James Hunter spoke with 7 News by phone from West Virginia, where he works as an insurance salesman. He and his wife, Judy, have been married for 29 years and have five children. 

Now, one of those children is facing double murder charges and the Hunter family has been unable to to speak with him. 

7 News asked Jim what he would say to his son, Joshua.

"I would tell him that I love him and that I am praying for him, that there will never be a time where I will not love him and that I am so sorry that his friends and he have gone through what they're going through."

Ever since Waide James and Diego Valbuena were found stabbed to death in their town of LeRay apartment, Joshua Hunter's father says his family has been on an emotional roller coaster that has left them mentally and physically drained.

"It's been a very difficult couple of days of course, but we're trying to work through it," said Jim Hunter.

Joshua returned home from Iraq in May and got married June 1. Joshua's wife, Emily, has said her husband came back from war a changed man, full of violence.

Jim says he never saw that side of his son.
 
"There may have been some things that had changed. I know that he was a little bit on edge at times."

Jim says he met James and Valbuena in October when his son brought his Army buddies home to West Virginia for a visit.

"Both of them were good boys.  They and Josh acted like a bunch of brothers. They ran around the house and just had a good time...There's no reason in my mind that my son Joshua would have committed so horrific a crime against a couple of boys that he loved. I just cannot imagine in my mind why," he said.

During the October visit, Jim says Josh and Emily decided to move into James and Valbuena's apartment. Sometime between November 29 and 30, something went terribly wrong. James and Valbuena were murdered and Josh went missing. Josh's father says he received a phone call from Emily.

"She told me that Joshua had called her and told her that he was sorry, that he doesn't remember what happened, that he loves her and was weeping," he said.  "I don't know that he did it or didn't do it.  You would always have to think that your son couldn't do something like that. They haven't presented any evidence thus far and I don't think I want to comment as to whether he did it or not."

Josh Hunter's wife has said her husband saw his best friend "blown to pieces" in Iraq. Jim Hunter says his son told him a similar story.

"The only story he related to me was that he did have a friend who died in his arms over there in Baghdad.  It struck me as he told me.  He was weeping. He was very upset at that point...I told him that that's one of the most difficult things that you can possibly go through and it would take time to heal."

Jim Hunter says he has no reason to believe that his son made up the story and the family now believes Josh may have been suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

He said his son was on medication and seeing a therapist.

When asked what he would say to the families of the victims, Jim Hunter said, "I cannot imagine or begin to understand what they're feeling, but they have our deepest sympathy and we're praying for answers and just wish this had never taken place."