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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Houston massacre: Hundreds attend funeral of family gunned down in mass shooting | Houston massacre: Hundreds attend funeral of family gunned down in mass shooting |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Cassidy Stay, the 15-year-old girl who played dead as her parents and four siblings were shot dead led mourners as her family were buried today. | |
| The 15-year-old sobbed as she watched the six white coffins being buried at a service at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on the outskirts of Houston. | |
| Her family - mother Katie Stay, 34, father Stephen, 39, and siblings, Bryan, 14, Emily, nine, Becca, seven, and Zach, four, were killed by her former uncle and brother-in-law, Ronald Lee Haskell, accused of tying up each family member before shooting them. | |
| Family members and hundreds of mourners were present to support Cassidy at the service which saw photos of the deceased draped over their coffins. | |
| Cassidy Stay could barely hold back the tears as she saw the coffins buried | Cassidy Stay could barely hold back the tears as she saw the coffins buried |
| Jeff Stay, the brother of father Stephen Stay, spoke on behalf of Cassidy and said that the 15-year-old wanted those gathered to know that her father loved the drums and "was known as the bug smasher." Her brother Bryan, "loved his tablet," and brother Zach adored sea life. | Jeff Stay, the brother of father Stephen Stay, spoke on behalf of Cassidy and said that the 15-year-old wanted those gathered to know that her father loved the drums and "was known as the bug smasher." Her brother Bryan, "loved his tablet," and brother Zach adored sea life. |
| Katie Stay’s younger sister, Aubrey Westwood, also shared a few messages from Cassidy, saying that her sister Emily loved Hello Kitty, and Rebecca's nickname was Becca Boo, except on the Wii, where her user name was 'coconut.’ | Katie Stay’s younger sister, Aubrey Westwood, also shared a few messages from Cassidy, saying that her sister Emily loved Hello Kitty, and Rebecca's nickname was Becca Boo, except on the Wii, where her user name was 'coconut.’ |
| Fighting back the tears, Westwood added: "Becca was worried that Zach would get bigger than her. | Fighting back the tears, Westwood added: "Becca was worried that Zach would get bigger than her. |
| "He passed her a little bit ago." | "He passed her a little bit ago." |
| A picture of the family that were tragically murdered by Ronald Lee Haskell last Wednesday (Facebook) | A picture of the family that were tragically murdered by Ronald Lee Haskell last Wednesday (Facebook) |
| Also in attendance was Melannie Lyon, the sister of Cassidy Stay’s deceased mother and ex-wife of Ronald Lee Haskell, the man accused of killing the six family members. | Also in attendance was Melannie Lyon, the sister of Cassidy Stay’s deceased mother and ex-wife of Ronald Lee Haskell, the man accused of killing the six family members. |
| The massacre, which happened last Wednesday, saw Ronald Lee Haskell allegedly force his way into the Stay family home, tie up all seven family members and demand to know the whereabouts of his ex-wife Lyon. | The massacre, which happened last Wednesday, saw Ronald Lee Haskell allegedly force his way into the Stay family home, tie up all seven family members and demand to know the whereabouts of his ex-wife Lyon. |
| When the family members said that they did not know, Haskell proceeded to shoot parents Stephen and Katie Stay, along with their five other children. | When the family members said that they did not know, Haskell proceeded to shoot parents Stephen and Katie Stay, along with their five other children. |
| While the other family members died almost instantly, the bullet had only fractured Cassidy Stay’s skull, and the 15-year-old was able to play dead until Haskell left. | While the other family members died almost instantly, the bullet had only fractured Cassidy Stay’s skull, and the 15-year-old was able to play dead until Haskell left. |
| After Haskell left, Cassidy Stay immediately rang the emergency services and was able to warn police that he was planning to travel to Cassidy Stay’s grandparents’ house to murder them. | After Haskell left, Cassidy Stay immediately rang the emergency services and was able to warn police that he was planning to travel to Cassidy Stay’s grandparents’ house to murder them. |
| Haskell collapsed three times in court when he received his charges | Haskell collapsed three times in court when he received his charges |
| Police tracked Haskell down, and after a short car chase, negotiators were able to persuade him to surrender peacefully. | Police tracked Haskell down, and after a short car chase, negotiators were able to persuade him to surrender peacefully. |
| On Saturday, Cassidy Stay made her first public appearance since the event at a memorial service in her home town of Spring, Texas. | On Saturday, Cassidy Stay made her first public appearance since the event at a memorial service in her home town of Spring, Texas. |
| At the event, Stay said that her family were in “a better place” and was sure that she would “see them again one day". |