Police are investigating a stabbing which occurred in front of this home on 5th Street in Live Oak late Sunday afternoon.

Wednesday update:

A GoFundMe page has been established to raise funds for 22-year-old Alaina Szortyka’s funeral ceremony. The Alaina Szortyka Fund has raised over $1,100 since it was created on July 20.

“We lost a beautiful soul on July 19th, 2015 and now we are asking for your help to raise money to help the Szortyka family give Alaina a beautiful ceremony,” wrote Briana Riley, the creator of the GoFundMe page. “Any and every donation is welcome and so very appreciated. Please feel free to share this fund with as many people as possible. Again, thank you all!”

On July 19, Szortyka was fatally stabbed by 22-year-old Casey Cason during an altercation on 5th Street in Live Oak. Szortyka and Cason have been described as “best friends” by their peers, and law enforcement officials have not yet confirmed what led to the fight and subsequent stabbing.

Some community members are also rallying to support the currently incarcerated Cason through donations and measures like the “Casey Cason Foundation Fund” Facebook group.

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Tuesday version:

Alaina Szortyka’s brother, Kevin Szortyka, said the murder of this sister “breaks my heart.”

“Not just the fact that Casey, Alaina’s ‘best friend’ murdered her over an argument, but that 10 or more witnesses just stood by without offering aid. A passing stranger had to rush in and get my sister to the hospital,” said Kevin. “My sister’s life was lost over an argument. My mom’s daughter, my sister, my kid’s aunt will never say ‘I love you’ to any of us again because of an argument.”

Kevin said he and Alaina were “incredibly close.”

“Growing up we didn’t have our dad in the home with us, and Alaina made me her father figure,” said Kevin. “All the way into me being in high school, Alaina would beg to sleep in bed with ‘KK’ and wanted me to read her stories. She loved so much. She didn’t want to spend her days laying around watching TV, she wanted to live.”

Kevin said Alaina looked up to their sister Amanda, and wanted to be just like her. He said Alaina “never had the opportunity to marry or have children, but she was an incredibly loving, and active aunt to six kids. She loved them almost as much as she could if they were her own children.”

According to Live Oak Police Chief Buddy Williams, Casey Cason, 22, is being charged with murder in the stabbing death of her friend, Alaina, on 5th Street in Live Oak. However, Cason isn’t saying what started the altercation that led to the fatal stabbing.

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Shortly after 3 p.m. Sunday, Live Oak Police Chief Buddy Williams said Cason got into an altercation with a friend at Cason’s residence on 5th Street. The fracas took to the street in front of the home, where Cason ultimately pulled out a knife and stabbed 22-year-old Alaina Szortyka, of Live Oak, in the neck. Szortyka later died from her injuries. 

It is not yet known what led to the fighting and ultimately fatal stabbing. Williams said Cason has hired a lawyer and is not talking. Police are conducting other interviews to try to determine what happened.