Nash County residents Troy and Sandy Godwin said they could not have asked for better neighbors than the couple who lived next door – Mark and Julie Bowling.

The two couples spent a lot of time together.

"Julie was a truly genuine person," Sandy Godwin, 34, said. "I know people say that all the time about people when they pass away, but you could not find a better person."

The body of Julie Bowling, 45, was discovered Friday morning in her garage by a co-worker from Nash General Hospital. Nash County deputies charged Mark Bowling, 36, and his alleged mistress, 27-year-old Rose Deloris Parker Vincent, in connection with the shooting.

Both Troy and Sandy Godwin were home Friday morning when Julie Bowling's co-worker knocked on their door. They knew she was serious because her voice was frantic, Sandy Godwin said.

"I mean, she just hollered, 'Julie's dead! Julie's dead!'" she said.

Sandy Godwin said she went over to the garage and checked Julie Bowling for a pulse.

"I just held her hand, tried to wake her up. I knew it, but I didn't want to believe it," she said.

Mark Bowling was in Florida on a trip when his wife's body was discovered. He is the owner of Bowling Funeral Home & Crematory.

The funeral home released a brief statement, saying it will continue to stay in business "with the same dignity, respect and compassion that Julie Bowling would expect of us.

"In her memory, we the staff will continue to serve the Rocky Mount, Enfield and Scotland Neck communities with our complete resources, always treating your family as if you were a part of ours."

Family members and friends have said they were shocked.

Julie Bowling's brother-in-law, Shaun Bunn, said her family is doing "as well as could be expected." He and his wife spent a lot of time with the Bowlings and took trips together, he said.

Bunn's wife and Julie Bowling were "not just sisters," he said. "Best friends."

The Godwins' three children also spent time with the Bowlings. Their 2-year-old daughter Taylor used to go to the Bowling residence for smoothies.

"She'd run over there, and the first thing she'd want, Miss Julie always had smoothies in her refrigerator," Sandy Godwin said. "She'd make her fix her a smoothie. She had pink straws in her drawer, and we'd let Taylor get her straw out of her drawer and put it in a special cup."

Nash County Sheriff Dick Jenkins said Vincent led investigators to what they believe is the murder weapon. The results of a ballistics test, as well as an autopsy report, are pending, he said.

Jenkins said he does not know who the gun is registered to.

Mark Bowling and Vincent are being held in the Nash County jail. Their first court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday.

After the shooting, the Godwin family stayed at other places. They are back in their house, trying to recover a sense of normalcy.

"We were just hoping it was a bad dream," said Troy Godwin, 38.