A Southern California man convicted of murdering a family of four and found a family buried in the desert

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (KABC) – Charles "Chase" Merritt was convicted of murdering a family of four, who disappeared in 2010 and was later discovered three years later near Victorville.

Merritt is charged with killing the McStay family of four in 2010. Merritt, 62, pleaded not guilty to charges for the murder of his partner, Joseph McStay, of his wife Summer and sons of this couple aged four and three. .

The family disappeared from their home in 2010 in Fallbrook. The remains of the family were discovered in two shallow graves in 2013 near Victorville. Merritt was arrested a year later.

The jurors reached a verdict on Friday, but they were not announced publicly until Monday.