Remains of McStay Children Positively Identified, The coroner’s office in San Bernardino confirmed Friday that the remains of two children found in a shallow grave in the desert outside Victorville are those of 4-year-old Gianni and 3-year-old Joseph Jr, the son’s of Joseph and Summer McStay.McStay’s brother, Michael, delivered the sad news on a Facebook page dedicated to finding the missing family. “Coroner Office called…it was confirmed… It’s the boys,” Michael McStay posted.
The family was last heard from Feb. 4, 2010 just months after moving from south Orange County to Fallbrook, in San Diego County.
Their bodies were discovered Nov. 11 by an off-road motorcyclist between Quarry Road and the 15 Freeway, north of Stoddard Wells Road, authorities said.
Joseph McStay and Summer were identified through dental records. DNA was used to identify the children, according to a news release from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.
“The manner of death has been determined to be homicide,” San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon said.
He said officials were not prepared to disclose information regarding the cause of death, pending autopsies and further investigation.