Teen told uncle ‘please don’t hurt us’ before Texas shooting

Aurielle Lyon, sister of Katie Stay, reacts to seeing a photo of the her sister Katie Stay's clothing during Ronald Haskell's capital murder trial Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2019, in Houston. Haskell traveled from California to suburban Houston in 2014 and stalked his ex-wife's family for two days before killing six of them as part of his plan to harm anyone who had helped his former spouse, a Texas prosecutor told jurors Monday. (Steve Gonzales/Houston Chronicle via AP)

HOUSTON — A young woman says she begged her uncle “please don’t hurt us” before he fatally shot her parents and four siblings and shot her in the head in their suburban Houston home.

Cassidy Stay testified Tuesday at the capital murder trial of Ronald Lee Haskell, who is accused in the July 2014 attack. Stay, who was 15 at the time, survived by playing dead.

Haskell had been married to one of Stay’s aunts. Prosecutors allege Haskell wanted to hurt his ex-wife’s family after their divorce.

Haskell’s attorneys say he admits to the killings but that he wasn’t responsible because he was insane at the time.

Stay told jurors that she started screaming when Haskell started shooting and didn’t stop until she was also shot. Stay called 911 after Haskell left.

Juan A. Lozano, The Associated Press