SPRING, Texas – Funeral arrangements have been made for the Spring family who was allegedly murdered by an in-law last week.
Stephen and Katie Stay, and four of their children, were allegedly shot execution-style by Ronald Lee Haskell, the disgruntled ex-husband of Katie Stay's sister.
The couple's 15-year-old daughter Cassidy was the lone survivor. Cassidy played dead and managed to call police and alert them to where Haskell was heading next. He was arrested after a SWAT standoff and charged with capital murder.
Cassidy was also shot in the head, but the bullet was deflected when she placed her hand up. She lost part of a finger, but is making a miraculous recovery. The brave teen spoke in honor of her family at a community event held over the weekend.
Cassidy quoted a line from Harry Potter, "'Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.' I know that my mom, dad, Bryan, Emily, Becca and Zach are in a much better place and that I'll be able to see them again one day."
A visitation will take place at the Klein Funeral home on Tuesday and the funeral will be held Wednesday at the Latter Day Saints church on Hafer.
On Monday morning, out of the view of cameras, all first responders involved in the Stay family murders were invited to the Greater Harris County 911 Network on Fairbanks in north Houston. They talked about the tragedy, how they cope and were offered help.
A first responder, along with the manager of the Parks and Recreation Department in the Stay's Spring neighborhood, set up a GoFundMe site for the family.
"I hugged her again and kissed her on the neck and said, 'You're a hero,'" said Jody Dellinger, manager of the Parks and Recreation Department in the Stays' neighborhood.
Dellinger said he told Cassidy on Saturday about the GoFundMe site and the encouraging messages.
He said, "I latched on to her and all I wanted was a hug. I latched onto her and I didn't want to let her go."
Dellinger said the Spring Baptist Church plans a memorial service at the park in the Stays' neighborhood at 6:30 p.m. Friday. Participants will tie ribbons on a swing where the Stay family was photographed.
The gofundme site, as of Monday afternoon, has raised more than $288,000.
Chick-fil-A has agreed to donate 20 percent of all sales in which a customer presents a flyer or mentions the Stay Family Memorial Fund at participating locations. The fundraiser takes place Tuesday, July 15, from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the following locations:
- Louetta Crossing – 20608 I-45 Spring
- 2920 & Kuykendahl – 5905 FM 2920 Spring
- 1960/ I-45 – 430 Cypress Creek Pkwy Houston
- Meyerland Plaza – 5001 Beechnut St. Houston
- Northwest Crossing – 13240 NW Freeway Houston
- Beltway 8 & Wallisville – 59 I-10 E SH Pkwy N Houston
- Alden Bridge – 8020 Research Forest Dr The Woodlands
- Willowbrook Mall – 1162 Willowbrook Mall Houston
- 1960 & Cutten – 7007 FM 1960 W Houston, TX
- Humble – 19707 U.S. 59 N Humble
- I-10 & Silber Rd – 7600 Katy Fwy Houston
- Sawyer Heights – 2222 Shearn St Houston
- Magnolia – 6543 FM 1488 Rd Magnolia, TX
- Lake Houston – 19220 W Lake Houston Pkwy E Humble
- Wilson/ Beltway 8 – 9525 N SH Pkwy E Humble
- Clearlake Shores – 321 Marina Bay Dr C.L. S
- 59 & West Airport – 12161 SW Fwy Stafford
- Odessa Town Center – 3805 E 42nd St Odessa
- 249 & Jones - 21622 State Hwy 249 Houston
- Tomball - 14314 FM 2920 Rd Tomball
- 290 and Spring Cypress -- 25835 U. S. 290 Cypress
- Cinco Ranch -- 23860 Westheimer Pkwy Katy
- Kingwood -- 4594 Kingwood Dr Kingwood
- Copperfield -- 8440 Hwy 6 N Houston
- 59 & Little York -- 3955 Little York Rd Houston
- Westheimer & Kirkwood -- 26006 S Kirkwood Houston
- Westheimer & Fondren -- 8609 Westheimer Houston
- Pearland -- 10105 Broadway St Pearland
- East Pearland -- 1512 Broadway St Pearland
- Parkway Village -- 13412 Briar Forest Dr Houston
- Katy Mills -- 25601 Nelson Way Katy
- Hwy 6 & Bellaire -- 6895 Hwy 6 S Houston
- 45 & Wayside -- 5940 Gulf Fwy Houston
- Richmond Avenue -- 5005 Richmond Ave Houston
- Sugar Land -- 2330 Texas 6 Sugar Land
- Rosenberg -- 24734 Southwest Fwy Rosenberg
- Greatwood -- 20010 Southwest Fwy Sugar Land
- Fairmont Parkway -- 5104 Fairmont Pkwy Pasadena
- Baytown -- 5006 Garth Rd Baytown
- League City -- 1640 FM 646 Rd W Dickinson
- Clearlake Shores -- 321 Marina Bay Clear Lake Shores