Family devastated after mother, son strangled to death

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Close friends of Natalie Nation and her toddler, Cole, who were killed in a Gwinnett County home said they wonder if the suspect's bizarre behavior in court is all an act.

Channel 2's Tony Thomas spoke with Nation's friends in Lawrenceville Wednesday. They believe the accused killer "snapped" before strangling the woman and her 2-year-old son.

Just hours before the murders, the family was together for Easter Sunday. They went to a family farm where Cole played with the animals, flew kites and did Easter egg hunts with his cousins.

A family friend said it was the perfect day.

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“Who knew that this craziness would happen after such a perfect day,” family spokesperson, Donna Kurhanewicz, said.

Kurhanewicz has known the Nation family for 25 years and she's helping the family as it struggles through the pain of losing Nation and Cole Sunday night.

Kurhanewicz said the family is devastated, and all they can do is put one foot in front of the other.

Cole lived with Nation’s parents in the same neighborhood where she rented a room in the house where she died. She began dating the owner of the home. The owners’ son, Brandon Williams, is the accused killer.

Williams was known to have mental issues. He allegedly wore a Halloween mask and was talking to a TV just moments before police believe he walked upstairs and choked the two victims to death.

“I think something just snapped and he lost it, and unfortunately Cole and Natalie were in his line of site,” Kurhanewicz said.

Williams faces two murder counts, but said in court he didn't understand what was going on.

“I plead the fifth on everything,” Williams said in court.

"He definitely seems out there. My question is how much of it is an act and how much of it is real,” Kurhanewicz said.

The family and friends have started a GoFundMe page, hoping to raise enough money so the grandparents can bury the mother and son together in the same casket.

The family plan services for Friday at a funeral home in Athens, Georgia.

Williams remains in jail and is being held without bond.

Cox Media Group