The City of Broken Arrow now owns the property where two brothers murdered five of their family members in 2015.
The city embarked on a fundraising campaign in February with plans to turn the former Bever family home site into a memorial garden.
"For me, it was helping ... those people on Magnolia Court [and] our first responders to make this property go away and create something that was healing and that would bring some tranquility to them and some healing not only to Broken Arrow, but to the metropolitan area," said Broken Arrow Councilman Mike Lester.
Lester led the campaign to buy the property, but he wants to give credit where it’s due.
"It was the neighborhood of Indian Springs Three that made it happen. I would be remiss if I didn't reach out and say the Broken Arrow FOP Lodge 190 was the first major contributor to this cause," Lester said.
The Tulsa Community Foundation managed the fundraising account and purchased the property. It turned the deed over to the city at Monday's council meeting. The house, where brothers Robert and Michael Bever stabbed to death their parents and three of five siblings, burned down in March.
Area businesses are now volunteering to donate flowers, build a gazebo and do other work for the garden.
"I'm not through asking people to donate services, so if you're a business out there, know that I'll be calling on you," Lester said.
