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Sandra Yi ReportingShane Dunroe: "If you see the pictures of him where he may have that evil grin or whatever, look past it, don't judge him by that."
He's accused of a brutal crime, but friends are talking about a side of Jeremy Hauck most people didn't know. To many, including his own family, Jeremy Hauck was a mystery, but today, those who seem to know him best are speaking out about what the teen is really like.
The allegations against Jeremy Hauck are chilling. Police say he shot his mother twice in the head, slit her throat, then stuffed her body in a freezer. But friends say, that's not the person they know.
Shane Dunroe: "I thought, oh, they have to have someone else, they have to be talking about someone else."
Shane Dunroe still wants to believe it's all a misunderstanding.
Shane Dunroe: "In my mind, there's no way he could have done this. He's just the exact opposite of what a killer would be."
Dunroe and Hauck had classes together at Viewmont High School in Bountiful. They often talked about Hauck's passion for the outdoors. A Montana native, he loved to hunt and fish, but Hauck wasn't so open about his family life. Still, Toby Rogers says, Hauck and his mom seemed to get along.
Toby Rogers, Friend: "When I went to his house, she called him downstairs. He came down and gave her a hug."
Rogers and Hauck were members of the 'Health Occupation Students of America', a school club for students interested in the health field. They were roommates during competition trips.
Toby Rogers: "This year at nationals, we went to California, we spent a week at Disneyland together, and laughed and had a good time."
Friends say Hauck was shy and took a while to warm up to people, but Dunroe says he's the nicest guy he knows.
Shane Dunroe: "He never made fun of anyone. He never laughed at anyone when they got an answer wrong or anything."
They say Hauck's smile in the home video was genuine.
Toby Rogers: "As far as I knew, he liked life. I don't see anything evil in it. I don't see it as a smirk as much as he's happy, and I don't know what happened."
Friends say the only explanation is Hauck snapped, but they refuse to judge him.
Troy Rogers: "He's a good guy. I'm still his friend, and as rough as it is, I'll still be there."
Hauck is on suicide watch at the Davis County Jail. He is scheduled to make his first court appearance tomorrow afternoon.
