'Down to the Bone': Caitlin Rother and the McStay Family Murders
- Add to Google Calendar
- Add to Outlook Calendar
Download ICS file
Join us for an evening of true crime and investigative insight as New York Times bestselling author Caitlin Rother discusses her latest book, "Down to the Bone," a riveting deep dive into the San Diego-based McStay family murders. This high-profile case captured national attention—featured on the cover of People magazine and in several TV documentaries—and led to the conviction and death sentence of Joseph McStay’s business associate, Charles “Chase” Merritt.
At this special event thanks to the San Diego Writers Festival, Rother will take the audience behind the scenes of her reporting, unpacking how assumptions, missteps, and courtroom controversy—including claims of confirmation bias and prosecutorial misconduct—shaped the outcome of one this disturbing case.
Books will be available to purchase thanks to Bay Books Coronado. A book signing will follow the event.
About "Down to the Bone"
In her latest work of investigative nonfiction, "Down to the Bone," New York Times bestselling author Caitlin Rother explores the messy high-profile case of the McStay family murders, which were featured on the cover of People magazine and in several TV documentaries. Rother takes readers step-by-step through the decisions, assumptions, and theories by detectives and prosecutors that ultimately led Joseph McStay’s waterfall builder, Charles “Chase” Merritt, to be sent to death row after a trial marked by accusations of confirmation bias and prosecutorial misconduct.
Joseph McStay was last seen on Feb. 4, 2010, when he had lunch with Charles “Chase” Merritt. Subsequently unable to reach Joseph for days, Merritt urged Joseph’s mother and brother to contact authorities, while Joseph’s other associate, Dan Kavanaugh, called the police himself. Joseph’s brother Michael finally reported the family missing on Feb. 15, but detectives found no blood or sign of a struggle in the house, and no clues to the family’s whereabouts. Soon, Merritt and Kavanaugh were pointing fingers at each other as they fought for control of Joseph’s business. The only thing that key parties in this case could agree on was that this case was about money.
Within months of the family’s remains being discovered, San Bernardino County sheriff’s detectives had focused their investigation on Merritt, despite the lack of forensic evidence tying him to murder at the house or in his truck and belongings. During a six-month trial, the defense illustrated that Kavanaugh, who was never considered a suspect and ducked a subpoena to testify, had the same alleged motive as Merritt.
This book takes a behind-the-scenes look at the flaws in the two sheriff’s investigations and the prosecution’s firm belief that they got the right man, despite contradictions in their timeline and the unanswered questions about when and where this family was killed.
After reviewing voluminous court files, including 1,200 exhibits, hundreds of photos, and thousands of pages of records, Rother was able to paint a comprehensive and compelling portrait of this family’s life at the time they disappeared. In addition to these public records, Rother’s book is based on her own interviews and crucial discovery materials—including witness interviews and investigative reports—that took a dozen years to obtain. This deep research enabled her to disclose new and exclusive case details that have never been released publicly, to describe the eventful journey to trial, and to sensitively portray the lasting impact on Joseph’s and Summer’s families.
About the Author
Caitlin Rother has written or co-authored 16 books, ranging from true crime to thrillers and memoir. A New York Times-bestselling author and investigative journalist, Rother worked nearly 20 years for daily newspapers. Writing books full-time since 2006, she draws from decades of watchdog reporting on topics from addiction to suicide, mental illness, murder, government, political corruption and the criminal justice system. A popular speaker, she has appeared more than 250 times on TV, radio, and podcasts as a crime expert. A former writing instructor of 10 years, she coaches a limited number of aspiring author clients. In her spare time, she goes ocean swimming, sings and plays keyboards in a jazzy, bluesy trio called In the Lounge. Explore the photo galleries and learn about her latest titles, backlist, videos, and podcasts!
