McStays, Bonus: The Call

Hi, this is Ashen Singh here with the. final episode of what happened to the. mixed days. Remember, you can catch up. on the entire series for free if you. follow what happened to the mixed days. on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you're listening now. Or. listen to this entire series ad free and. discover so much more from 2020 by. subscribing to 2020 True Crime Plus on. Apple Podcasts. Click the link in the. description to start your free trial. today. Now, here's the final episode of.

What Happened to The Mixed Days. Hey, I'm Brad Milky, host of ABC's daily. news podcast, Start Here. And if you. just finished listening to the. captivating story of what happened to. the McAS, I think you're going to really. enjoy this special bonus episode because. today [music] I'm here with the host who. led us on this journey, Ashen Singh. And. today we're going to dive deeper into. the story. We've got some interview. material you have not yet heard in this. podcast, including. >> I I can hear you right now. Yes.

>> An ABC exclusive interview with Chase. Merritt from prison. We're going to get. into what we learned from that. interview. But first, let's welcome our. guest here, our host rather, Ashen. Singh. Ashen, you've been with ABC for. like 10 years. In that time, you've done. lots of reporting, especially for Night. Line. This was your first time hosting a. podcast though, right? So, what's that. been like? Yeah, Brad, thanks so much. for having me and sitting down with me. to chat chat about this. This project. has just been unbelievable. I've had a a. few opportunities to kind of delve down. the true crime path with Impact by Night.

Line. I've done some stuff on some kind. of current cases, right? The Deli. murders, the Gilgo Beach murders, and. obviously the long-standing cold case of. who who killed Tupac Shakur. I think. what made this one so fascinating for me. is that this was a case that had lived. on the minds and hearts of so many. people back in 2010 and then for years. nobody actually knew what happened. And. so for our team to be able to dig. through this archival material that ABC. had been collecting over the years and. get a clearer picture of this case that.

almost feels like it couldn't happen in. the year 2026. Then to get to sit down. and and work with our ABC audio team uh. in a podcast, it really leaves no stone. left uncovered. You really get to dive. into the nitty-gritty of the story. >> Well, and this story about the Mix Day. family, like you said, it's so. fascinating. It's so heartbreaking. As. you start like turning those stones, I. guess what really stuck out to you? What. grabbed your attention as you started. examining this? >> Yeah, Brad. So 2010 doesn't actually. feel like that far back, right? But in.

reality, there are advances in. technology that investigators now have. at their disposal that they really. didn't have back then. And so how much. technology has advanced since the first. investigation, even though it really. wasn't that long ago, it's almost like a. crime of days past, but happening in the. modern era. So now smartphones have apps. that show whereabouts as opposed to only. having a cell tower that was pinging. back in 2010. And there are cameras. everywhere. But San Diego investigators, they were looking at footage from one. neighbor's security camera. And at one. point this grainy footage that was taken.

from the border. >> and you mentioned like the grainy. surveillance like even the idea that. you'd have to look that closely to tell. like which side of a car the exhaust. pipe is like all of that seems so far. away and yet and yet so close. >> sign of the times. Right. >> No, literally exactly like you said like. somebody's Ring doorbell cam probably. gets you better footage at this point, but that's just not what they were. dealing with. >> Exactly. So now it's really interesting. to me that that that there are two. different investigations going on here. First, you had the San Diego police. trying to figure out exactly what. happened to the mixed days. It was this. missing person's case, and there wasn't.

this discovery of graves. So, police did. not have this explicit knowledge of foul. play like they did in the in the second. investigation. So, the nature of the way. they even went about this investigation. was totally different. And then you have. this murder investigation and they. they're kind of coming at it from a. completely different angle. They have. these remains, they know someone killed. them, but they need to find out who. So. the cases are like these two um. investigations that are happening in two. different time frames that almost tell. two completely different stories. And so. it was interesting to see how the.

custody of the case changed hands from. San Diego to San Bernardino and and the. sort of different approaches that were. employed here. >> So now that you wrapped this though, I. guess how does the story sit with you? Like what what feelings remain as the. whole series came to a close? >> You know Brad, what I love the most. about this story is obviously there was. a conviction. And obviously Chase. Merritt is in jail as we speak. But you. know there are a lot of little elements. of how this investigation unfolded and a. lot of open time frame that leaves you.

scratching your head. You know I would. love to know more about the days leading. up to the mix's disappearance. particularly what was going on with. Joseph. You know, Joseph and Chase had. this meeting uh at Chick-fil-A at. February 4th, >> right, with Chase is his business. associate at the time, >> and we have no idea what the tone of. that meeting was, but I mean, as far as. we know, like that is sort of where. everything unfolds, or as far as we. assume that is sort of where everything. unfolds. So, did Joseph really ever. sever his business partnership with. Chase that day? Was he confronting him. about checks like law enforcement was.

alleging? And so it's the unknowns of. this case that really do stick out to. me. But law enforcement and prosecutors. thought the totality of the evidence. could only point to Chase. And they. presented this to a jury and Chase was. found guilty of these murders. >> Yeah. We heard family members say it was. a relief to finally know what happened. And you think like you must have been. just waiting for answers for so many. years, but then you ultimately learned. that Joseph Summer and the two boys, Giani and Joey Jr. were truly gone. One. thing that stood out to me while. listening to the series was just how. many incredible interviews ABC had with.

people really close to the case, kind of. from all sides of the story. So, when we. come back, we're going to hear more from. these interviews. And you won't want to. miss this tape from an ABC [music]. exclusive with Chase Merritt in prison. We're back in a bit. All right. And we are back with our. series host Ashen Singh. And Ashen, you. just told us a little bit about how it. felt getting to know the story. And I. think it's important in all of our true.

crime podcast to give listeners the. chance to learn about the people at the. center of it, right? The mixed days. So. you and the team were kind of able to. reveal their story through the people. that knew them well, the friends, but. also through law enforcement. investigating the case. Uh you guys got. the trial lawyers from both sides. >> Yeah, exactly, Brad. A wide circle of. people sat down for interviews with 2020. through the years. It was important to. learn about the mixed days through these. people who cared for them like you had. said and they have a lot of friends who. wanted to make clear to ABC that this. was this loving kind family that.

deserves to be remembered outside of. this tragedy. those loved ones worked. hard for years to not only get answers. but justice. And then you mentioned law. enforcement and I think just having an. insight into this investigation that. could really help kind of put the. strings on the courtboard as to how. investigators were able to come to the. conclusions that they did, especially. when there there was no crime scene. bread. >> But wait, let me list you on what you. said about the loved ones not just. caring for years and years, not just. following it. Cuz one detail I found. interesting was it was not just the.

police searching for clues. It was some. of these loved ones as well. >> Yeah. So, Joseph's friend and colleague. in the waterfall industry, Gina Watson, said she actually connected with. Joseph's dad, Patrick, when the family. was first reported missing, and both. were scouring through Joseph's online. records for for information. In her. interview with ABC, Gina said she got. really into sleuththing. She also got. really close with Patrick as they. searched for clues. Now, Brad, keep in. mind, our series covers the events of. the story and the investigation. But in. between these events, there's also so.

many months, years, I'm talking about, of worrying, looking for leads, pouring. and repouring over documents, hoping. that the family of four actually just. turns up. And so, you could get a sense. of how that time was for the loved ones. in some of these interviews. And we hear. from Gina Watson here. >> I will say, yeah, I got a little. obsessed. And then I ended up meeting um. Joseph's dad, Patrick McDeay. And he was. kind of in the same boat that I was cuz. like obviously being the father, the. grandfather of four missing people, he.

considered Summer like a daughter. He. was, you can only imagine what kind of. head place he was in. And he's older. He's exactly my dad's age. Um my dad's. still in my life, too. But Patrick felt. like a second dad very quickly cuz like. I said, he would talk just like Joseph. and talk [clears throat] for hours and. tell me memories about Joseph. >> Another interesting thing that Gina. shared in her 2025 interview with ABC is. she said she raised flags about Chase at.

one point. >> One of the first people I thought about. sadly was Chase Merritt. And I actually. emailed the detective that ended up. being in charge of the case in San. Diego. And. I guess I must have been suspicious. enough to sketch out his addresses, his. last known phone numbers and emails. Um, you need to talk to this guy. You have. to talk to Chase Merritt. I'm sure. you've heard of him, but just in case. And I I didn't know at the time like, am.

I being helpful or am I just being. annoying? >> Yeah. I just can't imagine the mix of. emotions that come with years of. searching. You you'll do anything for. answers, but then slowly you have these. new leads dry up. You still don't know. what happened. We know many people close. to the mixed days were interviewed. before Chase was even arrested. And at. trial, Chase's defense team actually. pointed fingers back at one of those. people, Dan Kavanaaugh. They alleged, the defense alleged that Dan was the. person who killed the mixed days, even. though he had been cleared by police. Well, so they checked his alibi and he. was in Hawaii at the time that MCAS went.

missing. Prosecutors said at trial that. there was no evidence to justify. actually pointing the figure at Dan. Kavanagh. >> But then he sits down and talks to ABC, right? I I found that fascinating, too. So, what is Dan up to now? And what did. he have to say about this whole. experience? >> Man, I find Dan fascinating. So, Dan. spoke to ABC News last year and at that. point he's living in Hawaii. He's a. wellness entrepreneur and so he said he. sold the waterfall business earth. inspired products about a year after the. mix had actually disappeared. He said he. wanted to part ways with that part of.

his life. But he also says that the. false accusations that were leveled by. Chase's defense team despite having. always been cleared by law enforcement. Brad like that continued to impact him. >> You know it's just too much stress. because now they're dragging your name. through the dirt and mcking up your. name. So that sucks. But uh there's a way to there's a way to. recover it and there's hope. You know, you just have to double down on your. strengths. >> One thing that really stood out to me. was episode five, I think, was hearing.

from Kathy Jarvis. That's Chase. Merritt's ex with whom he has three. children. She has maintained Chase. didn't do it. She says Chase was with. her the night officials think the Mdays. were killed. So, it's really interesting. to hear from her in in yet another. sitdown interview. But it also does make. me wonder, Ashen, about how Chase's. conviction, you know, there's the. victims of the murder, but convictions. like this then affect the family of. Chase Merritt, right? The family he. leaves behind as well. Yeah, for sure. And Kathy told us about some of the. struggles that she said she experienced, both financial and otherwise, especially.

since Chase, Kathy said, was still. helping the family financially when he. could. >> After Chase's arrest, money was tight. I mean, basically our son working kind of paid. paid for food for for us. >> She also said that she had to have some. difficult conversations with her son. >> It was really hard telling him you can't. you can't talk to people about that. You. can't.

there there's. people are going to make assumptions, you know. So, don't talk about your dad. Don't Don't. let people know. It It wasn't anything that I talked. about with my friends either. I [sighs]. kind of uh I kind of stopped trusting. people so much that and I I tried to. deal with all of this by myself.

Again, just really incredible sort of. access to all the characters that you've. [music] sort of led us through. And of. course, then there's also Chase, right? So, he will likely be in prison for the. rest of his life. He was found guilty of. brutally murdering this family. Joseph. Summer, Joey Jr., and Johnny McStay. And. despite that unanimous guilty verdict, though, Chase [music] has continued to. maintain his innocence. And after the. break, we're going to hear what he has. to say from behind bars.

Now, Ashen, the series ends with Chase. Merritt's trial where he was ultimately. found guilty of four murder charges. He. was sentenced to death, although we. should say there is a moratorium on. executions in California. So, it really. means life in prison if that moratorium. stays in place. But the trial kind of. became a whole story within itself, right? It basically took an episode to. tell, >> right? It was a long trial, Brad. And. this is a story that captivated the.

nation, particularly Californians, from. the very beginning. So, the trial was a. huge story in the media already. And so, 5 months long in total, and prosecutor. Brit I said it was exhausting, not just. because of the length, but how. contentious it was at times. And not. only was this trial long, Brad, but the. road leading up to the trial was. actually long, too. So Chase was. arrested in 2014, but the trial doesn't. start until January 2019. So there were. years of pre-trial motions and hearings, and there was local coverage during the. pre-trial events. And also notably,

Chase went through cycles of firing his. defense attorneys, deciding he wanted to. represent himself. Even tried to fire. his trial defense attorney, Raj Maline, during a hearing for his new trial. request. >> Well, and speaking of new trial. requests, by the way, cuz Chase still. maintains his innocence. So, he has, like you said, requested a new trial, but that hasn't happened so far. Listeners heard in episode 6 that Chase. mentions that he wants to file what's. known as a habius petition to try to. prove his innocence. Ashen, I just. learned that we know this because last. year he spoke to ABC News on a call from.

prison. So, I've been waiting to hear. about this all episode. What did he say. from prison? >> Yeah, he spoke to ABC late last year. Let's take a listen. >> Joseph and I were very good friends. Um, we were pretty close and every once in a. while, you know, I would go there and. we'd have pizza with the kids and. everything. But. >> now, Brad, as of recording this today, he still has not filed his habius. petition. But at the time in his.

interview with 2020, he did say he was. working on a book. >> I'm working hard on my book. I'm trying. going to be getting the word out as to. exactly what happened during the trial. So, um I'm doing well with that and you know. um my situation is what it is and I I. have to deal with it day by day and you. know I can't let it get me down. >> And overall, Brad, his stance on the. case still hasn't changed.

>> I didn't didn't murder that family. I am. innocent and. I will be out one day. and the the truths about this case will. be out. >> Yeah. And like you said, no habius. petition has been filed. It's a story. that captivated the nation for a decade. And Ashen, I got to say there's a lot of. interest in the media and online like so. many people following this throughout. >> You know, once you go through the case, you start to understand why. There are. websites and discussion forums analyzing.

all the details of the story and. discussing these personal theories. There's a documentary that followed the. defense team during the trial. And. there's a book, not including the one. that Chase says he plans to write. So, it's this really complex story with. mystery and multiple investigations. It. all culminates in a huge trial. I know. when we normally tell these stories, it's from the perspective of who done. it, but this literally starts out with a. what happened. So the people who love. the mixed days, they had to try and pick. up these pieces while they're also. trying their best to remember and honor.

their family. I do think that's the. thing like I picked up from you today is. just how much people had to live in both. realities of they could still be alive, they could be dead, and those are two. [music] different types of. investigations. Ashen Singh, such a. well- told story. Thank you so much for. sitting with me and and uh breaking it. down with us. >> Brad, it's always a pleasure, man. Thank. you. >> All right, and I'm Brad Milkey. You can. catch me on Start Here every Morning. wherever you're listening now. [music]. I'll see you later.

Can't wait for more? Listen to the next. episode ahead of everyone else. Adree. Subscribe now to 2020 True Crime Plus on. Apple Podcast. Click the link in the. description to start your free trial. today.