Texas Teen Recalls Family Massacre: 'I'll Never Forget the Smell of Blood'
One courageous 15-year-old girl has spoken out about witnessing the brutal murder of her entire family, describing in harrowing detail the moments that changed her life forever. Cassidy Stay opened the door to a familiar-looking man in a FedEx uniform, only to find herself begging for her family's lives just minutes later.
The Day Horror Came Knocking
On July 9, 2014, Cassidy's ordinary day in Houston, Texas, turned into a nightmare when Ronald Haskell, the scorned ex-husband of her aunt Melanie, arrived at their family home seeking vengeance. Initially, Haskell knocked asking for Cassidy's parents, and when told they were out, he left briefly. The true horror began when he returned minutes later, entering the house with a gun pointed directly at Cassidy and her siblings.
Cassidy could not have known that the duct-taped pillow Haskell carried would serve as a makeshift silencer, designed to keep the slaughter of her family quiet from the outside world. She later told Texas courts that she tried to appeal to his humanity during the terrifying ordeal.
"I was trying to appeal to his humanity," Cassidy testified. "I didn't think someone would hurt kids if he knew their names and how old they were."
The Massacre and Miraculous Survival
With chilling calmness, Haskell used a 9-mm handgun to spray bullets at the Stay family, executing Cassidy's parents Stephen and Katie, along with her four siblings aged between 4 and 13. The victims included Bryan, Emily, Rebecca, and Zachary Stay, who were all shot in their own home.
Despite a bullet grazing her head, Cassidy emerged as the sole survivor of the massacre. She recalled the aftermath with haunting clarity: "The room smelled like blood. It tasted sour. It felt heavy and hot. There was no spirit in that room."
Community Support and Personal Strength
More than 400 people attended the celebration of life held for the Stay family, where Cassidy bravely spoke in memory of her lost loved ones. Drawing strength from her favourite literature, she told mourners: "I really like 'Harry Potter'. In 'The Prisoner of Azkaban', Dumbledore says, 'Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times.' 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."
She concluded her emotional address by thanking the community: "Thank you all for coming and for showing support for me and my family. Stay strong."
The Trial and Legal Proceedings
Prosecutors revealed that the family fell victim to Haskell's twisted retribution for helping Melanie separate from him. During the August 2019 trial, the jury was shown gruesome crime scene photographs, close-up images of bullets, and the makeshift silencer used to muffle the gunfire.
The evidence presented included multiple shell casings found alongside the victims, with one bullet even discovered in Stephen Stay's wallet. Notably, no gun was found at the home, adding complexity to the investigation.
Haskell's defense team argued that their client was insane at the time of the murders, with defense attorney Douglas Durham stating: "He's sedated and he's an individual that's been treated for a severe mental illness. Texas has an insanity statute and if this isn't a case where the evidence, a preponderance of the evidence, is going to show severe mental illness and he couldn't distinguish right from wrong, I don't know what case there is."
Additional testimony came from Ariel Lyon, who raised concerns about Haskell's treatment of his children and expressed fear of him even before the 2014 massacre.
Verdict and Sentencing
On September 26, 2019, after careful deliberation, the jury found Ronald Haskell guilty of capital murder for killing six members of his ex-wife's family. The courtroom observed Haskell appearing blank and disengaged throughout the proceedings, requiring sedation during parts of the trial.
On October 11, 2019, Haskell received his sentence: death by lethal injection, bringing some measure of justice for the devastating loss suffered by Cassidy Stay and the memory of her murdered family.
