Just after the holidays, a family of four vanished without a trace.

Their home looked lived in. Their dogs were left behind. Their phones, wallets, and passports never moved.

At first, investigators believed the McStay family had chosen to leave—possibly crossing the border to start a new life. Media speculation followed, searches slowed, and the case quietly drifted into the background.

But years later, the truth would surface in the most devastating way.

In this episode of Straight to the Case, we examine the disappearance of Joseph, Summer, Gianni, and Joseph Jr. McStay—how assumptions shaped the investigation, how the story the public accepted delayed answers, and how the case was ultimately brought to trial.

This is a story about silence, trust, and what happens when a case is allowed to sit too long.

And sometimes, the truth doesn’t come until years after everyone stops looking.

Ref:

https://abcnews.go.com/amp/US/california-familys-disappearance-ended-grisly-desert-discovery/story?id=125815324

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/20-20/id987967575?i=1000730088528

https://people.com/mcstay-family-vanished-desert-graves-abc-episode-11823394

https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/charles-merritt-mcstay-family-murders-search-warrants-unsealed/52907/?amp=1

https://www.oxygen.com/true-crime-buzz/what-clue-revealed-mcstay-familys-killer-as-charles-merritt