Introducing 'What Happened to the McStays?'

Summary

Podcast Summary: Blood and Water — Introducing ‘What Happened to the McStays?’
ABC News | Release Date: August 11, 2026
Host: Ashan Singh

---

Episode Overview

The debut episode of "What Happened to the McStays?" dives into the mysterious 2010 disappearance of the McStay family—Joseph, Summer, and their two young sons—from their seemingly idyllic Southern California home. Drawing on family interviews, police tapes, and first-hand accounts from close friends and investigators, host Ashan Singh reconstructs the initial 11 days after the family’s vanishing. The episode explores the early confusion, concern, and attempts to piece together a puzzle where every new clue raised more questions than answers.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The McStay Family’s Life Before Disappearance

• Joseph and Summer McStay, with sons Gianni (4) and Joseph Jr. (3), lived an active, family-focused life.
• Home videos depict a happy, affectionate family enjoying their new, large home (Avocado Vista Lane, Fallbrook, CA), beach trips, playground outings, and remodeling projects.
• The family moved in November 2009 to Fallbrook, trading their beloved San Clemente beach apartment for more space to raise their children, despite the 30-minute drive to the ocean.
• The episode paints Joseph as a generous, easy-going "surfer dude," devoted to his family and passionate about his business: Earth Inspired Products, a successful decorative waterfall company.
• Summer is described by friends as vibrant and passionate, entering a “nesting phase” as a dedicated stay-at-home mom.

“Joseph’s kids and his wife were everything to him.”
— Gina Watson (Joseph’s friend), [12:02]

Timeline of Disappearance (Feb 4–15, 2010)

• Joseph’s regular Friday call to brother Michael went unanswered on February 5, 2010, sparking minor concern.
• The lack of contact extends through the weekend—no calls, emails, or returned messages from Joseph or Summer to friends or co-workers, which was out of character.
• Business partners and family check in; Joseph’s unresponsiveness is deemed highly unusual, especially with active work projects.

“There was customer emails not being answered, which is not like Joe.”
— Michael McStay, [05:24]

The Search Begins

• Michael McStay and Joseph’s business partners visit the McStay home (Feb 13). Michael enters through an open back window, finding:
  • Dogs left unattended in the backyard, with no one caring for them—alarming since the family was very devoted to their pets (“like second kids”). [08:41]
  • Signs of an unfinished move—remodeling chaos, air mattresses instead of beds, some disarray explained by recent relocation.
  • Toys, dishes, and belongings scattered, but nothing clearly indicating violence.

“The dogs were left outside unattended. It didn’t make sense.”
— Michael McStay, [08:41]

The Police Get Involved

• On Feb 15, Michael files a missing persons report when the family still hasn’t resurfaced. [20:24]
• San Diego County Sheriff’s deputies and Lt. Dennis Brugos oversee the investigation:
  • House is entered and searched—no forced entry, no sign of struggle, no blood, but plenty of uneaten/rotting food and open suitcases.
  • One vehicle (1996 Isuzu Trooper) is missing. Police records show it was towed from a parking lot near the US-Mexico border on February 8, within walking distance of Tijuana. [23:50]
  • The family’s dogs are still outside with some water/food—further raising alarm.

“You don’t leave perishable food out if you’re going to be gone for an extended period of time.”
— Lt. Dennis Brugos, [23:03]

Early Suspicions and Theories

• Detectives (notably Det. Troy Dugal and Suzanne Fisk) interview Michael:
  • Explore possible money troubles, enemies, or drug involvement (all dismissed by Michael).
  • The family’s abrupt exit (if planned) is doubted by evidence—household suitcases (especially children’s) left filled and open.
  • The family car at the border triggers speculation: Did the McStays cross into Mexico voluntarily, or were they forced?

“If they went on vacation, the kids’ suitcases would have been with them.”
— Det. Dugal, [28:05]

Mounting Concern

• Officially, no crime scene evidence is found, but suspicion of foul play rises with each clue.
• Michael McStay and detectives both hope for a benign explanation, but the reality is grim.

“It is my opinion the McStay family is the victim of foul play.”
— Detective Dugal (as paraphrased by the host), [28:11]

---

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Gina Watson:
  “I would call him before I’d left for lunch to, like, talk about whatever the problem of the day was…then it would evolve into just…conversation goes from one thing to another, and then I’m like, the phone’s getting hot because it’s been in your ear so long.” [11:38]
• Michael McStay:
  “Joe doesn’t invest, you know, like $30,000 into a house to renovate it because he’s going to leave tomorrow. That just doesn’t jive. He doesn’t walk out on his friends and his family.” [17:36]
• Lt. Dennis Brugos:
  “What the deputy initially learned was, this is really a nice family, and they never made plans to leave. And so that raised the suspicion level to the point where he said, you know what? I should probably call homicide and let them know what’s going on out here.” [21:46]
• Michael McStay, on possible explanations:
  “I’m hoping they went down and they just went to Mexico and they took a two week vacation. I mean that’s a, that’s a pipe dream at this point. I don’t know.” [27:35]

---

Key Timestamps

• 00:00: Ashan Singh introduces the McStay case and previews the series.
• 01:42: First details on the family’s idyllic life and home videos.
• 04:32: Michael recounts his regular communication with Joseph.
• 07:32: Michael’s first visit and walkthrough of the empty house.
• 08:41: Discovery of McStay dogs left alone—first major red flag.
• 17:36: Michael voices doubts about a voluntary disappearance.
• 20:24: Michael McStay files the missing persons report.
• 23:03: Lt. Brugos discusses the significance of uneaten food left out.
• 23:50: Isuzu Trooper found at border, intensifying concerns.
• 27:35: Michael considers (but doubts) the Mexico theory.
• 28:11: Detective Dugal’s assessment: foul play likely.

---

Tone & Style

The episode sets a tone of mystery and growing urgency, blending personal reminiscences with investigative narrative. The host uses measured, empathetic language that builds tension and underscores the family’s sudden, inexplicable disappearance. First-hand accounts from family, friends, and law enforcement draw listeners into the stakes and emotional turmoil.

---

Episode Significance

This opening chapter establishes both the normalcy and happiness of the McStays’ pre-disappearance life and the bewilderment at their vanishing. Through methodical breakdowns of the timeline, interviews, and evidence, it highlights just how quickly an ordinary family can slip into extraordinary tragedy—setting the stage for a deep-dive investigation in upcoming episodes.

Transcript

[Ashan Singh]

Hey, this is Ashan Singh from ABC News and I want to tell you about a new true crime podcast I'm hosting from 2020 in ABC audio called what Happened to the Mixed Days? If you enjoyed this show, I think you'll really like it. It's a story about secrets, betrayal, and the dark underbelly of the American dream. In 2010, a family of four goes missing from their Southern California home. No signs of a struggle or forced entry, but clues scattered about the home raised questions. Had the McStays really left on their own? If they did, where would they have gone in such a hurry? Or had something more sinister happened? In our new podcast, what happened to the McStays? We'll be sharing the whole shocking story. Keep listening now to hear the first episode right here. If you like it, you can hear the rest of the series by following what happens to the McStays for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you're listening now. Or you can get the series early and ad free 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 episode one of what Happened to the Mixed Days?

[Kiana]

I'm Kiana and I leveled up my business with Shopify. Once I figured out that Shopify was a thing, I never turned back. I can create a site with my eyes closed. Shopify thinks ahead of us, you know, and it thinks about the customer more than anything. Every day I'm thinking about some other new business, but Shopify is doing it to me because it's so easy to use. It's like I can't stop. I'm addicted. Start your free [e-mail]

[Ashan Singh]

In November of 2009, family of four moved into a palm tree dotted cul de sac in the hills of San Diego County. Joseph McStay and his wife Summer were in their early 40s and living a seemingly charmed Southern California life with their two young sons. Their new neighborhood was surrounded by mountains and farmland. Their new house, a large Spanish style home on Avocado Vista lane, is around 10 years old with a stucco exterior and a red terracotta roof. The McStay's home videos from around this time show an active, fun loving family in one little Joseph Jr. Runs around the first floor of their new home. In another video, all four of the McStays bite to the beach.

[Michael McStay]

Jay, come here. Oh my God.

[Ashan Singh]

Cadillac Mama. And then there's the video where the two McStay boys, Joseph Jr. And his big brother Gianni swing side by side at a playground swing set together, their mom, Summer, pushes them higher and higher. For a couple of months. These were the types of sounds that filled the McStay residents. One day in February 2010, the house went quiet. Local station KGTV covered the story.

[Narrator/Advertiser]

The outside of the McStay home remains exactly as the family left it. Their shoes and the newspaper both outside. There was a carton of eggs left

[Ashan Singh]

out on the counter.

[Gina Watson]

And one other thing.

[Jesse Silveria]

Summer McStay left her prescription sunglasses behind.

[Narrator/Advertiser]

Family left their dogs and there had been no activity on their phones.

[Ashan Singh]

It was as if the Mixtays had simply vanished into thin air. Authorities, friends and family were baffled. But how does a vibrant family of four suddenly go missing? From ABC Audio in 2020, I'm Ashton Singh and this is what happened to the mixed days. Episode 111 Days. Joseph McStay, or Joey, had a weekly ritual with his little brother Michael. In a 2011 interview with ABC News, Michael said that every Friday, Joseph would give him a ring on his way to play pickup soccer.

[Michael McStay]

He would call me, we'd touch base. Hey, how's things going? Hey, Mikey, how's your business? What's going on? How are the girls? I'd ask how the boys were and he'd tell me what was going on.

[Ashan Singh]

But on Friday, February 5, 2010, Michael didn't get that weekly call from his big brother. For Michael, this was unusual but not alarming.

[Michael McStay]

So to miss one Friday, I mean, I didn't think a whole lot of it.

[Ashan Singh]

But then several days went by without a peep from Joseph. No calls, texts or emails. It was the same at his work too. Joseph Co owned a business that sold high end decorative fountains, the kind you might see in hotel lobbies. The company was in the middle of a couple of projects when Joseph's colleagues told the McStay family they noticed Joseph had gone completely silent.

[Michael McStay]

There was customer emails not being answered, which is not like Joe. He was usually right on top of it.

[Ashan Singh]

Joseph's friends started reaching out to Michael to ask, hey, have you heard from Joe? What's going on? He's not answering his phone. Joseph's wife Summer wasn't returning calls either. So Michael posted to his brother's Facebook page asking friends, if you've seen him, please let the family know. Family and friends got in touch. Michael and Joseph's parents, plus two of Joseph's colleagues, Dan Kavanaugh and Chase Merritt. They shared any relevant information they had. And Michael pieced together that Thursday, February 4th was likely the last day anyone had seen or heard from his brother. Michael and Joseph's father said he talked to Joseph that morning. And according to Joseph's business associate, Chase, he and Joseph met up that afternoon. Loved ones were worried about the mixed days, but Michael tried to remain optimistic. He thought it was possible the family left on a trip and just didn't tell anyone.

[Michael McStay]

I thought, well, maybe. Maybe they're doing a quick vacay. So I didn't want to jump to any conclusions.

[Ashan Singh]

A few days after the McStays went quiet, Joseph's business partner, Dan Kavanaugh, called the police for a welfare check. San Diego county sheriff's deputies came out to the home and knocked on the door. No one was home at the time, but with no signs that anything was amiss, deputies followed procedure and did not go inside. Joseph's business associate, Chase Merritt, also went to the house a couple times that week, he says, to see if he could find Joseph. No luck. And by February 13, the McStays hadn't been seen or heard from in nine days. Michael says he decided to check the home himself. He took a trip to Avocado Vista Lane. Chase came along, too.

[Michael McStay]

I went down there, started knocking on doors, asking the neighbors had they seen him.

[Ashan Singh]

Michael says he let himself into the house through a back window that was cracked open. He started looking through the home, he says. It was messy. Kitchen drawers had been pulled out and placed on countertops. Toys, books, and clothes were scattered around, and the house was barely furnished. The family was using air mattresses instead of beds. To Michael, it was like his brother and his family were camping in their own home. But this was Michael's first time in the McStay's new house. They'd only moved in about two months earlier, and they were remodeling. Michael says they'd been doing work on the floors and painting cabinets. So to him, this could have been a normal level of untidiness, given the circumstances and given that Joseph and Summer had two young children. But there was one thing Michael noticed right away that he clocked as being very, very off.

[Michael McStay]

The dogs were left outside unattended. It didn't make sense.

[Ashan Singh]

The McStay family dogs were left to sit in the hot California sun. By all accounts, the McStays loved their dogs. A big akita called Bear and a golden retriever puppy called Digger. Friends say they were like second kids to Joseph and Summer to leave them alone outside for days on end. This just didn't sit right with Michael. He asked a neighbor to keep an Eye on the dogs. And then he left, hoping his family would show up soon. But the McStays had disappeared, leaving a puzzle that would soon mystify their friends and family.

[Narrator/Advertiser]

Ouch. This knee is killing me. But I can't stop training. The marathon is in two weeks. Let's get on Zoc Doc and find a doctor to take a look at that for you. Okay, Here's a review. Dr. Craddock really takes his time. No, I don't have time. What about Dr. Charles? His patients say he can help find a quick fix. And he's in network. Great. Now we're talking.

[Lt. Dennis Brugos]

Ah.

[Narrator/Advertiser]

Book it. Booked. One mile down, 19 to go. Bring it on.

[Kiana]

You've got Options.

[Ashan Singh]

Download the ZocDoc app today. Hi, Ryan Reynolds here for Mint Mobile. Are you looking for a beach read this summer? May I suggest your big wireless bill? It's got suspense, mystery, a slightly flat emotional arc, and a shocking twist where you realize you've been overpaying the entire time. Fortunately, though, Mint's story is better. Every plan, $15 a month, even unlimited.

[Kiana]

That's it.

[Ashan Singh]

Happy ending, zero tears. Give it a [e-mail] Switch upfront payment

[Narrator/Advertiser]

$45 for three months, $90 for six months, or $80 or 12 month plan required. $15 per month. Equivalent taxes and fees. Extra initial plan term only greater than 50 gigabytes. Me slow when network is busy. See terms. Most people overpay for car insurance not because they're careless, but because switching feels like too much hassle. That's why there's Jerry, your proactive insurance assistant. Jerry compares rates side by side from over 50 top insurers and helps you switch with ease. Jerry even tracks market rates and alerts you when it's best to shop. No spam calls, no hidden fees. Drivers who save with Jerry could save over $1,300 a year. Switch with confidence. Download the Jerry app or visit Jerry AI Libsyn today. That's J E R R Y AI Lib S Y N

[Gina Watson]

One thing about Joseph is he would always talk for hours. And I'm not exaggerating. Like, sometimes two hours.

[Ashan Singh]

Gina Watson was one of Joseph McStay's friends. They'd met because Gina also worked in the decorative fountain industry. She says they'd gotten to know each other well. And according to Gina, Joseph was a talker.

[Gina Watson]

I would call him before I'd left for lunch to, like, talk about whatever the problem of the day was. And then it would evolve into just, I don't know, like, conversation goes from One thing to another, and then I'm like, the phone's getting hot because it's been in your ear so long. Like, can we wrap this up?

[Ashan Singh]

Gina said that Joseph adored his wife Summer and their two boys.

[Gina Watson]

Joseph's kids and his wife were everything to him.

[Ashan Singh]

Gina says Joseph would share stories about his rambunctious little boys. Like the time they snuck out of their beds early one morning and started rummaging through their kitchen cabinets.

[Gina Watson]

He said one night, Gianni and little Joey had gotten into the flower. I guess they kept it in a lower cabinet and you're a parent and you're tired and your little kid sneaks out of bed and gets into the flower. And they had it all over themselves. And they had like handprints and footprints everywhere. And they recovered head to toe.

[Ashan Singh]

Gina describes Joseph as a surfer dude. He had wavy, shoulder length, light brown hair. In pictures, it looks like he would be more comfortable in shorts and a T shirt and a suit and tie. Joseph and Summer, sons gianni and Joseph Jr were four years old and three respectively at the time they vanished. Photos of the little boys show their hair down to their shoulders, just like their dad. In one photo, Joey Jr. Holds an ice cream sandwich, chocolate all over his mouth. And Gina says their dad, Joseph Sr. Was generous with his friends.

[Gina Watson]

He would buy his friends laptops just because he was excited about technology and he wanted them to be as excited as he was. And oh, you got to choose. Check out this gaming laptop. Like, oh, you need top of the line. No, that's not good enough. Let me get you this one. He was just very easy with money. He never was too uptight about it. He was more so than any person I've ever met, to be honest.

[Ashan Singh]

Joseph and Summer were introduced in the early 2000s. One of his friends set them up and everyone says they hit it off right away.

[Jesse Silveria]

Summer was a very passionate woman who went after what she wanted.

[Ashan Singh]

That's Jesse Silveria, a friend of Summer's.

[Jesse Silveria]

I met summer around 2006 and I was living in Laguna beach and I think both of us were Laguna ites.

[Ashan Singh]

Jesse and Summer were both photographers at the time and met while working the same shoot.

[Jesse Silveria]

To me, Summer was exotic. You know, she had dark hair, dark eyes, dark skin, really big, cute smile.

[Ashan Singh]

Jesse says she and Summer would go out together, two creatives enjoying the beachy art scene of Laguna. Once Summer got pregnant, Jesse says she scaled back her active social life, stopped working and became a stay at home mom.

[Jesse Silveria]

They were nesting. That phase in her life was nesting.

[Ashan Singh]

Friends and family say Joseph and Summer loved the beach. For a time, the couple and their sons lived in San Clemente. Their apartment was on top of a cliff overlooking the ocean with world class surfing right outside their door.

[Jesse Silveria]

The kids, they were growing up to be surfer dudes too. They definitely took after Joey, you know, wanting to be close to the ocean.

[Ashan Singh]

Another big part of the McStays lives was Joseph's work. Earth Inspired Products. It sold elaborate custom decorative waterfalls. These were large scale standalone objects, often 6ft tall. Water would be pumped invisibly to the top of tall glass panes and then cascade down into pools that sparkled with hidden light fixtures. Earth Inspired Products also had an online retail side where they sold pre manufactured water features. Gina Watson worked for one of Joseph's manufacturing partners. That's how the two met and became friends. She says Joseph was a designer at heart.

[Gina Watson]

He actually started his business, I think like in his garage designing his own features by hand.

[Ashan Singh]

Gina says Joseph was taking on more and more custom work and the business was doing really well. According to people familiar with the company, Earth Inspired Products had gotten big contracts. A car wash chain with 150 locations, a huge custom job for the Paul Mitchell hair salon brand, and even a project in Saudi Arabia. In late 2009, the McStay family moved from their small beachside apartment in San Clemente to their house on that palm tree lined cul de sac. Their new town of Fallbrook is better known for its avocado orchards than its proximity to the coast. It's a 30 minute drive to the beach, a trade off for the surf loving McStays. But it was big. Five bedrooms with a backyard. Here's Summer's friend Jesse again.

[Jesse Silveria]

All the outside was completely populated with kids toys and trucks and boy stuff. And she was growing flowers and gardens again.

[Ashan Singh]

They had plans to remodel the home. By early 2010, some of the renovations were underway. Joseph would fill his brother Michael in on the progress.

[Michael McStay]

Okay, they're remodeling the house and it's kind of crazy, you know, the furniture's still in storage.

[Ashan Singh]

By February of 2010, Joseph was doing well professionally. The couple was working on upgrading their new house. The family seemed settled.

[Michael McStay]

Joe doesn't invest, you know, like $30,000 into a house to renovate it because he's going to leave tomorrow. That just doesn't jive. He doesn't walk out on his friends and his family.

[Ashan Singh]

And yet at that house in Fallbrook, no one was home. And for over a week, there had only been silence from the family who lived there. It didn't add up. Michael McStay says he'd decided that if his brother and family were, as he'd hoped, just on an extended vacation, they should be back by February 15th. He says he told himself that if by 9am he still hadn't heard from Joseph, he'd file a missing persons report. That's exactly what Michael did.

[Kiana]

As Luigi Mangione prepares to stand trial for the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, which he denies. A new podcast series from ABC audio in 2020 goes inside this captivating case. To many people, Luigi Mangione is a modern day Robin Hood. People were cheering the demise of this person they'd never met, who was a father of two and a husband and had a life and was just doing a job. From the manhunt ending in a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania, to what authorities are saying about a possible motive, I'm ABC News legal analyst Brian Buck. Buckmire. Listen to Burden of Proof. Luigi Mangione, wherever you get your podcasts.

[Ashan Singh]

Sophistication, Class. Restraint. Dignity. None of these words have anything to do with Super Troopers three.

[Kiana]

One, two, three, go.

[Ashan Singh]

Barbara in the house. You guys are too drunk already. Now in theaters. No new info on the guy who did it.

[Michael McStay]

Oh, so it couldn't have been a woman?

[Lt. Dennis Brugos]

Sexist.

[Narrator/Advertiser]

You ever see Ocean's 8?

[Kiana]

Enough.

[Ashan Singh]

Super Troopers 3?

[Jesse Silveria]

Meow.

[Ashan Singh]

Playing only in theaters. Rated R. Under 17. Not admitted without peril.

[Narrator/Advertiser]

Instacart understands that not all bananas are created equal. Some people want them green, some want them ripe, some want them ready. Right now with Instacart's Preference Picker, now available at most retailers, you can choose how you like certain items like banana ripeness, deli thickness, even avocados before your shopper even starts. So instead of crossing your fingers and hoping for the best, you get groceries picked the way you would pick them. It's a small thing, but it makes a big difference. Download the app and get bananas just how you like with Instacart.

[Ashan Singh]

By the morning of February 15, 2010, Michael McStay had reached his personal deadline to sound the alarm. No one had heard from Joseph or summer in 11 days. Michael called the police.

[Lt. Dennis Brugos]

He asked for a welfare check, and the patrol deputies came out and checked the house.

[Ashan Singh]

Lt. Dennis Brugos from the San Diego Sheriff's Department oversaw the investigation. According to police, at 10:32am Michael, along with officers from the San Diego Sheriff's Department, arrived at the McStays Fallbrook house. They knocked on the door and checked the exterior for signs of forced entry. When they got no response, they entered the residence and started a search. It began by looking for people, either people in distress or bodies. They found neither, but they did encounter. The dogs were still in the backyard alone, with some water and food left out for them.

[Lt. Dennis Brugos]

That raised red flags, because by all accounts, they took very good care of their dogs.

[Ashan Singh]

And when police heard from Michael that the McStays had left without notifying any friends or family, that raised immediate alarm bells, too.

[Lt. Dennis Brugos]

What the deputy initially learned was, this is really a nice family, and they never made plans to leave. And so that raised the suspicion level to the point where he said, you know what? I should probably call homicide and let them know what's going on out here.

[Ashan Singh]

Lieutenant Brugo says suspicious circumstances, cases like this one are handled by the Homicide unit whether there's a dead body or not. Police say that when homicide detectives joined the search at the McStay residence, they checked again for any signs of foul play, any clue as to what may have happened to the McStays. Officers looked all over the home. Inside, the kitchen pantry in the den, the garage in a recycling bin outside, and the truck parked in the driveway. As detectives searched, they noticed a few curious things. To start, it was the food that was left out, according to police and court documents. Downstairs in the living room, there were two small bowls of popcorn half eaten, left on a futon, bananas that had started to rot, and a carton of eggs were sitting out on the kitchen counter.

[Lt. Dennis Brugos]

You don't leave perishable food out if you're going to be gone for an extended period of time.

[Ashan Singh]

Generally, it seemed like the family may have left the house suddenly, even unexpectedly. And then there was the mess police documented. Clothes piled up on the bathroom counter, suitcases left open with clothes spilling out into piles, A tall lamp that looked like it had been knocked over. If the McStays had gone on vacation, like Michael so hoped was the case, why would they have left suitcases full of clothing behind? And detectives also uncovered something else. Lt. Brugos Again, we knew that one

[Lt. Dennis Brugos]

of the vehicles was parked here in a driveway, and the other one wasn't here.

[Ashan Singh]

The McStay's 1996 white Isuzu Trooper was missing. If police could find the vehicle, maybe they could find the McStays. They ran a search on the Isuzu Trooper and immediately came up with a hit, According to police records, the check revealed that the vehicle was recently towed from a parking lot about 60 miles from the McStay's. Home near the u. S. Mexico border. So near, in fact, that it was walking distance to the border terminal. According to police, the car had been towed from that lot on February 8, four days after the mcstays vanished. Now police had to find out what did this clue mean? Did the mcstays leave for Mexico altogether? And if so, did they go voluntarily or by force? Were they hiding, kidnapped? Police couldn't yet say. The search of the mcstay residence took all day, and in the end, police determined was no sign of forced entry, no sign of a struggle or act of violence, no blood. In other words, no apparent signs of foul play, no clear crime. But that didn't mean that detectives were confident that all was well with the mcstays. The abandoned dogs, the spoiled food left out, the family car found at the Mexican border. As Lt. Brugos puts it, when you

[Lt. Dennis Brugos]

put the whole picture together, it raises the level of suspicion that something's not right.

[Ashan Singh]

Once officers wrapped up the search of the home, A couple of the detectives, Troy dugal and Suzanne fisk, pulled Michael aside for an interview in their police car. In the tape from this interview, Michael still hopes that his big brother's family could be perfectly fine.

[Michael McStay]

What's the percentages of these. Like being in a situation like this and then it just being something totally innocent.

[Detective Dugal]

I can tell you that I've never had one like this where a family is just totally missing, ever. So I can't give you. I can't give you a good statistic.

[Ashan Singh]

Detective dugal asks Michael for more information about the missing family. How was Joseph and summer's relationship? Who are their closest friends? Did he have problems with anyone or money trouble?

[Detective Dugal]

Do you know if there's any money involvement with your brother owing someone money? Or would somebody try to take advantage of your brother?

[Michael McStay]

I don't know enough about what's going on with this business. Why is it I have no idea?

[Ashan Singh]

They dug deeper, asking about Joseph's finances.

[Michael McStay]

How much is your brother worth? Oh, I don't know. I have no idea.

[Ashan Singh]

You know what his yearly income is?

[Michael McStay]

No.

[Ashan Singh]

Dugal asked if Joseph might have been involved in narcotics.

[Michael McStay]

My brother doesn't even do drugs. So that's it.

[Lt. Dennis Brugos]

Out.

[Ashan Singh]

Detectives also asked about the isuzu trooper. Did Michael have any idea what Joseph and his family might be doing walking distance from tijuana?

[Narrator/Advertiser]

I don't know.

[Michael McStay]

I don't know what he's doing down there. I have no idea. I don't think he knows anybody down there.

[Ashan Singh]

The whole situation still didn't sit Right. With Michael or the detectives.

[Michael McStay]

This thing has just got me scratching my head.

[Detective Dugal]

Well, we don't know any more than you know. What do you think? As a brother, where are they? What do you think?

[Michael McStay]

I'm hoping they went down and they just went to Mexico and they took a two week vacation. I mean that's a, that's a pipe dream at this point. I don't know.

[Detective Dugal]

I would hope that too. But what, what did you see in the house that would indicate that that's probably not true?

[Michael McStay]

I just walked through but I didn't get it. I mean I didn't.

[Detective Dugal]

Well, let me help you out. Inside the walk in closet there's suitcases and there's little kids suitcases with suitcase flaps open with folded little kid laundry. Clean laundry in the suitcases.

[Michael McStay]

Yeah.

[Detective Dugal]

If they went on vacation, the kids suitcases would have been with.

[Ashan Singh]

In his official account of the day, Detective Dugal concluded that there had been no apparent sign of a crime. But he also said this. It is my opinion the McStay family is the victim of foul play. The police knew this wasn't over. There was more work to be done. Now the race was on to find out what had actually happened to the family of four before it was too late. What happened to the mixtays is a production of abc audio in 2020, hosted by me, ashen singh. Produced by madeline wood, vika aronson, audrey mostek and kiara powell, with help from sabrina fang and camille peterson. Edited by gianna palmer. Our supervising producer is susie lu. Music by evan viola. Scoring by kiara powell. Mixing by evan viola and bob mallory. Special thanks to katie dundas, janice johnson, chris donovan, joseph reed, sonny antrim, alyssa stoller, xander samaras, tom berman, indra dalaisakha and blu browning. Josh cohan is our director of podcast programming. Eamon mcniff is our executive producer. Can't wait for more. Listen to the next episode ahead of everyone else. Ad Free. Subscribe now to 2020 True Crime plus on Apple Podcasts. Click the link in the description to start your free trial today. Mysteries unravel and stunning truths are revealed when 2020 investigates.

[Jesse Silveria]

Follow the clues, the evidence, the breaking new details.

[Ashan Singh]

ABC's 2020 means true murder mystery.

[Narrator/Advertiser]

Shocking.

[Ashan Singh]

If you follow true crime in 2020, then you've got to listen to this. Subscribe now to 2020 True Crime plus ad free exclusive true crime content content search 2020 True Crime plus on Apple Podcasts and start your free trial terms apply.

[Kiana]

The Hulu original series Furious now streaming on Hulu and Hulu on Disney plus.

[Narrator/Advertiser]

There are three victims we know of. The suspect is female, white, late twenties.

[Ashan Singh]

Female. Serial killers kill for power, control.

[Narrator/Advertiser]

I believe there's a deeper motivation here.

[Kiana]

You have no idea who you're dealing with.

[Michael McStay]

And you are going to end up dead.

[Ashan Singh]

I've been waiting for you.

[Kiana]

Watch the Hulu original series Furious, now streaming on Hulu and Hulu on Disney plus for monthly subscribers. Terms apply.