WINDERMERE, Fla. – One week after John and Jay Savey were killed at their Windermere home, the community continues to rally behind their family.
A fundraiser organized by the Foundation for Orange County Public Schools has raised more than $18,000 already for the Savey family since it began on Sunday, August 2nd.
John and Jay Savey were beaten to death and John’s wife Lisa was seriously injured late at night on July 30th during an attack at their home in a gated Windermere community while John’s 10-year-old grandson called authorities while hiding in a bathroom, police said.
[RELATED: 2 men killed, woman injured in baseball bat attack at Windermere home, police say]
The double homicide happened at a home in the 2900 block of Sunbittern Court in the Lake Crescent Reserve community, which is just south of Lake Crescent and north of Park Avenue and Lake Butler Boulevard.
34-year-old Ezekiel Emanuel Hopkins remains locked up at the Orange County Jail, facing charges including two counts of first-degree murder and aggravated battery. Police said Hopkins pushed the community’s gate open with his car then tried to steal a car from the home when he was confronted by the homeowners, John and Lisa Savey.
Police said Hopkins attacked Savey and beat him to death with a baseball bat outside the home. Hopkins then went inside the home, where he beat Lisa Savey and her son, James Savey, who was killed, according to police.
Lisa Savey was taken to a hospital with serious injuries, police said.
According to police, the boy, who lives at the home with his grandparents, called 911 to report a home burglary. The Winter Garden police dispatcher kept the boy on the phone while the child hid in a bathroom.
Chuck Carter serves as the lead pastor at the Savey’s church, Family Church on Main Street in Windermere.
“It’s been an incredibly tough week,” he said. “John was a big old teddy bear. There was a lot of laughter around the Savey family. The room kind of lit up when they walked in. They were really people of joy.”
Several of the pastors have regularly visited with Lisa Savey, who continues to recover from the attack.
“Lisa has been beaten up pretty bad and she’s recovering, but it’s going to take awhile physically for her to be healthy again,” Carter said.
Carter told News 6 the church called out for volunteers to help fund meals for the Savey family. Within minutes, Carter said the church’s online sign up sheet was full.
“That filled up instantly,” he said. “For the next couple of months, they are not going to have to worry about cooking. We’re going to take care of their meals. Everything we can do right now, we’re trying to do. I know there will be greater needs down the road.”
Pastor Carter asks anyone looking to help out to donate to the fundraiser organized by the school district.
To donate to the OCPS fund for the family, click here: https://www.foundationforocps.org/p/693/savey-family-fund#.XywHoyhKiUm