The Teen Who Secretly Survived a Family Annihilator | Stay Family Murders

September 7, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

The Teen Who Secretly Survived a Family Annihilator

On July 9, 2014, a 15-year-old girl named Cassidy called 911 from her home in Spring, Texas, and told the dispatcher something no one ever wants to hear: "My whole family has been shot." When first responders arrived at 711 Leaflet Lane, they found Cassidy herself bleeding from a head wound, lying on the floor, barely conscious. Yet somehow, through the pain and terror, she had managed to make the call. She told officers the rest of her family was in the kitchen. There, they found six people—39-year-old Stephen Stay, 33-year-old Katie Stay, and their children Brian (13), Emily (9), Rebecca (7), and Zachary (4)—all tied up, lying face down, executed one by one. Only Cassidy and seven-year-old Rebecca were still breathing. Rebecca would later die from her injuries, leaving Cassidy as the sole survivor of what had been a family of seven.

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What you'll learn

1 (00:30) **The 911 Call & The Massacre** - The episode opens with the actual 911 call from 15-year-old Cassidy Stay, who reports that her entire family has been shot.
2 (05:13) **The Stay Family: A Normal Day** - The narrative rewinds to the morning of July 9, 2014, painting a picture of a happy, ordinary family day in their safe Texas neighborhood.
3 (10:34) **The Knock at the Door** - While home alone, the kids hear a knock; Cassidy answers the door to a man in a FedEx uniform who asks for her parents, then leaves.
4 (12:58) **Cassidy’s Plea & The Parents’ Arrival** - In a desperate attempt to humanize her siblings, Cassidy tries to reason with the gunman, telling him their names and ages.
5 (15:29) **The Execution & Cassidy’s Survival** - The gunman begins executing the family members one by one with a shot to the back of the head.
6 (18:17) **The Aftermath & The Suspect** - Authorities arrive to find only Cassidy and 7-year-old Rebecca alive; Rebecca later dies from her injuries.
7 (21:37) **The Abusive Marriage & Warning Signs** - The episode details Ronald’s years of abuse, including physical violence, threats, and control over Melanie.

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Show Notes

That frantic 911 call came into dispatchers in Harris County, Texas, on the evening of July 9th, 2014. On the other end of the line was 15-year-old Cassidy Stay, and what she told them was almost impossible to comprehend. Someone had broken into her home, tied up her family and shot them all. When deputies arrived at the house, they expected a horrific scene, but even they couldn't have imagined the devastation waiting inside. A family of seven had been targeted in their own home in broad daylight. Parents and children. An entire family was wiped out in a matter of minutes. And somehow, Cassidy was still alive…
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