Collins family holds funeral for late grandfather, grandsons: 'While we are hurting more than we could possibly imagine, we will be OK'

Five funerals were held on Saturday for a man and his four grandsons who were found dead at a Leon County ranch earlier this month, according to reports from Houston-based media outlets.

Friends and loved ones gathered at Champion Forest Baptist Church at 15555 Stuebner Airline Rd. in Houston to bid a final farewell to 66-year-old Collins and the children – siblings Waylon Collins, 18; Carson Collins, 16; and Hudson Collins, 11; and the boys' 11-year-old paternal cousin, Bryson Collins.

It was a day Chris Collins, father to Waylon, Carson and Hudson, didn't look forward to.

“This is devastation," he said, according to Houston CBS affiliate KHOU. “While we are hurting more than we could possibly imagine, we will be OK.”

The boys were the only children of Chris and Misti Collins. Misti Collins teaches in the Cy-Fair Independent School District (CFISD).

Tomball Independent School District (TISD) officials said the children were enrolled in their schools, with Waylon having just graduated from Tomball High School.

Houston NBC affiliate KPRC reported that hundreds of mourners paid their respects, which Andy Kahan with Crime Stoppers of Houston told the station was "an extremely emotionally draining, grueling day."

Authorities believe that escaped convicted murderer Gonzalo Lopez killed Mark Collins and the boys after he freed himself from a prison transport bus that was traveling through Leon County last month.

Authorities eventually tracked Lopez down to outside San Antonio and shot him to death.

Michael Collins told KHOU that his family was touched by the outpouring of support they received.

“We could literally open up three restaurants with all the food that you guys have donated,” the older sibling to Mark Collins said, the station reported.