Verdict reached in McStay family murder trial

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (FOX 11) - The verdict was read Monday morning after the jury came to a unanimous decision in the case against Charles "Chase" Merritt accused of slaying the McStay family of four who mysteriously vanished from their Southern California home.

Joseph McStay, his wife Summer, and their two young sons disappeared from their San Diego home in 2010.

RELATED: Prosecutors to make case in the death of McStay family bured in desert.

The remains of the family were located in the shallow desert in San Bernardino County rougly 100 miles from Victorville three years later.

Merritt, who was was buisness partners with Joseph was arrested for the murders in 2014.

Prosecutors argued Merritt's motive was greed and that he owed McStay money.

Authorites said they traced Merritt's cellphone to the area of the gravesites to a call seeking to close McStay's online bookkeeping account.

Merritt's attorney said authorities zeroed in on an innocent man but the evident didn't add up.

The jury reached a verdict Friday and found Merritt gulity on all charges against him, inlcuding first degree murder.

AP contributed to this report