LOGANVILLE, Ga. — When Alexa Ann Wilson discovered her friend Nicole Strother died, she was inconsolable.
"I was a mess and couldn't get myself together," she told 11Alive's Karys Belger Saturday.
The two women met when Strother moved into Wilson's neighborhood four years ago. Their closeness transferred down to their children. Strother's 15-year-old-son, Alexander Postell, was close friends with Wilson's daughter who was the same age.
"We went to Nikki's house when they first moved in and brought them some cookies," she said. "And I met Nikki for the first time and learned that she had an older son, Alex, that was the same age as my daughter. And we pretty much became inseparable for the last four years ever since."
Strother and Postell were found in their home Thursday by the latter's older sister. Police said it appears Strother shot Postell before shooting herself. Wilson said this sounds nothing like the woman who was her friend and neighbor for years.
"We talked about getting together this weekend and linking up and hearing more of Alex's stories at school. So it was a complete shock, and awe, and pure hell to find out once I found out it was her," she said.
Wilson tells 11Alive she's been doing what she can to help Strother's family. Above all, she wants people to know there was more to Nicole's life than her tragic death. She also wants everyone to keep the family in their prayers as she and those who knew and loved Strother and Postell try and cope with what happened.
"Don't take this one event and think that you know her, or the family, or anything that happened, because she was an amazing person and Alex was an amazing person, and we just don't understand it, unfortunately. Only God knows," Wilson said.