Thousands gather to pay respects to slain Bellaire-area couple

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Thousands gathered Saturday inside a southwest Houston church to pay their respects to Antonio and Dawn Armstrong, including their teenage son who is charged with their murders.

More than 2,800 people filled the Windsor Village Church at the Kingdom Builders' Center, where services for the well-known couple were held. The 16-year-old boy was escorted by plainclothes officers and sat in the front row of the service. He remains in custody but a judge allowed him to attend the funeral.

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Family and friends are mourning the loss of Antonio and Dawn Armstrong.

Police say Dawn and Antonio Armstrong were shot in their bedroom inside their southwest Houston home on July 29. Dawn died at the home and Antonio passed away later at Memorial Hermann Hospital. He was a former NFL player and Texas A&M football star.

The church filled to the standing room only as loved ones and community members went to remember the couple. Antonio's mother, Pastor Kay Shorter, delivered a passionate message during the service, in which she thanked all of the couple's friends and other relatives for their support.

"You all have given us the love, the strength to keep going and staying. We bless God for you," she said.

VIDEO: Community works out to remember Armstrong family

Friends gather at memorial for the Armstrong family, Kaitlin McCulley reports.

She also named each of her grandchildren by name, including the 16-year-old boy, during the service.

"I want you to know you're not alone. God is with you," she said to the children.

Many of the family members have supported the boy, who is charged with murder, but prosecutors said the charge could be upgraded in the future.

EXCLUSIVE: Antonio Armstrong's mother speaks out

Antonio Armstrong's mother leads service where he was assistant pastor.

Rather than focus on how Dawn and Antonio died, their friends remembered how they lived.

"It's hard to be positive in this room with life not being fair and these two wonderful people being taken away from us. But you know what, if Antonio was here he'd tell us be great and he'd tell us there's something positive going to come out of this," said family friend Steve Harter.

Following services, the couple was buried in Pearland.

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