Hundreds of mourners gathered Wednesday morning to attend the joint funeral of a New York City real estate executive and the wife and daughter that he killed before committing suicide last week.
The bodies of Steven Dym, 56, his wife Loretta, 50, and their 18-year-old daughter Caroline were found shot to death in their Pound Ridge, New York mansion last Friday by the family’s housekeeper.
Among the mourners at their funeral on Wednesday was son William, 20, who was the sole family member to survive the massacre because he was at school at the time.
The University of Southern California student flew back from Los Angeles on Monday to attend the service and get his family’s affairs in order.
William Dym (pictured), 20, attended the funeral of his father, mother and little sister on Wednesday. His father Steven, 56, shot dead his wife and daughter before killing himself last week
Dym survived the massacre because he was away studying at the University of Southern California at the time. His family’s bodies were found last Friday at their home in Pound Ridge, New York
William holds the hand of an emotional relative after the service on Wednesday
Hundreds of mourners turned out for the family’s joint funeral on Wednesday, at St. Patrick’s Church in Bedford, New York
The funeral was held at St. Patrick’s Church in Bedford, and was open to the public. However, the entombment was private.
Pictures from outside the event show William breaking down in tears, surrounded by family and friends.
He was the main speaker at the funeral, and gave a heartbreaking eulogy, according to the New York Post.
In the speech, William refused to villainize his father. Instead, he remembered him as ‘the greatest man I ever know’.
Three hearses carried the family’s caskets to the church for the service, and then to the private internment
Dozens of people are pictured outside waiting for the caskets to arrive for the funeral
Police have not released a motive for the murder suicide. Steven and Loretta Dym pictured left and their daughter Caroline picture right
He is my hero. No matter what the circumstances, my love for him is everlasting. He truly was the happiest human being I have ever encountered, and his happiness will continue to be a part of my soul forever.
‘He is my hero. No matter what the circumstances, my love for him is everlasting. He truly was the happiest human being I have ever encountered, and his happiness will continue to be a part of my soul forever,’ William said.
He called his sister Caroline ‘the best sister I could ever ask for’.
‘She truly was the most bright and happy girl I ever knew. She truly cared about me and loved me so much and I will be forever grateful. Caroline, I love you and I will miss you forever,’ William said.
The young man started to break down when he remembered his mother.
‘No one worked harder than she did to help my father provide for our family. Even when times got rough she would push through and make everything alright. She always put us before herself and she always enjoyed talking about me and my sister’s accomplishment, so matter how big or small they were,’ William said through tears.
Despite being the victim of a gruesome tragedy, William is keeping positive.
‘I know my family is looking down on me right now and giving me the strength I need to push on in life and and find happiness again,’ he said.
Six pallbearers help bring in a casket into the church on Wednesday
While investigators have not announced a motive for the crime, it has since been revealed that Mr Dym was struggling with legal and financial woes
On Monday, it was revealed that Dym had been in court as recently as the week earlier to face accusations he had stolen money from clients and that the family was preparing to sell their sprawling suburban home
One disgruntled client claimed Dym had taken $22,000 from them without explanation, according to The New York Post, and said he failed to turn over financial records for their deal once he was caught
Mourners hold onto each other outside the funeral service on Wednesday
While investigators have not announced a motive for the crime, it has since been revealed that Mr Dym was struggling with legal and financial woes.
On Monday, it was revealed that Dym had been in court as recently as the week earlier to face accusations he had stolen money from clients and that the family was preparing to sell their sprawling suburban home.
One disgruntled client claimed Dym had taken $22,000 from them without explanation, according to The New York Post, and said he failed to turn over financial records for their deal once he was caught.
‘We don’t know what happened to the books. We don’t know how much money is missing and we were in active discovery,’ Richard Walsh, the lawyer working on behalf of the plaintiff, said.
He was previously sued in 2014 by a different associate and was forced to pay out $50,000 to settle that dispute.
A young female mourner cries outside the funeral service on Wednesday
Mourners dressed in jackets and ties line up outside the service in tony Bedford, New York on Wednesday
Several young people were in attendance at the funeral, likely friends of Caroline and William
‘There were a number of buildings he ripped off,’ Louis K. Maisel, the owner of an apartment in another New York City building which Dym managed, said.
In the weeks before his death, Dym made passing reference to the fact his family’s $1.6million home was for sale but behaved strangely when speaking about it.
‘Not only did he not know where he was going, but he didn’t even know if he was going,’ neighbor Chris Shaffer said.
The home, which boasts plush gardens, a swimming pool and luxurious interiors, was put on the market at the start of summer and was under contract.
Other neighbors recalled going to a tag sale at the home where the family flogged their belongings.
Afterward the murder-suicide, neighbors and friends spoke in disbelief as they described the family as happy and loving.
‘Never ever in my whole entire life [did I see this coming],’ said Gorana Odobasic, 28, a close friend of Loretta Dym.
The Dyms’ $1.6million mansion in Westchester, New York, was put on the market at the start of the summer and was under contract
Neighbors said Dym, a ‘very happy’ husband and father, was odd when talking about the move and confessed that he did not know where the family would next live
‘I’m in such utter shock, Loretta and just the way she spoke about her husband — her kids were her life. It seemed that they were very happy.
‘The few times I’ve met Steve Dym, he seemed like a great husband and a great father.’
Dym was the CEO of Gabriel Management in New York City, a realty company founded by his father.
Loretta was a businesswoman and vice president of Club Quarters Hotels in Manhattan and a volunteer with Make-A-Wish foundation. Caroline was about to start her senior year at Sacred heart Greenwich, where she was on the golf team.,
The well-heeled pair also had political connections, donating money to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s failed 2002 campaign.