(First InMaricopa) Friends of Andre Zeitler, the local programmer described as generous, deeply sensitive and profoundly thoughtful, are mourning his death after the authorities say he shot and killed his mother, Diane Zeitler, before taking his own life.

In a suicide note, Zeitler said he “took away her pain.”

The tragedy unfolded inside the 40-year-old’s Desert Cedars home on Wednesday.

The Pinal County Medical Examiner ruled Diane Zeitler’s death a homicide and Andre’s a suicide over the weekend, although the final reports have not been released. While investigators believe it was a murder-suicide, friends say the act was completely out of character and likely stemmed from a long mental battle.

“This was a mental health crisis that turned tragic,” LaDonda Calloway, a close friend who had known Andre since 2012, told InMaricopa today. “He was not a killer. He was a very kind person.”

Another close friend, Christina Gilchrist, echoed that disbelief.

“There were no warning signs. Nothing that would have clued me in,” she said. “I parked in his driveway on Saturday for [Wild West Music Fest]. He told me he had COVID and wasn’t going, and I didn’t think anything of it.”

Together, Calloway, Gilchrist, Andre Zeitler and two others had a group text thread in which they talked almost every day.

Andre had been caring for his mother in recent months as her health declined. Friends said he took the role seriously.

“He loved her. He took care of her. I never heard anything negative about their relationship,” Calloway said.

Gilchrist added that Andre was with her during some of the biggest moments of her life. He met her son when he was age 4, and he is now 17.

“He leaves a huge hole in my family,” she said.

After being laid off from his job as a software engineer at Ziff Davis last September, Andre had been searching for new work while simultaneously launching a YouTube project that centered around his beloved cat, Jake.

He registered a new business, Lazy Quality LLC, in December, according to the Arizona Secretary of State website.

“He was super excited about the new business. He got new video equipment and recommended editors,” said Gilchrist. “But the editing took more time than he expected, and it frustrated him, I think.”

Still, Andre was excited about it.

“We went out for his birthday, and he seemed like he found something to pour his energy into. He showed us the videos he was working on,” said Gilchrist.

Andre’s friends describe him as someone who showed up for others consistently, even while he was quietly unraveling inside.

“He was generous and thoughtful and kind,” Gilchrist said. “If there was something I was into, he paid attention. He gave everything. It doesn’t make any sense.”

A note left behind included song lyrics from a song saying goodbye, although his friends declined to say which song it was. The lyrics speak of the world closing in, a sense of claustrophobia and pain. In the note, Andre explained that not all of the song was about him, but wrote, “You get the idea.”

“He’s been anti-suicide for a long time,” said Gilchrist. “That’s why this is so hard. He knew what it puts people through. He wanted us to know it wasn’t about us. It was about his own pain and self-pity.”

In an act even more bewildering for friends, Andre also allegedly killed his cat, Jake.

“I don’t know if he got religious and wanted to take the cat with him,” Calloway said. “It’s devastating. I’m angry it happened like this.”

Andre’s love for his cat was well-known among his circle of friends. “I got him a ‘Best Cat Dad’ shirt,” said Gilchrist. “He wore it all the time. He made videos of giving Jake treats. That was the kind of person he was.”

Now, those closest to him are organizing a memorial to honor his life and raise awareness about mental health.

“I want to remember the person he was, not the person he decided to be,” said Gilchrist. “He was a kind, generous and thoughtful friend. This is just so super shocking and sad.”

Calloway added, “I want him to be remembered as a fun guy, someone who was always there for me, and now he’s not. Our group is really devastated.”

The case remains an open investigation as Maricopa police wait for the final report from the Pinal County Medical Examiner’s Office.