McStays Episode 3: In the Desert

The third episode of "What Happened to the McStays?" delves into the grim discovery that transformed a baffling missing persons case into a harrowing homicide investigation. The episode, titled "In the Desert," recounts the pivotal moment when the remains of the McStay family were finally found, nearly four years after their disappearance.

A Motorcycle Ride Leads to a Macabre Find

The narrative begins in November 2013, with John Blueth, an avid motorcyclist, embarking on an off-road adventure in the Mojave Desert. Around 7:30 AM on Veterans Day, as he rode east on Interstate 15, Blueth ventured deep into the desert. He was specifically looking for the Old Spanish Trail, a historic trade route that, in many stretches, is now little more than a dirt track. While navigating these remote paths, Blueth, moving slowly, spotted an unusual object. Initially, he thought it was an upside-down turtle shell. Curiosity piqued, he used a stick to turn it over, only to realize it was part of a skull. "It didn't look like a tortoise shell. It looked like part of a skull," Blueth recounted, noting its small size, no bigger than the palm of his hand.