Crime & Safety

HOMICIDE VICTIMS: Bones in High Desert Graves ID'd as McStay Family from Fallbrook

Human bones discovered earlier this week in the High Desert area near Victorville have been confirmed to be remains of the McStay family, who disappeared from their San Diego County home in February 2010, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.

Skeletal remains have been identified by coroner's officials as two adults and two children: Joseph McStay, 40, his wife Summer, 43, and the couple's children, Gianni, 4, and Joseph Jr., 3, sheriff's detectives said Friday Nov. 15 in the city of San Bernardino.

Autopsies began Thursday Nov. 14 and the manner of death has been determined to be homicide, sheriff's officials said.

The bones were reported about 10 a.m. Monday Nov. 11, by a motorcyclist in the desert area between Quarry Road and Interstate 15, north of Stoddard Wells Road in the county area of Victorville, sheriff's officials said.

Deputies responded and coroner's investigators were requested and confirmed the remains were human.

The investigation continued Tuesday Nov. 12, when coroner's personnel determined the remains of multiple people were at the grave site.

On Wednesday, the Sheriff's Department announced:

"Investigators have completed the scene examination, there were two graves where remains were located as well as additional skeletal remains that were located near the graves. A grave site recovery is a very meticulous process in efforts to preserve all possible evidence. A third site was excavated however, no evidence was found and the location was determined to be unrelated to  the grave site.

"Investigators have recovered the remains of four persons. Autopsies will be conducted with the assistance of a forensic anthropologist to determine causes of death, ages and gender."

San Bernardino County sheriff's homicide investigators are working with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI.

The McStay family was reported missing in February of 2010, to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department, sheriff's officials said. Their home was in Fallbrook, the unincorporated area of San Diego County.

Back in 2010, the missing person investigation was handled by 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," San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon said Friday.

Anyone with more info was urged to call the Homicide Detail, Detective Armando Avila at (909)387-3589. Anonymous tipsters can call the We-tip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463) or leave information at www.wetip.com.


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