The McStay family, consisting of Joseph and Summer McStay and their two young sons, disappeared from their home in Fallbrook, California, in February 2010. Nearly four years later, in November 2013, their bodies were found buried in shallow graves in the Mojave Desert with blunt force trauma as the cause of death. The case shifted from a missing persons investigation to a homicide. Charles "Chase" Merritt, Joseph McStay's business partner, was arrested and charged with the murders. He was convicted in June 2019 of killing the entire McStay family and was sentenced to death in January 2020. Investigations revealed Merritt had financial problems and owed Joseph McStay money, providing a motive for the murders. The family’s disappearance initially baffled law enforcement, with some believing they might have gone on a trip, but the discovery of their bodies and Merritt’s connection led to the resolution of the case.