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Johns Creek charity honors slain mother
A Johns Creek community is rallying behind three orphaned brothers after their father shot and killed their mother before taking his own life inside their home, according to police.
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. - People in the Johns Creek community have rallied around three children who were home when police say their father shot and killed their mother, and then took his own life.
It happened June 7th at the family's home on North Hillbrooke Trace.
An online fundraiser to benefit the three boys has now surpassed $50,000 in donations.
What we know:
Johns Creek Police say Richard Holladay shot his wife, Martha Holladay, in the head inside their home on North Hillbrooke Trace before taking his own life.
The couple's three sons, ages 12, 15, and 17, were inside the home during the shooting, a family friend said.
One of the children made a frantic 911 call to report the gunshots, adding that his parents has been arguing.
"It was just devastating," said Jennifer Cluthe, a family friend who started the online fundraiser.
Cluthe said she knew Martha Holladay for about a decade.
"She made everyone feel like they were her best friend," she said.
Why you should care:
The focus is now on supporting the three boys as they process their new reality.
Cluthe said they've taken it a day at a time.
"They're doing okay," she said. "No one does too well when your parents are no longer here, but I do believe that they feel the support of the community."
Investigators have not released a motive or detailed what specific issues led to the initial argument.
Dig deeper:
Martha Holladay worked for the North Fulton Chamber of Commerce, which remembered her on social media as "a woman of great faith and positivity."
Cluthe said domestic violence needs to be talked about more, and people need to check in on their people.
"I think it's important that people to check in with their friends because that's what Martha was big on, is checking in."
What you can do:
Loved ones have established a GoFundMe page to support the three children, raising nearly $55,000 so far: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-martha-holladays-three-boys
"I thought it was super important that her boys see how many people she actually touched in the community," Cluthe said.
She said they are now working on launching a nonprofit organization in her memory with the working name "Live Like Martha."
"We really wanted to do something to keep her name alive and do kind of what she would have," she said.
The organization's mission will focus on adopting her kindness and spreading it around.
"We lost a really a really good person," Cluthe said.
The Source: This article is based on original reporting by FOX 5's Rob DiRienzo. Additional information comes from Johns Creek Police, GoFundMe, and family friend Jennifer Cluthe.