating their new home, and they had just gotten a new puppy, according to a 2011 story in the Los Angeles Times.

Read more:

http://laist.com/2013/11/15/the_story_of_the_mcstay_family.php

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

TODAY   |  November 15, 2013

New clues in case of missing California family

A 3-year-old case of a missing California family is opening up again after a number of clues, including human remains, were discovered. NBC’s Mara Schiavocampo reports.

http://www.today.com/video/today/53562490/#53562490

Remains in Desert ID'd as Members of Missing San Diego Family: Sheriff
A motorcyclist found the skeletal remains of what turned out to be four people earlier this week


By Samantha Tata, Hetty Chang and Jonathan Lloyd
NBC4 News - Los Angeles, CA

| Friday, Nov 15, 2013 | Updated 1:38 PM PST


Human remains found in a Southern California desert were identified Friday as members of a San Diego family who have been missing since 2010.

San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon said the remains of Summer and Joseph McStay were identified through dental records. The other remains found nearby earlier this week are believed to be those of their children, McMahon said.

Read more and view video:

http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Skeletal-Human-Remains-Found-San-Bernardino-County-Desert-Bodies-Grave-Missing-San-Diego-Family-McStay-232012651.html

~~~~~

Timeline: McStay Family Mystery

http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Timeline-McStay-Family-Mystery-Fallbrook-Disappearance--232068061.html
NBC4 News - Los Angeles, CA -- Friday, Nov 15, 2013 | Updated 5:18 PM PST

View Larger Map

A Fallbrook, CA - The location of the McStays' house.

B Victorville, CA - The area were their bodies were found.

Distance: 101 mi, 1 hour 38 mins.

View Larger Map

A Victorville, CA: 101 miles North of their house (1 hour 38 mins). This is the area were the McStays' bodies were found.

B Fallbrook, CA: The location of the McStays' house.

C Tijuana, Mexico:  76.4 miles South from the McStay's house (1 hour 20 mins). This is the area were their car was found.

"Police now will try to piece together what led the McStays to disappear and end up 100 miles from their home, not far off heavily traveled Interstate 15 connecting San Diego and Las Vegas."

"The McStays disappeared without a trace from their home in Fallbroook, about 55 miles north of San Diego, in February 2010. There were no signs of forced entry at the residence or in their SUV, which was found parked near the U.S.-Mexico border."

"Authorities pursued hundreds of tips and eventually came to believe the family left voluntarily for Mexico. One of the pieces of evidence supporting that theory was a poor-quality video that appeared to show four people matching the McStays' descriptions walking into Tijuana, Mexico."

http://www.stltoday.com/news/national/bodies-in-desert-believed-to-be-missing-family/article_821410b8-04d4-56b1-8465-420fb556b8aa.html

It is my opinion that their car was left by the Mexican border as a diversion to throw off the investigation into their mysterious disappearance.

San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department

Press Release

Date/Time: Monday, November 11, 2013 at approximately 10:00 a.m.

Incident: Homicide Investigation – Update

Location: Desert area between Quarry Road and I15, north of Stoddard Wells Road, in theCounty area of Victorville

Victim(s): McStay, age 40; Summer McStay, age 43; Gianni McStay, age 4; Joseph McStay, age 3

Summary

Update – Friday, November 15, 2013

The skeletal remains have been confirmed to be 2 adults and 2 children.

Using dental records the coroner has identified the adults to be Summer and Joseph McStay. The children are believed to be the couple’s children, Gianni and Joseph McStay.

The family was reported missing in February of 2010, to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department. Their home was in Fallbrook, the unincorporated area of San Diego County. The missing person investigation was handled by San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Detail is now conducting a homicide investigation. Investigators are working with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI. “Every available resource will be utilized in this investigation to identify the suspects involved in this heinous crime and bring them to justice,” stated Sheriff John McMahon.

The autopsies began on Thursday, November 14th, and are expected to be completed today. The manner of death has been determined to be homicide; the cause of death will not be released to protect the investigation.

The investigation is ongoing; anyone with information is urged to contact the Homicide Detail, Detective Armando Avila at (909)387-3589. Callers wishing to remain anonymous are urged to call the We-tip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463) or you may leave information on the We-Tip Hotline at www.wetip.com.

Read more:

http://cms.sbcounty.gov/sheriff/MediaCenter/SheriffPressReleases/2013/November/VictorvilleDeathInvestigationUpdate.aspx

Missing California family 'found in shallow graves'

15 November 2013 Last updated at 22:12 ET


Workers filled the shallow desert graves after the bones of the McStays had been recovered

~Snipped~

'Evidence at scene'

But San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon said there was no proof the family had crossed the border. The couple's death appears to be homicide, he added.

It is not yet clear when the McStays were killed, nor if they were killed in the desert or elsewhere.

But Sheriff McMahon said: "There is investigative evidence that is at the scene that will help complete the investigation."

Officials said the bodies of the McStays had been in the desert for an extended period.

Read more:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-24966693

Buried bodies identified as members of missing McStay family (Video)

By Rick Rojas
November 15, 2013, 8:36 a.m.

~Snipped~

IN DEPTH: Where did the McStays go?

~Snipped~

Investigators examined surveillance footage from the border crossing, and among the thousands who crossed the border that day, investigators saw a man holding the hand of a young boy followed by a woman holding the hand of another boy.

Patrick McStay doesn't believe his son crossed into Mexico. "My son didn't walk away," Patrick McStay told The Times on Thursday. "They didn't walk into Mexico. They would never do that."

He said he had suspected foul play early on, and has been highly critical of investigators who, in his view, have done a "lousy job."

McStay said he has been driven by anger and missing his relatives to find out the truth. "The love for my son and my grandchildren and my daughter in law — that's what kept me going. I'm not going to break down and cry. I'll do that later. The anger keeps me going."

He added: "That boy, Joey, he's my oldest son. He wasn't only my son. He was my best damn friend."

Finding the bodies does bring a measure of closure. The mystery of where they ended up has been answered. But that's not enough for his father.

"It's far from being done yet — far from being done," he said. "It won't be done until I find out what happened, and why, and who."

Read more:

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-victorville-bodies-mcstay-families-20131114,0,5975246.story#axzz2kst98buS

The McStay's allegedly abandoned their SUV in a mall near the San Ysidro Border Station and walked into Tijuana.

"The McStay’s white 1996 Izuzu Trooper was found abandoned February 8th in San Ysidro. Border crossing video shows a group of people similar to the McStay.

Interesting info on the McStay family.
The boys appear to be such happy children.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2508305/Author-McStay-book-claims-drug-cartels-involved-death-family-disappeared-2010-remains-buried-Mexico.html

McStay Family Update: Joseph McStay's father calls probe of Calif. family's 2010 disappearance "botched, inept"

November 15, 2013 4:48 PM
By Stephanie Slifer



Joseph McStay and his sons, Gianni (left) and Joey.
/ Personal Photo

CBS) - The father of Joseph McStay, whose remains were found in the Southern California desert this week three years after he went missing with his wife and two children, called the investigation into his son's disappearance the most "botched, inept investigation I've ever seen in my entire life."

In a telephone interview with CBS News' Crimesider on Friday, Patrick McStay called the San Diego Sheriff's Office, which spearheaded the investigation into his son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren's 2010 disappearance, the "dumbest, most corrupt organization" he's ever seen.

Read more:

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57612627-504083/mcstay-family-update-joseph-mcstays-father-calls-probe-of-calif-familys-2010-disappearance-botched-inept/

‘Fresh eyes’ to look at McStay case

By John Wilkens
6 p.m.Nov. 16, 2013


Photos of the missing McStay family are posted at the press conference at the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Office. — Charlie Neuman

Fresh eyes.

That’s what the McStay case is getting now, with the discovery last week of the family’s skeletal remains in shallow graves near Victorville.

That high desert town is in San Bernardino County, which is why detectives there have taken over the investigation. They’ll inherit the voluminous files the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department compiled during three years spent trying to solve the mysterious disappearance.

They’ll also inherit a new question — not “Where are the McStays?” but “Who killed them?”

~Snipped~

Patrick McStay, Joseph’s father, said he considers San Diego County detectives’ handling of the case incompetent. He’s filed complaints with the department and is contemplating a lawsuit.

Rick Baker, a former Fallbrook resident who wrote “No Goodbyes,” a controversial book about the disappearance published earlier this year, said the detectives “botched it from the beginning” by treating it as a missing-persons case and not a crime.

~Snipped~

Lingering questions

At a news conference Friday, San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon declined to talk about the cause of death but said the case is being treated as a homicide. The graves, uncovered after an off-road motorcyclist found scattered bones nearby, contained clothing and other physical evidence, McMahon said. He declined to be more specific.

Baker, the book author, said he’s been told by “law enforcement sources” that Joseph and Summer were bound with electric cord.

Read more:

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/nov/16/mcstay-missing-bodies-san-bernardino-investigation/

McStay Family Desert Graves

Source: NYDailyNews.com