A Texas teenager answered the door to what appeared to be a FedEx delivery driver - moments later she found herself pleading for her family's lives.
Cassidy Stay, 15, had no idea that the duct-taped pillow the killer was carrying would serve as a makeshift silencer to muffle the sounds of her entire family's murder.
On 9 July 2014, Ron Haskell, the bitter ex-husband of Cassidy's aunt Melanie, arrived seeking revenge.
He arrived at the Houston property enquiring about Cassidy's parents. She informed him they weren't home and he departed, according to abc7.
The nightmare unfolded when he re-entered the property shortly afterwards and aimed his weapon at Cassidy and her siblings, reports the Mirror.
Cassidy offered prayers whilst Haskell held her alongside Rebecca, Bryan, Zachary and Emily hostage, awaiting the arrival of her mother Katie and father Stephen.
Cassidy testified in a Texas courtroom that Haskell appeared composed. She explained: "I was trying to appeal to his humanity. I didn't think someone would hurt kids if he knew their names and how old they were."
Using a 9-mm handgun, Haskell ruthlessly opened fire on the Stay family, murdering Cassidy's four siblings aged between 4 and 13, along with both parents.
Although a bullet grazed her skull - Cassidy alone survived.
She described the harrowing scene: "The room smelled like blood. It tasted sour. It felt heavy and hot. There was no spirit in that room."
Over 400 mourners gathered for the "celebration of life" service honouring the Stay family, NBC News reported. Cassidy courageously spoke in tribute to her loved ones, saying: "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.
"Thank you all for coming and for showing support for me and my family. Stay strong."
According to prosecutors, the family were victims of Ron Haskell - who required sedation throughout his court proceedings.
Haskell was charged with multiple counts of capital murder. Authorities alleged he killed the family members in revenge for their assistance in helping Melanie leave him.
Throughout the trial, Haskell displayed no emotion and showed no interest in the evidence presented.
Ariel Lyon gave evidence detailing her worries about Haskell's treatment of his children and how she had been frightened of him even prior to the events of 9 July 2014.
During the August 2019 proceedings, jurors were presented with harrowing photographs of the Stay family following the fatal shootings.
The prosecution displayed detailed images of ammunition and an improvised silencer designed to suppress the gunfire noise.
Jurors also examined numerous photographs of spent cartridges, many discovered beside the victims, including Cassidy's brother Zachary, her father Stephen, whilst another was located near Katie. One round had even lodged itself in Stephen's wallet.
The jury heard that no firearm was discovered at the property. The defence argued Haskell was insane when the murders took place.
Defence solicitor Douglas Durham stated: "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."
On 26 September 2019, Haskell was convicted of capital murder and received a death sentence by lethal injection on 11 October.
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