Husband of Cary triple shooting victim describes trauma of tragic discovery

CARY, N.C. (WTVD) -- Cary Police are still figuring out what led up to a tragic triple shooting on Monday.

Police are not officially calling the incident a murder-suicide, but the husband of one of the victims is hoping his story can prevent something like this from happening again.

54-year-old Erica Alsye Holton, her son, 19-year-old Xavier Neil Holton, and his girlfriend 19-year-old Aminah Michelle Guy were found shot dead in a Cary home on Smokemont Drive in the Linville Ridge neighborhood.

"I'm just hoping to wake up from this bad dream but it's reality, and it hurts," said Shawn Certain.

That bad dream is one Certain can't forget. He was on the phone with his wife Erica Holton on Monday, when he heard what he now believes were shots fired inside their home.

"It was like a thunk thunk, and then it just went silent," Certain said.

He said he knew something was wrong when Erica didn't call back. When he got home, he saw the unthinkable.

RELATED: 19-year-old shot, killed mother, girlfriend and himself, Cary shooting documents reveal

"It was a little odd that I didn't hear from her; and so when I stepped in the house you know that's when I seen what I saw," he said.

Certain is trying to make sense of it all, losing the love of his life.

"I'm still speechless and just hurt right now. And she was a good, good person. And I love her. And it's tough right now," he said.

Court documents said Xavier shot and killed his mother and his girlfriend before taking his own life. According to investigators, he had known mental health struggles.

It's something Certain said is heartbreaking because he and his wife were trying to get Xavier help for his mental health. And Erica's love for her son was unending even if it may have cost her her own life.

"Just take the steps and keep you know, just keep pushing it. Pushing it because sometimes the child might not want it, but just keep pushing it, keep and get them help so you won't have to go through what we going through right now," Certain said.

Aminah and Xavier had been in a relationship for about a year. The pair also won scholarship money to attend North Carolina Central University.

The funeral for Aminah Guy will be on Tuesday, Nov. 26 at Haywood Funeral Home in Raleigh.