Broken Arrow Closer To Turning Bever Home Into Memorial Garden

A generous donation has Broken Arrow one step closer to turning a home where five people were murdered into a memorial garden.

Neighbors at Magnolia Court say the Bever house is a constant reminder of the tragedies that took place and they are more than ready for something positive to take over.

2/24/2017 Related Story: Memorial To Replace Bever Family's Broken Arrow Home

Maggie Jacobson lives across the street from the Bever home. She said between the horrible memories, constant neighborhood traffic and vandalism, the last two years have been difficult.

"Waking up that night abruptly finding that all out, and then, in the middle of the night the other night finding out that there was a fire. Just waking up to it again. It kind of brought back all of the old feelings of everything happening," she said.

3/18/2017 Related Story: Vacant Bever Family Home Destroyed By Fire

Prosecutors say Robert and Michael Bever stabbed their mother, father and three siblings to death inside their home.

Special Coverage: Bever Family Murders

This past February, fundraising started to replace the house with a memorial garden - and that goal is now a little closer.

City Councilor Mike Lester said, “I received a call from Mike Case, founder of Case and Associate, this morning who has been keeping up with this story of our efforts to acquire the Bever house."

Case pledges $20,000 to match donations made to the Bever Family-First Responders Memorial Fund, and Lester is thrilled.

"I'll tell ya, when I got the call, when he told me what he was doing and finally got off the phone I called my wife and I said, ‘We've reached that goal,’" Lester said. "What we are trying to do is take a place where true evil happened and turn it into a place of good."

The fund has $12,000 so far, but more donations are needed since the estimated cost of the park will be $50,000.

The City has until April 7th to raise the rest of the money needed for the memorial garden.

You can donate online or make a check out to "Bever Family-First Responders Fund" and mail it to Tulsa Community Foundation, 7030 South Yale, Suite 600, Tulsa, OK 74136.