Broken Arrow neighbors put Bever murders in the past, await construction of memorial park

BROKEN ARROW, Okla. (KTUL) - The people of Broken Arrow are anxious to see progress on a memorial park that will be built on the lot where the Bever family murders took place in 2015.

The next steps will soon be taken as Michael Bever is getting ready to go to trial. Along with his brother Robert, Bever is accused of killing five members of his family and seriously wounding a sixth.

The property that was their home has now been scraped clean to prepare it for the park's construction. A design for the land is being created and City Councilor Mike Lester said they'll soon be meeting with all those involved to sort out what's being donated to the project and make a construction plan.

Lester expects work to begin early next year.

Ernest Redwine is one of the businessmen who's volunteered to help with the work. His Magnum Construction Company will build the park's gazebo. He lives just a short distance from the site and he's very glad the house is gone.

Redwine said, "It seemed like there was an evil just hovering over the house. It may just be imagination, but it was there. It was real, you could feel it."

Lester said most of the people here aren't going to pay much attention to the murder trial.

Lester said, "My sense is that everybody that has been involved with this has kind of disassociated themselves with that. They're trying to put that behind them and whatever happens there happens."

The people in the Indian Springs neighborhood are looking forward to the positives that can come from a terrible event.

Redwine said, "I hope we heal it. I hope that's what we accomplish. I know that's what we're out for."